Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-12-17
VIRGINIA COW ENTtoS.
'rnuHsnAY. Nnp 10

der the two prep 'Stons wi,h ref r,nce To- heir n
.cil opeTa'ion-and IN approaching this subject.
hn my deep regret at the appeal which has
oI,'' hauc 10 tn" spirit o' party politics. We nre
.oId oy the gentleman from Chesterfield that ono ~
we o'c%'s oi t's Convention is to change the polcv
Vi 's 'o'a'e III reference to the of the Cen
era' Government; and he has endeayorcd In ala"
c"e purity politician, with the apprehension that III.
iavoritc doctrine of State Rights would be .pdrn,er
Gu ny trans ter OF power from the east to the vos
MT chairman, has not the subject under cons;,Io
ton In rinSlc difficulties enuuui., a ro Ill . N
JUDGES, IA uraly, perhaps. inseparablv blon@inp
IT, "hch present almost nseparable obs acles 81 Co.
u" discussion, TO Just and wise conclusions rosnec
| ing 1t: Shall we, by invoking the demon rs -,
spFi, multiply these difficulties. inlane these 49,
d'ccS bring dscprd into ranks and cont;,.;nn' -,
ION i =" A. las II Come to 'his,-that public opin.
Hi ,s 10 oe Controlled, by retaining political nuv.r -;
tue hands OF the minority Do our brethren M th
lin 10 deny us freedom of opinion respectin.,
; -. a"a''s OK the General Government Do thew i
sSt upon the privilege of thinking for US AS VOL, ~
egFiatinS FOR Us! The generous teelinxs ofmv f,S
RON Chest eEle!d when The excitement of ardent IL
c"te mas S"osde will dIscaiIn, am sire nil MIA
rom oiihd parry neaE-and trust that this Comn;,
ice VIII not for moment submit to its influence
:, H. ms oceh objected to the resolution of the Sc,cs
IVA. : tlat by transferring the power to the
west, 1t Viii enianger the basis of reurescnto,io
the House of Representatives, of the JJn cd Co.. nv
That Is to saythat ii the basis of Whit noa,;,'
shouid De established for the House of Delerntns ,h
peopie OF the west, following the precedent iii -"
sst ON arranging the Congressional d;str;, IN n
state upon the same basis instead of the hoss 81 ~"
deral numbers upon which they have here,oforo -
GER ngst 90 not believe sir that any such dan.
scr the proprlety of arranging the Cnnrro.
sonat districts upon the federal basis is so ohy;o
ana mas been so long practised, that do NOT bei,
saar II'ge Wou,a ever DC attempted. But you
express declaration that the federal number shalt f.
o 9"cerh IN arranging these districts. But the nm
sa rom Fauquer tells us he does know that
SUCH provision would be regarded rs obl;nnt ''
ne does not know but that the CONSTITUTION of'' H.
Inteu otates would o. appealed as paramount Tn
it authority OF the State Constitution on This cur
Ject Does the gentleman from Fauouicr en,er,;
the enst doubt. that such proylsi N IN npr ca;
tutio' would be obligatory? Can he doubt ,h,i ~
,ta'e Legislature Is ImperIousy bound by the Sal
Io"s'ituton, IN all things contrary TO Tho ,Ioi
constitution! And can he find any thino in tb. -
sttuton of the United States upon which 10 w..
eouot' mat II d lawful to prescribe that the district,
'oF clccting members to Congress- shall h. So y
| upon the basis which the Constitution of ,ba II;.a
States itself has established for the whole renresnnt
ton OF the Safe Ii we are to be driven from H.
.. uty ny such skepicism, labors are at an
G!io'-ior why prescribe qua icaton of suf,u.na
the gentleman from Fanquer does not know Ibai IN
tnis age OF metaphysical abstraction, it will bc boII
sis 81 s,oy upon Inc people; Why prescribe any ba
auqu'cr does not know that the Legislature will hold
II uoiSa'ory upon them Let not, sir deliver orr
selves up to the blind guidance of what we do M,
h"ow'-out rather let us be governed by what ,ye do
know' or might know, we would consult our reaeon
we ought to know that is orr duty 10 settle 49,;
or rePrese"ation without Influence from i'm:
aSlhry dari.ers. We ought to know tina, ,he T
glsiature OF Virginia would never incur tho r;I g
losing ITS whole representation in Congress bv cjc'
r al Us members IN direct violation of the State
constitution; that they would never incur the reoroa
Oh mankind by SO papabe violation of duty
| we are threatened with another dauge, !, ~o,
bas % 'nv ieuerai government, from adopting the
odSiS OIL Whlte pouiaton.-We are told that - VI
| ginia, the largest Southern State disreoa rds ~
save population, IN apporoning representation IN
the otate Legislature, it Will weaken the aro,lmcnt
ey which the Southern States support their f,ah, =,
representation for that prop rty in the govsrn'
OF the united States, aud may endanger the loss ~,
power when that r,Prcsea alton gives u.s.
IL should be recollccted that the power ,b,ob .L:
reputation gives u.s. in the general government docs
not rest upon argument but upon comnact.N,
hoC aio"ed us upon principle but upon cornprorosc.
uahnot De taken away from but by total
departure from the spirit of the comoromise .,J 80
amendment OF the compact agreed 10 bv ,bna
Iourtns OF the States. III the Union-nnd the gentle
man man rom Loudon Mr. Mcrcer) has shewn how ut
| Terry lnpracticabe any such amendment would he =
but sir, tins argument that the slave popuotion ,,
not Regarded IN the rep esentation of those State
wnere slavery existed in full force when the con-
stitution of the United States was adoped II ,
then urged and repelled.-The arournen i nn,;oS
IN me ity fourth number of Pubiius-,rbe fact on
"cn IL rests Is admitted, and the argument abl,, 70
pCiled by clear exposition of sthc comnrnn,;iyy ~
pedieDt OF the Constitution, "-"vI,icb roIS s i
save as Invested oftwo fiffhs of the rnon u r., ~
doP'lhg the basis of white population then, we fur
bnt 70 our a"ve,gare no new and fearful argument;
- ut we ieavc Tie old refuted argument in the mi;
| eI Fave winch has covered it for forty ycars
come now to consider this question with refer.
enc" 20 me protection Of property BY adopting tho
6a<s OF white population shall We expose to da5ger
Ina peculiar property, in which the Eastern DisirIc
nave so deep an INTEREST," am perfectly satisfied
Mr. Chairman that you would more effcctualv pro-
tect TINS property, by granting the simple basis
IMAM ny imposing on us the compound basis proposed
1V me gentleman from Culpepper Let us attentive
~ anu imPariIiy examine this question.
The whole danger appteLendcd rests upon the SIM.
position That the basis of white population will car
~ Tie power of the government into the hands ~
tnos G. VINO VIII De comparatively but little interested
IN this property; and if il can be sheyn that fbi
position is not correct then it must be admitted That
The danger Is unreal do not believe that il e Gov
rect anu VII ubm 10 your candid consid, ration the
reasons of that opinion.