Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-02-20


can prevail IN the other House, and hence have pro-l
posed IL Concession after concession has been ma de
10 Eastern professions The smG!l cou,siv interest
mas oeen most galantly maintained. 1t has been
maintained with an urdour and iirmness WORTHY of
4 bet or cause. Like the Spartan band posted with
III their own selected Thcrmopvl,e headed by their
own Leonidas, they beat oil n,yriads of pfons but
at length seducei from their strong hold by the prof
cfeu al OF the graduated county BIZ advocates, they
We're divided und vunquished--not vet s,,biuuated
however. have Ho doubt they will rally around
the Senatorial plan Notwithstanding the conflict
has been violent, the friends of reform have much
cause for ccmgr0tuiation.
Ehe triumph OF liberal principle has been sirnal
though not complctc-point .fter point, has 6aen
wrested from the advocates OF power. With an Mn,
otdefance. they first displayed their federal numbers
oui--that was torn to pieces by the cross firing of
cemoatan's IN the Batsle Royai next was brought
INTO action the property and population bill sustained
by the aristocratlc dogma that the s'tax ,ers only
should be the tax laycrs'-in other words thai
representation should be based upon p,ouerfy End
not the true republican ground of personal ri.-hts
ina, soon was "hors de combat" and the famous Co.
ctton bill now occupies the feld-aganst which am
prepared to tight even unto death This is bill of
iniNet charac.er-a mere arbitrary arrangement of
conducting interests, securing no one Of the great
pr'ncipies Tor which the friends eff convention have
contcnded-markcd with distinctive feature bnt
that OF county representation which no friend Of canal
representation can consistently sanction. Gentle
men Of all parties, will finally be brought to choose
between this bill and the substitute have onered:-
can thcy-Wil they hesitate to prefer the substitute,
! hat, | ask are the leading objects of the friends
| o: convention as heretofore avowed,
| Were they not TO eQualize representation upop a
district system, agrceab!y to free white population,
10 dinlnish sie expense of legislation by reducing
The members OF the House of Delegates.
| 10 extend the right of suffrage to all persons ho
ing sufficient evidence Of permanent interest in and
attachment to the community, and thereby admit a
iarger portion of our meritorious citizens to inst
! "A Irl ne ION Nf tlny
eminent:
pnt 1t 70 candid men to say whether one sinple
one OF these objects, are secured by the bill under
consideration
The reTnbsr from Monongalia (Mr Morgan) pro-
poses also to amend this bill. II is true in his amend
let Is introduced, provision touching the RIGHT al
Suffrage somewhat similar TO mine but with the ex-
cSpton " that lie has only added TO the n1anv ob;ee
lions TO the present bill He seeks farther to grad
uate representation, by INCREASING the nunber n.
Delegates. 70 this bill as amended by the scheme n,
the member from Monongsa, have sixty-four spe-
cifc objections. The Senate need not be aIn-,nod
at this appalling enunciatioi for it. is not NV ntsn
ton, to discuss those objections in detail Il will
De Fecoectcd that my amendment proposes that rho
convention shall consist of 96 memhers--that of the
member from Monongalia Of So makibr difference
OF sHty-iour; circumstance of itself CONSTITUTING
| strong ground ofobj lection. Whilst the body should
DC large enough to partake sufficiently of the nonu.
lar ieeing 1t would not be so large as to endanoe,
tnat calm and dlspassionste dscusIion SO much TO
be desired Oil important an occason the fewer the
number required, the more particular will be the e.
!ectoi-and electng too by districts the probability
Is greater of putting in requsition men of the nos
distinguished talents, and approved;virtue 3raip
the history ofall deliberatve assemblies teaches ms
that small bodies despatch business with more acty
itythan large and unwiedy masses and most assured
" aL mich less eXpeNce. And here let me surpss,
hat the state the exchequer mqht be materially
a!ected by the difference, III the expenses OF CON
Vehuon OF 90 and SO members. I am unwilling &c
regard THIS measures asia contest for power however
| disposed others may be SO to consider it.
Let US now unite in devisinr n plan by which IL
sections ofthe state may go into convention upor
terms OF the nearest practical equaity-and then j
De necessaryto wage contest for power let eacf
be governed by what the majority NAV decide IN ba
correct adjustment this is not the proper time O,
place. Here, all claiming to be equally can
did and patriotic, each alike entitled TO his
opinions, let us endeavour to harmonise by mutua
concessions. DO gentlemen expect amongst the di
Versity OF interests and opinions there should be Nc
concession mo compromise? Shall we have no res
pect for the opinions Of otherso Do gentlemen be
yond the mountain mean 10 concede nothinr' IF so
be 1t so, but they may learn when too late that 9TH
eFa are rs tenacious OF their opinions; and can an
| WA MAINTAIN them hrTniy. Although nv bretb
ren OF the Eastern part othe State did ACCORDING tc
my opuion SET up In the commencement of this con
troversy unreasonable ard uniustifabe pretcnsions
/ tney nave IN great degree yielded them and he
ieY1, me main ground OF controversy now 10 tho dig
ference between the senatorial districts arranged ac
coTdlng to the census Of 1910; and a new aTranpc
mehc Oh districts according TO the census of 1920
has been found, that within those periods whilst the
white population has increased about i 900 below
the Blue Ridge, has increased beyond alb out 40 900
According to the census of 1910, the country below
the Hldge will have in Convention so members he
You'd '6-a difference of24 According to the census
OF 1920, the relative numbers in Convention would
be, J understand, Sc Fast, SO West-a difference of
TO- The West then, will have conceded in the num-
per OF members When they asked to concede
this alone, is the demand u;on their IiberaIitv So ~
or5ltant as to Justify the hazard of passing no law
upon the subject and thereby, surrender the State
to That high degree of political excitement, which
YOU'D inevitably folow-or passing the bill upon the
whose results in Convention would be 50 rnrniv oc-
cioenta as operate either for or against the great
oCJects OF REFORM think not. Go into Conven-
tlon upon the terms offered-.fhev admit the l,s
zee d expectancy of the reform sought Tho western