Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-11-05
aEPoKrEp roR THE WIG.
VIRGINIA CONVENTION.
DEBATE OF MONDAY, NOV. a-Cuscnu

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great question upon which they were called 10 Lelb-
crate. H had some opinions md facts which he
lett It 10 be his duty To submit; and the Committee
would then be able to judge from comparison OF
ther views with his, whether he was in error; and
ny perhaps might derive hight from the ability,
Which the minds OF thus distinguished body Inio,t
shed upon his opinions. The course which the de-
oate mud taken upon orr side, seemed to him SO
nnca beside the question: that most of the arptl-
rnen's had gone The leuLci OF opposing any reform
as II we maj not to amend lin. existing
Constitution, but to determine whether there should
or should not be Conv nton. Tnat question had
been already decided, and by a considerable ma
JoHty q" the very trceholdsrs ~ whom the gentlemen
manifest so much confidence majority IN the
state had determined To Gail COnvention-the o,ir-
IONS OF tue treeholderS had not been misIDd
They are IN favor of Convention unless NV any
sudden revdsnn, they had been wrought on to aban-
don their expressed opinion; and as the gentleman
from Cupepper had said, 'come To The rgh; shout
lie asked II there any thing IN tie govern
m mt which requires reform? Tao rgu,f e. ,-;s,
CUT OF the existing state CT things ms 81 too grew
oS any longer 10 be borne. Ii ought no. s-,y op--
"rto be borne. Il must be counieract..i n, ~
march OF that intelligence which = tho per, ma
characteristic o; the Virginia, and o. tie american
i.uDhc' An t"nnt = now made u soma lzi.-
tile rcpreSe ut s,Ion II the S..ir-e - niue,
principle into he CunSItGt.oa--z p-inc,Q., .,,
OF IN any free SUPERINTENDENT lHg tle r,--srs;s-
tive p Wcr qua6rate with properly L. ,x.,-H 3D.. ~
~ make the black population through the tsN ,,t,s
OF an ingredient n the rs2reseutz,.-. S,s:r-,-
lie hau great objections to tlis ccu-se-I. 80
tenlen could obtain this end, Il wJgi Eci s-sI,..
nose consequences which they seemed % .;-,sl -
II tncss consequences 70 come, ne rsr7.I Nc,
they rely wi prevent the ,vil. t. --,;l.-
men argued As If the mobilization was nos.i -
cured D. the existing condition Of Y ---..a "
are to!d tAat unless We combine numbers aid pro-
rcty, hr slave holders are o su.r n al oDpre,,r
ai that nothing 5lt Infusion Of he principle OF
compound basis, can save from he Jan-ra- ,r -
rule The interests Of the Commonwealth What AZ.
the fuctss Il vii not 90 for gentlemen IN i,,IiI,,s
themselves IN beautiful speculI.i5ns or classical =.
fe.ences TO history. These have but ltle bc,-.ng
upon this subject. The question IS how l., tho no,
ition white ana black, apportioned' How dors In,
relative power OF the state now stand What viii
be the effect of some inconsidcrabe alterations IN
the distribution of power
The Commonwealth has 1o5 count % a,J 4 l.,
roughs, having representation. These coCntjes are
NGrou very various Is their dimensions-th.;r Cor
tty and IN the number and character of their uon
marion. Some OF THEM possess a redundant renr,
s.ntation--rCdunddnt eithc in reference IN a r..
81 whIie pOpula:i ion, to the combined rit,o m,
IL Is fact ths their inequalities are so dispersed rs
only 10 appear like speCIs IN the horizon ,,horoI
are portions 81 country lying contiguous which pre-
sent The presen. inequalities. u It wise soer1,,I
calmly and deb aratey 81 apply a reu,ad,, or - 7
press ques inns which Only produce divisions such
ns can never result from wise cOuncsf What arc The
tacs? The list from the auditor shows sorns fact
which he would now state. The country from lhr
head Of tide water to the contains some Of the
richest counties, Spotsyivania, Caroline Hanover
the county Of his friend, Mr.. MoRRrs, which com
Inenced the solution, and which he considered rs y.
ing in tn middle district )-IIcnrco Richmond and
Chesterfield What is he fact as rersrds fla. ron
reScntation and taxation from the head of It'd, ,va .
fer To the Blue Ridge? II contains laro. white
population. within few of moori,y of the whole
number Of slaves in the State, and contributing in
very dSproportlonate degree 10 the public Revenue
The West side ofthe ne Ridge he claimed rs Eas.
tern Virginia In this there are two subdivisons-
There Is MAJ rty of whites, and minority of
blacks and pay majority of taxation ~ 81 wv into
The Treasury. low is the representa- in the
Legislature? In the Valley there are II counties
represented Oy 29 delegates East Of the Blue
Ridge TO the head of tide water, there are % coun-
ties, represented by SO delegates. Here we have =
majority of the whites, majority of the blacks and
majority of taxes represented IN the House of Del
cglein the, proportion which IS be to 21f, leav
ing majority Of 38 against the majority ofyshtes,
the majority Of blacks and the majority Of taxation.
He would willingly avoid the discussion of he subject
sectional interests lie wished there could be- but
one interest in all. and mind all in which Vfr-
gia concerned, bur the discussion WIS forced upon
him By The means taken by the gentlemen OIL the
other side.
The gr8a AMI gross 50 uequali'y is to be found
III that part Of Virginia, which les below he head Of
tile water-ucq1all'ies which arc Of The most plar-
i1g character, wien make q compa rison If the
two parts of the State. They have on this floor
thirty delegates from the senatorial district in which
tchmlnd Is included, and IN another district also
And, if Richmond IL excluded, they We twenty
delegates the floor. Thus, while five corn'Ies AT
the foot Of the Blue Ridge pay tax of SJ7 COO and
nave only ten delegates, thsc Two senatorial districts
nave tweny-nlne delegates, and paya tax Of So OOg
which is the actual of taxation paid by tho
counties when Richmond is excluded. lie must say
that the country below tire head Of tide land God
bless the country below the tide 90 all virginia.
does MT pay in proportion 10 the public trca3ury
Would il not be better for gcntlrmcn TO unite in some
plan rather than try to defeat cvey plan' lie had
made another calculation. JIe presented the facts
they appear m the report The representa-
ton IN the west and in the extreme cast, is npW
redundant. On the basis of tho white population,
the wcs aad Tho Gust will lose and The midi diys
ION wIl gam. The strength will be carried To- the
ccrtrc-oud q we suffer deaih. u viii be from dis
ease Of The heart, for which there il no remedy.
" esi o. ths Al'ehany, there is white poprlrGou
o 3(,lI2-of slaves 500. Tho taxes are S]9,Og0
1 nero are twcnty-six counties and ffy-twO repro
scntalyes. II equalized according to the white
PoPula ION, that district would have bit fory-ninc !
representative. So that It woUli have lcs5, If tho
representation wcrc based upon federal numbers, or
a combination Of taxation and representation. IN
Inc nI In \ II