Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-11-26

franchise did initiate with that provision OF the C.
.. .ns 81 which requires that "ths citizens Of each
~ shan De entitled to all privileges and nmuniuss
Of citizens In the several states" He had not meant
express any dehnve opinion, far less was hs In
state h,% intimate in the slightest degree. tina. each
e nSd not perfect right to prescribe tho qualities.
u1us OF voter. among It, own citizens. Tho point 10
msn ms doubt was directed was. whether could, In
cn.eney with the Constitution. prescribe q different
eon"on Tor its otca citizens from that which pre-
se!oei Tor the citizens Of other states, residing and Of
ering to vote within its limits
1--WE ako this opportunity to correct an error into
winch We Tell in representing idea thrown out by
Mr.. barbour yesterday, aud which, by being unin.
tenuonauy misrepresented, was stripped Of compare
lively all Its force. After making an estimate Of the
number Of in the state, and comparing the a.
mount with the number Of its he came to the
sonc iu.ion, not that there enough land create
iso,o0o new reeholders but to create that number
I.er ofotoing a)reehod TO every man, toonsan onj
en'id In tho Commonwealth. Mr.. b. uniformly OF.
presses himself with 90 lucid cearness, that Re.
porter takes more than ordinary blame himself for %
paipable error1 :
MIR. MCCOY concurred in the sentiment, that the
period oil probation long, and that other
States ought to DO out ON the same footing Win our
own; but he conceived this provided for by that
10 the hrs part Of the resolution. which declares
that the right Of suffrage shall continue to be exercis.
cd oy all who now enjoy under the existing Constitu.
tom residence Of six months only is now required
MIR. LIIoH though, this clause Superseded by the
effect OF the subsequent provso. He, however, dsap-
proved Of the whole OF that part Of the resolution reis
ing to citizens Of other States, unjust and hard In
its bearing.
On motion Of Mr. HEsDERsoN, the whole Of thas
clause was stricken out. from the word ..nor to the
end OF the proyiso. tSee above.l
The Committee now proceeded TO tho eth resolution
Of the Legislative Committees; which 10 In the following
words:
"Re.olrei. That the number Of members ID the So.
nate OF this State ought 70 be neither increased nor
mintshed,nor the,cassifcaon Of its members chshged
Mr.. PLEAsANrs moved to amend the resolution by
striking out all after the words "Resofved that-snd
substituting the following:
Representation in the Senate shalib be based on the
whole number Of free persons, including those bound
service Tor term OF years, and including indiana not
taxed, and adding to the aforesaid number Of free per.
sons, three Of all other persons, and the Senate
shall consist OF number not exceeding and ito
term OF service aud cassiic cation remain a. G
MT T.. explained and advocated his amendment.
which he wa, induced 10 propose as ground OF com.
promise. he would not. however, rgidy insist upon
It, but was willing TO adopt the compound basis Of taxa.
ton and numbers. il gentlemen should prefer that to
basis on the federal number Hepreferred the latter
as more simpl' less flu ctuaDg, more familiar ami
practicable. IL would, also, take away pretext ffor
such as sought 10 alter the ratio Of u %
general government He objected to Mr.. Scots A.:
mendment as giving the Senate too much power, ard
Houses
Mr. DopDRIpoE moved to amend the amendment NJ
Mr.. PLEAsANTs, by striking out all after the 6rst
words, and inserting the following o a Substitutes:
Con the whole number of free white persons, incud-
ing those bound service for term Of years and
! ton combined"
Mr. JOHNSON expressed his preference for the |eds.
raj number to the scheme last proposed being sim.
pier, more easily a.certained, already known TO the
laws, habituay applied in practice, and not varab.
! with the will OF the Legislature.
Mr. DoDpRIDGE explained his for preferrinr
the mixed basis in the Senate. He went into \
calculation oil the probable increase Of slaves on each
side OF the Blue Ridge and inferred that they would
increase faster on the East than the West side. The
EAst therefore, would power by the federal mum.
oer And as taxation was likely to increase the West
the mixed basis would thereby increase their represen-
taon He hoped the West, obliged to lose tho white
basis in the Senate, would be permitted to choose be-
tween the two other alternatives. He opposed any in.
crease in the numbers Of the Senate, expensive and
i mi rInta he .ta .I.
as to giving il the power Of originating bills he presum
| ed there could be but one opinion.
Mr. LEIer was opposed to both amendments; bse
rese to expose what he considered an inconsistoncy
AMI dire ct contradiction between the srgum ut, used
by Mr. DopDRIDGE when the question OF the basis Of
repTese nj Alton before the Committee and thoss he
employed Then, he opposed the mil ed basis now
he proposed IT, Then he had represented the saves 40 ali
gong 10 ha wesfi now he represented them likely
10 increase most in the East.
| MIR. DoDpRIDGE explained.
BE now proposed the mixed basis, not became bS
.ppfoyea but only as the lesser Of two evils. was
true, that sses wouLi increase in the West and there
by give pledge Of security agains, their exee,siv.
tsxati' but their val 10 Of increase was more vspd n,
( Of then, counted. "
Mr. LEIGH rejoined; dill not aIai, the sxptansioia
satisfactory and urged md enforced the charge of
inconsistency He was indifferent which plan si,onLi
prevail; he objected to arsenic much III pre.erved
cherry, as in preserved sfraro5eyry. II had been
lately necessary 10 administer caloei little son Of
nus, anu sweatDcats were employed to cover II: but
the child could not be deceived by it; neither could his
iather by similar process. The mixed ba,i, in IN,
House OF Delegates had been opposed on principle Az
arlstocracy The principle here the same though,
not the degree; and were the gentlemen on tho o: her
size IN avor OF an aristocracy 10 degree! The opIy
way he could conceive TO for their apparent in
consistency, was IN their conviction lin which he A.
CREEPY that The mixed basis in the Senate would be r
"eesj ana no FL ctuai security Whatever against ths
power Of the House Of Delegates.
| MIR. DopDRIDGE again reminded Mr. L. that Tn.
proposition bad not originated with hem-t was orcA
ed upon them: and IL he take one of two p;,Is
both of which he considered Injurious he M Ie.st
claimed the liberty Of choice.
| Mr.. MERCER suggested, that as they had a Con.t-
u'ion and were called IT, if they could nor
get what they esteemed the best amendment tlisx
must then try and get the second 6esk III he must
swallow either ars mic caloineI he should prefsr
the cslonel II his child was very sick and in .rs,e
pain, might poss5ly be induced 10 swallow arsenic
IscIf. (Which administered in . certain me s.urs nav
be taken without injury0 TO confirming under the paiS
hendureJ. They bad never advocated the propri,tv
passing representation on property, and, there
the charge OF inconsistency did not hold The .Ii.,ins
Constitution bases represe neither on pronert
nor numbers, but on arbitrary arrange mt OF die
iricts, by which 10000 were made 10 o,t vots
100000 and by which, man on the a.board
was made equal 10 ~ men in the interior. He r,msrk
ed TO Mr.. Peasants, that if the Senate rem.ined NJ Ito
present number he should vote for SLOWING IL sonrur
rent power with the House of DeIrg in the ;oint
election OF ofhcers but not IL its numbers vers an
Iare ed.
| The question then taken on Mr. Dodd,idg.,x
amendment, and decided in the negatiye--Ayss s<
Noes 50. -
(Messrs Mal,on, Monroe, sud Marshall, sti ,orio.
Co. b. N1N,