Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-11-19

/ hhu hiuu' lHis nh1 Uten CffHieu w hmklnk
as the standard Of value the average value of.
| land IN the districts In the first class the al
yerHse value amounted 10 ten shilings pc
ac,e--in the second. excluding the connte
OF Patrick aud Henry, aud including two large
counties IN the Valley. the average vnlne was
seven shillngs, III the third II was fixed nj hv,
shiiugs and slypense, aud in the fourth TO three
shlings This bin gas reported by the Com.
miltee and the Legislature adopted ir deemng
II better 10 do this uni assessmt nj could be
made for tho whole state The Operations Of this
law OF course was unequal, the traus.Alegha
ny, and the Valley districts paid too tide The
Others Too much-in consequence oil this thu
people oil the West had oonslanty been Jeefed
cd on account Of their poverty aud for tho
want Of contributing their ju,, share to the dis
charge of the public burlhens thence all re-
inrm has been impracicable, every attempt has
been defeated aud controversy alone has been
the consequence.
In this state Of affairs (some other causes Of
excitement interyening) Ia 1916, This dBconteut
was seized upon 10 innNme the public mind
and the ifni, was the Staunton Convention
II assembled ubder excitement and additional
alarm was created bot tho people represented
rad not YET become ehcited---l was deputed 20
this Convention thus assembled, not 10 rouse
10 resentment or stimulate 10 mischief mot
andeavo, 70 alley lhese feelings and 10 restrain
all excess, with this distinct understanding,
that all we asked for was the means Of correct.
ing the inequality ri representation, and inc
qualify of taIatiou. THIS, however, was not ell
Ia II asked lor by the Stnunion Convention
| thought thy asked for too much, they de
sired Conyrnloa with unlimited puwrrs--we
waited a hmiled Convention, To REMEDY these
Two defects, with a provision IN the new Con
siliutiOn, Tor us future amendment, well guar.
deu agans abuse 10 prevent gfea,er mischief.
Their proceedings were lOid before the Legs
lature aud bill was introduced 10 call u Iin
ted Convention aud expressly 10 equaIl Re re-.
presentation 10 cqunlizc TAXATION, aud to extend
the right Of sufl,age Il was afterwards II.
mended and confined 10 the two frs, objects
omittng the extension of the right Of suilrag,
aud II was thought not wise 10 nsk tor the pro.
vision Tor future amendments That bill pissed
the House OF Delegates, but meeting with oh
staces in the Senate, II was sonn followed by a
oil to equaize tho Senatorial Districts. Inc
hrsi was laid on the tnblu ~ the Senate 10 await
the arrival of the other, and bath weie acted
upon together. The Senatorial bill only pro-
vided n temporary RENE iy, the limited Con.
yeation bill permanent one. advocated lhn
latter, but IL was iost-ihr first WAS carried by n
majority ofonc only Both bills were in com
they opposed then, both but SOM preferred
the Senatorial bill TO the otber--but wbDn
they found tho Convention bill was Josi, and
the other would be passed, proposition wDs
made by one oil those gentlemen ifom the East
wIo had defeated the Convention BIZ, thai il
II could be 70 considered he would now vote for
il IL prelorence---the motion was accordingly
made, but I've who had promised 10 give he vote
did not redeem the promise the motion OF
course failed. and tho Senatorial bill was then
taken up and passed.
Permit me 10 tell yoa how that thing Imp.
pened the gentleman who made the promise
Intended 10 have kept tit was no bntg IN
ii was aipromise made TO himself the passage
OF the Senatorial Bin was known I, depend
upon single member, who was considered as
donbtful--his vote had been counted upon by
both sides-nnder these circumstances, "A Reu-
lIeman from the East, met n gentleman from
the S0uth-they had conversation, ~ winch
the gentleman from the East WAS asked fine
knew what he was about, aud WINS told. by al.
herring TO his former vote he might def ut hoih
Bills. Accordingly when the vote was taken
he voted against ihe reconsideration LAT
forwards enqured To kno. wh Y he had
thus changed his determination lie told me
II reminded him how unfit he WAS for Leesia
ton, for he had been served as he WINS former
that the Sheriff Of his own county would voir
for bin. and the Sheriff of his Adversary
county would vote for bis adversary, he had
been persuaded 10y his opponent, 10 waive tho
right Of occurring The Sheriff Of his own county
10 vote under the expectation that the Sheriff
of the other county weuld also not be reqniI-
ed 10 vote,--bnt when they came TO the last
county, the Sheriff voted for his opponent.
enquir' il he had mol promised thai The Sheriff
should not vote Yes DO you now intend
he shall vote 7 Yes Then you intended to
deceive me Certainly And ! now call up
on ali The voters, to take notice that have "a
ken you IN; aud warn tho people against e.
lectIng you, for ifyoo can thus be cheated, ia
the same way sou will be cheated out OF your
votes in the Senate.
| beg pardon for OBTAINING the Committee
with this anecdote. The bill WIS passed. II
gave the people Of the West their full share
ol fspresenlaiion-il gave them nine Senator'S,
when according 10 the census Of 1910, they
would only have been entitled TO eight aud "A
fraction. They already had their snare in the
House Of Delegates then had their full
share Of power, and the new bill provided Tor
the removal Of the OBJ lection to the inequality
OF the laud tax Though ipreferred the per.
manent to this temporary relief, yet was then
conient rather than expose the whole Consiitu-
lion TO the danger Of innovation aud injury. |
thought our present Constitution was better
suited 10 the genius aud character of our PEG.
Pile, better adapted 10 promote our interests
and protect our rights, than all the Consiiu-
lions of all the her States of this Union.-i
preferred II 10 all, because Of its Antiquity
indicated il because II was tho work Of cur
foreiathers. and because it vas the child ofthe
revOluiion.-- From the time when this gieat
political inequality was removed. | have con
SANITY opposed the call of any Convention,
general or limited aud have labofed no little
TO prevent il. Step by step, SIDE by side,
have followed my noble friend from
Chesterfield (Mr. Leigh) in preserving the old
Constitution, and he will bear me witness that
have fought like faithful soldier, and did
not abandon my arms till victory was wresied
from me--but from The time the ma ority had
decided in favor Oft. my opposition ceased
III ....... I'll VIZ. a.x...a