Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-02-20
Debate in tho Senate on the Conventian


MIR. DSDE said approach tho discussion Of this
question: greatly distrusting my ability 10 say much
that wil DC either new or Interesting shall maze
no effort at brlliancy of display but in SUSTAINING
t"c a'nenui9eht | nave offered. ! shall endeavor
10 regard what [ say more than ia order ar en-
hellishment-if shall be fortunate enouch 70 adj
vance any thing worthy the consideration of the Sc,
nate snail leave to others the trouble of ARRANGING
1t 10 the best advantage.
In opening the debate [ mean not IA oss,-, AN,
preference to be heard well knowing there are otbcr
members who can with more propriety claim the ear
OF the Senate; believing, however, thar the hill
should be amended IN the manner pI opposed feel il
my duty to attempt 10 show wherefore il should
Mr. Speakers 1t appears to me, that the wide r,nrc
oi DEBATE, which has been ndnlrcd i'm elsewhere
was premature and out Of place
Gentlemen seem to have limccd them selves alror.
oy members OF Convention ana endowed with all the
powers appertainlnr To such Notwithstanding they
are yet ordinary Legislatures about to do
those things, which by the expressed ,cal of their
constituents, they have bccn cGllcdupo TO do.
nat, 1t may be asked, IS expected at our hands,
ne history OF tins matter, aai the act of the last
Legislature, clearly indicate our dutv For MANY
years the friends OF reform i'm the existing cops.it
ton, have III an orderly. peaceful, and decorous man
ner, po,ltioned the Legislature that the sens tho
people might be taken by the officers of the govern
ment, whether convention to inter tho ;,,,;o
should he called OF not
This was asked Of the Legislatures not because The
people did not know, that the SOVEREIGN power rcsi-
dcd III them not because thcv were not sensible
ehey could eject their object, without Legislative
agency nut because cor the sake Of GOOD order they
were unwilling to exercise their power. unless dri-
ven thereto by denia OF aid on ihe mart Of tho oy
istmg government. The General Assembly Of Vir-
gina yielded to their Just demands Snd passed. law
1recng that the sense OF the people should be Ia
Ken submitting the question however to f,eebold-
eFS only. The treeholders with nlarnanirnitv and
commence. which cntitle them to tie admira lion
and gratitude of every votary OF free government
oy large majority, declared that they wished con-
ven ION called, to alter the present constitution. and
TO organize that convention according TO The viii of
the people, is now the plain and simple duty we have
to perform.
The friends of reform, in yelling thc submission
OF tAe question of convention or no convention. to
freehoiders only, did not thereby admit that then
alone were the community, who had the right to al
ter, reform or abolish the governments and therefore
should alone be consulted but con6d mo- in the ius
tee OF their they were willing to adopt that
mode Oh testing public opinion, rs the result has JUS
TO give effect to the will of the minority, az de-
c.ared IN the Bill Of Rights, should ever be cousi-
deref the sacred and pIOus duty of every Rcpubli-
can, and which [ am happy TO believe, viii not he
questioned oy any member in either branch OF the
General Assembly Of Virginia 1t bahoves nertl,
unen, then although they may have been opposed r.
rev'!on OF the constitution and may on former oc-
casIonS, have strcnuously eXertad themselves to de-
feat call OF conventon) 10 unite now in rood faith
20 oreaaZe 1t upon Just equal and liberal principles;
consulting as tar practicable the interests and oni
mons OF the people of every section of the State.
1t Is wrong for members to suppose. that bccauee
TIER constituents may have voted AGAINST tho cal
OF convention that their Delegates are bound 10
act now way 10 obstruct or defeat every hoprs IN
tue provisions o the existing constitutional I'm ba
!lcve and act, would b. stigma rpon the us,ice and
hlagnanmlty OF their constituents not warranted b
their character Gentlemen slanIar then, when
lnoy imagine Tor moment thct they wished OF ex-
Of n1 70
p1cted 70 go INTO convention upon any other than
terms OF practical Justics and equality The DronIc
Of virginia may lay claim to be considered not
Only just, but generous and rnapnanirnous This
character they have earned, by their omen and
ul9ih,ers5 ed rosduct Oh all trying cccasions-it is
conceded to them wherever they are knov,n--.r5
even those who DIFFER with them in political onnion,
arc constrained ID admit, and have in public speeches
oeen heard to say although virginia nav no IN no.
iitcs sometimes wrong, vet she il ever disjnforcsfad
ana cnVairons. How can this exalted reputation
DC maintained II aer the VIII Of the rlaiorifv uno,
an important question IS ascertaincd, tie rinoritv
persist IN efforts 10 defsat that will
Gan gentlemen believe, that the people wou'd have
'oIed Tor Convention 10 reform the Constitution
sesS '9ey were sensible its great and radical de-
reefs, is II liberal, it fair then 10 ende,vor On 70
organize the convention, as 10 defeat the nrp,,n,l
ooects OF the friends Of reform and produce the 81
Iect OIL retaining the prominent features of the prt
constitution, Yet the fat canno. be dlsgni-
gentlemen " So"'
am aware that the substitute offered by myself to
the original Bill does not do complete Justice; and
eahoour requires me 20 say 1t does not entirely
meet my appfoba,lon but | consider il the neorcs.
approach practicable. alter the developments in tho
other branch ofthe Legi5ature and under the ezist
hg S,u,e o. thlngs' My oIncndmcn: recognizes all
the great principles asserted and soupdt to bs
maintained by the original friends Of Convention.
II pfovide' for representation, based alone unon
free white population. 'P'''
provides for elections by 8y,y,,e arrnnroI accor
dn9 70 equal portions Of free white population IN
each district II repndilteg the odous feature in tbc
present Constitution, which allows (by countaal the
same number Of representatives from the sn,II
counties as from iho argnst And it provides that Ger
I'In u'n ireeholders shall vote common with free
noiocr7 iof members Of Convention r. requires tho
convention 10 consist of % members, One smallest
number yet propofcd) four Of which 10 6e chosen e.,
st'i ulotIIct OF me present Senatorial Drrictsto
ne cilzeos p ycnr, old and residents Of inc disf,,
Ior Whch chosen. have mid that my plan doesnot
COM up 10 what consider complete i,,-,icc. Wbat
CONSIDER complete Justice. would ~ y appor,ion H.
IcpT 'scmaffOu HCcOrIInu ~ tho rrrg,rt