Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-12-31

entertain the least doubt. that such provision
in our 6onsiituiion would be obligatory Can
ne doubt that the STATE Legislature i imPer,.
ously bound by thc State Constitution. IN ali
,h,.xs not eoHIrsfy 10 the Federal Consiitu-
tion And can he And any thug m The Con.
,,i,ution OF the Uni,ed States upon winch 10
resi- = doubt, that It IS lawful 10 prescribe that
the di.i4iots Tor eleoiing members TO congress
shall be formed upon the bass which The Con.
ttifu,ton of the Unned States itself has esiab
bshsd for the whole representation OF the
Stat. II W. arc 20 be driven rom the path
Of dut, BY enc. soepiicism, our i1bors are at
nm end for why prescribe qualification oil
siTragei Inc gen leman from faoquler does
NOT know thai N thi. ago OF metaphysical sb
siraeiion, It Will he hslj obligatory upon The
pr pie Why prescribe ans basis Of repfesen
,siioa al ALL Tie gentleman from fanqaier
does moi kpow ihai the Legislature N'il hold
IL sblig aior, upon them Lei u. not, sir, delie-
or ourselves up 10 the blmd guidance 81 wha'
we 10 not know but rather let ~ he gosetn.
ed by What we do know, or n,ieht know, II We
wouid consult our re son. We olgbt TO know
That, /. our du'y t. settle lhIs question OF re-.
presentation vi. bout la1uenoe from lmngina '
dancers We ougft 10 kno. thai the LeRislas
,uee of Virginia sou,d never incur The rl,k OF
losing lis whole repr, senialion IN tongreks by
eIeelinK all 1t. members IN direct violation oil
the ) ate Constitution thai thew would neset
incur the reprosch OF mankind 10y so pa pable
violation oi duty.
We are threatened with another datger, in
relation to the federal government. from adopt
ing the basis OF white popui n ION We are iOl.
,ha, II Virginia, the largest Snnlhern State
disregards her slave population, ~ apporiion.
ing representation IN the stare Lrgis'afure, u
will weaken the argument bf winch the oontt.
era States seaport their ight TO representation
for that property, IN the government Of the 4.
STATES. aud may endangei the loss OF power,
which that representation gives ~.
II should be recolltcted thai the power which
this population gives us, IN the general govern
mpni does moi rest upon argument but upon
compact was not allowed Us upon princlo
but upon compromise and cannot lie taken
away from us. but by total departure from
the spirit of ihe compromise, and an amend.
meui of the compact agreed 10 hs three iuurlhi
OF the States IN the luion, and the gentleman
from Loudoun Vi, Mercef) has shtsn hnw
utterly imprnciicahle such an amendmeui
would be. But sir, this argument thai the sihVs
population was moi regarded IN the representa-
tion II thUse States wbefe slavery existed. was
IN fall force when the constitution Of The Uniicd
Suites was adopted. ii was then urged a. i
repclled.-Ihe stgumcn, ~ noticed la the 81 h
number nj Pnblius the fact on which il rests
is admitted, and the argumen, ably repealed 10y
clear exposition Of " tbs compromising expr.
dient OF the Constitution, -" which regards
the slave A. Invested oftwo hhhs OF the npn"
BY adopting the bass Of white population
theo we furnish TO our adyersaries no new aud
fearful afgument--bm we leave the old rrl0led
Ia.
u Tor 10 years.
We come now TO consider this question with
ref renee 10 the protection of proper y. By
adopting the basis oi whilo population. shall "'
expose TO dsnger, that peculiar property, il
which the Eastern Districts have deep an 10
teresi am pei fcclly satisfied Mr. Chairman
that you would more ef'ctuslly protect thi.
property by granting us the simple basis, than
by imposing on us the compound basis, piopo.
by the gentleman from Cupepef. Let ~
R'teniively aud impartially examine this qucs
tn.
The whole danger Appreciated rests upon
the snpposliIon, tina, the basis OF white popala-
ton III carry the power Of the governmer'
into the hands of those who will he compare
lively but little interested in This property M
ii ii can be shewn that thu. suppoSuon is moi
correct then II must be admitted that the dan
ger Ia unreal, do not believe that II is COZ.
rrct. aud viii submit to your candid considera
tion the reasons OF that opinion.
have already shewn you that taking III,
Auditors estimates of the present population
aud 1ppoftoning the pr, scut according 10 IN,
whole white population, there would he II m 4,
iuriy of ee hi members IN the House of Dele
gates, on the easl of the b lie Ridge and IN
poriioniug II according TO the qualified voters
there would probably b. n majority of twenty
Ii the basis oil qualified voters should be- a
doped, there Is no definite period Of tim
within the present century or the next, a
which any person could say with confidence
that this majority of twenty wond be over
come toy the Increa 'ng popua ION ofihr west
Indeed II Is very doubtful whether The ma Irit,
nj qualified voters will ever be west OF III, Is ia,
Roge. Any one who will careiuily exam,n,
this subJeot ia his closet. with reference TO IN,
fnbles OF population, the number of sanart
miles IA ench district, the guam ity Of mouuiair
and arabic land ia zach, their capacity 10 .ns
tam population, lheir distance from market. In
probable growth OF their towns, the pursuits d
their people, whether commercial mannfaetu
ring or agricultural, planting. farming or eraz
ing-will. think. bn satisfied that II that tim,
should ever come, IT is too disa ITO have IN,
least influence OF our deliberations here.
TO De CONTINUED