Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-03-26

Constitution founded on Just principles But TO have
dealt justly with u.s. the Assembly OF 1888 ought to
ha made a reasonable allowance for the change of
population between 1920 and lS29-The amount OF
that change cannot be correctly stated but from an
tmste furnished by the Auditor in pursuance of
der OF Convention. IL appeared that the white popuia.
ten in 1929 6S2 26l. Whereof there resided
Of the Blue Ridge S62 7I5 and west $40 SIG; and from
this would appear that the were, Of right,
led TO 10 members nearly, and the 5l giving
the east. ia the whole body, majority Of little
than Fix instead of 2:
Notwithstanding the 'jnsse done in giving ~
but 80 membets, there N my. aud noug them,
who believed the friends Of form would on -nuabcr
their adversaries in the Convention. This hope WAS
sen'r"y entertained in the west and as far n know,
the expectation general tat III lud the great prin
clpes OF reform BE- dehnitively carried aims, the
Conv, non, you'd retire in body and {, anne and
ofi.r the people, "a the RET rssentaves of majoi.
" OF them, Constitution formed on own prnci
pies; ard this termination appeared TO b. almost uni.
versal among tn. we tern members, until the sion
had progressed everd weeks. I am perfectly coiii.
dent that II there hal arisen division among
selves, aud the we'tcrn members had retired with
dignity and cAlmne.s" an preston of m en-
Der whom shall have occasion name, the east would
soon have yielded 10 u, that who TO the las,
member OF the Convention residing Of the Il dye
excep OH ccntcuded Tor, c. the white ba<. in the
House OF Delegates with rule for future spporiion-
nents &C cnriing to the basis Of e. white numIcrs
IL happened during our session, az have seen il,
happen in sessions Of the ordinary Legislature, that
the fi'.ads OF reform strongest wi en- they met.
! and grew weaker and weaker by divisions among hem
selves Richmond Ia the seat OF polite power IN
Stat, and like other cities has many me ans Of attain
Ing tue views OF its statesmen. The ~ta Thomas Will
son, OF Morganown. ssed to say OF that city, (anh he
drew the opinion from long experience that erich.
niond Is TO Virginia what Rome to the civilized
world"
Early in the session, previous hopes Of
we've strengthened nv the votes ON several questions
The FIRST resolution cH.rod by myself on behalf Of the
friends If reform in the Legislative Committee. provi.
ded that i'm the spportionment of in DO
branches OF the General Assembly, regard should re
nae to white population exclusively. Mr. Maiis,n
was Chairman Of this Committee. and he requested I.s
10 modify II so as to make IL relate TO the House OF Del
sgaes only, and then present tho question sepa
r"te'y a. 10 the Senate. At hii request L varied tn
proposition thu: "Rcsolvoh, That in the apportion
nen' OF representation in the House of Delegate. re-
gard should be had TO white population exclusively {"
Thus modified, MIR. Madison voted for the reso!uton
aud he and Mr.. Monroe dill tn afterwards in full
CoYen'ion, bu, both voted against tn, same rule Of
appor''onnisnt in relation 10 the Senate The reqncr,
OF MIR adson 10 separate the question gave 10
fear that lie would for the federal or some other
mixed basis in the Senste.--rhis became known in
lew days aiterward', aud that Col. Monroe would take
the same course which he did az long he remained
| member, although it was believed lie received in
structions from home 10 DO otherwifc
When the vote in Convention taken on estab
h'hng The whit, ba'i' in the House of Delegates. we
sue cecdei, 10 to ~. This maiory was small numcr
cay, hut the 40 who voted with led rls
900 white people while opponents represented
only between 262, and 2636o0 II known however,
mat one or more OF the majority would not adhere to
ms voc unless the te lrral bash, or something equiv
alent 10 it, should be adopted 10 the Senate.
Another vote soon after gave Us further hopes THE
related 70 the election al Governor At frat The west
were ot united on this important item OF Reform.
when proposed to elect the Governor by the people,
the proposition was lost IL was afterwards renewed
by Col Mercer and carried, also another, t.
abolish the Executive Council These votes were, in.
deed, veiy Gathering; but every attempt provide
enumerations of white population Tor the pur
poe Of epportonm en,s OF representation failed
he Journals show several attempts to obtain this
| rule made by myself, and many by other members.
Mr. Madon twice voted for he election OF Govern
or by the psople The unity OF executive he ad ha
been with him avorits doctrine, and the depend
of that head directly on the people. This i. manf-s,
not only from his votes in the Convention but from hi,
| able writings in the Federalis Yet Mr. Madison
finally vo'ed against the election Of Governor by tho
peope, and Tor mred basis Of representation in bot
tteuses OF Assembly. Many days before the 10Th Of
December, IL I'D become evident that the west and
cast must each coneeds mething break up without
doing any thing. Such event know was deep ply
'earcd by hr eas' and as il was deprecated by many
Of our friends particularly those re'iang below the
Ridge, il was determined that the members from the
west would meet and consult together as 10 terms Of
comp omise.
| This meeting took place, and was generally attend
ed 1t was agreed TO appoint two western members
TO meet and advise with friends of The Ridge
TO ascertain whether could all agree some scheme
OF compromise. Mr.. Henderson OF Lnudoun, OF the
Ridge, nominated Mr.. Cook of Frederick, and Mr..
Duncan Of iiarri'on, 10 meet friends.--
The members met again, when the plan OF represen-
aiiOn proposed by General Gordon was submitted A.
That plan is the with the finally adopted
cep that il proposed House OF Delegates OF 1877 in.
sead OF 1874 members finally agreed to- and engrai-
ell OH Judge Upshur's scheme. Neither of these
schemes provided for future euumeraons and appor-
onment, and neither, theref fore, acceptable. AT
this last meeting 'omr Of our eastern friends were
present, ard il became known 10 them that Mr. Cooke
Of Frederick, and Mr. Henderson Of Loudoun referred
G-n. Gordons plan to tina, insi',ed by the west but
that, although such ihsir preference they agrcsd
With the other members from the west. and thus the
Whole wee, united in demanding the white basis in the
House of Delegates with rule for future enunera-
tons and arporonmenis in that House. and on hat ba-
sis, but conceding 10 the East the Federal basis in The
Senate, a basis founded on the whole white non.
ulaon and addisg thereto three lihs Of all her per
'Cps
Several days before the 10,h Of December to my as-
constituent, Uncovered frorn the conversations of
Mr. Cooke, that if the western plan Of c0mpr oini,e
shoud not he adopted, he and Mr.. Henderson of Lou
don would vote for Gordon's Neither Of these gem
hrmcn concealed this fact from me. Judge Up'lIur
and Mr.. Neal, member from Rch.lond county,
boarded AT the house with Mr.. Cooke; Mr. Hen.
der'on, and myself ard. TO my knowledge, Judge Up-
shur, Gnd believe Mr. Neal kn-w the ultimate de ter
minaiion oil Cooke and Henderson well as I did Al
ter the whole west had agreed to tic plan of Compro
misc which | have before mentioned and which had
behalf OF all OF and of the -ads Of reform general
ly, suhinited it in Couve non. After having taken
thi stand YOU may judge Of surprise and di,nay on
learning that he had determined if that should he lost
10 support Gord'n pl.n, and hat sdvcrsafr. yer,
not left TO inter thc probability OF their doing so from
their known preference OF il al meeting but were
in fact informed Of this determination, so that they
might shape their aCcordingly After thi,
we could have wcll.fcunded hopes Of success. We
knew that some Of or Eastern Gicrds preferred Cor
DOM plan ours while they would prefer ours 10
waiting without, doing any thirg.-There vet remain