Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-01-07
CONVENTION.
SArifRp AY, DEC. 10,

the evening of the ssth At that meeting the gen.
tlcmon from Albemarle attended, and explained his
schema of representation. But still more deci-
dcd preference at this time manifested for the
scheme originally proposed by the gentleman from
Goochand, TO wit, the whde bnsis. as is called IN
the House of Delegates and Federal numbers in the
Senate. So decided preference, that when the
opinions of all the gentlemen ascertuned se'ra
tim, il found that the scheme of the gentleman
from Athena -e had advocates except himself,
my friend from I.oudoun and myself That gen
tlcman auI myself still retained, and distinctly er-
pressed, decided preference for the scheme of
the gentleman from Albemarle but we frankly sta \
ted to political friends, that, the great Object
in view harmonious cooperation of all the |.
friends of reform one plan of compromise in or
DIR that IL might, that account, attract n more
respectful consideration when offered tn our fellow
'citizcns in the Convention from the East and the !
South, and had ,nsuperable objection to
tn; plan in which they had thus united, we would,
in Difference to heir opinions, and to promote tic
great cause of Constitutional reform, waive our OPT
Mons, aud concur with them in supporting their ia
vou,c plan to the extent of voting for 1t and giving
1t fair trial in the Convention. The gentleman
from Alb.marlc did not join in this promisc-a prom
isn which W. had afterwards cause to regret. For
hy this gratuitous promise. made in the spirit of
concin'ion, aud with the s,e porposc of promoting
the great object had SO much at heart, we alone
pledged, considered ourselves, in the first
instance nj least, to vote against the scheme pre-
i.fred, and in favour of that which thought the
worst of the two, while it was dist irctly under
s'ood that the oh'r members were not pledged 10
adhere 10 The opinions then entertained and expires.
X,
that the meetings in question held with open
doors, an" that there were spectators present at
ar both of them. | viii add. tina, the gentleman
from Albcmarc, who lad failed in his Gttcmpt 20
make his plan acceptable 10 the meeting, was under
nn sort OF pl"dge, express implied 10 conceal the
fact that the gentleman from Loudoun aud myself
preferred his plan to that proposed by the gentle
from Goochland | have not the smallest
donb; that he mentioned the fact, as he had right
20 do, to all with whom he convcrsed on the subject
And IN fact Sir, our opinion, from the publicity of
the meetings aud the circumstance have Just mon
toned, was notorious in this body, from the very
time ofthose meetings, in the last week in Novenl-
Der us if it had been published in the newspapers of
Richmond This fact state without the hazard of
contradiction. And state it, Sir, with refer
most extraordinary and most groundless opinion
which some Of the gentlemen of party have ven
turcd 10 express, that their strenuous efforts carry
their fvoure plan of representation had been .rus
trated by indscretion in letting it be understood
by the gentlemen the opposite party, that though
meant to vote for that plan, and give it fair
al, would eventually vote for that of the gentle.
man from Albemarle. ifthe western plan should be
defeated. Sir, the idea that had it in our po,rer
to conceal our opinion after had been so oDenfl
expressed before the adoption of the toestern 1iaa
partyneasure, IS utterly ridiculous, and tho i'm
puta,ion thr ,wu us - gratuitous and unfoundcd
Moreover Sir, will take leave to say, that howcv
wise and profound the scheme of attracting to
great political MEASURE the support of its enemies
who the majority BY the obstinate adherence to
Ii Of its friends, who are he mnority-however JUS
tlable it may seem 10 veteran politicians hold
which Is not conflict IF principle bu question OF
preference between t,D0 pins, both of them al uar
with true principles that they adhere to their
own favoUrite scheme even to the point of breaking
up the Conventirn endering 1t wholly abortive-
however justi6abIe it may seem to them TO sport
with the patriotic fears of their opponents and
their very virtues against them Il, for one have not
been accustomed to such projects and prac ices have
had no part il them. and ,otH have will not
consent TO practice against my countrvmcn and fell
iovc citizens if they my political opponents the
ks devices of And Twill
add, before dismiss this unpleasant subject, that
the gentleman from Loudoun and myself could not
even If we had been inclined, from the cIrcurns,a an
ccs ofthe case have aided in the prosecution of such
schemes and devices.
But return to the promise given by that gentle
and myself to vote for che compromise basis
proposed by the member from Goochland and adop-
ted by the western members On the 30th of No
vembcr offered the plan in question to the consd-
Grafton Of the Convention. plan adopted by
The teesern members, IN the spirit Of compromise and
IN the hope that ,ooud be acceptable IN the East
1t had that good fortune. My friend from Lou
doun and myself considered its fate as sealed on the
9TH of December, By tco roGes First nv
vote ESQ to 45 adopting the plan of the gentleman
from Albcmnrle, providing a present appointment
ofrepresontation The Uoesern plan then hing on The
table dnd Jaiiy underStood Second and more dcci-
sveg, If possible, by vote of 80 to ID r,jectjng
resolution offered by the gentleman from Brooke
(N1r Doddridge) by which il was provided that rc;
Fascination should hereafter be aPportioned OH the
1CeNera plum, to wit in the House OF DGecntes ON
the basis Of white population, and in the Senate on
the basis Of Federal numbers. THIS would seem to
have been decisive enough. And by voting rs we
did, with the minority, both of these occasions
the gentleman from Loudoun and myself had fully
performed, AID had right to consider ourselves re-
leased from promise, to give The western plan
which we disapproved, a fair trinl in this body.
Moreover, after those votes II ceased In be a plan
ofcoglpromise, ami plan Of compromise alone
had we promised IL our support. Bot operated on
by the solicitations Of Our political friends who wrro
now heartily embarked IN Vt as party-measure and
who did not consider the votes have Just mentioned
decisive, we reluctantly consented 10 give it ano
thor trial, expressly announcing our determination
TO aband IN IT and vote for what considered tie
preferable plan Of the gentleman from Aijcnnatle
when the former should be ngan rejected.
In compliance with that promise we again voted
on yesterday against the plan of the gentleman from
Abcmare, when II perfectly well understood
that the VOC was test Of the relative strength Of
his plan and that ofthc western members. Ills ulau