Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-03-31

wOutu take the same Course. which he
dld - long - ne remained q member.
although IL ~a. believed he received
Instructions from home 10 do other.
j aise.
When the vote in Convention was
taken on establishing the white basis
in the House Of Delegates, we succeed.
ed. 40 to AZ. This majority wa, small.
numerically. but the 40 who voted with
u: represented upwards Of 100000
white people, while our opponents re.
presented only between 262, and s6s.
ooo. twas known, however. that one
or more of the majority would not al
here to this vote unless the federal ba.
SIS, or omething equivalent to il, should
De adopted Is to the Senate.
Another vote soon after gave us fur
Their hopes. This related to the cleo.
lion OF Governoe. Al first the West
were not united on this important item
OF Reform. When proposed to elect
the Governor by the people, the propo-
sition was lost. twas afterwards re.
newed by Col. Mercer and carried, rs
was also another. to abolish the Execu-
tive Council. These votes were. in
deed, very Gathering; but every at.
tempt to provide for periodical enume-
rat'ons Of white population for the pur-
pose OF new apportionments of repre-
sentation failed. The Journal. show
several attempts to obtain this rule
made by myself, and many by other
members.
! Mr.. Madison twice voted for the
election of Governor by the people.
The unity OF an executive head has
oeeh with him favorite doctrine, and
the dependence Of that head Direct,
on the people. This is manifest not
only from his votes in Convention. but
from his able writings in the Fe,leralist.
Yet Mr.. Madison finally voted agains,
the election Of Governor by the people,
and Tor nniIed 6asis of representation
IN the House of Assembly. MANY
days before the 10Th Of December, Il
bad become evident that the West and
East must each conc EIDE something, or
break up without doing any thing
such an event. | know. was deeply
feared by the East; and as il was de-
precafed by many of our friends. par
ticularly those residing below the Ridge,
It was determined that the members
from the West should meet and consult
together as to terms Of compromise.
THIS meeting took place, and Was pc.
neraliy attended. Ii was agreed to
appoint two Western members 10 meet
and advise with our friends East Of the
Ridge, to ascertain whether we could
all agree on some scheme Of compgo-
mise. MIR. Henderson, from I.oudoun.
East ct the Ridge, nominated MIR.
Cooke, OF Frederick, and Mr.. Duncan
Ut Harrison, TO meet our Eastern
friends. The members met again. " en-
the plan OF represe Dtation proposed by
Gen. Gordon was submitted. That
plan IS the same with the one finally
adopted. except tina, IL proposed a
House OF Delegates Of 1877, instead Of
l54 members as finally agreed to, and
engrsfed on Judge Upshur's scheme.
Neither OF these schemes provided for fu :
ture enumei ations and apportionments.
and neither, therefore, was acceptable.
At this last meeting some Of our Eas-
tern friends were present, and il be-
came known TO them that Mr.. Cooke
Of Frederick. and MIR. Henderson of
Loudoun. preferred Gen. Gordon's plan
to that insisted on by the West, but
that, although such was their prefer
eHee, they agreed with the members of
the West. aud thus the whole West
united in demanding the white basis in
the House Of Delegates with a rule Of
future enomcrations and apportion.
ments IN that House, and on that basis,
but eonoeding TO the East ;he federal
basis IN the Senate, Or q basis founded
on the whole white population aud add :
ing thereto three hfths Of ell other per-
sons.
Several days before the 10Th Of De-
cember, to my establishment, l disco
vered, from the conversation Of Mr..
Cooke, that IL the Western plan Of
compounds should not be adopted, he
and Mr.. Henderson Of Loudoun, would
vote for GordOn's. Neither Of these
gentlemen concealed this fact from me.
Judge Up-hvr and Mr. Neale. q mem.
Der from Richmond county, boarded Il
the same house eth Dir. Coke, Mr..
Henderson and myself, and, 20 my
knowledge. Judge Upshur. and I be-
lieye MIR. Neale. knew the Ultimate de-
Termination of Cooke and Henderson
a. veil as did. After the whole West
had agreed to the plan of compromise
which ! have before mentioned. and
which had been FIRST suggested By Gov.
Peasants, Mr.. Cooke IN behalf Of ell
Of as. add Of the friends sf reform re.
nerally, Submitted IL IN Convention. -
After having taken ufis stand, you may
Judge 81 our surprise and disnAy on
learning that he had determined. II
that should be LOSE. 70 support Gordon's