Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-04-09

from the time of our meetings at the Capitoi IN Ne
ycmbcr why it necessary to communicate that
determination to- Mr.. Leigh on the morning of the
10th Dec, through Mr.. Neale' This communicu-
lion of fact publicly known, could not be necessary
Tor his own government, hcr III relation to his own
Or any other scheme, if the fact communicated had /
been known to him before. Again: Ar. Nealc says,
1T was to me that the gentleman from Chesterfield
alluded, when he said that member OF this House /
had this morning made communication TO him TO
tho probable vote of the western members the |
of the gentleman from Albcmarle, Cor
ton.") This quotation makes 1t evident. that for
whatever intended it was the probable vote on
Gordons plan which was the subject of this private
And SD far Mr.. Cooke and Mr..
Henderson were concerned it private commu
nication to Mr. Neaie of their ultimate inten,ion
which, according to Mr.. Cooke, had been notorious
ever since the 93th of Novembcr
After stating that in a conversation with two gen-
temen, Mr.. Henderson and Mr. Cooke.) in which
all parties agreed opinion that the western plan
had finally failed, and in which they expressed their
fears that Mr.. Leigh's plan would succeed that it
would blast hopes, and that its adoption would be
opposed by the whole west and by some in the east,
MIR. Nease represents them as saying, "that if
"scheme odious to the west could be defeated,
''they had sangune hopes and were of opinion that
'twen,y or more Of the western members, now that
"their favorite plan lost, would unite with the
'cast in voting for the plan of the gentleman from
"albemare, [Gordon) which in their opinion was, in
| "fa t. more beneficial for the than their
favorie plan: that if the eastern gentlemen would be
''sutsed with the proposition OF the gentleman from
{ they would advocate IL, rs their
"scheme had failed, and that they thought that gen
''t!emen from the west lin which certainly under
stood that the valley was included) would very PRO
'bably, to the number of more than twenty, unite
'with them-and if u,red, might If toun,It
"proper, communicate the to my friends; that
their own schemes had failed and that of the CEN
'teInan from Chesterfield they deemed OBNOXIOUS
land injurious, and they ,oi!ing 10 take he pst
'cofed for as presented by Tie gentleman from .liJ4
'narie as the best ,cich they thought couii 6e std,
Now, for whatever purpose, and with whatever
view, here Is direct disclosure Mr. Neale of our
ultimate dctrrmnation to adopt Gordons plan, if no
better coafd be gut. AIR. Nesle was authorized to
communicate this fact, # he thought proper TO Ills
friends anu yet, according 10 Mr. Cooke this very
TACT SD communicated on the evening Of the l3h of
December, and with AZ hority to use it, WAS E.i
nosortousfy known ever since meeting in Noyen,
bor-known to some by era, ess declaration and to
others by strong implication. But this disclosure was
made to operate on Mr.. Lcghs scheme. BE it so
did not suppose that any body feared the aluption
Of hat scheme. The vote on il shows that notbnr
was to be apprehended from it. q
admit that Mr. Cooke, OF and after the 10th Dec
voted with the west on all the occasions stated by
HIM; and yet, say. that that day he surrendered
to the 4S who voted against u.s. aud who represented
minority of the country; because as have shown.
some OF the do who Were with U.s. preferred Gordon
plan 10 ours: ihey, now, brew that this plan was
completely IN their power for thew were assured Of
the support OF tso members from our ranks and on
couraged with the hope of some twenty or more be
sues. AFTER TINS, every attempt establish basis:
Tor future aPEortionsnt was futile and it was we'll
known that any such attempt must be abor.iyc-
There remained not TO OF those opposed 10 lis he
least inducement to Yield. The fear of separation
without doing any thing, have TO doubt, would
nave increased our numbers, but all grounds for
that fear were now removed. They who were
for enforcing the government Of minority Step
ped on sure ground. What excuse does Mr.
Cooke give for thus yielding to the government
OF the minority? Certainly nothing but this and he
urges it again and again, that The plan of ordon and
the now Constitution based ON that plan was the best
that could be ebtNns, 'iat is, the best that
those representing the minority would consent to Let
me ask what ought to have been done on the 10Th
when on the fundamental question of fure apportjon
ment, we stood divided, az to 40? Ought those ren
resentIng majority of more than 20 thousand free
people, to have yielded to those representing the mi
nority, merely because the latter would not concur in
forming Constitution the principles of the muo-
rlty were we sent to Convention to agree to Il
Constitution at oil events, snch the minority our
fofmer and present political masters should aGree 10
give US? Or had not n sudden fear of civil dlscord-
tclvll war, sprung up III the minds of those who de-
sorted on that fatal duy? That such was the case
Is Il fact confessed
Mr. Cooke was certain!y forgetfiIl of facts, when
re penned the following sentence: j. G. "'rhrourhout
'the whole session, before and on and after the 9th
"of December, did ell OCCASIONS vote with the
es'ern party or friends of REFORM and gainst the
East, when any question arose involving popular
rights" lie contends that bis vote for Gordon's
plan Is not az exception except that on that occasion
he voted with the East. Mr. Cooke must have for
BoIten that ne voted against the West OH the 4tl
clause before quoted, and of which he was himself the
author--thut he voted against nearly all the West,
on motion to strike the words othirds from the 5th
clause offered by Mr.. Madison. lie certainly could
not have forgotten that he voted against all tho West
on adopting the Constitution itscf-a Constitution
sanctIoning the rule Of minority, and among other
provisions perpcuatng TO that minority the benefit
ofthe slave representation in Congress forever Or
has such Constitution nothing in it subversive of pc
pulsr rights?
have said ia my circular, chat Mr Cooke wrote
and exerted himself more, in favor ola Convention
than any other man., aud have referred to bis pam
Phiet entitled an Earnest Appeal tothe Friends Re-
lorn o. subscribed An Incorporating Friend ofRe-
FORM as of his efforts. few extracts from that
pamphlet will serve to chew the wonderful revolution
which Mr. Cookies judgment has undergone in short
time
Specking of the character of that power which the
people OF Virginia had devolved or the Assembly Of
1900, of organzing Convention he says, ".fhe
Legislature OF Virginia of 1899 may therefore he
considered a quasi Convention, entrusted with cx
Extraordinary powers, upon the wise and honest cor
1T