Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-04-02
MIR. COOKIES FOURTH LETTER.
TcoNCLuuEn.l

g.,
come now to the 'unparalcled scene" of the 10Th
oi December. But to expose more thoroughly the nu-
Inerous alscl,oois which crowd and jostle each other
IN this part Of the circular j must commence with
the proceedings of the day before. On that day
(tbc 18th Of December) the western plan was a
third time defeated, in the following manner: The
house IN passing regularly through the report of the
committee Of the whole, took up for consideration
what was called in technical parliamentary lam
guagc, Mr.. Upshur's resolution as amended, but
what was In fact, Gen. Gordou's plan of present
apportionmcnt, with Judge Upslrur's pau Of future
apportionmeut engrufteG on ii. The latter was re-
iected by vote of95 to /. The former adopted
by vote of 50 to IS, Mr.. II. aud myself voting in
the minority, and with the western party. This vote
Of Mr. Henderson and myself, which was i'll effect
vote in favor of the western plan, the only riodi
OF Gen Gordon's, was given i'll compliance with
tue reluctant promise CNtorted from us, before
stated, by the opportunities of OR political friends
Immediately after the double defeat sustained By the
western plan the 5!h of December.
The question had sooner been taken than Dir.
Leigh submitted TO the house the ne,y piun Of repre-
senaton which have before described in detail All
alluson to this plan has been yu,poseiy omitted by
the writer Of the circular, though was formally dis
cussed on the next day, (thc 19th,) full history of
whose incidents, which cannot be understood without
reefrinS to this plan, he affects to give. Being under
the ~ appeared a'tcrwards) erroneous impression
that Gen Gordon's plan had been fnotiy adopted by
the vote Just then TAKEN and utterly Disguised with
the ne0 plan pr"posed, rose in my place aud inquired
al the speaker whether il was in order for MIR isirh
10 plan at:cr the hous c. by vote of 80 to
A5, had just adopted Gen. Gosdon's. IFor the con
inuaion CT the narrative here insert all extract from
my speech made the next day:]
'SFhe chair was understood to decide cypressIv
that by that vote the resolution c the gentleman from
Albemarle was finally adopted, and that the resou-
ton Of the gentleman from Chesi crteid, proposing
new plan oirepresentaton, offered immediately after
could not be considered, and that it not in order
10 offer 1t Ill! the house had first agreed TO reconsider
the resolution then recently adopted. The resolution
otthe gentleman from Chesterfield then laid on
the table, and the house adj eurncd.
The gentleman from Loudoun and myself having
thus thrice voted for the western plan, and having
seen it thrice defeated, and each time by the same
vote of fifty MEMBERS considered it as finally disposed
OF, and did not imagine that lis warnes friends in
dulged the hope of rcsuscatrg it, meant again to
try it. We considered ourselves, therefore, fully at
Liberty to support the plan which originally pre-
tcrred, and still continued TO prefer to that winch
had just been lost. We cons dered the plan alluded
to, (that of the gentleman from Albenarcl as impc-
ruled by the new proposition of the gentleman from
Chesterfield, which we feared would be brought OH
and supported by an eastern majority, by means of
successful motion TO reconsider the plan adopted YES
terday. we had procured manuscript copy of this
new plan, after the rising of the house. and had crit
cal'y examinedit it. We considered it utterly inadmis
sble-utery destructive of the rights and interests
of the west-and one which majority of the people
of Virginia would Inevitably reject. knowing the
high standing OF the gentleman from Chesterfield
with his party entertained serious apprehensions
that it would unite the voices Of majority of this
body To prevent result so culalnitous TO Virginia
destructive Of all our hopes. we stated OIL views m
the worthy member from Richmond EMr Ncale !
whom we knew TO be sincerely DESTROYS tn effect a
TAR and honorable compromise-told him how odiols
the plan in question would be to the people of the
west, and earnestly requested him to have it with
drawn Il notwithstanding Ou belief that if If were
Withdrawn, many OF our western friends. huyiir now
finally lost their avorite measure, would unite with
the cast in sustaining the plan of the gentleman from
.Alhemaric, which we told him, as indeed he knew
before, preferred ourselves, to the western plan
which had been lost.
'sHe promised TO comply with our request, and he
performed his promises but una bic, it seems to
prevail on the gentleman tiom Chesterfield to With
draw his resolution
On the morning CT the 10Th, Mr. Leigh accordingly
proposed TO the house to consider his new plan And
now discovered the nature The mistake into which
had fallen on the evening before. The speaker had
pronounced Mr. Lcgh's motion of the evening before
out of order, but not because Gen. Gorions scheme
had been finally adopted. The operation of the vote
OF the evening before, it now appeared had been
merely the adoption of Gen. Gordon's plan as an
amendment Of Judge Uoshuy's original resolution
vote was still 10 be taken Judge Upshur's resou
ton as a'enGed"-such IS the parliamentary iargon in
which the idea is expressed In plain ENGLISH. the
house was still to decide whether it would fnaIi,,
adopt Gen Gordon's plan. The chair had. the even
ing before, pronounced Mr.. Leigh's motion ont of
order, not because Gen. Gordons plan had been final
~ adopted, but because by rule of the house no
Original resolution conld be discussed on its merits
in the house ill it had been first referred to com
mittee.
The rule as now suspended, however, to enable
Mr. Leigh to offer and discuss his new plan in the
house. He did offer it, and it was rejected as | ne
fore stated, by vote of Sc TO 80.
To the very great surprise of Mr.. Henderson and
myself, Mr.. Doddridge now arose and tried, for the
fourth time, the of the house on the western
plan, by moving it as rule of future apporionment
to be snpernduced Gen. Gordon's plan of present
apportlonment 1t is scarcely worth while to pause
here, to refute the mendacious statement that she
matted TO see If Mr. Cooke Mould rise to more The
plan" &c. The belief that he had any such idea or
expectation, is wholly irreconcable with the uncon
tradicte1 statement made by me in my speech on the
same day. that Immediately after the double defeat of
this very plan on the 5th of December, Mr. Hcnder-
ard myself "retvc;antty consented to give an
other trial, (which had done, accordingly, on the
day beore,) erpreSsiy announcing our deterInina ion
TO abandon it,, &c. after it should be again rejected.
But this is triie-let it pass.