Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-01-07

-tDis Is his only variation from the basis of white
'opuiailon by the census OF 1920 What | ask is, |
hat his rule tl's determined by this Convention TO
DC Just as between the two great divisions of the
Stale, may be applied he sribu,ion of represen
alton amongst the smaller subdivisions tina, in the
iisr&ution of power the people have the honor in
part TO represent may have the full benefit of the
rule adopted by the Convention the lust measure
OF pot'eal power in the State. Have the Commit
zee done them tins justice ~ their report? 10 show
that they have not it is only necessary to state the
TACT that the district, reported BY the COMMITTEES
composed OF the Counties of Bedford. Franklin aud
Patrick, coHtained, by the census of 1920 white
population OF ,o56; that COMPOSED of the counties
Of Campbell Pittsylvawia, and Henry, 2t3ol-wMe
that composed Of tho counties of Halifax aud Neck
lenburg conteined ONLY Is 31o that composed of ,h,
coun'i"s of Buckingham Cumberland and Pow hstan,
!3,SO3; and that composed of PetexShuru Prince
George, Surry, and Isle OF Wight, oniy. i33fI |,
was not my ineation to make speech upon this sub
lcci hut sapv 10 submit these few statements i'm ex-
p'ana!ion OF the reasons which have induced THIS mo-
ton = and with them leave Tito the Convention
Mr. I4F:!GH observed that the Committee had not
adopted any fixed rule IN aproroning representation
--bEt mad distributed II as equally as upon Il c,nsi-
Grafton At all the interests OF the different scctnp
and VII due regard to county Boundaries could be
done. and he thought any rentemaA who would TN
dcriake to make such distribution wonid find il y
difficult mniter to make one more couoI hnu thu, 20
ported b. the Committee.
MIR ScoTr rose pro; est oaint .e lido, that ,I,a
proposition offered by the gentleman from AIbnr,arle
was founded upon the white population of is2oth,t
proposi'ioa had been advocated by it's author, and
more particularly by himself, upon the express ground
o. Its having such basis and he proies. ed ao,ns
such being assumed its basis because sonc c,lcu
atinns showed an approximation to III the scheme
aFpFoached at icust as lry to Inc proposition sub
United by The gentleman from Northampton as it did
Ito ile white population oil 1890.
! Mr.. q know nothing Whatever Of tho ba SIS on
wiilca the gentleman from Abcmari e founded his
pan but tom t.' results of calculation. take if for
granted, however that he must have had some qene
raj 5ass which has induced him to select this ,or,i
cuinr apportoament in preference any ctlcr; and
rs tie gentleman from Fauquer denies the suilcien
cY OF the evidence, have offered prove thai that
basis is iii fact the white population OF 1920 " it'll an
arbitrary variation OF mere fractions must be pt.r
united TO submit to the House the nssulis of n tAw
more calculations upon that subject. have shown
that IN tile DIVISION OF power the Senate between
the east and the west, tho only variation from The
white population OF 1920 giving fraction to the
east lie, us now examine the apportionmen in the
House oi Delegates no while white population OF
me ota'e N 1870 was G03, 08 -iividc this by 37
the number OF members in the proposed IIou GO of Do
iegatcs ana the result gives 4,749 us the AVERAGE
nimber tiled 20 elect delegate upon thar basis
Compare the appor comment in the House of DBL
gates, as proposed by the gentleman from Abe
marie with this calculation, ard the result is as fol
ows:--Ihe western district white popuIat;cn
l53,l 1873 members is one for $3.50. The Valley
WhHc population l2l0a6-2I members is ono FIR
so l5 Middle district. white population 1877 i86-1o
members is one for 1919. Tide water district white
population t6l ,687---3i members is one for 1855
aus showing W eacE dslEct only slight fraction
al variation from the white population OF 1920 Take
the average of the four dist ricts and the rcslt is
41b!-varying only i8 from the precise number ov
| en- by the equal representation OF the white
| population as ascertained by tho census af 1920
Sir, all these results may be purely acci-
dental. but 10 my mind they look very mncb
like desigu-and rs have been unable to discover
any other basis which would produce results approy
mating so neary to those arrived at by the oau,)e
man from Albemarle, my mind could not avoid the
conclusion that this Is the true basis of his prondsi
ton. But, sir, grant 10 the gentleman from fan
IuleE tnas 1t rs not only ask hat kis basis, what
ever 1t may be-, whether be The white Formulation
OF 1920 that of the gentleman from E ON Wor.han,n
ton. or that OF any other gnntlenan may be fairly
worked out to its results. That that which this
Convention has established, as lust for the whole
Stale may be equally applied to all its purts-and
not after thus establishing rule furbitrarv if Won
please Tor tue STATE, adopt another equally or more
arbitrary III ITS character for districts by the opern
ton OF which the penpe of that parficuIar section
OF the STATE have the honor i'll part to represent
are TO lose a large portion Of the political power
they would be justly entitled to- if the general rule
you nave adoP ed were fairly and Justly applied
But sir, have the Committee adopted anv sur,h ;,s
raic IN their appoFtonrnent? If they have aIontea
anJ re w!latever, 1t approaches more nearly TO the
Federal Numbers asccriained by the census of
1870, than any other have been able to discover
and surely It will not be con:ended that this ;e Tho
basis adopted by the gentleman from Abemarlr bn
even IN the application of this rule unjust ms IL Is II
mas been unJnsily applied to he particular section
OF country III question, for upon Federal numbers
TIE two upper districts south Of james River and
east OF the Blue Ridge are quite too large Sir IL
KNOW not how other gentlemen, rcpresenfirf, fl,t
section, may feel upon bis subject bat sir shoJIdI
De very unwilling TO ineet my constituents after ri
wing my consent 10 an arrangement which woiiId
leaFe 900 white persons unrepresenied in the two
senatorial districts embracing that section of conn
try with which they locally unted-aIfnost suf
hcency to cntiie them 10 another Senator Sin this
injustice never shall nc done to them with nv con
sent. never eau and never will vote for any such
arrangement.
B" the gentleman from Chesterfield, SAYS that any !
person WHO will attempt 70 make more equal ar !
observing The county limits will find it
onicnh task SIR, have taken the trouble to re-
arrange he counties composing n few of tho dis
tr'cts rs reported by the Select Cornnitlec accord
ing to the white population Of 1920, and viii trouble
Lhe Convention with some of the results which /
''nk tney WI. perceive arc less unequal than those