Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-03-11

arstocratic features of the CONSTITUTION Of Virginia,
and pointed out, besides minor faults SIR cardinal err
rors in the Constitution Of &c. Mr.. jefferson descri-
ed the tendency of these principles before they had
developed themselves in their effects, nor was he
alone, unsupported, in this view of that most I'M
niertoriously eulogized instrument. These com.
plants became louder and louder and accumulated
more and more, the practical influences and ten.
denotes of the Constitution. developed, until
they issued in the call of Convention.
Power to remedy and power to perpctuate these
defects the hands Of the Eastern frccholdcrs.
An appeal was made to their republican principles,
sense of justice and patriotism. They began to feel
the wrongs, and finally majority of the ffoeholders
ofthe whole Commonwealth, actuatcd by different
motives, and different views, but most generally from
regard to the principles Of free institutions and OF
equal political rights concurred in calling Conven-
ton
! Whenever this fact was known it was madc the
duty of the ordinary Legislature with what proprie-
ty will not now pause TO enquire) to pass law for
the assembling Of the representatives of the people
in their sovereign character. But instead Of provi-
ding for (uR and free Convention of tn. people,
they turned their thoughts and their energies
the power which the old Constitution had
ed to grow up in their hands. and far as in them
lay to prevent that majority of the people who called
for a Convention from having their due weight and
fair representation in Convention. The law, as far
as could with any preence to sanction the wishes
of the people, prohibited )R and free Convention,
by taking from the reforming interests its share of
presentation and giving that section less disposed
TO-, and less interested thoo ugh reform Of
institutions much than its due share of power;
so that in effect, the law gave nearly fifth of the
whole momentum, of the whole power ofthc Conven.
ton into the hands of the Anti Convention inter-
esss. This effected by basing the representation
in Convention upon the of 1910, by dcprieng
the friends of reform of the increase Of population d
! ring the last 90 years.
According to the documents furnished the Conven-
ton, and from which il took it's data, it appe, I'D
that during the last 10 years, East OF the Blue Ridge
had increased IN ohte population only 23.9iS souls;
while West of that Ridge had increased in that pc
| riod LOG. 790.-Thus after balancing the increase
East of the Ridge the West had 30 1878 souls unre-
presented in the Convention. Surprising then, that
the SO members of Convention fairly and equally re-
| presented the population OF this Commonwealth in
the year $780, and gave to each part of it its full
share OF power, the loss sustained by U.S. by the law
under which the Convention met, was equal to one
fourth of our whole delegation instead of SO repre-
sentatves, we ought to have had As. and the East
instead of GO ought to have had only 81. This was
in effect giving them 8 of majority, or one fifth of
l the whole Convention in advance of us.
| Who will then suy NTH this fact before him, that
the citizens Of this Commonwealth met in full and
Tree Convention by their representatives when the
representatives due 8287S white persons west OF
the Blue Ridge, gvot to another section cfthe
Estate in view of the matter; in the only re-
naming view which can be taken of it, re-
presented at all. Yes, either Messrs. Leigh, Ran
dolph, UusLur, end tn ir colleagues represented
80 1913 persons living in Western Virginia. or they
zwere not represented. And think, upon either hy-
Pothesis with all possible regard to truth, may
ay, they were not represented Al all.
TO shear the Yves: Of its Just portion of power
Hand to prevent the friends of reform from on equal
Representation in the Convention seems to have been
the magnanmous wish, aim, and entorpriZe Of the
East, even while making the preliminary arrange.
, ments for the meeting of Convention. They saw
the to be run, tor the frceholders had de-
creed it, but those in power determined not tc
run race Of one hundred yards unless they had II
yards of start. They secured this odds to them.
/. selves by law.
But yet this wits not enough. Another great ad.
vantage was sought and secured by law II came
forward too under the species prctext of great
| nanimity. kour mon were to be chosen for each
Senatorial district. This gave the same chance to
the east and the west of concentrating their votes
upon The most prominent men, but YET it opcrai cd
to the interest of the than the west nd
! it was, doubt not, anticipated that it would. But
this only in passing to what have in view. II
was ordained that the voters should not be confined
in selecting representatives from the districts in
which they lived, but in order bring the best tai
ents in the Commonwealth into Convention mag
unanimous icence was granted by law to elect repre-
sentatves any where in the Commonwealth. This
gave TO the east, Messrs. Leigh, Giles and Stanard
and the one half OF Dir Johnson; and thus were To-
Gated in the city of Richmond six members of the
| Convention, who having access to al the public
documents, heads of departments, and lib aries had
| as much advantage over their opponents as q army
in posses;ions oil the public arsenals and munitions
Of war would have invading army who had
TO carry every thing IN their knapsacks and forage as
they marched.
1t is difficult to say how much advantage this was
to the Anti Convenoniss, but if we're TO give ar,
opinion of my own would not value it much, if any
thing, below the advantage they had in depriving
us of representation for 20 ,s73 persons.
There are at present in Virginia more than 90 900
tax payers into the public treasuryof these not the
half are accounted citizens Of the Commonwealth
Phey bear the burthcns of the government, form
very considerable part of the state help 10 make It's
roads, fight its battles, contribute to the expenses of
government, and many Of them serge as Jurors when
called on, who had nothing to say in the calling of
this Convention, had no representation in 1t, more
than the horses on which they rdc the cornstaks
with which they perform their military exercise.
| Need now enquire whether the amended Const :
tuition has enlanated from the citizens, or from the
inhabitants of this Commonwealth II has emanatcd
from majority of neither of them taken separately
nor together
or the 90 members OF Convention, So voted for it,
leaving Al against 1t. Exchanging the vote which
Dir. Stanord gave against the Consultations for that
which Mr.. Cooke gave for it, then the entire west
Of the Blue Ridge, representing SIG white per-