Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-01-14
VIRGINIA CONVENTION.

lion offered the day belore by empowering the LegiS
Iature 10 apportion IN the year 1871 and every
ter years hcrcater-the number of Delegates not to
exceed l5O, nor of Senators SO.
The question being Upon inserting this proposition
of MIR. Madison new article of tho Constitution,
Mr.. Chapman moved to strike out tCo thirds, and
leave it i'll the power Of majority to re apportion.
Mr. Chapman thought trat n maj ory ought to rule
IN Republican Country, and that the provision il
stood was uugatnry, two thirds could never be
Observation-Disclosures beng enough interested to keep
power in it's present !,nds to prevent it.
Mr. Madison said few words against, and Sir.
Scott, few words i'll favor of the amendment. which
was negatived by the following vote:
AYEs-Mtssrs Anderson, C"fIhmn. Harrison,
Williamson, MCoy Moore, B:'rnc, Smith, Mil
Ter, Baxter Mercer, Fitznigh, Osborne, Powell T..
NJ Mason, Naylor, Donaidson Boyd, Pentcton,
George, Mcmillan, Edward Campbell, gyurs.
C!oyd Ghapmans Mathews ogessy, Duncap 1 Laid
Scott. w. Campbell, Clayton, Saunders. Cabc1
Stuart, Mgssc--lO
NoEs-Messrs. p. P. Barbour. Jones, u. w. Leigh
Marshall, Tyler, Nicholas, CIopion Baldwin, Johnson
J. Mason, Trczvant CIaiborn, Urquhart, Randolph,
w Leigh. Logan, Venabe, Madison Slanard. HoIIa-
day, Henderson, Cooke, Griggs, Pendeton, Roune,
w. p. Taylor Morris, Gurnett, J. s. Barbour Green
T. Marshall, Tazewcl, Loyal, Prcutis. Grigsby
Bronch Townes, Martin, Pleasants, Gordon, Ihomp-
son, Bates Neale, Rose, Coulter, Joyncs Bayiy, Up
shur Perrin-54.
The question recurring on the original amend
mcnt of Mr.. Madison,
Mr.. Clopton moved to amend the amendment by
requiring the Legislature to make assessment Of
lands whenever they IN Ike re-apportonu,ent Of
presentation.
Mr.. Mercer was afraid that the effect of the n
monument would be, that there would be re as
sesspcnt of lands unless there u rc-upportiun-
ment of representation Another difficulty that
the apportionment was required to be made by two
thirds--which might never be obtained
Mr. Clopton's object was to provide for re-as-
sessment Of lands, which ut present unjust in
regard to his part of the State. Ifths secured
his purpose was answered.
MIR SStanard thOupht thf, prpCsion sumo .f{nouS-
if justice required Il assessment, it would he
rnadc condition of the re-apportionment. The a.
mendmcnt was rejected.
The question recurring on Wr. .Uadisons amend
ment,
Mr. Campbell of Brooke agreed with the vencra-
be gentleman that no Constitution could be-
hnre which would be acceptable permanent with.
out rule of future apporionment; but he did not
think that the rule offered, afforded alienation of
the evil. Mr.. c. argued to shew, that the requisi-
tinn of two thirds, rendered it impossible that the
rule should be available. In this belief, Mr.. c. moved
to amend follows:
The General Assembly shall have power in the year
1871, and every yenrs thereafter, to- apporton
the representation in both HOUSES, that the num-
bers Of Delegates in each of the four grapd dis
tricts shall bear the same proportion to the whole
white population of each district, which the present
apportionmen establishes in such district; the ratio
Of present appcrtionment to be ascertained by the
next census-Provided that the House of Delegates
shall exceed $50, the Senate sc.
This amendment Jur. G.. said, had all to recon-
mend it, that the principle IF the gentleman from Al
bemarle had-lt PerPetuated that principle He
owned it unequal to the West-they lost the
benefit of years increase of popelation-for with
ont protesting to understand fully the basis of the
gentleman from Albemarle, .ur Gordon) he believed
1t was that OF the white population of 1890.
Mr.. Mercer said the object of the gentleman from
Brooke already provided for, by the fifth article
adopted at the suggestion of the gentleman from
Frederick (mr. Cooke. Mr. NJ commented on the
proposition offered by Madison, which he said
provided 10 rule or basis by which future appartion-
incnts should be made The effect would be- if Dir.
Caupbclls amendment was adopted, that majority
might unite fix the federal basis any other ba
ais the state, aud mould the Constitution as they
pleased.
Sir. Fitzhugh said either his colleague CIR. Wcr
cerl himself, misunderstood The amendment of the
gentleman from Brooke. He understood that amend
nic.it to give the power to the General Assembly
among the grand divisions to apporton representa-
ton IN proportion to the population Of the whole
State. This certainly gave the power of transfer
.ino the excess from great district TO another
not having enough His objection to the 5th arti
Gle had been that it perpctuated the PRESENT proper
lions; or at least shat afforded rule Of ESCAPING
from them when they became unequal.
Mr.. Mercer read and commenced critically, on Mr..
Campbell's amendment, to show that his cons,ruc-
ton Of it right--or If not SO, that its terms
we're ambiguous.
Mr.. Campbell of b. said that the gen,lcrssu from
Loudoun imr. Mercer) was wrong, and the gentle
man from Fairfax (plr Fitzhugh) right, in his
struction of his amendment.
Mr. Mercer said he concurred in the end aimed at
---he was only afraid that the language Of the
amendment led TO results not intended.
Mr.. Campbell appealed TO the patriotism Of the
House pay attention to the merits Of propositions
conscious as they must be, that Constitution
could be permanent, if it should be accepted,
without rule Of apportlonment. Could The Con-
stution Of the U. s. he asked have existed without
such ruler And was not population in Virginia
iluotuating, well as the population of the United
States;
Mr.. Joyncs analizcd the provisions OF the atncnd-
ment offered by the gentleman from Brooke (mr.
Compbcll) to sbow that 1t operated most uncq,iay
on Eastern Virginia, and pronounced it the worst
rule Of apportionmen' yet offered
Mr.. Marshall said there certainly o3c obcc
ton TO the ainendnen,-wbich was, that i. would
enlarge the House of Delegates indefinitely Ano-
Their objection thai it there was Il reduction of
slave population in the cas- and increase of white
population to The same cxtcR, the representation Of