Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-04-20

bOIV.
aud perform those duties which the people seat them
to perform. They, Gays Mr.. Cooke,) enjoy in pre-
eminent degree, the confidence OF the people They
were elected for this very work and il tsy leave IL
unJone they will disappont the expec ,a;ons and al,
short OF the hopes and wishes OF those who cent hem
"The difficulty, Says Mr.. Cooke OF organizing Con-
ven ion without the aid OF the Legislature is no, by any
mean, so great as might at first be imagined" III
proceeds TO sketch out plan for the of ne
government by the majority which he !eves may be
done without force civil If not he concludes
that II these fauering anticpatons should unhapp-
ly, prove aacious, shall have the con collation. lett
that though civil war is great calamity, savsh SUBJ
mission TO usurped authority is a sl greater" Thu
advice was given with view to event then likely
to happen. twas found that the assembly would e.-
tabish the federal basis of representation, counting
three -hlths oil al the slaves Also rule whereby
aPpor,cn representation in the Convention and the
above advice to secede and separately was given
with view to such an event, or the refusal, by that
assembly, 10 pass any law on the subject.
The law that passed. did assume tina, ba, in ex
pces terms, but another sunequal that would have
been 1t looked to the state Of population in 1920.
believe the minority would have acted Mr.. Co,kc's
advicc-would have seeded and acted (is we ALWAYS
supposed majority have right TO dog separately
but we entertained hopes OF sucien, majority con.
vention, and supposed that il minority Of the people
should triumph in that body by their plurality of votes.
so as to out-voe US any essential principle the mi.
nority IN convention representing majority Of the
people would seoeie-act separately and tender the
people construction founded equal principles. and
1t was not supposed that the fear OF civil war would de-
er them from thus acting
|
metz Mr.. Cooke, completely demonstrates that the
representation Of slaves ia Congress not given to the
master but TO the State, aud warn. OF the danger
hat II slave representation should be allowed in con.
ven;on, the slave holding party would appropriate
that representation 10 themselves forever. These are
ms words in page 10: For we have right TO pre-
sumo, and our safety and interest require Va to pre-.
sumo that the same spirit Of systematic usurpaton
which has induced the majority Of the Iepidaure of
virginia, representing The slave holing minority of
The people, TO set at naught the right, of the non
save-holding sections Of the Common ah in five
successive apportionmen,s Of the numbers Of the Hou..
Of Representatives among the people of Virginia win
continue to aeuate the same slave holding minority"
IL will not no ami'. to sum IL, the argu,nent. and
opinions OF Mr.. Cooke previou, TO- and at the COM
the following.
l. That with few, but just exceptions. the poica
rights of frrcmen are equal
z That Representation is power and that each cleo
toral district ought to elect many members would
bear the same proportion TO the whole number OF mem
bars as the white population OF each district bears TO
TO the whole white population.
3. That the several acts by which the benefit of
slave representation in Congress, has been conferred
on slave-hol'ng districts of ''sy tenatic
course IF u,urpation praetced by the sldpe. hoIding
minority, TO the prejudice o. tbs rights OF the ma.
oEity.
That the majority Of ireemen have right to rule
5. That where, in public body tho minority han
pens 10 have majority IF members, and by means OF
that majority triumph IN, essential ri gh,s Of the
majority the people "have imposed on the m,eIves
an oblig alton 10 abide by their deoi lion"
6. That when the minority, having a majority of
representatives, proceed 10 estabi.h unjust dsri-
button Of representation which is power, per.
retusts the rule Of the minority. the members in tbs
minoiv represen ing ths maj ry Of the people ought
to secede-form themselves into a separate body and
perform those duties tohich the people sent then, TO
perform; and further 'ht il th-v should leave it I'M
done. they would "disappoint the expectations and
JaH short Of the hopes and Dishes Of those oho
them"
T. That from such secession less difficulty is TO be
arprehencei a hrst would be imagined, and in al
probability new constitution could be introduced by
the majority without the aid oil the Legislature and
wi'hou' force or civil
8 That, elf there Hauering anticpatious, should,
unbappily prove islacous, they would have the
ISOLATION left that though civil is great calamity
dduish Submission to usupcd authority is a still
greater"
will proceed to shew that all the foregoing
principles and opinions were sacrificed by the accept
ance OF Gordon's plan, and Of the amended constitution
h,sei upon that plan. l will dc this in the order in
which they a-e stated
and The first aud second may he con,idered
together. The Constitution does propose extend
the right Of suffrage to but smaller number of those
who are entitled according to the doctrines Of the
Earnest Appeal" and second in apportioning repre-
sena,ion in the House Of Delegates between the four
district, and in the Senate between the two grand di-
visions of the State, the amended Cons uton does not
propose TO distribute power according to population
The distribution is arbitrary ani quail if even pep
ulaton had no, changed since 1929 Ba, according TO
tn. Auditors estimate the amended Con -ttuon leaves
fifty nine thousand souls west Of the Ridge unrepre-
sented. This estimate may be incorrect conside-
rshle extent yet that very large population is be
left cut OF the scale well known the Convsn-
ton as was their existence. The Of ih. known
injustics will be manifested by the next census. For
this excluded population, well oF its future reIa
tive Increase practical provi is mails, because no
man, in his senses, hope that thirds Of any fu
ture assembly, will so act under Mr.. Maiisnn's pro-
visions, as TO diminish their power, although by pos
'ility, they may act az to incred.e it, Should the
proposed Constitution be ratified, every future General
Assembly under IL, will not equally reprerent Tie
people, TO use Mr.. Cookies words, az to be "the
fountain OF peace and harmony anil property and liber
y but so unequfly as 10 "bc the author If dscord,
The RATHER Of Acknowledgement and The cause IF ciu-
IL diseo,d and eonfusion-Possbiy, IF bloodshed and
GtMembeTmtnt"
3. The sixth claus. OF the propose ell cons, uiion, Of
fered by Judge Green, is in these words / e. " The
whole number Of members 10 which this ate may a,
any time be entitled in the House al Representatives.
Of the United States, .ha be apporioned nearly
may be- amongst The several counties, les borough
and towns, according 10 their respective numbers which
shall he determined by adding 10 the wholo number OF
free persons, including those bound TO service for
Of le'rs AMI excluding Indians taxed, three-6f,b.
OF all Other persons"
This clause Of the proposed constitution contains that
very perpeuaon OF that systematic usurptien Of he
savshcding minority" strongly deprecated by Mr.
Cooke, but 10 which lie submitted. although e considers
submission TO M ttsurPed authority still greater
epiI than eiuiI ,Cdr"
4. The proposed constitution, esiionably, orects
the minority Of the free white people OF Ytgnia into
he ruling power Of the State and il il naue,tiona-
Bile that the ruling minority il not an Increasing but
decreasing one, compared with The relative and incres
lag numbers OF the en,ayed majority.
5 & 6 The principle tSata majority ofnumhcrs who
represent mao;ity nj population have the tight
cede, Mr.. Cooke manaine d and urged TO the minority