Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-04-09

TO carry tins great principle into practical effect
considered that the two Legislative bodies being CO.
g ordinate numerical strength in the senate Just
j as essehtal 10 the friends of reform numerical
S strength IN the house Of delegates. That it would
a'ai US nothing TO have the ,ohote house of dele
e ga.es' 1T rival section of the commonwealth here
tolore opposed to refor possessed majority i'm the
senate thought therefore, that in conductipg our
attack on the old unequal system Of representation
1t was our true policy not 10 throw away our whole
strength In obtaining superfluous majority in one
body, hut SO to direct our efforts as to divide oir
> gam between the two houses, in such a manner as
to obtain majority, if only bare majority in each
f house The scheme of policy have inst sketched
1 Is embodied In the amended constitution The OPP
posite policy that of the defeated western plan
Nor were these the only objections on the score
OF principle, that had against the western plan
thought 1t calculated 10 perpetuata, and to embilter
the feelings of sectional rivalry to say anmosi-
ty, already too prevalent engender feus and dis
sentions between the two legislative bodies, which
would be utterly desru of the prosperity of the
state So much for my objections of the western
plan. on the score of principle.
i thought that the plan of Representations since
engrafted on the new constitution would be better
IN Its practical results and operation than the western
PLAN not only for the reason just assigned, that
legislation under it would be more harmonious than
under It's rival plan, but because, believed that
II would ensure majority, though bare majority,
In each house, To that portion of the state whose
views, on the subject of practical legislation, think
most sound and most conducive to the prosperity
of the commonwealth. l alude chiefly to the aboi
ltlon of the captaton taxes levied by the local au
thorlties, whether in the shape of pecuniary con-
trbutlonS or labor, to the Improvement of orr rad
laws and that whole class of subjects comprehend
ed IN what Is famarly called internal Improvement
nave already assigned my reasons, III my second
letter, for believing that there will be majority
:, or votes IN the new house of delegates, in favor
of sound and beneficial legislation on these inter
estlng SUBJECTS, and that We shall stand in no need
OF tine four additional votes in the house of delegates
, secured to us by the western plan.
1t is my present business TO show that this COM
paratlvey useless gain of i'll the house of dele
gates would have been purchased too dearly, under
the western plan, by the sacrifice Of two votes in n
h senate composed of 80 members. The new const-
tation alois to the country east of the ridge men,
f oeIs, TO the country west of the ridge In order
It TO ascertain what would have been strength in
i the senate on the western plan, must compute as
we can the actual federal numbers of the two great
divisions of the commonwealth i'll 1880. The prin-
clpal element OF this computation w.t. the number
If of white people, s already disposed Of according
. the best lights have been able TO obtain To a.
void prohx calculations of the increase of black pop
@ ulation between 800 and 1880, wiling con
cede, and tie concession IS snail one that the
black population has remained stationary since 1920
IT On this liberal concession in favor of the
N plan, the federal numbers of the and the ives
"a would be follow
D. Federal numbers east of the blue ridge in 1880
;, viz:
rs Estimated white population, (see the esti-
g. mate in detail, and the reasons in which
"a it is founded, in my second leter0 $50 ,93
h Free blacks by the census of 1920 1864
j. Three ifths OF the slaves by the census of
re- 1890, o3o, 34
,e 6ee,ol
f Federal numbers west of the Blue ridge in 1854
- viz
=, :. Estimated white population 1898
7 free blacks by the census of 1920 4,64
J., Three htths Of the slaves by the census of
1920 o. az
It Total federal numbers a2o,sS
~ Aggregate federal numbers in Virginia in
lf 1880, 9433O
% The apportIonmcnt of representation in sen
ID ate of 81, between the east and the west on thi
, estimate OF federal numbers, would be as follows:
10 the country east of the Blue ridge would be al
Y lotted 2l.l4, or BLENDERS 2
~ To the country of the Blue ridge @. So or
is The new constitution, therefore, aots TO the pee
pie west OF the ridge two members i'm the senate
and to the people east of the ridge members les
o than the western plan of representation, making
a difference IN favor Of the of four members il
thirty two.
Viewing the gain and loss of each plan in the tw
houses automatically, the result stands thus
II Western Plan
70 Gain of tie western plan IN the house of
delegates, by taking four members from
N the east and transferring them to the
o. west, making difference of eight mem
~ bcrs out of 1884, equal to five per cent and
n Diney-six hundredtfs of the whole body 500
i Loss ofthe western plan in the senate, by
m giving up two western members and trans
j; terripg them to the east, making a differ
q of four members out of So, equal to
nj twelve per cent and fifty four hundrcdtlIs
of of the body, 1854
ri .NSp Constitution.
N Loss in the house of delegates, $50 per cent
- Gain IN the senate, 1854 do.
il Looking moreover, to practical results firmly be
DC eve after careful and critical examination of tn
st elements which compose the senatorial districts i'm
N medately east of the ridge, that the people of tn
wcstn other words, the friends of internal improve
d, ment,will always be abe TO Obtain the Did of a
least four eastern senator's, making, with their ow
thirteen, majority OF the body, effort which the
okp tn fhal bohi
O. and saluary measure of internal improvement. An
IL think may safely add, that until the opinions ofou
e. eastern fellOwctizens undergo change this in
terestfnr subject could not count, with any de
e gree OF certainty, obtaining the aid of r
m senators, the number necessary to give MAORI
ID ty under the western plan. View the two plans
IN then, IN what aspect you VIII, having reference Il
y practical result the apportonment of representation
i made by the new constitution is more adqanla aofls