Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-04-14


sf this inquiry, what I presume will not
We denied by any Inan Of sense and in /.
formation, TO wit, that the white basis
having been abandoned as unattain-
able, by the whole western party,
within six weeks after the commence
ment OF the SESSION, the question Law
between the two plans Of compromise.
called seen. 6ordon's plan. and the
I" western plan" The latter as its
namr imports, was supported through.
out by the western delegation rs par
ty-the former, after the 18th Of Dec.
by myself, because. as / said before, I
thought it better in principle and IN
practical results than the western
plan.
I thought it better in principle than
the western plan because IL abandoned
no principle. Its true theory is fairly
stated in the following quotation from
my remarks in the convention On the
10Th at December: che" (Gen. Cor
don. recommended an arbitrary ap-
portionment Of representation. in
which no express reference should be
had either TO the principle Of the equal
representation Of the white people, or
70 the principle Of representation Of fe-
drral numbers, or to the principle of
the compound ratio Of white population
and taxation, or to any other Of the de-
oateable and long debated propositions
Which had disturbed the harmony Of
the body; an superintendent in which
the So. object should be, an equitable
compromise. so far as any compromise
can be equitable, of the conflicting pre-
tensions of the east and west, With
tncit sacing Of the principles on which
those pretensions were founded, and a
posrponement of their discussion, till
some future period. more suspicious to
their harmonious adjustment"
The western plan, on the contrary,
though it proceeds on the white basis
IN tho house Of delegates. expressly
recognizes, in the apportionment of re-
presentation in the senate. the Justly
obnoxious principle Of the virtual re
presentation of all the free negroe. and
three hiths of the slaves. Aud though
am not disingenuous enough to fnliaw
the example OF some who have animal
verted IN my own conduct, and TO say,
that VI the western party had carried
their favorite plan, negro Representa-
ton would he fastened on US and our
posterity Jorerer. yet really did ap-
prehend, that If this vicious and obnox.
ious principle were once infused INTO
the constitution. it would be n matter
oil extreme difficulty TO expel it. In
other words, ! thought il would be
more easy, at future and more aus
p'cions period, when the political dark
ness Of the convention OF 1929 should
have been dispelled by the increasing
light OF the age. To superinduoe a pure
representative democracy on Gen.
Gordon's plan of representation, than
on the western plau. saw. or tho't
/ saw, IN the slavehnlding ueto which
The western plan conferred on the east.
an obstacle Of ar almost in.urmount-
able character tn the final prevalence,
and practical Improvement. of the
great political truth, that freemen are
the only elements out Of which a re.
public should be formed.
Having reference To any future at.
tempt TO obtain the enactment of a law
for assembling convention 10 carrythis
great principle into practical effect. |
considered that the two legislative
bodies being coordinate, numerical
strength IN the senate was Just as es-
sentiai to the friends Of reform as nu-
merical strength in the house If dele
gates. That IL woald avail US nothing
10 have the ,0hOie house Of delegates,
~ rival section Of the commonwealth.
heretofore opposed 20 reform, possess.
ed majority IN tho senate. I thought.
therefore, that IN conducting our attack
on the old unequal system of represen.
tation. 1t was our true policy. not In
throw away our whole strength in OBJ
tanning a superfluous majority in one
body. bat so to direct our efforts a. to
divide our gain between the two hou So IS.
IN such manner az 10 obtain a main
rity. II only a bare majority, in each
house. The scheme Of policy I have
just sketched. IL embodied IN the q.
mended constitution. The opposite
policy was that Of the defeated west
ern plan.
Nor were these the only objections,
on the score Of principle. that I had
against the western plan. thought il
calculated To- perpetuste, and TO EN-
bi'ter. the feelings Of sectional rivalry,
not 70 say animosI'y. already too pre-
Va1cot, to eugender feudls and dissen.
sn"ns between the two legislative bo.
d'"s. which would be utterly destfuc.
tive Of the prosperity # the state. So
mueh foe ny objections to the western
plan, on 'he score Of principle.
! thought tina, the plan Of represen.
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