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

nest Appeal
Mr.. Cooke after successfully proving the rights OF
each man to be equal and that representation, which
he says, is power, should be apportioned in districts
according To numbers, in page 10 of his Appeal adv-
sed the minority OF that asemJiy to ''secede from tue
''Legislaturc form themselves into separate body
"and pc form those duties which the people sent them
ito perform. They, (says Mr. Coose) enjoy Il pre-
continent degree, the confidence ofthe people. They
'wcre elected for this very work. aud If they leave
sit undone they VIII disappola the expect atoms an
fail short of the hopes an1 wishes fhose who sent
them." The difficulty, sdys Mr.. Cooke, of o, gan
"izng Convention without the aid of tie Legisa-
ture IS not by any means. great might at first
"be imagined" lie proceeds to sketch plan for
the introduction of new government by the MAORI
ty, which he believes may be done without force
civil war; IT NOT he concludes that 81 these latter-
sing ancipations should, unhappy. prove fallacous
"we shall have the consolation left, that though
civil war is great calamity, savisl submission
Ito usurped authority is still greater. This advice
was given with view TO event then likely to hap
pen. 1t was found ti-t the assembly would estab-
Esh the federal basis of representation, counting three
fftlis of all the slaves oso rule whereby to np-
portion representation in the Convention, and the
above advice to secede and act separately given
with view to such event, or the refusal, by that
assembly, to pass any law on the srhject.
| The law that passed, did not assume that basis in
express terms, but anoter unequal as tina,
would have beer. IL looked TO the state of pop-
ulation III 1920. believe the minority would have
'cicd on Mr. Cookies adrice-wo.id have seeded
and acted, las we always supposed majority have
right TO do separately but entertain hopes of
Sufiiccnt majority in convention ana supposed that
fiilory oil the people should triumph in that bo-
dy by Their plurality of votes, to vo us on
any essential prrcp,c, the minority in convention
representing majority of the people would srccde-
act separats y, and ieRer the people constitution
founded ON equal principles, and it was not suppo-
seq that he fear OF civil would Le,cr them from,
thus acting.
In bis eloquent appeal, for it well deserves that en-
ithet,) Mr. Cooke completely demonstrates that he
representa- ION of slaves in Congress is not pivan IN
the but 10 the Sac, and warns us OF the dan
ger, that II s. ave representation should be allowed
IN convention, tue slave holding party would appropri
ate mat r"prtsen,ation 10 themselves forever These
are his words IN page 10. For have RIGHT to
! presume, and our safety ani interest require us to
presume that The same spirit OF systematic ,.suypa-
tt'n which has induced the majority Of the Iaoisa-
lure o.. virginia, representing the slave ho!ntr mi
seniority OF the people set at nauoht the rjOhfs Of
"thn non slavehoding sections of tho COMMONWEALTH
I'm I'VE successive apPortionmeEts Of the nurl5crs of
"the House of Representatives among The people of
'FirgiDia, "l continue to aCtuate the same slaye-
'Shoding minoritv."
twill not be aaliss, to up the arguments and
opinions OF Mr.. Cooke previous to, and at the COM
.,encement of the late Convention; they appear TO
be the toliowing
!. That with few, but just exceptions, the polit-
icas rights of fFee!nen are equal.
I = Ihat representation is power, and that each
electoral district ought TO elect many members as
would bear the same proportion to the whole number
of members, as the white pupuaton of each dist riot
bears to the whole white population
n
slave representations Congress, has been conferred
on slave holding districts, parts of sysfen, ,ic
course IF osnrp 1tioy, Prnc:tccd By The stare holding
tnor'ty'to the prejudice OF the rights of the ma
ijorty.
4. That the MAJ ,rity of irecnlen have RIGHT 10
rule under all circumstances
5. That where 10 public body. the minority hap
pens TO havea majority of members and nv means If
that majority triumph the essential r1hts of tho
majority, the people iave not imposed on them
selves, an o6iisaon to abide by their deoisou.'
/ 6. That when the minority, having majority of
representatives, proceed TO establish an unjust dstr
button OF representation, winch is power so as to
peEPetuate the rule of the minority, the members in
the minority representing the majority of the people,
ought to secede-forn Themselves into q sepa,.ate
body, and perform those duties lotich The peoptc sent
them to peyjorm' and further, that if they ssond
leave 1t undone, they would diSappoins the erpecfa-
Inns and FIJI short Of the hopes and toishes of those
,cho sent them"
7. That from such secession less difficulty is TO
be apprehended, than at first would be imagined and
in all probability new Constitution could be intro
duced ny the majority without the aid of the Leps-
la,ure, and without force civil war.
| g. That, elf these fattering anticpations, should,
sunhappily, prove faacious, they would have the
consolation left, that though ciUi is great en-
"fany s1astst submission to usu,ped authority is
''StW greater"
| will now proceed to shew that all The forero,np
principles and opinions were sacrificed by the accept
ance of Gordon's plan and OF the amended congti;,l
ton based upon that plan. will do this in The Or
der in which they stated.
| and 2. The first and second may be considered
together. The Constitution does not propose TO ex
tsnd the right of suffrage to but small number of
those who entitled according to the doctrines of
the Earnest Appeal" and second in apportioniuo
representation in the House of Delegates between
the four Districts and in the Senate between the two
grand divisions OF the State, the amended Consitu-
ton does not propose to distribute power accordn, 10
population The distribution is arbitrary and une-
quail, If even population had changed since 1920.
But according to the Auditors estimate the amended
constitution leaves f1itynIuP thousand 81
the Ridge unrepresented. This timate NAV hn in
correct to considerable extent yet that very arre
population is to be left ont of the scale was as well
known to the Convention as was theroyn existence
The extent OF this known injustice will be manifested
by the next census For this excluded population
as well as for MS future relative increase no practi.
col provision is made, hccausc man, in his senses
can nope mat two-t!irds of any future assembly,
VIII so act under Dir. Madison's PROVISIONS. ne n
dt0n'st their poker, although, b. possibility they
may 90 act as 70 inereage IL slmid the r,rnnnsod