Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-02-17
THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
John r. Cooke to his late Constituents.
coscLusIos OF lxrrrH

~ coNcLUsIos OF L.rrtRII.
"a But 10 return. have said that the
plan OF representation. or distribution
OF power, contained in the amended
#constitution, is SO near an approxima-
1ion to the ''white basis" US il Is "A.
aniiiarIy called, as 10 be equivalent TO
at. at present, in practical results. You
will perceive, in the very terms Of this
Hpro position, a tacit admission that IL
may not be equally favorable at some
Jmure period. And in this man not
ms involved the vcxcd question of the
8 probabie future relative increase Of
&popula,ion III the east and the vest
On that question ! shall, by and bv. say
4some'hing. Suffice il to say. at pre-
sent, that. conceding alphabetically,
the correctness Of the most sanguine
caicniatIons as to the comparatively
rapid increase of western popuiation,
Hln future. and admitting the Importance
&oi engraiting on the constitution IA plan
e3ior future apportioIment. which this
reconstruction wants, IT was found, after
: a'1d"y trials, utterly impossible to carry.
fh the convention, any plan of future
been worse than none at all. The al
fernative was. of course. presented, Of
xak'ng 4 constitution destitute of this
raiuaoie feature, or none ! could
mot hesitate IN my choice between these
ALTERNATIVES. And do not know that
can better express my view Of the
subject than By adopting familiar H.
iustratlon suggested by a shrewd and
sagaclous friend. Suppose that. being
very hungry. you were asked TO par
fake OF an excellent dinner You rcply
this inviting proposition, "Sw, l viii
heeriuiiy dine with you To day, pro-
s''led you will agree to give me as good
% dinner. whenever call OH YOU about
s dInner-time. hereafter" Your host
replies, ''fOu are exceedingly wei
come. sir, 10 partakc Of the dinner be
fore you, but really cannot undertake
to O,hd myself as you propose. -
would ~ be wise IN you to go away
q hungry. because the promise 81 future
good cheer was withheld I, for one.
6 am clear for partHking nf goah cheer
today II wall ,n'igorate my system,
and enable me. the better, to procure
!" S""b uilUcT tu-fHOfTuM.
81 But IS the repast you are noe invi.
Ted TO partake of, really good one I:
Is the proposed constitution, IN its &C =
tual and present distribution of polit-
pal power, such all one - you ought 60
accept. l. IL. in practical results.
Dearly or quite a. good. at present, a.
the basis Of white population 4! l. IL not,
nt present, 10 he psopic Of me Uaiieg,
white population ~ disguise These
are the questions propose TO consider.
You will perceive. at once, that these
questions cannot be answered without
iirst asceriaining what Is tie actual
white population If the different sec
tons Ut the State "a 1880. II the cen.
81 sus OF 1890 ~ere adopted a. the stan.
dard BY which TO measure the fairness
81 the distribution 1T power made by
the amended constitution, or. " 10 could
he justly inferred that tie rate 81 in
crease has bren uniform. IN the last
ten vears, throughout the state. the
representation ailofted, by the new
Constitution, 20 tie country west OF the
fhs, majority nf the house couI not
be unred 20 FAVOR ~ en- plan u future sp
puriIOnmsni, - as distinctly 4sccfg.ire4 Af
Ger hi rejection ~ r4hy plans, moved, 90
the @sili 81 December. by Vsy 81 testing %,
sens - the House. ADD hscrrtaining whethe1
ne easjnrHy AS Determined 20 reject ID
plans iur future spp0r'ionn en-. tie adoption
Ofthe foli1wing resolution.
"Hss,''sd. That q IS enpc5ien' ths sssi
rule os puuciqls shoUld be sdopsed fof ih,
iofore superintendent 81 representation q
mong The people and Throughout lie CON
ulouwesish % Virginia
The resolution vss rejected. IN eject. b'
laying Z; 90 tks tstir, y, VIE q IS 70 IS