Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-03-12


in the Constitution of TO-. Mr.. Jefferson desert
cd the tendency OF these principles before they had
developed themselves in their effects. nor was lac
alone nor unsupported, in this view Of that most
mnritorlously euogized instrument. These com. |
plants became louder and louder and accumulated
more and more, as the practical influences and ten
dencles OF the Constitution were developed, until
they issued in the call of a Convention.
Power TO remedy and power TO pcrpcuate these
defects was in the hands of the Eastern ireeholders
AN appeal was made to their republican principles
sense OF justice and patriotism. They began to feel
the wrongs, and finally majority of the irceholders
ofthc whole Commonwealth, actuatcd by different
motives. and different views, but most generally from
regard to the principles Of free institutions and of
equal political rights concurred in calling Convcn-
ton
Whenever this fact was known it WINS made tho
duty of the ordinary Legislature with what propric-
ty will not now pause to enGure) to pass law for
the assembling of the representatives of the people
in their sovereign character Blu, instead of nrovi
ding tor faU and free Convention of the peope
they turned their thoughts and their energies to Sc
cure the power which the old Constitution had caus-
ed to grow up in their hands and as far as in them
lay to prevent that majority of the people who called
for Convention from iaylng their due WEIGHT and
fair representation in Convention. The law as far
as 1T could with any prctence sanction the wishes
OF the people prohibited FIJI and free Conventions
by taking from the reforming interess its share of re
presentation and giving to that section less disposed
TO, and less interested in, thorough reform of our
institutions much more than it's due share of power.
so That IN effect the law gave nearly one fifth of the
whole momentum, of the whole power ofthr Conven.
ton into the hands of the Anti Convention inter
ests. This effected by basinp the representation
IN Convention upon the census OF 1910 by ieprivinr
tne trends OF reform of the increase of population du-
ring the last 90 years.
According to the documents furnished The Conven-
tion' and from which it took it's data it appeared
mat curing The last years, Fast of the Blue Ridge
ao increased IN wi,te population only % ,9l9 souls;
While West OF that Ridge had increased in Tint Dn
rod LOG, 7g0.-Thus after baancinr the increase
East OF the Ridge, the West had SO S73 souls un,e
presented IN the Convention. Surprising then tb,,t
tue 80 members ofConven,on fairly and equally re-
presented the population of this COMMONWEALTH in
me year 1910, and gave to each part of it its full
snare OF power, the loss sustained BY US by the law
I under which the Convention met was eoual to one
iourt OF our whole delegations instead OF SO repre-
sehtatiVes we ought to have had as and the East
instead OF 60 ought to have had only 81. This was
in effect giving them 8 of majority. or one filth Of
+ the whole Convention in advance of u.s.
" no viii then say with this fact before him, that
Inc cIzens OF this Commonwealth met in full ana
gree Convention by their representatives when the
representatives due to 39,873 white persons west Of
the Blue Ridge, were given to another section of the
state IN our view OF the inatter or in the only re-
: naming view which can be taken of it, were not re-
presented at all Yes, either Messrs. I.eiub Ran.
dnlph, Uushur, and their COLLEAGUES REPRESENTED
89878 persons living in Western Virginia. or thew
were not represented. And think, upon either nv
pohess, with all possible regard to truth. we NAV
say, they We're not represented at all.
10 shear the West of lis just portion of mower
and to prevent the friends of reform from an eo,,j
IN the Convention seems to have been
the magnanImous wish, aim, and en,arprize of tho
East, even wiillc making the preliminary arrange
ments for the meeting of Convention. They saw,
the race was to be run for the freeholders had de-
creed 1t, but those IN power were determined not to
run race OF one hundred yards unless thew had 20
yards OF start. They secured this odds to them
| selves by law.
/ But yet this was not enough. Another preat ad-
vantage was sought and secured by law 1t came
forward too under the species preteX of GREAT ma
nan'mty -Four men were to be chosen for each
Senatorial district. This gave the same chance tn
the east and the west of concentrating their vote.
upon We most prominent men, but yel it operated
more to the interest OF the than to the west and
g was, doubt not, anticipated that it would But
this only IN passing TO what we have in view Il
was ordained that the voters should not be confined
In selecting representatives from the districts II,
which they lived, hut i'll order bring the best tall
| ents IN the Commonwealth into Convention mag
unanimous ilcence was wanted by law to elect repre-
sentatives any where As4hs Commonwealth. This
and tie one half of Mr. Johnson; and thus were To-
Gated in the city of Richmond six members of the
Convention, who having access to all the publ;c
documents, heads of departments and lib,arics had
as much advantage over their opponents as an ormv
in possessons of the public arsenals and munitons
Of war would have over invading army who had
to carry every thing in their knapsacks and forage as
| they marched.
|
to the Anti Conventonists, but if were to rive an
opinion of my own would not value it much, if any
thing, below the advantage they had in deprivipG
us of d representation for 2,e78 persons
There are at present in Virginia more than 90 900
tax payers into the public treasury-of these not the
half are accounted citizens of the Commonwealth
They bear the burthens of the government, form
very considerable part OF the state, help make its
roads, fight its battles, contribute to the expenses of
government, end many of them serge jurors when
called on, who had nothing to say in the calling of
this Convention, had representation in IT. more
than the horses on which they ride or the cornstaks
with which they perform their military exercise.
| Need now enquire whether the amended Consti-
tuition has ennnated from the citizens or from the
inhabitants of this Commonwealth? It has emauated
from majority of neither of them, taken separately
nor together.
Of the SO members of Convention, So voted for it.
leaving al against it. Exchanging the vote which
Mr. Stanard gave against the Constitution, for that
which Mr.. Cooke gave for it, then the entire west
of the Blue Ridge, representing 81 OSLO white per