Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-12-12

heard of who could vote in thirty odd Counties
The old plan gave great advantages to the county vo
ing last in congressional district, and different re-
suit often produced from that which fair express
sion of the voters the same day would produce
Mr. RIDLE rcgrcttcd that this made test, and
assigned his for 10" attempting 10 do indirectly
what it not right 10 do in direct terms Heaskca
whether If the question were directly put Ia deprive
any man of the given him by the Constitution,
single member would vote for it; He was for every IN
divduu exercising his constitutional privileges
if by doing he voted in every county in the STATE
The people of Southampton desired the change, and
Mr. Il. but carrying out their wishes and his own
previously expressed views, i'll supporting the
now before the House 1fWestern gentlemen preferred
the present plan of holding elections for their section
he would cheerfully crafty them in continuing it, but
he hoped the East would also be graticd The rcsolu
ton ought TO 20 TO the committee.
Mr. NENAyLE expressed surprise that opposition
should be made to the reference Of grave subject
one involving much of interest TO the people. II
entitled under all its aspects the usual courtesy
and consideration.
Mr. CRrrcmrIEIp replied Mr.. Chapman, and
stated the origin Of the present law. 1t grew out of
party views, avowcd by its prominent patron. The
people not consulted, and when this difficulty
suggested it remarked, that they could be apprascd
by the reply that the sessions would be shortened and
their money saved This argument was expected to be
potent, but the people were not satisfied.
Mr. MAY dsclaimed all party influences in this mat
ter. He was, from principle, in favor of holding the
elections the same day throughout the State. He
did not wish to have whole month of excitement, IN
trgue and corrupon-and the ill-bood usually arising
in the voting last and having the prcponderancc
in district
Mr. CuArMAS referred To the fact that no petition
before the House; but matter of courtesy, he
would vote for the reference, if be not made test
, question.
Mr. RIDLEY added some further remarks in reply TO
, Mr. Chapman.
Mr. GREGORY thought tho present the best time for
test question, there was little business before the
Committees the House, and expressed surprise that
the servants of the people should lie afraid to trust their
masters in the matter of elections. He could agree
with the gentleman from Petersburg to the danger
of corruption. The people had a right TO do wrong.
He concluded by calling the ayes and nocs-which
were ordered
Mr. LEE expressed hope that this would not be
made test question. He thought legislation on the
subject should have end, having been agItacd for
three four years past, but willing for the inquiry
The reference and action upon the Subject by COM
mittee would have better effect than hasty decision
He believed the people of his county satisfied with
the law it now sood-It answered their convenience.
But if made TEST, Mr.. l.. vote against the
luton, although he thought i'll courtesy 1t ough to be
referred
Mr. JACKSON made the suggestion that the law ight
be so changed to suit both the East and the West
As it now stood he believed the West satisfied but
if Eastern gentlemen deemed the change i'll reference
to them matter of consequence. MIR. J. willing
and would be happy to crafty them by letting them
vote at such times as suited their convenience II,
however test must BE- made he would be constrained
carry out the wishes of the people of the West and
8 therefore vote against the resolution.
Mr.. May in reference a remark Of Mr. Gregory,
dsclamcd all masters. He was a representative of the
: people, hut they not his mastcrs-hc free
{ man, and would always feel on this subject becomes
one The fathers of the Republic could not have been
ignorant OF the feelings Of the people III reference 10
the proper time of voting, from Toto % the elections
IF had been held on the day throughout the Com
monwealth BY the old statutes previous 10 80 the 4th
Wednesday in April was the day, and The change
out of panic to which he would not specially alludc,
but of which he believed Eastern Virginia
ashamed Mr. VI referred to the practice in n Carolina
and most of the other States and remarked that it
i not often he trumphanty sustained by the De-
mOcracy in this case But II seemed he had uttered
3 another sentiment abhorrcnt to the gentleman from
;. James City, that the people might be corrupted =
! Why, Sir, there laws against corruption
and crime, 10 punish those very masters of whom the
gentleman talked, for offences which had dared TO
suppose them capable of committing TO carry his
4 views Mr. G.. should move TO repeal all laws punish
masters as nc called them, for any offence whatever
Il Mr. NJ stated that occurred in county not very
distant where prcscntmcnt was made against of
these for brbing another TO vote according to
his wishes and he convicted of the crime. Ii the
considered it treason to suppose them capable
of such crime there should be repeal of that and all
other laws: and If the principle carried out this
the length TO which The gentleman should 90. MIR. NJ
repeated that he had been willing to vote for refer
of the subject through courtesy but the friends
of the had taken II out OF the hands of the
mover, and insisted upon test, there was but one
for him to pursue, and that was 10 vote against
= it.
+" Mr.. GREGORY, in explanation, remarked that how
ever hrh standard the gentleman from Petersburg
had fixed for HIMSELF entitled to, he had no doubt
he felt himself much tied down by the will of those
he represented any other gentleman by the
n authority. If any representative felt himself superior
to the people, rt matter 10 be decided between
them As to the laws cited and masters being brlbed
lrn- fbnrn hncp had in n IN
ties He did not to say that the people did
nothing wrong, but on that they had constitutional
right do wrong in reference to questions of this sort
He hoped and believed majority pure. And he
6 could only say reference TO the laws from 20 10 80
that prcccdcns were binding upon him in any case
if they bad To urge necessity for repeal of
! laws against crime would be acknowedg ment that
a majority vicious-a position which was not To-
nabe. Mr. &. complained that his remarks had been
perverted and added that if the feelings OF members
were be injured by turning each individuals argu
men into ridiculc and disorng his opinions all that
he had say was that he ready TO take issue
upon that point.
The question was then taken on the resolution with
ont further debate, and it decided in the affirmative
by the following vote
.7ycs-NIessrs. Gilmcr, (SpcakcrO Bayly, Chopper,
Southall Carpenter, Cabc, NJ Cue, Stuart, Lockrdgc,
Burwe Mitchell, Myers of b., Meredith, Kyle, Flood,
Toler, Fox, Corbn Coleman Cardwcll, Broadus, Will
son, Whitworth, Roanc Marshall, Scott of Fauqucr,
Aldcrson Payne, Hale, Byrd, Butts, White, Seymour,
Lee VI Rae Hamlet, Smith OF |. OF w., Gregory,
$ REYNOLDS, Wright, Tayloc of X g., Tayoc of L. ~
r. Beard Raincy, HARRISON Lipscomb, Organ, Bas-
kcrvillc, Goode Allyn Watts, Etherdgc, VERIFY, HI
den, Aeshirc Tunstall, Keen, Tallman, Venabe, Ro
brrts, Heath, Walden, Robertson Lcyburn, Dorman,
Ridley, Crutchield Clarke of Surry Prince Stephen
son, Walker--1l.
. Nocs-Mcssrs. Wood, Hunter, Hannah, Jackson.
NJ MILAN, Thornburg Cox, Burwel Powell, Howell,
Baker King, Carroll of Grayson, Taylor of Halifax,
Clarke Gibson, Allen, Armstrong, Worthington, Ken
! Fup1 Ran ks Of
shall, Taylor of NJ. & NJ, Smith of Mason and Jack
son, Clayton Evans, Chapman, Wade Of NJ. and p,
Myers Of Morgan, Massie, udnal liiner, May, Car
roll, Radcliffe, Sturm, Snyder, Smith of Rockingham,
Shipman, Smith of Russell, CULLEN, Bare, Conn,
Griever, Ftzhugh, Spots, Goodson, Jackson of W.,
Stnngcr-52