Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1842-01-27

the!r Idea oi political CQualI-
y, " must be by movement similar to that whrA we
nave recently witnessed in Rhode Island which State
as onf readers are aware. has never had constitution al
an ea' has tem acting. since well before the Rev
olnon under the Royal charter granted 10 the original
settlers by the then King Of Great Bri,ais and by which
The night c suffrage restricted To t,eeholders and
mas been actually denied 10 perhaps two thirds os the
"iie male inhabitants over q years OF age. The dis
ifanctscd majority have long been making war upon the
Royal charter and at last without, legal authority APP
pointed Delegates to Convention, which assembled
framed constitution, and submitted it to the people of
the State for ratification or rejection--and large ma
Jorty OF thcpeope including major,, OF the reeholders
themselves, decided in lis favor and II is about 10 90
into op'rtlon quietly and without violence supcccdinp
The old Institutions and eacng the last remaining BADGE
OF our colonial bondage We doubt however whether
this mode Of redress would be found OF as easy application
here as in Rhode lsandthough it maniiesy for the
present. the only which the Western people have in
their p'wer. Even another Convention could not be
safely relied upon for a complete redress Of their suppo
sed grievances. Their increased and increasing capau
for taxation the only process which they can RELY up
on with confidence for securing equality representa-
ton. When the West poin, 10 as large al amount
of revenue paid into the treasury the East then com
ing within the principle laid down by the minority of the
committee the proper basis Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ton and taxation combined they will secure BY general
consent, the object al which they now aim and not be
fore.
The session of the Legislature will | fear be profrac
ted enc, the ninety day tc which has passed the Sen
ate, to the contrary notwithstanding. Indeed have
doubt tina, law viii be repealed. as it now to
be understood that it consutonaly be by this Legs
lature, though not by the next lis passage by the
Senate was very unexpected all sides of the House
and ii is supposed that the annunciaon Of the fac, was
much distressing many of these wloyoed for the
bill IN the House, than to those who voted against it, Ii
certainly created quite sensation the Hall One Of
the Senators told me he did believe half dozen
bers OF that body approved of the bill, but they deter
mined to pass ii for the accommodation o, its friends
the other House, Wchaye about seven wce,s of the
session. left and have still to act upon the following
among other important measurcs--all the Internal I'm
provemcnt bills; the Judicial scheme of Gen Baldwin;
the resumption question. and the subject of Banks ocner
ally; the Distribution question: which must come up in
some shapes the APportionmcn OF State Representation;
the Tax and Appropriation blls the election OF Governor
Treasurer, Judge of the Court of Appeals and several
other officers and host obso less general consequence
but of sufficient local and individual interest to excite
long debates. 1t is possible that we may get through
by the Goth day. but if we do, members must work
more indcfatigaby than they have DONE and speak much
less The truth is, the ninety day law, far from be-
ing remedy, is, in my opinion, than the disease.
The only remedy for long sessions is in the hands of the
people, and they cannot apply it unless means be taken
to inform them Of the pursued here by Their dele
gates The general impression, among them is that
all the work done is done in the House. and if they see
the names Of their delegates among the yeas and nays
they take it for granted that they are sufficiently aen
tive to their duties But the fact is that the real ,cork
Is done not in the House, but in the committee rooms
and the attendance Of members there about which their
constituents know nothing the only proper test of their
industry. The House cannot act until the commit
tees have first carved ont business for it and the
committees cannot efficiently unless the members
attend punctuay and consanyand yet it is no uncoin
mon thing To them adjourn from the impossibity of
getting quorum Give together; and it is rare occur
renee to see more than SIX or eight present. unless
important question is to be taken up out Of the fifteen of
which the committees are generally composed. II some
means could be devised by which the people could be en-
abed to detect the delnnents the evil of long sessions
would in my opinion soon be emeded vet there's consid
cradle difficulty in suggesting such plan Let the pco
pie however take to send here none but men who
they know afraid Of work. and who are punctua
in the performance of whatever duties dcvove upon them
at home and they will not be apt to have many drones
here But this is topic ofsome decacy and orbear fur
therremark uponit. must. however, repeat my protest
against the 90 day lawbecause it coniounIs the limo
cent with the guilty and because it must lead in many
cases, to ofthosc resus,-chcr the neglect of i'm
poran public business, its performance at great per
sona sacrafce and wholly inadequate remuneration to
the members. | the people do not wish the
Legislature to adjourn before the work which they are
sent here to perform is finished; and am equally Ger
tain they do not wish to labor for them without rca
sonable and fair compensation II 81 per diem be
much for the Dist day of the session. is much for
the first day. and ought to be reduced but if il be not
too much for the first day Of the session las believes
ii is neither is it for the hundrcdth day should the
session necessarily be proracted long; and there
fore unjust to reduce il in the latter it would be
the former case. The amount saved to the State
too, is absolutely insignificant to excite smile OF
derision at 50 ptul piece of penny wise economy.
They stop the Spite, while the bunghoe is left open!
The fate Of the Bankrupt Law is yet undecided; but
the opinion gains s,renth that it will be repealed It's
fate depends upon Mr. Mangum's vote. The
which you will in someo the papers that Mr. Rvcs,
although he voted against the bill the session.
will vote again its repeal, you may set down
true. Should the Senate concur with the House, it is