Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-01-27

mfocs To our tormcr State Constitution which per
retuated county representation IN the House q
Delegates, both by retTospceon and in perspective
| 'eaNing TO the Legislature the power To form new
counties, without comforting any TO correct nequa
liiies then on hand os thereafter To eccrue. Tn
natural consequence was, that representation rela
lively amongst the numerous constituent bodies, be
cane almost a mere matter OF accident or within, o
oludicc, to the nearly perfect dsre gard OF all suc
considerations as popultiOn, territory, wealth am
, revenue. The mere progress Of time could mo
bring much Improvement TO such an untowa ARD m,
way~ard course of thing; and II gave rise to al
extensive discontcnt which with other exctn.
causes, ultimately brought about the Convention a
1929 The proceedings IT that highly respectable
body are well known, as well IS the fact that no on
OF ITS members advocate for the count,
representation a. 1t then stood. but unha ppily th
ardent and long psotrse'rd Conflict which arose ol
the SUBJECT OF the proper basis of apportionmen'
prevented the adoption Of any ruling principle, an,
presentet the alternative of entire abortion OF al
ITS abors, or an arbitrary adjustment of the conro
'ersy as temporary expedient, the latter Of which
was carried by bare majority.
1t viii thus be that the existing appotton-
ment ~ representation has been brought abou
without the concurrence of those whose prelude,
u has been established, Ivy the operation of circum
stances over which they have had 10 control 4
was supposed by the heavy minority in the conven
ton To furnish abundant cause OF conn amt on In,
part of their constituents But if lust then il can
not be so now, in the very nature OF things ioi
great changes have sincc tina, period occurred i'm nj
the clements usually referred 10 in relation 20 amor
tonmen', however regarded, whether rs substan.
| tin, or merely plausible. The memorial under con.
sideraton, with the statistical tables aecomp,nyin,
n. Shcw that The ten years which elapsed between
1880 an 1910. "have reduced the white rnnuln,,or
of tho eastern division 6i5s and augmented tina, OF
the western division 52,237. The slaves in tho
hrs, div sion have been reduced 999 AMI those of
the second aurmcntcd lS7. The valuation of tho
! lands in the ess,ein division has diminished sIa.
SiT'oi nnd that oi the wester" division has in
creased S2i 9sS.6s6, reducing the land tax IN the
east, at the present rate Of taNltion sol sSD nor
dnEuIn, and Nugmeniing that annually mud in tbe
western division S25 S73" In regard To the rrosen,
inequalities of representation, tho men,nri,l and
tables further show the following in reference IN
white population and qualif ii voters in ia. c,ur
districts "The Western ST CT sends 81 ,lelesat.s
| representing IN average white population O 757s
aud OF qualified voters $50 each. TIE Valley lis
'rici p delegates. representing an average Nhte
nnpuauon OF 5iT2, and OF qualified voters GIL .-h
The district from the Blue Ridge To the he'd OF ,ic
wafer ~ DELEGATES, representing ASS white persons
nni 5.S qunihcd voters as the nyerore Of . ,ri,
The Tide water district So decsntes who rrpr,se,t
m average white population Of s737 and Of ou.l;.
neiNo'ers SSs e'eh. The present formation of tn
Senate, which gives 10 members TO the western di
vision and 10 TO the eastern, presents the C,io,y;
inequalities IN that body. T. Ich western Srn,,or
reptesents-nn average white popuhtion of os oo2
and OF qualified voters 1885, while each Eastern
Senator represents An average white popui,,;,, az
l9,44S. and Of qualified voters 2Ji2- The men,o
rial further states u presume as the result Of
some Of its detailed statements that the present an
port'onment leaves IN the western distric, nearly
three i,h'hs Of he qualified vot rs without
tation in the Legislature.
Your Committee beg leave TO remark here tb,,
IN the direct application of the principle Of amor.
t'onment, according to the numbers of qualified va
tiers, there might be some Inconvenience arsin, fo,,
the want OF data to ascertain the precise number.
nasmuch as the full vote Of the State or of an,,
portion of Il, is never given az any one election
and the votes po'led vary considerably AT different
elections. But 1t is believed there is no material
varar &C In the relative prop which the qualified
voters hear To the white population in the dTeren,
parts Of the Commonwealth; so that the ,v6i,o ~
pulation will always serve guide to a sufficient
APPROXIMATION To an accurate result. For the SAX.
therefore OF convenience, your Committee recon-
mend ,hs adoption of that criterion
II your committee are correct in the views,bo,o
presented, II will toe that the princinIe of
porionmen, according to the numbers of ouol,6eJ
voters. IS clear and distinct in itself, and adeou,te
~ certain IN us convenient application, and uniform
IN us operation throughout the whole Common
wealth. On the other hand none Of the other min.
cples suggested by its opponents, whether that az
wealth, or taIation. combined with white ponul,
ton or of federal numbers can he uniform in irs
operation throughout the various portions Of a.
Commonwealth, and in truth is not intended IN bo
thus uniform. but the The principle is No,
adopted for the purpose Of giving greater importance
ana weight 10 the individual proprietor for I'm tb,t
respect II avas him nothing; the accession of nol;,;
cal power derived from his fortune, being thrown
INTO the scale OF the district division To which he
belongs, while 1t is wholly imperative IN the neiyb
oorhood or country of his residence. ThuscnntiSv.
Gus counties or contiguous proprietors yyh.,ever
may oe theIr relative wealth or poverty are not az
ece' oy u IN reference TO their relative political
power, their participation IN that being numerical
ONLY. The manifest purpose of distributing the
Snurasan nower, from any other consideration than
tha' OF inniVldu1I qualification, is to secure a sec
uoha' ascendenry which could not Otherwise he pre-.
served and that indeed is openly avowed
Your Committee. however, ATE far from iuou,n
ing the motives OF those who differ from them IN !
opinion upon this question of apporlionment Tbev
30 rot believe that any considerable portion Of ,beir
are desirous Of ether retaining or
gaming PoiItical power, with 4 view to IFS mere |
exercise. " such were the fact, there would no
much less difficulty in the adjustment of the sDbiec,
than exists at present. The motives for cort,o
yersy lie deeper than consideration so super6roi
hoy must be sought on The hand in feelings of
insecurity and dlsirust, and the other in tho ,o
tiaed sense Of political humiliation. Ueocc ,,o.
Commute hive been DESTROYS of asceriainino tho |
true principles belonging to the subject in the hone
hnt " successful themselves, the public mind mich,
ne Drought 10 more calm and careful investigation
Than has been heretofore bestowed under The NM,
p tious circumstances then existing In ,bis go.
they nave onteavorcd to keep out of view al eV
asperaiing topics, and in the same spirit thew will
submit few additional remarks
II j. obvious That the whole rontroyersv boq
grown out Of supposed conflict Of interest bet,Esop
Two great portions o. the community, though vour
committee sincerely believe TINT no serious con a;.,
Of me Kind has m point Of fact existed On dis
point both parties have INDUCED too much in IN,
VIVID eooungs OF Imagination. ard have dyyelt rather
upon the possibility Of an abuse Of mower ON the
one SIDE or the other than upon any htgrant actual
anuse or reasonable grounds for apprehendins IL in
future. On the contrary. 1t il becoming more and
more apparent every day that the important interests
oi me Wholo Commonwealth are 10 a great extent
identical, and that the people are awakening IN n
conViction, which they will doubtless impress upon
tneh representatives. OF the necessity and importance
Of united and concerted enterprise, and harmonious
cooperation.
Again. There is ample reason 70 believe that nj,
party can war successfully against the genius n our
republican Institutions. and thatthough tenpororv
victory may be gained. or an adversary for n linz
retarded, yet that IN the long rum those prncinl,s
mus prevail which lead 10 an cqu1 n,riition Of mo-
itical power amongst ali the citizens Of the renubl.
capable ut exercising Il discrccily whatever NAV
he the temptations n abuse 10 which IL may he SIM
posed they are liable.
Besides ~ will occur t0 the praci'c,I Good s.nse
OF the House. that proiractei conf ~ with vievv
70 guard against the possibility 81 future danger
has tendency 10 realize the app-ebension c,J
hasten the reality md that il is better 10 Well with
good grace md cheerful acquicsccncc. in matte,
involving no degradation, TO tho force OF circum,t,n
ces with determination to resis: oppression sbold
u hereafter come, instead Of opposing now vb,t ia
righuul IN ITSELF because u may, within the limits
Of conjecture, be wronglully directed
Finally your COMMITTEES cannot but deprec,,o
the evils which mist flow from long continued
controversy on this subject, which there is too ueb
re1oon TO believe may ultimately intermiogo not