Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-01-27

Honae of Commons according to Federal numbers
Further researches it is believed would multiply 'hese
examples. ,,-., co,.,;,,.
,o, was commended that representation should oe ap
poroned amongst the States according 20 .he'r esps
live contributions and II was INSISTED 'hat Tue Ju.e
of this rule was obvious as not II adil OF
ton But the rule deemed TO be mp'acucine, oei
cause the revenue might be so collected ~ Tie
Government that the sums respectively Drawn 'oi. '
Sntes would no. appear, and would besides oe cohhu
a,ly VARYING. Had the rate oil contribution io' eae"
state been ascertancd and fixed there could have been
M difficulty in adopting that the measure oil tue re-
presentation of each had the population OF each
forded fair measure o the wealth oil each, there couu
have been rs little difficulty adopting the latter as
measure. But because the first was impraccan'e' anu
Tho second was untrue, neither was received as tue
measure But with view TO approximate eqea''.1 %
obtain some ratio that would be nsie exponent VI 'e
wealth of each State, the basis OF fedeai numbers
adoped whereby the representation OF each S'ae was
10 be determined, 'by adding to the whoe numoeF VI
free persons including those bound 10 service lot .e.
of years and excluding Indians not taxed, 'h1eelJ"s
of all other persons. And at this time more lhah 'o
sepenhs of the power which We possess IN the popular
branch ofthe national gisature Is derived fo saves
THIS principle has been held dear hy the People VI
this Commonwealth. In the form OF repIesen.auono ny
counties il received the sanction OF the hrst Ionsutu
ton and the parots and statesmen ofour earlier days
More recently in our time, 1t was more signaisy
illustrated in the provisions OF the ainenoeo Sohs.su
ton. For, Notwithstanding, according 20 lha' 'hs'.u
nt,l 49,
arbitrary proportions between certain geographical oi.
visions is vet true that the distribution appropriated
very nearly the state of things that would have peeh
given by the combined ratio of population and Taxa
ton And although the scheme was objectionable be-
cause il did not contain tina, compensaiing quality
which would accommodate il IN all time to the shns
interests of the State, had lis foundation IN prncPe
principle which respects the safety OF the vast po
prietary rights Of the community, and CONES ao" W
s consecra,ed by time and tue blood OF the heVoiuoh,
so long cherished by people, IN the OPINION o. Inc
undersigned ought TO be held sacred.
When the present system was established, II was GER
tanlv freseen that however just and proper then, IN
prcoress of time would operate unequaily; ana iof
the purpose of is modification, as 10 secure thereai
fer equal Justice 10 ALL the General Assembly was EN-
powered saer the year lS4l and nj intervals there
nfter of not less than ten years, twothrds OF each
house concurring, make Te-apportonments OF Dse.
gates and Senators throughout the Commonwealth i
Whatever opinion may be entertained OF the extent OF
authority thus conferred upon the Legislature The i
dersoned do not hesitate declare It's exercise al tnS
time 80 as to disturb The principle established ~ '"e
Constitution be in the highest extreme lnexpeueh'
and unjust 1t does not comport with the spnt Of our
institutions or the habits of people, TO tolerate M
ortont changes in the fundamental law upon slight &C
casons, or except in pursuance OF the dect authority
of their will That the change proposed IS important
none will deny and that II has not been demanded oy
those whose interests more immediately concerned
isequay true
fraction by the General Assembly, under existing CIR
cumsances, oil the Principe VI isIieSe""''o' 'SN"
blished by the Cons,ution would be an nn~arTanta-
ble exercise of the power conded TO ILL., and therefore
10 be avoided they do not, however, hesitate 10 declare
that any modification Of the present appo!honmehi,
correcting inequalities therein that may have super
vsned since the system established, falls fairly
within its province and if any such inequality found
20 exist tits the duty Of the present Assembly accord
ing to the intent and meaning of tie Consultation,
10 cosrec. it. With these principles 10 guide hef the
undersigned have devoted their most ANXIOUS attention
q the important subject They have mos, carefully ez
amned the facts adduced by the advocates othe change
and had reference such other sources Of information
as promised 10 aid them in their de!iberation In
1870 the tables of the Auditor reported 10 the Con
yenton, estimated the white population East OF the
Blue Ridge Of mountains at 362,1aa, and the white
population West thereof, 1T 30o,ol6. At that time,
The Eastern counties contributed TO the common fund
s2o4 6o7 and the Western S90,73 According, there
FORE to the mixed basis Of population aud taxation
in House Of l34 and Senate Of % members,
the Eastern counties were entitled 10 IS 5lO Dele
yates and 10 90 Senators, and the Western TO
80 7.l0 Delegates and ~ li3 Senators By the last
census the white population East Of the Blue Ridge
of mountains 500 $50, the same population West
thereof, 37l,7i5. In ISL, tie East paid OF HE
public re venue ,o5i %, the West paid Sl.OU2 oS
Now according 10 the same basis the East Is entitled 10
1s 5l3 Delegates aud i 1913 Senators, and the West
to So S.l3 Delegates and 3 BIB Senators; ev,ng to
the Allegheny dlstrct3l Delegates 70 Tue aey
% TO the Piedmont district A. and 10 the Tide IS
From these statements results that the airport comment
made by the Convention OF les departed to some ex-
len: from the ratio of the mixed basis, and gave 10 the
West an excess of both Delegates and Senators But
this wsa done as is well known in spirit OF Cancellation
and compronisa and from intention 10 abandon the
prncple Reference 10 former cnumcratons al our
population proved that the Western DIVISION OF the
State increasing in population anu wealth IN ra-
Ito go far exceeding the Eastern to create Inc belief!
that in the space OF ten years majority OF the white
population of the whole State would be ouna IN the
Western division, and the Convention was therefore
easily reconced 10 an inequality insignificant va
k,ohn 10 u,pra Lar
the expiration of expected to disappear
These anticpatonO were not without foundation IL
now actually results from the increase OF population IN
che Western division the last ten years. and the large
addition recently made TO The amount OF ITS yearly con.
trbution the fund, consequent upon the re-
assessment, of lis lands that the Influence which 1t now
exerts in the Government truly proportoned 10 lis
just rights.
Looking then 10 the present condition OF the four
great divisions of the State the undersigned perceive
no sufficient cause for disturbing the existing rate OF
apportionment There is Inequality to remove, no
;nustice 10 remedy, but may be, euch dvi-
s;on now exercises that influence public affairs TO
which its interest in the common stake entities It.
The proposition that representation should be appor-
toned according TO the number OF quaihed VOTERS so
that an equal number of voters should be entitled to
equal representations without regard TO the disparity OF
their aggregate fortunes, specous than sound
ONLY true where the interests OF the several parts
are equal and identica in snch case would be admit
ted and which is the same thing representation might
safely be based white population exclusively But
government intended for the protection OF persons and
yoDerty and its form must be moulded interest and
necessity require to consult all the circumstances
which attend our actual condition; and as our inter
es,s are different and the difference arises from the
equal distribution of property mainly, property ought
to be considered fixing the basis Of representation II
from this il results that given number OF voters on
this side of the mountains counted against larger
number on the other side, it ought not TO excite odum
We do not mean to claim any superiority over our
Western brethren, physical or moral, but simply to
maintain that az have equal rights OF persons, and
greater rights OF property aud some Of those rights IN
measure peculiar society, we have greater in
teres, in the stake and ough, 10 an an
rhory in proportion that interest and adequate to It's