Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-08-19

these papers, IN the nope that they iay yoo "
far The next publication. The substitute was sustained
N debate chiefly BY Thomas J. Niche, Esq, one o.
our delegation, who made two very able and eloquent
speeches, which have elected high compliment, hn'
by VIM Smith, Esq, of Greenbr'er. The speakers on
10 other side as well q. recollec their names,
,o,o Mr. Preston fthe author Of the report vino If
really most accomplished crnlcr, Mr. Chapman "i
,,onroe. Mr. Saith of Harrison, Cot. Smith oil k'-
n.,rb. Mr.. Price of Greenbrier MIR. McC"aas o!
Wyhe, Mr. Lee of Harrison, and Mr.. Camden.
WAS truly pratlfied 10 find genuine Virginia sp'r'i
anma;ing with scarcely option, the entire body
Inc Convention While, as might well DC supposed,
our trans shany brethren feel deeply the wrong
under which they suffer-s.ill nothing like violence,
such ms has recently dsgraced sister State-noihIng
like ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of the good old Commonwealth
!, any ontiurency-is allowed TO enter their thoughts
ar receive the least coun,enance from them And we
ARE assured that all idea of such folly and madness Is
indignantly frowned upon by the people IN every paI
orihe West. Surely the manifestation OF such sprn
of fraterna kindness aud forbearance under grevous
;;ns,;ce cannot be without its moral effect upon ouI
Eastern brethren. They have but 10 know the West
ern pconle better 10 be satisfied that there is no ground
for Inc jealousy aud dsirut they entertain towards
them. .
The "Ball'' is thus set in motion, and ga citation,
"a citation | suppose will now become the order o.
The dav I do not think, however, there IS much
chance of getting Convention at this time The West
itself is not united the question; but assuredly ii
will soon become if the Legislature persists in refu
snn re- appotonmen Of representation upon fair and
just principles no,,,
of Tic Select Committee, adopted by the Leotsburg
Contention.
The committee appointed under the resolution to
prepare and report such subjects for the consideration
of This Convention they may think proper for its
action, beg leave, respectfully, TO report, that the
short time allotted them by the Convention renders
il impossibe TO enter at large into an examination OF
those grievances under which the people OF Virginiu
labor from the unequal, arbitrary, and geographical
basis upon which the representation of the State IL
founded This Convention is too familiar with the
formation of the present Constitution of Virginia TO
REQUIRE minute detailed history thereoi-- IS fresh
in the recollection Of ALL All of remember the
loor painful and pruracted struggle which gave II
birth and we all remember the stern opposition with
which it was met in many portions OF cur Common
wealth upon the question of lis adoption by The people.
Your committee do not propose to awaken one ieeiing
or one recoec,ion calculated To divert our judgment
from calm and deliberate consideration oil Inc qnes
tons TO which your committee nave lnouGh' Piope "
call your attention. "
The great and leading object of our assembling at
This time is 10 take ialo consideration, and to sugges,
such remedy just and proper Tor That inequality Oh
renresentation which exists in different sections OF the
State in the General Assembly, ard 10 attain, by al
those constitutional means power, that equaiity
in the councils of our State, to which our rights As
men, our loyaty Virginans, and our principles OF
dew oon TO Republican Government, entlle us. we
do not IN the prosecution OF these objects propose any
invasion of the rights of others, or resort TO any on,
those weapons of truth and justice which have at all
times and under all circumstances, proved VICTORIOUS
in those contests in which majority OF The people Ia
boring under ma est wrongs and injustice nave win
steadIness unaumity and perseverance, asserted ana
maintained her rights
By The Constitution of Virginia, the power Of re-
on,oronnr the representation throughout the State is
conferred by express provision the Legislature OF
the State after the year Sal and a. intervals lhereni.
ter Of nut LEES than ten years two,h'cs OF edch mouse
concur.inn therein, that the number OF Delegates
shall al no time exceed one huheleo anu my, VI Vi &C.
majors thlrty.six.
/ Under this clause Of the Constitution ample power
is vested in the Legislature Of the State 10 remedy the
existing inequality of representation, and 10 Tx that
representation the free white citlzens of lie Com
wealth. the only just true, and Republican iounda.
ton on which can rest Your committee cannot but
REGARD tina, power wholly imperative and nugatory
un der the terms imposed for lis exercises as power
merely declared in the instrument ITSELF but upon the
practical exercise Of which, the minority IN the legs
live halls cannot rely with any reasonable or well
founded hope for relief however great may be the ma
isritv asking for tina, relief in the Commonwealth itself
! The inequality Of representation and power IN the
councils of The State does not rest IN an inequality oil
the elective franchise in point OF qualilcalon II Is
found in lis practical application II is found IN that
feature Of the Constitution which al pre-
Sent assigns 10 SO qualified voters in the West the
same political influence, and no more, which 3'S oil
our fellow citizens of the East enjoy-n that inequa
lily which the power IN 1887 of our East
ern friends as in ISIS of our Allegheny people
These are inequalities which are told IL is proper
10 preserve as constitutional guarantees for the potec
ton of property, against those dangers which result
from Ike possession Of power by that portion OF cur peo
pie who have not common interest in the preservation
OF that property, and who do not contribute an eqna
amount OF taxation 10 the support Of the Government
Your committee by no means prepared 10 sane
ton such principles, or 10 adopt such conclusions
| They RELY with implicit confidence in the capacity o
the people for segovernmcnt, in their justice, WIS
dom, virtue, and moderation, and cannot but regaro
the fears of those who insist upon The contrary OPT
Mon as wholly erroneous and unfounted. They
feel that as it regards their fellow citizens OF The
East sufficient guaranty is furnished them IN the
known identity Of property, our feelings and
our interests That TO reject such assurance, and &c
insist upon any equality of property or taxation a:
the basis of equality Of representation in the Govern
menl is direct avowal of the principle that the per
sonal rights Of one portion OF the community are sub
ordinate TO The proprietary rights OF the other your
committee regard the final adjustment of this question
rs one essential to the prosperity, happiness and iran
nuty of the State. That such adjustment can be nc
complished by the legislative action alone, your COM
m,lee after the most calm and deliberate consideration
suppose 10 be hopeless. The experience of the past
assures them that the remedy 10 be found in the
acauescence of two :rds of the Legislature in the
apportionmcnt of Representations and, if resor,ed TO-
will be attended with long, bitter, and frequent col
slons in legislative halle, calculated to weaken
our regards, impair confidence in each other, and
destroy the best interests of the Commonwealth
Your committee, however unwilling to assail the
Fundamental law Of the land, and however much they
would have been sraied by n reasonable hope that
their could he redressed under the forms oil
the present Constitution yet constrained TO declare
as the result Of their deliberate judgment, that the
existing inequality is alone to be remedied by Tecur.
renee to those fundamental principles which declare
/ tbo lhp
be- ndubable and ndecasable right 10 alter or ado
lish in such shall be judged conducive to the
public veal, Government SO Intellectually secured
against mal-adm nis,Iaton, and so subversve Of Re
publican equality.
Your committee are confident in the belief that nc
party can war successfully against that principle oil
equal partition Of political power among all the citi
Gems Of The Commonwealth capable of exercising ii
prudently, and that cause, Whatever may be the
obstacles which oppose it, will be ultimately success
full. it is not, however, contest in which we enter
without ust Of the magnitude, danger, and de-
! I,cacv nf Inc questions involved in We proDose