Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1842-09-01

REPORT
Of lks Seled Csms,iiisr. sdspisS b tAs Lsrisawg
Cenrerfia,

think proper fsf II asiisn. beg leave respectfully
10 report:
That the short time allotted them By
the Convention renders !. impossible 10
enter al large into and examination Of
those grievances under which the people
Of Virginia labor from The unequal. .arbi
tsry. and geographical basis upon which
The representation Of the State j lo11ded.
This Convention is too familiar With the
Iformstion 81 The present Consiilulipn Of
,rfEgfHIa 80 TequIre = lllI0 ofe ur dE fzfIeu,
history hereof X freshih The recdllec-'
ton Of all. Allof W remember the long,
painful and pfetrac,ed struggle which
gave il birth. and we. all remember the
stern opposition with which il was met in
many portions Of our Common wsalthupon
The question -of its, adoption by the peo-
pie, Your Committee do not propose 10
awaken Que feeling or one recollection.
calculated 70 divert your judgmen, from
calm and eliberaieaeonsideralion Of the
questions 10 which your COMMITTEES have
thought proper 10 call your attention.
The great ard leading object OF our as
sembling at-this time is, 10 take into con-
sideration and 10 suggest such remedy Is
i just and proper for that inequality OF
representation which exists ID different
sections Of the State in the General As.
sembly, and 10 attain, by all those cons.i-
tutional, means in our power. ihat equality
in the councils OF our State, TO which our
rights as men, our loyalty as Virgiaians,
aud our principles Of devotion 10 republi-
can government, entille u.s. We do not
in MISREPRESENTATION Of these objects propose
any invasion Of the,righls Of others. o. a
resort TO any but those weapons Of truth
and JUSTICE which have, at al. times, aud
under all circumstances, proved rieioti-
Gus in those contests in which 1 majority
Of the people, lAboring under manifest
wrongs and injustice, have with steadiness
unanimity and perseverance,, asserted and
maintained their rights.
BY the Constitution Of Virgins the
power Of re-apportioning the representa-
ton throughout the State is conferred by
express provision on the Legislature Of
the Stale after the year le4I, and al in
tervals thereafter Of no: less than ten
wears, two-thitds Of each house copcur-
RAG therein. 30 that the number Of dele.
gates shall Al no time exceed loo. or Of
Senators sc. i. =
i Under this clause Of the constitution,
ample. poweris vested 10 The Legislature
Of The State 10 remedy the existing inc
quality of representation and 10 fix that
Of the commonwe alth, The onlyj true.
and republican foundation on which il can
rest Your committee cannot but regard
that power as wholly imperative and no.
gstory under the terms imposed for its
exercise, as power merely declared in
the instrument ITSELF bu. upon the practi-
cal exercise Of which, the lninority in
The Legislative Halls cannot rely with
any reasonable % well founded hope for
relief, however great may be The majority
asking for thattsliefin The Commohwealth
itself 4.
The inequality of representation and
power in the councils o. The State does
no: rest on an inequality Of The elective
franchise in point Of qualification; il is
found in its practical application. lis
found ID that geographical feature Of the
Constitution which at Presen: assigns 20
$50 qualified voters 10 the West the same
political influence. and no more, which
$50 Of our fellow citizens Of The East eni
/ Joy ;in that inequality which vests the
same power in 4.737 Of our Eastern
ifriends, a in I ,5ls Of our trans Allegheny
people. 4 I.
These are inequalities which We are
told IL is proper 10 preserve as cbnslitution-
Il guarantees for the projections Of proper;
lty, against those dangers which result
| from The possession Of power BY he lpor.
| tionsof our people who have not a DOM
mon interest in the preservation Of that
property, and who do not contribute an
equal amount Of taxation ID the support
Of the Government Your committee are
by 10 means prepared 10 sanction such
principles, or to adopt such cpnclus,oas. -
They rely with implicit confidence on the
lcap{city ofthe people for seli-gpvernment,
on their Justice, wisdom, yirtue and mod
erason, and cannot but regard the~ fears
Of tkose who insist upon The contrary op;n-
ion jas wholly erroneous and unfounded
They feel that as il regards their fellow
citizens Of the East, sufficient guaranty
fis furnished them in the known identity
Of bur propertys our feelings and Our in
teresls. That 10 reject such assurance,
and to insist upon any equality ofprepss
Fly br taxation as the basis Of equality Of
representation in The government. is a al
Ireet avowal of the principle that the per-
soHGi rights Of one portion or the commit
nifty are subordinate TO the proprietary
rights Of the Aoiher. Your committee ret
/ gstd the FINAL adjustment Of this question
as one essential TO the prosperity, hsppi-
qess. and tranquility Of the State. That
such adjustmentean be accomplished BY
4 The legislative action alone. your eojnmil-
ftee; after The most calm and deliberale
consideration. suppose 10 be- hopeless -
H The experience Of he past assuresi them
1 that the remedy is moi 10 be found 40 the
acnuieseenee OF two-ihirds of the Legisla-
IItuse in thefe-apportionment Of rerfesen
1 tation, and. If resorted 10. will be st:e9d.
| ed with long. bitter. and frequent COLI.
SIGNS in ourflegislatIve halls, calculated e
weaken ourFegards. impair our eonGdence
lin each other. and destroy the best inter.
esis Of the Con mon wealth.
! Your committee. however unwlllinkte
assail the fundamental law OF the lapd
, aid however much they would have beer
I gfati6ed By reasonable hope that theIl
: grievances could be redressed under lhs
f6russ Of the present Constitution, are ye
! constrained 10 declare, Is the result Q