Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-02-26
CONVENTION QUESTION.
SPEECH OF Mr.. SCOTT,

:" the Shto-pendins the question the substitute
Mr.. LrFrNieH, for organizog the Convention on ia.
| white basis oi representation.
Mr.. SCOTT said; He owed no apology. he thought
for taking part in the discussion TIE importance
question: hrs position the that reported
bail, his come xioa with the hill ITSELF justified did
rcqnrs, some effort. his hands tepel the aSsauu
which hsd been hs,cey made by the other side. willis
he cntettsned. he admitted, decided coavcons
the question under debate, he assured the House he
scoaed BY no feeling OF Isausy of the rsns
prosperity OF the western division ot the State On IN,
contrary he received with sincere pleasure tho
gwen ct the hcurshng condition at fellow it
that quarter. Ii the comparison instituted by the gentle
man from Wythe had r,sged unfavJTaby the Eastern
division, he only regretted that Providence had been
lavish there OF her bounucs: he did repne
at the better fortune OF others Indeed, the
MT ~i,host It's con'olson IT, Wills, the power held
VA the Eat the two div slons had progressed the
OF improve BY -ueh unequal strides, IL clear. he
thought, the legislation OF this body Justly obnox
ous the ccnsurc allie ged against it, For hmsel Mr. -
said he discamed all sectional Influences although elect
ed particular county, he ardcd himself as dele
gate OF the enrr Commonwealth. Ia the exercise his
powes upon this hoor, he knew differ.
OF ocahy-he voted upon all questions according his
best judgment, with regard for the good espec-
tive, altogether. whether the rising the setting shed
Its rays upon those whom h's measures affect.
Mr. ). ssd he had hsisned suentyey, throughout the
three days 10 the elaborate wGic had
addr, ssed To the House BY the gentleman from WyIhe.-
IL gave him pleasure acknowledge the force and
~ with which the had been maintained lie
GREETED. however, the temper that had been occasionally
cispSyed-he regretted, especially, the OF aspey,
which the senls immen ted upon the conu.
non OF the COMMITTEE The explanation shed ,sser-
day by the gentleman from Augusta Satisfactorily. he
Thought, defended tic presiding oce az imptop-
motive surhu,d 10 him IL would be recolecied that
The resouton offered BY the gentlemen rom Wyhc, aim
ply proposed the appointment of sci, CT cOmmluce
quiFe int the eNptdIehcy at submitting the people
whether should have n convention amend the
eSisung constitution. Ii contained ex rcssjon indca-
the plan which the To be organi.
zst Mr.. said his motion that the amendment
engrated "n the resolution by which the committee
inauccd To enquire into the eXpedcncy Of declaring
al tue same nc, the manUer which the convention #
called. should b" organized. The gentleman seems L,
conGe those Who favor Of what is Familiarity called
the white basic rs the peculiar friends of convention
and because n comparison at upon the com
mitIec, the advocates vt that basis found be IN
nury, he charges that cstab he'd parliamentary uss gc
was violated in constitution. The suhje Of the reSo-
luton peTtalned 10 no exclusive division OF the sIae
general N nature, aud alike interesting TO ell or-
tons ei the cUnnonweai,n. The present constitution
divides the STATE tntn inIr grand divisions,
the power of government, according a certain raio Is
distributed The proceeding contemplated by tue
luton might result IN Te-app rtunment 81 that power
II could therefore, have furnished Just OF
plant had the cJmH;ites been selected the several
grand divisions, according t. the proportion which
ENJOY now the power u government All that parliament
ary could require. that selec>
ton OF the committee hhnriy sholld b, gwen the
henGs OF convention But ia fact. more than this
done the peculiar advocates Ut the white btsis'
minority only O one, and until the genteman from Au.
guS,', VII - opinions were unknown to the ,p-aker
At the time 81 his selection. defined his position
were generally suppns TO have had the innjuiy. Mr
hs Innde ts txpsuaion for sJube purpose 10 do
justice Ia the presiding ,icer, whose motives,
sued wer' n"nnrabe. ana dsahuse the mind Of the
gentleman from W,the, uf the udce which had taken
possession al It. Certainly the constitution OF ;he
mIiIee had resulted in disaGy tntge minority
they had presented their substitute, acccmp ined with
report both hid BEEN printed and IT the
basis lad exercised the privilege Of OPP ming the debate
and claimed what conceded. the right conclude II
Mr.. : "a the deb te had taken WIDE rang- topics
IL, 10 ne
s,ussed ia cow uon-but at this he made no com
plant II the ie-be condition o. his h tl permitted. he
should fu.loa the lead ~ geRuemen the oner ste but
hs he claimed the Indulgence Of the House. whilst he
addfessd himself, tor brief space the u and
saute rncer conds The friends oi the
Esensd arpsc the spirit Of concession IN which
he bill was framed. ID u Justly merit TIT ir Genuncia-
ont OF the entire VIII population # tho State maj1-
MY Of twenty thpusaud, had sen shown, coni9n,
in the Western Ysons. the number It qualified
te IN lh"ss 'snns bore ~ unusual large proportion
the number white inhabitants Bat Ihi black 2Opul1.
ton, niaIrry vt hr,e bundled and !ty hous,nd wa-
contained the Eat.rn divisions sad the Ess AMI West
crnr but-d public taxes in the proportion { three
uuder ttr constitution, the log s'atv= power
sIpNtou.d bri~een the several divisions. had been
already said ss % give ihe prspond-rsnee 10 the East
and ~ ch1"gs this appuribnment the ed object
II itis proceeding. Now known that very ltle
excitement i'lt ~ This subj The Es'; ih- 5af.
10 the constitution existed ia the West Under The
circumstance, hat did the bill, PROPOSED To submit me
question If convention convention ru the qualified
OF the State, and If majority should declare IN
of the convention Coy.rnnr was order 10 make
proclamation Of the act and provision made for the
election # the members. The body consist Of une
hundred and thityuur members be selected by coun-
hOroughs aud election districts according their pre-
sent in the House OF Delegates. TIE plan
Of organization ob.erves, II the existing order Of
things; but there fer that reason, nothing conceded IN
the bill measure. that cnntcmpstes great charge
he organic law, ought II might well bs insisted be
submitted O. the voters Of the several divisions ncco:d
to their existing relative weight in the government bu, en-
tire equality of suffrage permitted Wls this conced
Ing nothinRl msJJrsy OF the Whole number o. quail
hed voters contained in the Western divisions did n.
tie hill put II IN lhfir power TO order the conventional
VIVA, did the substitute propose2 Simply refer the
qualified voters the question oi convention cpnyen
non. upon the white basi7 II ne,:ty should declare in
iaynSr Of such convention the substitute mrde prof..
tor its assembling bur adjourned the next
Leg sbure Could Convent on he organized ON the pln
o. the white bsssl Leg slative enrichment would be
lulred. majority oi the member. Ol both houses
elected rom the DIVISION; their opinions were op
posrd Ia the principle Of the white blsi,; their Immediate
constituents were opposed 10 ~ their Interests
cpnci'ube wit n. Whom would the ugon the quos
commit Those Of vino here might support the
substituted Bu, would it our constituents when
irey should OF the polls declare against ~ And should
chance To be elected could the be carried
out without gross violation Of representative foi'hl
But s7ii Mr.. s. hy submit this question n the voiers1
Are not told that ihere Of the
West hoh in respect to the eSPediency u calling
'enuon and the ptcprey Of forming the p,n Of the
white bsss1 Do know msjorty Of the qu1l-
fled voters reside 10 the West, and therefore
know to moral certainty, what response will be given to
Tie question: Why commit the vain act1 II are tp be
bound by the WISHES OF noIpry Of the qualified voters
let Us Al summon the cUuvennn-tur ceTtlnly we
have sufficient evidence of what ihpse wishes Or
tho chief jet NJ tho 10 Ubs npprrun.
Of the legislative pOw'r let The authority
conferred by the constitution, and make The
parliament by law. There necessity resort the
iOfmay u a convention. Bot according to tho Of
the gentlemen from Wythe, this Is imposs Bile lie Office
ted. will be Tscoected the bill OF the majnry
cause proposed Z" form the convention the Of tho
present Ousc "i Delegates. The membets he said COM
ing from the counties, elected by The
cn' would the opinions this question
Of the basis, h~t entertain ard the est would her
lore, have nothing expect from such body. Can any
inR consu-ively show the uliiy Of The subsiiiu
" the control If the Lrg stature u 10 be surrendered
Weston divisions OF the State, surely the surrender cug
o he made contention not by ordinary act NJ gsitoni
surely ought BE- surrendered until the Els' which
bears great csproporun uf the pubic burhens shall
obtain fccufy against the excessive OF the pow
oi taxation And yet what demanded ~ us7 tina,
yed the question the very hfesnoId ADD submit g. 60
convention, the mercy Of the Vest This, surely
D -. a. a. 81