Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-02-17

On the Bill f0T taxing me M'tse I" 80 ''f's "f0
The call of a Contention 10 amend ne C'nStsu'
linn Of his state, and for other purposes.
(coNcLUDED)
Ir,he bill which has been reported by The MAORI
- nf,he Committee and which We are now con-
s;aeripe shall become law, and Convention
convened and organized in accordance with It's
nrovisions, then all the hope which has hereto
f,re sustained Weston Virginia, in The anlici-
patton OF relief iiom the whitening eIects OF w
eoual representation, will pass away
The IVES had been induced 10 believe, "
when cbanse Of wealth and numbers iavoia
Ia his would take place, as was evident 10 al =
would a, 10 distant day. an awakened sense
OF iustice would be found in the East, ready 10 es-
tend 10 the West, all the advantages 70 Whlcn suIn
change would Justly emile them. VINO "oulu
have supposed that now, when a change ol '.s
Constitution is seriously contemplated, urged oy
he continued complaints of the West, pro-
positiop would emanae from any quarter, lhe q,
feci OF which would be to increase the cause OF
comnlain,3 Such however, will be the result, II
his hin shall become law. There would have
hem some colorado show Of justice, in PROPOSE
r;on Ia elect and organize the Convention on the
same arbitrary Principe and preserving lhe same
relative ratio as that OF the present Conslilu,
lion. If il was proper principe men, anu
i, was so commended, believe, why moi adopt II
things? And il there is found a! TINS tune any
change of the basis OF representation, either 81
persons or properly, or bo.h IN favor OF any par
iicular section oil The Stale, surely The advanta-
ges of such change ought 10 be awarded 10 It
Ii any member of the House were disposed 10
amend the bill so as 10 preserve the same ra'io
WHICH was arbitrarily adopted in the formation OF
the present Constitution, giving 10 cacn DIVISION
and district the advantages oi any chanse ol
Nhpr. ,h. oh M a ~
accrued since, will not say what my course
would be in regard To IL and, therefore, must not
be regarded as committed by any thing which |
may say in reference 10 this question. II, how
ever, | were to sustain an amendment 10 Inc OIL
with view to attain such Object. il probably
would be only as a competing proposition, less
Objectionable than the majority bill, and mol he
cause il would BE- unohJeclIonahie 10 me. VIII
consider The question, no. because desire such
an amendment should be proposed but for Inc pur-
pose of showing The manifest injustice OF any
proposition which, if adopted would place the
West in a worse condition, in regard 10 the me
quality OF the legislative power oil the Govern
nent. Than she a. present occupies. Lei us, theh,
Tor moment enquire what relation Inc represen-
,a,ion. as Fixed By The present Constitution, sns-
tanned 10 the basis upon which il then rested Tor
its sanction.
The State, in 1880, 1.-THE time when your pre-
white population Of 69i, 1872 of which there were
in ,ae Western division 3l8675 and in the East
ern division 3756 51; in The first district, 1888 ssh;
in the second district, l3i 1911; in The third dis
trict. POS 656 in the fourth district, l61 0O. The
Western division, having ftty-six delegates al
lowed her by the Constitution, would require
$500 of her free white population 10 elect each
delegate. The Eastern division, having seventy.
eight delegates allowed her, would require 4 $40
of her fee white population 10 elect each dele
gate. The first district, having lS3, SS4, and be-
ing entitled 10 thir;y-one delegates would require
1891 10 elect each delegate. The second district,
having l3i79l, and entitled to twenty-five
delegates, would require 1891 10 elect each
delegate. The third district, having 20o,t56,
and entitled 10 forty-two delegates, would re-
ouire 1912 10 elect each delegate. The
fourth district, having l67,OOl, and being en-
titled to lhirty-six delegates, would require
1859 10 elect each delegate. Taking the lowest
ratio, 4639, which is found in The fourth district.
and eoualizing the other divisions and districts
with il, would disclose this result The whole |
State would be entitled 10 one hundred and forty.
one delegates; Of which number the Western d.
vision would be entitled 10 sixlv-nne, and The |
Eastern division 10 eiehty-two The first district |
10 thirty-eighi; the second 10 twenty-eisht; the |
third to lorty. three; and The fourth TO hrtytwo.-
Il also shows tina, in the distribution Of The legis
la,vc power as above, in the present Constitu-
ton, there were in the Western division 3S,9l7 OF
her free white population unIepresened; 40, LOG Of
whom were in the first district. and S,Sil in the
second district, being fraction over one-seventh
of the whole of tue first district, and traction
over one fifteenth OF the whole OF the second dis
iricl This would appear TO me 10 De sntilcientSa-
crfcc of Western interests 10 satisfy Eastern eai
ousy al least and was submitted 10 then, only be-
cause Of the prospect Of speedy change OF cir
cumstances favorable 10 their condition. II was
conended, at The time otthe formation Of the Con-
sli,ution, that The arbitrary rule then adopted, IN
relatinn To the representatives rersr ofthe Govern
ment, was just; and would, in lis practical opera
ton, ensure TO the community that equal proec-
lion of persons and Of property designed by the
formation OF Republican Government Suppo-
sing it, therefore 10 be just them it will hardly be
less so now. Surely no Eastern gentleman will
conirover. il, or contend that any sacrifice q
Eastern Interests was then made. We will, n
the next place "nqnire, what representation each
division au1 dirici would now be entitled 10 -
on The same j, is, preserving The same relaiir
ratio a fxet b. this arbitrary rule, By reason ol
any change which may be found 10 have taken
place since then.
We find hy the census of 1910, the State then
contained free white population Of 740 969 OF ,
which number there were in the Western division |
81 $40, and in the Eastern division 800 39S;
IN the first district 234, III; in the second district
1856 1876; in the third district 1873 a6S; and in the
fourth distric! no. 30-being an increase in The
Western division from 1880 10 1910 OF SO 695-
and decrease in the Eastern division off, 259.-
Supposed increase in the Western division, from |
1910 to 1915 10 BE- 2G441-being half the in
crease, from 1880 10 1870 added 10 81 $40, her |
number in 1910, would ascertain the number OF
her free white population TO be now (lSi5) 39s,-
l02; in the Eastern division 1868, 39S-,he same
which she had in 1850; although il IS IA 10 pre-
sumo she has less, there appears 70 be failing
of OF G, 259 tIcm 1880 10 1870 $3.50 Of the
80 sos increase in The Western division, is in the
frs, district and 2.cC5 in the second district.
Preserve the same relative ratio Of representa-
ton in The House OF Delegates as fixed BY The
Constitution, upon the same basis, according to
the change which appears 10 have taken place
since he adoption OF the Constitution, and Whai
would be the result? The Western division, ha-
wing free white population now ot 39S, w. al
lowing $500 10 each delegate, the railo W 'iie
Constitution al the time OF lis formation, she
would now he entitled 10 seventy delegates want
ing a small fraction; The Eastern divi>ioh ha-
wing The same population now which she hau IN
1880, would be entitled 10 the same number oil
delegates which she had then, scveniy-eishi-
iormin. House of liS delegates. The lIr>t DIS
uict would be entitled 10 iortysix delegates; the
second to twenty -four; The third to thirty-six
and The fourth 10 loyty-two-what they now are
entitled to.
A proposition 10 cleo, delegates TO the Convcn-
ton on This principle would be just, if the afbi-
trary rule adopted in The present Constitution
was Just. As a test OF its equality and justice,
il is only necessary TO state that il required 1881
of the free white population Of The first district
10 elect delegate, whilst only 1859 were required
in the fourth district But il you pass this bill,
the delegates in the proposed Convention from
the fourth district will represent ratio OF 1859
free while population; the third district 1891:
the second district 6,473; and the first district
listed at the time of the formation of The present
Constitution; and il seems TO me, that the inc
quality then was sufficiently imposing 10 Test the
loyalty Of the citizens of that portion OF the State
that became a victim 10 lis destructive. influence.
Blu, i, may be said that persons and property
were the subjects upon which the representation
~ haca ~