Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-02-20
!, rcIsI.TURE OF VIRGINIA.
,r,,.pYs OF MIR EDMUNDs,

w ~
- 80, IN his discussion win much ie'uc-
'taae raa s,beci is familiar 10 most oil the
hors of his House and lis exaniina''oh .iiue'
msods he tedious and unnteres'i"s: ny ~
NJ involved have been ably discusses oy 'ne
pirses, sla,psmen and the pureSt pa'rio's uat oai
sonntry has ever produced 6ut sixteen ysassnu,a is
eoa since ,he last Convention assemoieoi
eiap,. ~ the saees and patriots of that day nave
me- away from among US. The recollection
!,,hs ,roymea;s they advanced has laded from .
| ,hs n,smory of the survivors new generation /
~. s,rnno M around US and il becomes neces-
Ivy % review and 10 collaie the arguments that
h,ye been advanced 1t would be presumptuous |
10 hone that any new views can be furnisheo 10
ri, House. and nothing but an imperious sense
If 3nrv TO nv constituents would induce me lie
address them With this apology, proceed 10
o,vs briefsynopss OF the bill and the substitute
nroposed BY The minority OF The Committee.
The bill reported BY the majority OF the Com |
mi,ree directs the officers authorized 10 conduct
elections within this Commonwealth, 10 open Sc
rafae POLLS in April next for the purpose OF tax
inc the sense OF the people upon The question,
"wheher they desire Convention or notf-
Qualified voters are alone authorized 10 vote.
The officers conducting the election, after con-
Guiding The polls, are directed TO certify The cor
,.cness Of The polls, and 10 hand them forthwith
!, The clerks OF The county, who Shall, within ten
DAYS thereafter, transmit 10 The Governor Certified
copies thereof.
The Governor shall ascertain the result from
said polls, before Inc tlrst day OF June next, and,
within five DAYS thereafter, declare The same by
PROCLAMATION. If majority of the whole num-
Der of votes shall have been cast in favor q
Convention, the publication Of the proclamation
shall be repeated at least once week until Inc
last day Of Jdly.
II majority shall vote for Convention, tae
election OF representatives 10 the Convention shaii
take place on the Court days OF August next :
Each county i. authorized TO elect as many re-
presenatves to the Convention as II now elects
delegates to the Legislature.
The persons elected as members OF The Con-
vsD,ion shall assemble at the Capitol in The city
o, Richmond, on the lst day OF October, le4h, IN
General Convention, 10 consider, propose and
e,scuss new Constituli n or alterations and
amendments 10 the existing Constitution.
The bill reported BY the minority OF The COM
n,se and offered as substitute, proposes 10
snbnit 10 the people The question "wheiher they
desife Convention 10 amend The Constitution OF
The State organized upon he tds,s % me ,Fee
siil population"
The same persons are reqniredto conduct the
election Certified copies OF The polls are TO De
transmitted 10 the Governor, who is directed TO
clare the result within five days by proclama-
ll1n.
The Governor Is required to communicate the
-esnt 10 The next Legislature, whose duty 1t
,bau he 10 take such steps and pass such laws as
shal be necessary for The election OF The men,
hers 10 the said Convention, the assembling and
organizing thereof, es shall be consistent WIN
This act" -.
npoole at the same time, place and manner, oy
| Inc same officers; AMI the same electors are ~
VOC The result is 10 be ascertained IN the same
manner, and published by proclamation.
The cardinal difference relates 10 The oistriou.
/ ZION Of members Of the Convention. The bill
orsapises the Convention on the basis Of Inc pre-
sen, Government, giving to each county Tue same
number Of representatives in Convention thai II
has delegates in this body; or seventy.eish'
members 10 the East and ftty-sx 10 The West
The substitute proposes 10 organise the Conven-
,ioo pa3n The basis Of he free tcine popnlal,on
which will give 10 the West majority IN Inc
Convention.
The arguments upon which the substitute -
sustained are sci forth in the minority report &C
comoanyinc the substitute. II asserts, that 1.-THE
oro.s INEQUALITY of representation is the evil
mainly complained Of; all others are merely col
lateral md incidental; remove this, and all the
rest as naturally fall into the channel oil retorma
lion. as that The shadow follows the substance"
This is their great evil OF complaint, and il Is
one which, they inform US, cannot be coInpro-
missed. The report continues:
$50 far as matters Of detail and subjects OF mi
nor consideration are concerned, they may, and
d RIGHT ouyh, 10 be, the subjects Of compromise
but there are principles SO vitality essential and
80 iuseparably interviewer with the Republican
system OF Government, az understood al this day,
that, 10 compromise them, would be at once
virtual surrender OF all that is supposed 10 con-
sule lis superior excellence, the most impui-
,ant of which is that in the distribution OF legis-
lative power, persons as co'ltradisngnsSasd from
| yropsrtv should be regarded as the constituent
| eemsn, ont of which il should be equally form
ed Every departure from this primary postu-
late in the organization of government is SO far
change from representative republic TO
mixed monarchy.
And they conclude, "tha, the only proper and
safe element on, OF which a Republican Co
vernment can be formed, and upon which il can
yishttuy be based, is The free 1ctite population
4 OF the community" And they report bill in
\ conformity with those principles which they ask
NAV be substituted for the bill reported by the
majority.
Ii is conceded on all sides that the Yves, con-
tains the largest number oil Tree while Popuia-
lion. The excess probably reaches twenty lhou-
sand. A Convention, organized upon an equal
representation OF free white persons, would give
10 the West majority of at least three mem
| bers 'iosubmit the question 10 that majority oil
white population, now represented by htly-sIx Dele
gates, whether they desire Convention orsanI-
zsi upon the white basis, IS complete surrender
Of the controversy. The Western DIVISION OF
the State. having certainly the majority OIL white
population and most probably The majority Q;
voters. would call the Convention, though oP-
posed by the unanimous voice OF the East, and
| transfer the powers Of the Government from The
| East 10 the West The demand is made upon
| the East 10 tender 10 the West The power which
we hold upon the single isolated reason that
they have The largest number of white persons
residing in that division Of the State; and that
10 nj al attn cnts
other basis is arislocralical, anti republican, and
| par,akes OF the character OF n mixed monarchy.
Trust, MIR. Speaker, that | Shall Re able 10 re-
deem The claims OF the East from such opprobyl.
J Gus s,gmas know that there is much potency
IN the argument of epi,hes; that they go far in
swaying the passions and exciting the prejudices
o,ihe multitude, where personalr his bridged
ior public happiness and safety; and especially
so when addressed TO those who believe they
ave surrendered an unequal share OF their
natural rights for the attainment, Of social and
political privileges We hold, that persons and
property are The great subjects on which govern
menis are 10 act that the rights Of persons and
Inc rights oiploperty are The objects for which
government, was instituted; that the soundes; prin
ciples OF Repubcanism do sanction some rela-
uon between representation aud taxation; and,
mar distribution Of legislative power, founded
on representation Of property or taxation, has
!ecelTed The appreciation of the wisest statesmen
and The rues patriots; that this principle was
settled in The Revolution, sanctioned by The Con-
s'tu!lon ofthe United States, and confirmed by the
pieceienis afforded in the Constitutions OF the old
Thirteen States. From The Revolution 10 this day,
As weight ofpreceden,, authority and argument
ilNans our claim
The contes! is narrowed down to a conflict be-
tween numbers on one side AMI property on The
o;her-siiuated in distinct districts, having no
community OF feeling interest-separaled by
natural boundaries, located in, and defined by
geographical divisions-,he one belonging By no.
.ilon 70 the Atlantic seaboaI, the other in par,
% .hs great valley Of III: Mississippi where
property in other districts The array is por,en.
tous and fearful Il is one which the lessons Of
all history teach rs TO avoid and 10 shun When
properly is held by one portion Of community,