Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-03-12

seHse VI the people al Inc Same tlne,
place and manner, by the same officers;
and the same electors are to vote
The result is to be ascertained in the
same manner, and published BY procia-
NATION. us,sf uA83 Hssff a..-s a..sE -
The cardinal difference relates to the
distribution of members of the Con-
yention. 5Ihe bill organises the Con
vention on the basis of the prescn,
Government, giving to each county
the same number of representatives In
Convention that it has delegates in
this body; or, seventy-eight members
to the East and flfty-six TO the West
The substitute proposes to organise
the Convention upon the basis Of the
free uhite population, which will give
to the West a ma jority in the Consen-
ton. ..5. 4. n1
si The arguments. upon which the sub
stitute is sustained, are set forth IN the
minority report accompanying the sub
stltute. 1t asserts, thai "lhe gross in
equality Of representation is the evil
mainly complained Of; all others are
merely collateral and incidental; re-
move this, and ALL the rest as natural
ly fall into the channel of reformation,
as that the shadow follows the sub
stance y This is their great. evil of
complaint, and it is one which, they
inform us, cannot be compromised
The report continues: sas i@sqa s.sf !.
$50 far as matters Of detail and sub
jects Of minor consideration are con-
cerned, they may, and of right ought
to be. the subjects OF compromise; but
there are principles SO vitality essential
and SO inseparably interviewer with
the Republican system of Government,
as understood at this day, that, to COM
promise them, would be at once a vir-
tual surrender of all that is supposed 10
constitute its superior excellence, the
most important of'wbich is, that in the
distribution Of legislative power, per-
sons as contradistinguished from prop
erty, should be regarded as the cons;it-
uent element out ofwhich it should be
equally formed. Every departure from
this primary postulate in the organiza~
ton Of government, is SO far "a change
from representative republic to mix
ed monarchy ..s.f,-
And they conclude, s:that the only
proper and safe element out of which a
Republican Government can be form
ed, and upon which it can rightfully
be based, is the free white population
of the community" And they report
a bill IN conformity with those princi-
pies, which they ask may be. s,losti-
tuted for the bill reported by the major
ity. 4,.s -. 49,. ..e-....-
1t is conceded on all sides that the
West contains the largest number of
free white population. The excess
probably reaches twenty thousand. A
Convention, organized upon an equal
representation of free white persons,
would give 10 the West majority of at
least three members. To submit the
question TO that majority Of white pop
ulation, now represented by fifty. six
delegates, whether they desire a Con-
yention organized upon the white ba-
sis, is complete surrender ofthe con-
troversy. The Western division of
the State, having certainly the majority
Of white population, and most probably
the majority of voters, would call the
Convention. though opposed by, the
unanimous voice, of the, East, and
transfer the powers .ofthe Government
from the East TO the West. The de-
mand is made upon the East to tender
to 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 the appor!onment O
representation upon any other basis i.
alistocratical, anti-republican, and par.
takes Of the character Of a mixed mon
| archy. .. 49,
K trust, Mr.. Speaker, that | shall b.
able to redeem the claims Of The Eas
from such opprobrious stigmas.
know that there is much potency in th'
argument Of epithets; that they go ia
IN, swaying the passions and exciting
the prcjndices Of the multitude. wber'
personal rights are abridged, for public
happiness and safety, and especially
50, when addressed to those who be
! ileve they, have surrendered an une
qnalE share Of their natural rights 70
!, the attainment Of social and politica
privileges. We hold, thatpersons ant
property are the great subjects OF
which government are TO aci; that, III,
rights Of persons and theriehts Of prop
erty are the objects for which govern