Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-12-21
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
MoSDIy Dec I3. lS47

| MI HARRlSON Salu IL Was Win soUe Ie-
lucrance he threw himself on the indulgence OF
The House; but The position he had occupied in
reference 10 the subject under elaboration perhaps,
made il his duty. The committee had been ask
ed by The gentleman from GreenbHer, by what
possible course oil reasoning it had been brought
10 The result indicated by these resolutions. 1t
was, he said, in consequence OF the materials OF
which that committee was Composed, and ii II re-
| fec!ed correctly the sentiments Of the House II
might happen that the House itself would be con
Quoted 10 the same conclusion.
II would be apparent TO that gentleman, by hls
time, that there were three parties IN The Commit
tee and Inc House. Two OF the committee OF Sc
ven were in favor Of giving Delegate 10 each
county at once, on the grounds pGesenci ~ lie
gentlemen from Ri hmond city and Stafford
Two OF The committee Supported the constitutions
ally OF the Law u ne last ess:on, and were there
fore in favor OF giving 10 the c.ecIion district a
! Deleea'e-in other words OF awarding the seal
to Edgar Snowden, Esq, who was duly returned
in obedience 10 tha, law. And three oilhe mem
beers were adverse TO that law, in favor ot The re-
turn OF Henry w. Thomas ESQ, and against
that OF Mr.. Snowden. The combination ci the
Two first named members OF the Committee with
The other parties or divisions, alternately, would
| thus carry the fourth and fifth resolutions. And
il that committee reflected correctly the senti-
]
sons OF The House, it might occur that the House
would sustain the conclusions OF that report.
So lar as he was concerned, it would afford him
pleasure that such should be the result His rela-
lion 10 he people OF Fairfax would lead him 10 de-
sire whatever might be most agreeable 10 Their
wishes, interests and feelings. But be could not
aid in the accomplishment Of this purpose. tic
should be compelled TO vote against the 9Th rcsolu-
| ,iun.
His present purpose was 10 cElcaTor TO sustain
the Ain resolution believing thai the Jaw OF the
last session was entirely within The constitutional
competency of The Legislature. He derived the
power 10 pass that law from The 4h Section OF The
| Sd Article of the Constitution. The terms OF thai
section are in substance: at shall be The duty OF
the Legislature to re-apporion, once in ten years,
the representation OF The counies cities towns and
boroushs OF This Commonwealth, in both q the
legislative bodies provided theinunter ct The De-
eoa.es and o. the Senator'S from Tie i'u: great
districts OF The State, shall ncker te increased nor
diminished b. such re app0tioumchi. And when
new county shal. tc created, Or any city, ioWn OF
horcush, nor now entitled 10 separate Tcprcschii-
,;oa in The House o; Delegates, shall have so III
creased in population as 10 hc enil CO, ~ he OPT
MON of the General Assembly, 10 such, il shall lie
the duty OF the General Assembly 10 make p!ovi'
sion, by law, for securing 10 the people oi such
new county, or such city, town uf borough an
adequate representation. And, il The Object can
net Otherwise be Obtained, i, shall he comPcentto
re.apporion the whole representation Of that efe2
DISTRICT &c.
Now here the contingency had happened which
authorized The General Assembly 10 district anG
alter the apporionment made BY the Constitution,
under The I'd Section OF The 81 Article, giving to
| Fairfax one delegate. A new county was crca-
ted, and il lhereup0n became the duty Of he Le
sisla,uIe 10 provide an adequate representation Tor
it, This might be done, in pursuance OF the terms
OF the 4h Section, b. rc.appcriioDing the whole
District or Otherwise al lhe discreiCn OF Legsia-
lure with this restriction, tina, il Should not in
crease the number Of delegates from that grand
district OF the STATE This term ohcfwiSc clearly
imported discretion as TO the means. IL was
not necessary TO re-appoTlon the whole District
It might be accomplished in ether modes He
would suggest, for the sake Of illustration, that
under circumstances il might BE- accomplished by
taking from o6e Of The counties which had TWO
delegates one Of is delegates and giving lha' dc
legate to The new county. For Instance, suppose
Norfolk counlv ar AccOmac county in the In.e!.
va bslween 1880, the date OF the Constitution, an'.
ISL, he p.riJd o he .et!ocessoG 81 ...e%a"irld,
had So diminished in population as 10 Jus'i'y iba
SEP, it nigh have been pro- cr a7t lnS' and wouIi
have teen wiihin Tie fu"cI o! be Legislature 10
have zen one 81 the delegates fom he county 50
diminished and have given ii AT once o,hc couniy
OF Alexandria, without disturbing the rest Of The
District. Or it might be done by the creation Of
an election Dstrc!, or finally hy a resort to &C
neral re-apporionmrnt OF that District.
One objection to The mode OF rroviding re-
presentation Tor Alexandria By anneIinS II 10
Fairfax and creating thus an Election District Of
The Two counles which had been urged, was thai
i, did not belong, it was said, to the tite-water
District. The answer TO this objection is found
in its geosra phical position. The Commonwealth
was laid of into four great Districts by The Con-
vcnlion OF 1880, because oil The supposed divers
" Of the interests OF those Districts Nature ard
habit and the PECULIAR property OF some of those
! Districts had produced a diversity among them.
| IL was vain 10 Tell the Yves! ihailhc views and
Interests of the county Of Alexandra were den
ucal with theirs and that il might 10y
law, be annexed to the great Yves, and that thus
they should consent to give il a delegate, for there
by they would increase the delegation which
would represent their views and promote their
common interests. Nature had placed Alexan-
dria where il is aud it had all The interests which
the tde.waler District had.
Another objection urged is that il is new terri
tory and that the Constitution designed the re.
! p c.en'alion in any subsequent rc-apH"riouHcni
! Tor the ter i;ory Of he Commemorate as i WIS
then II. couli MT con ur II thi' position. II
is nUl o. necessity So. Tie icimi OF ih' 'on>!i-
uion 10 10, import il. The terms a'c Indefinite
Wh. never n ncw County is created. w cIc :?
Within this Commonwealth For, hy the > sec
Of 81 aric we are told the House ot Delegates
shall consist Of l3t members, 10 be chosen anna
| aly by the Counties cities, borouahs and towns
oil the Commonwea and, by the All section, ii
is aid il shall be the tuy oilhe Legislature to re.
apportion he representation among The counties,
cities. towns and boroushs uiths Common wealth.
OF the Commonwealth generally. Not As II
then stood; but Of The Commonwealth without
any express reference to lis then boundaries.
The arpumen, would lead 10 such results lhal he
could not think it sound one. He spoke with
great Difference to the gentlemen who made it,
Il is said you cannot provide by The 4th section
for the representation Of Alexandria, because ii
is subsequently acquired territory. 1t follows
tina, you cannot by The 5Ih section, which provides
Tor the general rcapporionmehI OF the State
The power is derived by gentlemen from some
supposed sovereign or reserved power or right
II this be the only source Of the power we can
never minse the representation OF that with 9TH
rr parts OF the Commonwealth.
I'VE are permitted 10 enlarge the representation
Of The whole State 10 $50 members in the House
ofDelegales and So in the Senate under he 5h sec
but construed as that section is is confined 10 the
State as il then was. 1.-The Legislature choose on
any such occasion 10 make an Increase to that IL
mil, how could Alexandria be then provided for.
consistently with the terms Of ,ha, section which
expressly provides that he nu'nbe. OF the lionse
OF Delegates shalt not at any lime exceed on" run
dfed ami fifty, nor OF Senator'S hiHy-s'&2 10 'ac
exercise Of that function al r. apini. Dcn. ac-
coiding 10 this argument, the Legislature cannot
look to Alexandria. Il it cannot, how is Alex
anila 10 be regarded in il delegation to the Sc
nate2 Alexandria is entitled TO representation in
the Senate as much as in the House Of Dele
gates. How is any to be obtained for her You
cannot give her Senator She is not entitled by
her population or taxation 10 one. Nor can you,
according 10 this argument annex hei 10 any 81
Material district oil The Sia,e-ior, thereby, you d.
minish The representation of that district, and de-
prive in part oft,e representation secured to ii
by he terms of The Constitution in the third sec.
ton Of The same article. Yet you have annexed
her to the Senatorial district created by the Con-
sliiuton OF Loudoun and Fairfax, and do moi pro-
Lava