Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-03-01


have trust, fully shown that such principle is &C.
tablsfed that the basis representation upon which his
bill is founded liable TO bc altered BY ordinary act o
the Legislative department the government and the civil
and political power of the Commonwealth transferred from
division TO the other The caprice interests Of an
arbitrary majority of less than II votes may dictate. Let
western gentlemen therefore, abandon the vain and deusrf
nope mat the West under the operation OF any principle
contained in this BILL will ever be admitted equal voice
with the East ON this floor Let them not attcr hemses
that life of vassalage noned arisocralic minority Is
not hereby imposed upon the West and ample provision
made for its uninterrupted continuance in coming years
and that the descendants Of the bold and hardy of The
mountains to be than hewers of wood and
drawers Of water TO the pampered Of wealth. Such
has been and is their conditions and looking to and
reasoning from the past and the present. and seeing with
what tcnacity with what unyeing determination the East
has cnng and still clings political power, and then turn
ing the attention 10 the flexible and accommodating prn
clpe established as the future basis OF representation
were vain and densiveancy that through the sis
OF The future ray Of hope beam Of thought giving con
dence of better days come" No. sir Western gentle
moy look forward in fancy, and vainy conclude thai
the day not far distant when the empire political power
is to cross the Blue Ridge, and find resting place among
the mountains of the West. But needs the lablcd vir-
tues OF the of olden times that consult Dephc
Oracle us, that under the provisions Of t BILL
that time will never come An acknowledgment OF the in
aenabe civil and political rights OF the West is des-
tined 10 be her, the Island of Cpango the
pesossed and disprcd senmen who accompanied colnn-
bus on his voyage Of discovery which ever and
anon day alter day. TO raise its beaieous and inviting form
above the brny surges Of the oamng deep, auring but
ensnae reeating pursued leading from disappointment!
TO disappointment till Despair waved her sable wand, and
Mr. Speaker this bill brought forward and its accep
tance urged upon the West compromise, medium
suppose between the exoblant claims of the East and
the rights of the West The gentleman from the county of
Nottoway and other distinguished gentlemen have held this
bill up and proposed it to the West compromise and the
gentleman from Logan with open has received it
SUCH Sir, this is subject upon which know compro
mise am, al all times, ready and willing to sacrifice any
peculiar and ultra views may entertain upon questions in
volying only matters of policy expedency but
the unaienable political rights VI those whom have The
honor 10 represent this floor When, bun recently the
British Ministry proposed Chief Executive 10 refer
to umpire he settlement of The Oregon controversy then
spoke The patriot and the sage, and replied that the errto
al rights Of this government were not tit subject for nTo
will with voice reply TO the proposition made that
their political equality no: legitimate subject for compro
mise.
But sir what is the character of this compromise bl re-
garded compromise What does The East relinqush
What does the West gain? Absolutely nothing. 1t is
power in the proposed convention than sh claim
upon any other basis Of representation ye. contcndl
for on tile part of the East.
The worthy gentleman from Nelson enlg ghiened the House
few days since, by informing that upon the basis Of
federal numbers, tho Eastern division in Si0 entitled
10 majority Of % delegates am not disposed 10 conro-
vert his statements but if the gentleman had investigated
the subject little further he would have found that the
basis in l8i9 would lead to very different result.
hold in my hand calculation, made with great care
upon the coored population Of the State exhibited in the
Of lS0 and the white population urn.hed By
the Auditor Upon this data find Eastern federal numbers
10 be at this time 6i001i, and Western $3.50 which, in
Convention composed of l35 deesaa will give the East
less majority than hat claimed by The bill before the
House Rl sir this calculation Is based upon the colored
population of the State, exhibited in the OF 1910
md the table furnished by the Auditor which makes
the federal number of the East much larger than Is and the
federal number OF the West small Many haze
operated lSi0 reduce the and increase the other
and any calculation founded uroE such data vii! do The
West great and marifes. injustice
lst The counties of Western Virginia each contain large
territory OF The roads bud OF
country hly and mountainous and the labor Of tho commis
time and in the most nclemcnt Of t year. and al
though he might superhman industry aud PERSEVERANCE
he could not list all The lneabes il his county in the time
the .aca Of the country different and doubr not The
missioner be able, in the time limited ty law and does
list n the tiiheables in his district From This and other
the white population Of The West calculated upon
the iitheabes and furnished by the Auditor will be found
| 10 be increased not less thnn per
ID In ls4o the free colored nopSaion of The Eas;
AZ 294 and that Of the West only 75i3 For years
past has been the uniform policy Of the Staea policy
dictated by interest and sanctioned by wisdomo rid the
stringent laws have been enacted BY this body prohibit
ing this class of population from remaining in The State
Under te Operation Of these wholesome provisions, is
State has been materially reduced within the last years
But SIR bill has Just passed this this body appropatng from
of this class of persons from among YOU The gentleman
from Rockbrdge introduced this BILL the East advocated it,
the West supported il and it passed almost con- With
contend that these 4294 free coored persona ohoud be
| counted against the West. - -
3d. Since e40the sayc population has ncreasdn the Wes.
and decreased in the East In 1880 the total number of
slaves in the Eastern division was 39 and in 1910 the
whole slave population of The same division 395 $780, be-
ing decrease In years of 32000 decrease of
per cent on the slave population of 1890 Assuming the
ratio of decrease from 940 1850 the slave popua
ton Of the East will now be 375606 But the list
State at large 2i609I; and the list of S49
shows that the whole number taxed is 25S00a The
whole number Of slaves in o0 in the State 449 g97.
Now by pursuing tho method Of calculation adopted by the
Auditor in estimating the white population from the tythe
ables have the proportion 25097 ia 10 499s
to the number Of slaves in the State which will be
found 10 be I9 Showing actual Increase nt he slave
population in the last nine years of e Il add this in
crease in the State TO hc decrease in the East we have
2969 which viii be the increase of The slave population Of
| the West - 20
Now Sir these three alone have reduced he federal
numbers of the East 10 627, 2 and Increased that of the
would ente ih East to fraction over 10 delegates and
the West to fraction under 65, leaving the East in
yenton organized upon the basis Of federal numbers
Iony Of five vnes and fraction And verify believe that
if this convention was postponed I'LL the Of 1850
could be akpn and federal numbers should be adopted the
West would with reason and moderation control the delibe
ratons of that body and nfse into the instrument that
would fall from Its hands the true spirit of republicansm
they would throw aside the pesen, constitution the work of
Eastern hands, under which the State has heen aborng and
the people groaning for twenty lang years. and supply
place by one more worthy OF glorious old Common
which we live Such sir would be the result of giving
u.s. rather forcing upon us, convention organized upon
the bass OF federal numbers and yet the bill under cons
deraon Is offered 10 the West and Western gentlemen
seem willing 10 accep, H. compromise between the white
basis the hand and federal numbers on the other
hope the West will be able fully 10 appreciate the kind
oonclliatory, and compromising spirit manifested this
lme by the East in agreeing with much good feeling and
nnch unanmty not TO force upon the West Federal num-
bers basis of representation This q kind very kind
in Eastern gentlemen bu e aats,ics which have been fur
nishcd and he calculations made upon them show that
their action has not been kind than considerate
IfWes:csn gen,lemen,with hom this extraordinary
and to- the West Oppressive and niduous h has found "a
tor as compromise measure, viii turn |hclr attention to it,
and examine M connection with the various other devices
heretofore resored to by Eastern ingenuity in ayaar 10
bic them to hold in political suhiecen large majority of
he treebo sons Of Virginia ,hey viii find that This i the
bill best calculated TO effect that Object and ihs none othe
al this time could have successfully accomplished the pro-
posed end II is no con,promlsc BY voting for md
adopting it. the West will concede every thing the East
and gei nothing in RETURN hut an acknowledgment of her
soca degradation and political inferioy and ihon
colonial dependence upon Eastern legislative bounty This
bill contains in none of its provscG compromise feature
and frankly acknowledge that Il did would not the
more recommend Itself 10 My acceptance
Tbs 'ine vas sir when the East the Wos, hc Nor,h and
the sunny South looked to tho compromising spirit of the
people OF TINS ceSHl as an ncrring panacea for any and
all Tho evils hal heaeAed either Immediately indirectly,