Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-04-09
TUESDAY MORNING, APIgg. 8. is50

hers and Nelson give representative strength by their con-
necon with her Again. the tide district has white
population of 1860 and pays sl639 taxes or eo cents
head the compned basis this district entitled 10 - de
esatcs Norfolk, Petersburg, Richmond A"xandria, Npv-
folk county, including Portsmouth, and Spo,tsylvana, in
cudng Fredericksburg, with population Of 6u5U, pay
SOo0o or SlU6 head, and the other portions 0 tins ds-
tci with population Of 1888 pay ONLY s9S 3uJ OF Al
cents ahead These cities, fosteo by Western than
by Eastern udc are the rich associates in this grand CO.
partnership, whose wealth cnules TO increase The representa-
vc o the former counties throughout the state
but in this district Let US consider tie mode in which his
district becomes entitled 3S delegates. II is this
Ssl7 the white population of the State is l92GGo The
white population OF this district is 1885, the whole number
Of delegates TO ~ discardng ractions the nie o dtS
this district the white bISs and finG the num-
Der OF delegates iXation the proportion "a Sii1lo
the whole is SlG397 the OF the district 50 is 30
and i7 are added together and divided by twoh dvi2d
by 23S the true number OF delegates the combined Ia
SIS Ii you divide % by two you have l4E the nunte' o
dele gates this district has by virtue If lis white population
divide II by two ana the result 23i is the number Of d
gates on taxation The representative power vi this s
t:t is enhanced nearly fifty per cent by lis taxes more than
unct!d OF which is paid by the six cities have named.
BY ike cacuaton il will be found that the ficdn:c
district would be entitled 10 ~: delegates lis taxation
and 10 81 On white populaonnaling aggregate Of H.
which entities il to 81 doega,es22 Of whom represent The
and IL the population. OF the n delegates ron hn
Valley ii represent The taxes ard Is The ropuiaon and OF
the 35 delegates from the Trans hany district; II rep
thr and 2i the population From this state
meni il appears that upon the combined basis the East has
5 delegates account of its taxation and 30.
ol popuaton and the West has only - delegates
taxation, and ii population In other words, the West
entitled The white basis n delegates and The East To
81; but By the introduction of property element OF
representation fifteen delegates taken from the West and
given 10 the Eus making difference OF thirty votes III the
convention In this bill taxation is regarded as nn equal
element with persons; and the following proportion viii
show the relative weight OF persons ana money III solving
this strange problem a. the whole number oi persons
SSIlI IS 10 person; is tie whole number Of dollars
5i72,o6, 10 52lD0ts of dollar ha is 10 say fifty three
cents tells against white person. miserable estimate
that of the value OF persons in representative govemont
In the first district 5070 persons, with in taxes elect
ecgatcin the fourth district with 81 lo6 in taxes, II re-
qGres 9,.12 persons elect delegate The tleroncc be-
the III Tho ls and the fourth district, reduced 10
cents is divided bv So the nube, a! cents os! per-
SOM and the rosut added the number "i PERSONS who
send deeent in the lst district, 10 ascertain the number
for the fourth district.
desire, Mr. Speaker in various words 10 expose the
mon,iros injustice Of this L when tested by the ccebrt
I'd maxim OF Mr. Madison that population the only i~i
cac oi representation" In lie Isl district 500 eject dc
gatc in the ID $780, in the S GOS9 anc i'll .c In W. Let
how many of the free white citizens Of The Common
weuh nrc excisrd, substantially dsanchi>,i by applying
the scale al oO To the population vi The grand divisions In
The st district would - delegates and have uo sur.
plus In the ID district would rive g. teegaes and 9avH
surplus II 1870 persons In the 81 district il would give
"a DELEGATES an leave surplus Of 5sS71 persons; ans in the
ih dlsiilc would give 35 delegates and leave suiis oi
i70e0 persons making aggregate Of 2O52C crsons or
nearly one fourth of the white population oi the State, who
will in effect be represented in the proposed Conren-
ton Such process 'clnp:. the soveclgns should he
punishable As species OF treason and Ought 10 introduce
my friend from Halifax Ia the pleasures al voyage 10
Botany Again, the number ~ ilr "ll"
population ofthc State be divided By S5 the whole number
nfdclcgaes il will give 6516 tho or
delegate throughout the State. Apply ts number ~ ic
white population Eas; and West Of he Bur Ride and il
will bc found that the 81 delegates West will represent - lbs
white persons many and the - delegates East ought 10
represent " j u more than they will represent.
View the subject in another dSpc and the elect Vi The
property feature in hi, bill will appear much offensive
The argument Of gentlemen IL that ii The Fast and the
West were equal in population and taxes they ought 10 be
equal in representations but that the minority ns paving
OF should The greater The
population East is iU2,63J and the aAcs West S33U1i
Now if the population West only i02 $50 and th
East only Sl53D37 then the sections would
be equal and entitled equal number OF delegates,
50 each but il is found that whist iO630 eShausts the
white population East, that number deducted rom the opn
aon West leaves surplus OF s5 i57; and that S53 05I,
which cxhausts the West deducted from S3l99 The
pnd by The Fast leaves surplus of Su652 the East
and the West then present themselves equals with 59dclc
gates each but the West with surplus Q! white population
amounting S5d57 and the Fast with surplus al taxes
amounting S66 1872 and how is this surplus each side
disposed of by this bill! Why, sir upon lie principle q -
lice and insqn as j, is argued the West should r content
with her So delegates and lose her surplus o white plnS
Nay, the East should have II additional delegates
making 76 in all; that is the Sl66i52 OF cancels and
annuls the representative power Of the ij free per-
West and after accomplishing this whoesar ,irucon
coniers IL additional delegates on the East.
Agan il is argued that il would he unsafe for the East 10
yield power prncpletu give up her ascendancY III the
Legislature 10 the West, because II would in effect transfer
the power Of taxation those who do pay the
TO dispel this argument have but the fact t.
we're representation based white population exclusively
in House OF l35 members, Eastern Virginia and the Val
ley would have &c. and the Trans Allegheny District ~ de-
egaes The paid in the st District al the oi
IS head including the cities have naned ~ cts
excluding those cities in the 2nd District 4 cts. head in
the Valley 81 head, and in the Trans Allegheny
District % cts head TO show that if equality in
contributions support government is TO be considered
OF safety apporonng political power many counties
West safe like number East submit the follow
Ing lists OF counties East and West showing The number a
delegates Of each his floor and their capita conrrb
tions: