Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-10-25
sTlTE REFORM CONVENTION.
Ninth Day, Thursday, OCTOBER sHn' io'''
p.v.rhv n, Rev Stephen Taylor, Of the Presbyterian
RrLEs, Sc.

Yesterday 10 order the printing o tile rules lot lis govern
nor, H.. desired 10 n,asca motion 10 hat eNee': .
mn M ;l that anrecably the rules which tie Con
ycnlion Ead adopted, The rst business 10 "ine' was 'r
eadin, f the Journal The clerk womb now pfoeeta 70
40 bis. ard any member should deleci an error lie could
", ni may Ia sac nd the Journal in this particular
The Z, pRs PROCEEDED 10 read the Journal
Mr. Snrrr. moved TO dispense WIN inc reading Oh Tue
and noe upon each qson and their further reading
=, 49, ,nins por,ion OF the Journal Taken as The Sense
nC The House: no objection being maze
PRINTING or rHE CONVENTION.
Ar rro.r-tS Chairman Of The Committee on Printing,
made the following report , , 49,. r 49, ,
m Comn;liec charged with the letting OF The contract
or the printing OF tho Convention nave ,, nnsc ' hn
been lei /, CulIey, the being III" lowest hlael Al the
llowina rates wit IS cts per iVoo ems, - Gus per
token aud Is cts. Tor rue ana hs"c "N' anu 'o i''
rcam for paper laltdiiin sizc.)
The contractor has given bond and secnliy 1r NE per-
Guance OF his contract in the manner require" d! the re-
solution vi The Convention -
vision in The bond rcscying 10 the Convention m sh I"
withdraw The printing it II t' not properly anu p"'' "''!
nr Proau.a said that there provision III We lie
soluon creating the committee oi this Kind ana '' ON
mee did ;.ol choose 10 exercise power n'' "'s'a 10
Mr. G,asErr said ms Of the committee. he could say
that the printing been taken at about ui tn oluhlry
price He regretted that The Chalim'n haa h' rse 10
he House the bids Of other printers onr oi 'eh nat
he had read said that when The members OF The Legislative
moro wlino 10 do l, work for nothing hi "oui be vii
inn TO do thc nubic printing for nothing
THE report was received and agreed to-
Az Il E ScoTr offered The following resolution With
was adopted ,.,.
Conycnion the Auditors statement OF White, slave AID
free coloed population OF Virginia. and ol Federal popue
un and Of white and black tthabc- prepared and lail b.
rho las, General Assembly tas contained In Doc. No
= - IN 81 also the statement o white uihalrs, popul-
lion and revenue 5o with representation IN The Lrsis
tuc niL before The same session DOC &C., No" st. -,
On motion vi Mr. STR"rnrR, the ath rule adopted y'
to-day was reconsidolrd and that rule amended IN an u"n
poItant particular. -, ;,,o, os ,h;
Mr. Eyap moved that the report oil me eonn'ee Of 'h'
teen he taken NJ. reporting upon pan oi Pfo'e'ass
Agreed 10. . 49,. ..,; r,. -, ,,o ,ors;
deratiun House had nsrrcd to pass Nv the cohsie
OF the Il resolution for The present.
| lIhc first resolution was az follows
Resolved ls That committee ot weniy-lour members
10 he taken in equal numbers from the four divisions
The Stale respectively be appointed 10 take into considera
lion and report proper bnss Of representation in the tw
Houses Of The General Assembly and proper npporiion
mcnr Of representation among tho people NJ this common
wealth.
Mr. Eyal though, parliamentary ruo caused that dec
sion Of House 10 end with the dny upon which II VA
Mr. Scorr Of T. suggested that The member from Frede
rick could obtain his purpose by moving that The House no,
proceed 10 the consideration ni the Isl resolution.
! Mr.. ByRp made that motion. Agreed Ia.
Mr. SrASAGD said ihr House would bear in mind thai
when the subject was up the other day he Unlimited his pur
pose offer amendment To the first resolution he wa
nuciaJr opposed ard OF duty 10 those he repre-
scented induced him state, in brief manner his objections
He trusted that lie would do 81 in manner which shon
! excite no feeling anon. ne:abrrS.
The House would perceive while in respect 10 al
the other resolutions than The first the Parli1meniar!
rule regarded and gave Ia The presiding officer of TN
body The duty OF appointment u the members, according Il
the majority. yet il proposed by the Isl resolution Il
organize this committee only with regard 10 gcogaphi
cal divisions but which ,rammclcd the Chal
in lis selection and compelled him give 10 ~ member
the :oict aud influence rs 10 10 nebi II. Was IN ia
it just il equitable! he proposed Ia modify tn
Restitution ii look sections al ALL as 10 giv
each locality that representation in the committee we
il enjoyed upon the .oT bur other gentlemen IN who's
Judgment he placed much rel 'ncr wcic opposed 10 hi
making sectional divisions and drieng Ia thcn he pro
posed offer before taking his seat substitute srkin
everything relating geographical and sectional div
sions, and organizing committee OF % members according
10 the regular parliamentary rule upon the subject.
Mr. - said that concndcd that this IN" tier
very little consequence. Well why then the rule dill
erpd from in the appointment OF the committee which va
proposed in the remaining resolutions for all the other con-
mittces HI did deem ii Inalter Of importance
The purpose Vi committees 10 facilitate the dispac
of business hut how were YOU 10 get report tom com
.ittcc which equally divided in SENTIMENT Ii was l
that nation could be made la discharge the committee IN
bnr tiic subject before The House. Bur This would BE-
very harsh conr>c; Tor such motion would ha;ly carry
VEL, suppose Both wings OF such committee were 10 II
pot winch would BE- considered the report of the con
miiI,c! Was this first resolution virtual surrender
the night Of The majority 10 be represented by majority
The committee? liz Offered the following substitute
Strike all after the word "Rcsolycd and insert =:
arIhar committee III mcriy five members be appointed
take int, consideration and report proper basis ." cprt
scnali"n IN the a0 i"I-cs vi the General Assembly ADD
proper appGi o representation among Tile people
the Commonwealth"
Mr. CnI:I. desired IL make objection to the rcsoln
lion Just uiIeicd. lie represented constituency whic
was in part OF the East but he regretted that the report
the committee OF thirteen could NOT hc adopted "a II WINS
Mr. G. Just wny III, frs, resolution should
adopted was-ths committee would have many sntte'
for liz confederation. The committee, III Split :" con
promise AMI concession aiIopoItrd i;s Va 'acr IL
sired relieve The P,C Iirnt from tr ;vi t ~ ~
noinment which would otherwise d, ,ui.. 1t ht
been said that the East in the m,ioy, nn! should .s
the majority this com:iItec-hc did not Sc wis. III
majority should bn magnaanons-thry coul afford 10 h'
No Western member shnu 20 back dissatisfied far as
was concerned The committee might make Two reports
and the majority might adopt the or the other. He dl
not believe there member who could present
Constitution full formed Minerva-likc He for lick
inc the cub into shape We oil from the grca
old Commonwealth mot divided, ike ancient G,u-speak
inc different language IL important that shou
cultivate spirit OF harmony and good reIlng. He care
nothing about the machinery of precedence Soonr
than for the amendment Of The member from Richmon
City, he would give The inoIiiy IN the committee 10 IN
Wcs.
Mr. RRowN Of r. understood that the West was in IA
yor OF the majority of reforms tho present Constitution
il was proper that they should have minority !cpr,
seniaion upon this committee according 10 parliament
law Ii upon this subject basis of representation Their
compromise any plan which should give salts
faction both divisions OF the State he dceme il not un
WISE that there should be equal number OF each side
This would secure the maturcs consideration 10 the com
mtce and prevent them from making hasty AMI inud
cous report. He hoped il would DC The pleasure Of III
House IL concur.
Mr. SnvrnAL If A., contnrrcd in the amicabe views TX
pressed by the member from Fnnqncr. But he thought
was unfortunate that the first resolution of the commrc
recommended hr formation OF committee upon
ica lines lie desired 10 the House progress in its
tionlc desired something done bnt he could
anticipate action from such cJinmitic, Ii would be ap
pointed in violation Of every parliamentary usage and womb
be self tnied nr all purposes Of action Ii The aendcn
Of the member from Richmond City adopted, he woul
be willing 10 the Chair appoint members upon fro
the East who wcrc had been asserted friendly on thi
main question To tho West But raise Il committee such
had been proposed matter what intended and yo
virtually organize committee u do nothing.
Mr. = desired that the question might be divided and thu
il the House. after striking the LIST resolution, did
insert the amendment vi The member from Richmond City
action.
Mr.. CApEaroX deemed il no violation of parliamentary
law Tor the committee 10 have recommended the appoint
ment OF the committee Basis &C.. By The Coaver lion il
sci IL the House appointed the cummiirce il would
doubt relieve the Chair from delicate responsible
and perhaps painful duty. The amendment Of the nembe
from Richmond City, was obnoxious this objection tina
il assumed something's basis viz That observed in ,h
couvoking OF the Convention whilst the report Of The
mittee of thirteen assumed nothing 10 basis.
The member from Richmond said there would be re
port. Mr. C. said there would be reports upon the aea
question which would bc before the Conventions and il IN,
House should become emb ,rasse by any delay on The part
Of the committee il always competent enlargc il,
and Illus make speedy termination of their deliberations
( llr. Wn SMITH in nvor nj the resolution of hl
committee of thrccn had heard good and inefficient
reason Tor not adopting it. The member from Richmond