Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-04-09
VOLUME Xi.VI.
STATE CONVENTION.
:. plmn rs Of Mr. SHEEEE Y,

ShaaeG G :aie the sense Of The people the cal Of a
apo" l;rersd in the House Of Delegates, February
23 ,V desire TO give my reasons for voting against
NJ; have long been ardent friend of Convention
;hs G bs constitution There are evils 10 be redressed
convention common to every portion OF me T.ae'
Is sue. .. in he East well as III the West. These
haf 'nt n ro, propose now discuss There is ONE
gtSa however, pecl.ar to particular portion OF the
s1nrw.alth which also. in my npaion ca'is loudly ior
refer 10 the gross inequality ~ representation IN
le-.fs Assembly see no prospect Of remedy for this
t' in the bin now undc. consideration The proposed
en'a i 10 be 81 organized Iha, minority of the
n, rep.esented BY majority .: Tue delegates; 10
ronr,s,nt .(2 $50 and 50 delegates Will repte
Gs7 white citizens The bill proposes 10 give 10 The
the power and right I" CONSIDER, settle ana deter
ns The mode and extent u az reforms anu t e S'e M
N .nr,s thc continuance OF power III the ihnis oil ie
l~ ;.v II j. founded upon tins aNowcd principle that
,sry is entitled be qai element OF representation
,b nersons and that III at''atsai c"moihaoh ol seS,
,,e,is of taxation and population III the language 1i
%'.Io rom Mott ovay, Mr.. Catnphell) constitutes
l. .-r jrst and republican scale oi representation me
,n from Nutt0wly sy ti;s Is iEl principle Tor whica
gs1%. resisted The power o. the mother country: the
oi ~, ~ t,o,, Logan Mr.. F,rcuscn) advocates the bill.
fsn';. lilies prlncipc and The gentleman from Hall
cN s,,yaD tilicring from the gentleman from Logan,
N M ,n,ct as il this bill were coHctSSoa ladc 10 Tie
hr East declares that he offers il not comaro-
@ Nj, because it is us cannot yield my assent 10 any
q, itr>t t.e"s . . $50, . .,-, Sc .,f 49,, -. ,,,.
h ain materially fixed in the opinion, that The
"i,s population in Virginia. exclusively constitute
Nee mmunity" majority of whom, in the language of
be Bill oi rights "haih 'ne naiiehaoie ana lnueie'sloe
"'I ,tr ..,r;g or abolish the existing government.
% So. no,hn, in he declaration OF rights, which is said,
49,. .,u,;on 10 form :ae basis OF government; nor in
~ ~ % ., the tines when that declaration oi rights
,, nor in the old Constitution, reared by the muster
Is III me revolution this solid "oaSis OF govern
"n toTS,y thc o0inon that the words community,
.,s and nation" used therein, mean "money and man;
i nat when ~ majority ot the community IS said to haze
S sorcne power il is 10 be understood 10 MAORI
- interests compounded o! aRd money! Entertain.
NO ,his oaiaon hiuk the people who constitute the
community should Be relresentcd IN convention called
,,,u ure; or abolish tnc Constitution equally in pro
r,, n ,.r number \ airc majority o my constituents
U.dsh the same opinions. \ fish considerations niu-
.e th.ir judgments. Augusta has white population ol
a93 and PAYS SU0Uu IN taxes; anu whether the white OF
m ,mbned basis be adopted, she Is entitled 10 an increase
Il representative power She stands in position 10 b.
h 5n the principle Involved III this controversy, unin-
snr,d bg lust Of power and unaffected by any dread
,nqe Mr. Speaker the convictions of The people Of Au
, on is subeci, not OF recent growth; they sprung
N IN lul aud active vigor when Loudoun Fairfax, Abe
,,,It Jefferson Berkeley, Augusta, Rockbridge Rocking
ham opi oh,r counties in the Valley and the Piedmont Dis
,.r wtre s,rugsln. throw oil the incubus of the old
Constitution. Convictions of right kept alive in
,,, hearts bv the grateful TeconeotlOns OF the past.
sgl.ta remembers the uniinchng advocates of reform
ne Doairdres the Dlncans, he Campbes and others from
NJ iegh4ny District, who at sacrifice of their owI.
ac1l power eaiani!y battlcd for equal rights with the
ey the lGont and she scorns now 10 listen 10 'he
M wl-r-!nls of sel.-!niereS or nO interest," 10 aban-
don her ancient faith need not remind you sir rhat III,
l,, ami the Piedmont District gained whist the Trans
,ehany District lost political power III the Convention 81
lo2g 50 NJ poddridgc, with prophetic eye, toreSaw that
he lime mah come when the Valley and the Piedmont
would east III their faithful associates and turn their back
upon ,, Awct, rs II were, by this apprehension how
soGu lid c appeal 10 the DELEGATES from those Districts
1, cherish keep alive the memory ot common struggles
,r great p.ncps and desert their glorious stand
a The memory Of that appeal which, twenty years ago
was an,wert! by the Valley and Piedmont with o
.ty .l thrills The hearts OF the people oil Augusta
IL o. Elirf Ioudoun Jef-
sen Berkeley Frederick, Albemare and other counties
tnea seenly alive its touching eloquence trust not
.t us, will be heard 10 say, I'VE once proiesscd
ia.sa principles bated Tor them; We were aided by
you Of the West in hour OF need we gained all ",
wanted il interest now TO favor other notions AM
81 We sever the lies that bound together" How
be with Others sucn ooS VIII never come froI
Augusta.
NJ speaker the history OF suffrage OF representation and
# reform in Virginia is curious and instructive and beg
ae give rapid sheicn oi H. 10 show that my opinions
are not novel Two will be established by this sketch
FIs, that the people of Virginia as people, have never had
50 anopporuny upon and 70 determine for themselves
The inst ncp. repre- scnaton; and, second, that proper
- never been element Of representations
Il, pr,c,nrs far they 80, being aga!ns, such doe
tns
The colonial government, established July d. l62l--
Two bun.sscs were authorized be elected from each
pwn hundred and particular plantation, By tie iabants
The pan,atons settlements called Cities and after
formed certain counties retained the names
Of .ae plantations, Elizabeth City, Charles Cy, &C.
Counties established in 1884, and in 1860 each county
vi, authorized elect delegates; and continued
though Revolution under the old Constitution the
yea 1880 Al first suffrage extended 10 "the ttdbi-
,la afterwards "irecnen; then housekeepers and
..a 10 "reeInen' afterwards "reehoders and house
keepers answerable for levies In 1860 all eenen
ced voters in 1917 the King instructed the Governor
frce-oliers" should voe and, this restriction
OF e night Of suffrage extremely dstasteul 10 the colo
nsi Tie King regiments of soldiers enforce
Tie order In l6Sl the right was extended 10 tenants for
he"-n l699 ii confined TO "freeholdors 1876 il
conued those owning 100 of unsettled 25
cs Of improved land When counties were established
aa! representation was based on counties, there
.,ve There is fact noteworthy in passing il is that
anu 25 free NEGROES, mul;ocs and Indians voted In
's IT" fion" Of Assembly passed an act subject 10 tie a-
For1 q he ktr, dec.n nr that persons owning 80 acres
u u9.upr,,cd lam! should The King approved
ba;. Ia mo when the Constitution formed il
.!i,ne that suffrage should remain /; became
tc % determine tor whether the act of 1886,
"th required lO0 acres that OF 1862 which required
Vn 81 in force In 1855 the General Assembly
sl'e Jordan knot by declaring that those owning 50acres
VI ta.inllayrt land should vote.
lie Old Constitution peculiar in its origin. When the
"" winch bound the colony 10 the mother country
'ee any of worthy and respectable gentlemen,
VINO Mere subjects OF King George, had been elected the
se 9and hcuSe YES together stripped Of all the iunc-
u9i' Of legislature. They however called convention
~iF.ne government II met, and in l776 George Mason
Nd tn old Constitution and Bill of Rights, which
.I The idea never seemed 10 occur to the members Of
ma Convention that the people had anything 20 do with the
sL ,hey published the instrument rs the Constitution
'2ni and proceeded to organize the government under
!t people voted its adoption 1t will be
non ms sketch, that property element in representa-
'la lao, ani that the freehold suffrage which il
"4i lie 1eehUes should pcrpetuate had been forced on
cdon!sis the point of the bayonct. There
,'A' Senatorial districts named in the Constitutions
't's. AMI four West of the Blue Ridge As nearly
a a~e this was, al the le just apportionment OF
Eni'lon according the population. But in 1890 each
1a senator represented 5 e6 and each Wesern Sena-
a1I'e white pcrsons in 1890 the numbers 1851.
a al II 369 Wes in lsl0 694l East and So ISL West
a ISIS estimated that the four Western Senators
lte TWO liitns of the white population of the State
ias developments aroused The West, and they strongly
nled equal representation. They did not complain then
much OF inequality of representation in the House. be-
spo7la'on increased, new counties were formed and
Mh new county became entitled TO two delegates In 1915
M vas introduced in the House of Delegates TO equalzc
Stsnlon in the Senate Men naturally cling 10 power
10 this reluctance 10 give up the power The East had
'h''o WELD, and 10 certain oninon given by const
the bill was reeccd III opinion was, that the
tuition having defined the limits of the Senatorial dis
, N: Gcncra Assembly could not alter them. This
@ y y9!ound excitement in the West, and led TO the
~ ~. Vivehoa Stlunton in 1916. That Convention
e Petition To- the General Assembly, praying for the
invention 10 equazc representation and tor Other
D.lfo 4 b.l was reported, and passed the House o
sat- which provided for the call Of Convention Tor
Dpp'ses Isl, To enlarge the right OF suffrage. End
"a Representation Ike basis Of ,chte population;
tqlalze the land tax This bill announced the three
r.s p'.es OF Republican government. Enlarged s4i-
inf'S Representations and tardton IN proportion
NJ, ~ s'iy'o pqy The combined or 'lnxed basis" was
% ''h ii'2ucht ci This bill 40 dangerous Eastern
:3y "s" 10 The Senate, and about 10 pass that
.t ~ h'h lie constitutional lawyers were again consult
ma a''tr much delibcraton came 10 the conclusion,