Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-11


of tic right Of suffrage and all equalization of rcp1sso
ta,ion ainors the free white population OF tic cou:mon
wealth. and that failed IN the way. But II led TO the
organization Of tho senatorial districts of the State
under which the weet, which had but four senators TO
twenty east got nine meabers in that body, and repre-
scntation upon ho white basis in that body which ap
pessed the spirit Of reform for time After all tii7
however, second Convention convened ct Stanton III
1925 setting forth still the same great ohects ana Ihs
resulted III the I'D or third year after IN INC ca OF
the State Convention Of 1899.
from this brief sketch, which have gathered from
the debates in the former Convention and other sources
and given accurately "a | could from memory, aud
since hearing the speech Of the hoaorale cent; who
addressed YESTERDAY arranged in my m'no rs well as
could of the continued appeals and movements oil te
west and other portions OF the State Ter reue ana es
peciay for tho extension Of the light OF suffrage aud
equal representation almost o period OF the rev.
oluon Gown to the call of the Convention Of 1899, We
ho constant and ard mt was the ceslrc for these
great reforms Yes, how load and cns this camor
AS eastern gent iemcu pleased 10 characterize the
lust complaint OF the people against minority rule
During ali this tire, more than half century, TIC
government was III tie hans OF class of reeclders
composin. bu; small portion 81 The freemen Of the
State holding on to power the offices and all, and refu
sing redress and Conyealon ell this tme-hore
than half esntury-and a; last sraaedt upon unequal
terms.
Well the Ccnvsn.ion OF $50 for have come to this
point Of the history Of power holding on to power which
IL had taken rmos: .om IS to 1879 Of such continuous,
appeals to obtain from thi; ,na minority in power up
on unequal terms III this house. wis abou. to say
u mean III the capitol, and found Itself nearly equally
divided on both .kse crest Guct tons suffrage and
presentation b. this geographical line the blue ridge
mountains al! suffrage nl-i Tie most part and white
basis men believe. without exception west, arli nearly
all anti: Suffrage n el bass nlen oil some description
wh = few exceptions east. and This basis question Iii
vidss rs now, with few exceptions east our ia
la I 7 70 Io
red that we nearly ALL ucw at last III fay or of Civ
ing the election oil all officers from Governor down.
direct TO the people and of extending the right of suf
trase and of limiting and restricting the hitherto almost
unGnited powers OF the minority-goyernnent-t
proving that truth right and Justice have far triumph
ed and prevailing, and will !inally competeiy triumph
that the grasp of power is relaxing We'll the Con
vention of 1929, after hard struggle characterized by
The most brilliant displays Of arguments and coquencc
ever witnessed perhaps i'll any assembly in any age or
country was finally obliged to compromise upon this ba
sis question to reach results. And what did they DO
Although the right OF suffrage considerably extended
and few other reforms made. yet instead Of deciding
this basis question they settled and fixed rule al
They divided the State ii reference the house o! del
egaes, into four grea; da,rc. and gave to each 50 mn.
ny members: 30 to ,ewatsr, IL 10 piedmont - to the
valley and 81 - ransaliecanv; all then laid of the
state IN reference 10 the sena.c into two grand divisions
east and west OF the blue ride retaining members in
that body east, and girinc u west.
lh.et TINS NrilSclleiit was secured 10 the cast,
majority Of 90 members in the house of delegates and
Of IL the senate and % Joint ballot white there were
but some trty three thousand. few hundreds of
Jor!ty OF White population OF the blue rdge-and
this OF course continued and scared the goyernmcn: and
all ITS power patronage and offices il their hands if not
az strsnglyss surely before For was further prov
led in regard TO future appo:tionnents that the mum
Der oi members should never exceed one hundred ana
hftv in the house OF delegates and thirty-sy in the
senate; so tina: IN any event the east was always 10
mare as the ultimate limit OF apportionmcnt, majority
IN both branches of the legislature and of Mt least
twelve on joint bl!ot however great and Overwhelming
the excess Of population and wealth too yht become
IN Tina to tho west, unless two thirds of each house
should after the year 1871 concur in general reappor
tlonment throughout the commonwealth thing never to
be expected al the hands ofthe east. This arrangement
although equaiizng to some extent among
the several counties within each Of the our great dis
:rlc and two grand divisions is but tantal;Zi 1t an
equalization of no avail in giving equal political power
70 the vest III not extending the whole State. It's
effect limited BY these Districts and divisions and the
limitation o! the ui;lse number III members ASSIGNED
to the two branches OF the legislature il is worse in
TACT than the SIMPLE miSc OASIS would be- in the end
ana eTen worse than under the old constitution in the
partic"ir OF taking away the white basis in the senate
under W'hch ALREADY we would have game. majority
N taa branch and infinitely wsc in the end in .eci.
ring the majority OF the power sectional minority
east Of me blue ridge, wh:c! ia reasc vi population
ana Wea!ih ~ 'he wei however great can aver over.
come without Change II the organic law Anda. as~s
is no nope 81 t"o,thlifii al tho legislature agreeing
General rc-ippCrfnnmc iui.er our existing cD,ls;;t-
son resting upon this arbitrary bas;s with these districts
ana divisions and ultimate li:n: of the number Of mem
bcrs IN both branches oi the legislature The west must
therefore forever remain in minority in the government
without Isnge-sle must remain forever powcrless I'M
der alicrcuas: aaces and mail in nj of
political interiors c.. not to -y yas.nlaor far tho ,,rs.
purposes ct sc!fgovermeat. ana hopc,csslv sn Gr I'll
une Ana yst sc have majority Of n;nc,v tI,rs.
thousand oI the white population, Use strony lam
,n:ge but think nat too strong for orr present CON
''tution aid government like is predecessor the old
one, is so fame; an cotycl in all its denartuents IT
power, under ts unequal mixed bas, in ,isrr;sc {fr
the effect IS equlv2ent( hat this sectional minority
east which !as thus socrel TO i this pcrnsneu Soc
tioia majority IN both branches o t,.e oeslatrrebc
'idss having the appointment Of our United Stotes .en
aors Hhder the e6lStltuti"a # the Uaio-ols in the
hands of its majority legislature The e,eeticn Of ~
nor the executive council nilit:. generals ,d o,r
Judges and even through the co!nns.ionin, ,,o,rcr f
!ts executive that o! justices Of the PEACE or CONT,
mass rates constituting counts court; which dec,e
manage anG c"tro every thing belonging and a;,ner
l.s 20 county police ana eT!es and our purse
sings Our members OF assembly We select aud 1uri
ieror militia officers under brie:iier general tbc cam
panIes and hattailons MAJ, believe elect bat lcsides
these OF all clectionsn officers that of orr oyerseers
81 the poor, Is the poor privilege allowed Us. Thus
The majority Of Tie free white people Of tie States
lie. liberty and
erty a subject TO III will Of this sectional minority east
OF the blue ridge, (and repeat the powers of ,bis ooy
ernment are scarcely limited by an restr;consl n. Inn
tied only in power for good evil YEA! or wee BIZ The
organic law Q: this constitution Limitations we ara
;od, if We held Ito power would be mere nanar csr-
antics not worth the paper t'ey ere written uno' rs
seeuf'iy to the property Of tie east And n; mi.
while We a:e tanatingy warnc by both tie gentlemen
who preceded nc on the Other si,lr aul o,,cr. - 49,.
member that weare iiv: and trlilsrat;p, uner a.,
existing constitution and laws" Yet. what !. That l.,
paper Constitution? This is the preteace undcr With
tie minority in the east have hitherto runJ ond .;i
insist On retaining tie power.
h9SSf ana Ifoper,y We arc grayely told, cannot BIZ
safely divorced in the cast, but may exist very Lanny
separate and apart in the vest i; single hlcssrdrsa
and under "papor guarantee too in the hands If mn,
political guardians in The east Is this because ,rre
Y is net lie creature 81 government j. Tho anria
Of the gentleman from Halifax but the cft Of hcsv
in the east and not in the vest An to infer "a tb,,
gentleman seemed sagey 10 insinuate that mover and
property, OH this side of the mountain were welded in
heaven: Did they derive their slave property by the
gift of God: Did deity give to man or PROPERTY
in man: And yet this is the great peculiar interest
that claims all power and all protection What unjust
dread this-tat the west would over-tax @. mnor the
right to this peculiar property, held by some forty or
fifty thousand people only out OF the nine hundred
Thousand in the State, and Of that number some len
thousand OF these Shareholders LIVING 81