Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-17

pon ut ter and total dstrust III their integrity nay
sir, in their common honesty rs community -and
n,,, boiug able to understand how a community can
hs corrupt while its individual members pure-thoy
sae in it downright imputation upon their loyalty t.
,ba GREAT cause of Justice and moral right Who then
nn c.nsre them for being offended or for being even
little rebelous against having such aproposltlon a. this
forced upon them!
maturity will ut least spare one ingredient in tho
nauseors dose refer to the free negro tax, which Is
thrown in to swell the majority against the west for it
be disguised that the mixed basis reported gives
at least delegate to our eastern friends IN Consider
alton of the captaton tax paid BY free negroes. The
wretched pittances, extorted from this debssed and
worthless race is to furnish the basis for 1T least
member in the halls Of legislature. There Is III fact
If whit We have hoard to the mode of constituting
this body be correct, member, or at least many
nars of member equal to one whole, rcprasentatlng
on this floor the free negroes of the State, i'll vrure of
the taxes imposed upon them That representative, If
Il were confined to one, would feel and ought to feel
if covered with species of political eprosy By occupy
ipr such position 1t lis true this unenylable dsinc
ton il to be distributed equally or rather pro- rta
among all the election districts Of the State. Yet
cannot our Eastern friends spare this one from the
fourteen they will have in the house ofdeegatcs
If they succeed in establishing their scheme by virtue
of the accidental governmental ma ory in their hands.
they can and will per fas am ncs fusion it upon US
ask them ut least to remove this cup OF humiliation
question Of insult and offence, and for though my
people have practical interest i'll the matter cannot
rcprouch our brethren, should they gond
ell BY sense OF unmerited wrong and ooRtumey, Ill
nm unguardod moment resort to the language OF en*ee
though would most earnestly advise them against
cry thing Of the kind.
do not propose Mr. Chairman, to occupy the atten
ton of the committee beyond few minutes longer.
The question has already been cluboratey argued
in ull its bearings, that it would be useless consmp
ton Of time. now becoming precious to go over the
ground already so often trodden desire however to
present to my eastern brethren practical appeal
this subject Much has been said in this debate about
Wa bills aud pledges made while canrassg for seats
in this body. Is it then true desire to know that
our eastern friends have here So bound hand and
foot by these way-bs and pledges, to he mperyi
GUS to light and insensibe to the force OF ar arSu
meutl Is true that without regard to tho dictates
of reason and Justice. this governmental majority, obtain
cd will not stop to inquire how, is to he employ
cd roentcssy crush all and every claim preferred
by tho We. 70 equality of lights, and of political
power Is it trne ask that you come here with your
hands nanaclcd that reason, justice equity and pa
triotsm to make their appeals in vain That i'll
answer tho crushing force OF argument that LAS been
brought to bear upon your position the conclusive and
only reply il to be, Our pledges uur pledges. i" our
arguments You oppose your upc'l limbs iianclcd by
these ecctonserns way bills and thus you turn deaf
ear to the earnest and Just demands of your western
brethren, against oppression wrong and n6ilt. Have
your constituents left you margin, no discretion
even to the extent of Offering some reasonable COM
PROMISE vi ch your western brethren may .ccep: with
out dislomor
The gentleman from Richmond Mr. SrANARs) has to-
day complained that western had come forward
with proposition Of compromise. Sir, Is this rcA-"l-
bic Does il accord with tho fitness of things that
the minority should present compromise I" the 'a,
jorityt The weak to the strung-thc wrOnged party
To their oppres,orst You have it III Your power to Tx
nm, in tcI
ing mixed basis. The west can on submit t" your
decree, unless indeed, limited at By George Mason.
in the speech have read, the irrcpressblc spirit {"
froemen, aroused by sense OF wrong, should inpc
them to extreme ,nensures which may convulsc the
State tn it, ccutrc.
The gentleman from Fauquer (Mr. ScorT) in the
OF his argument in the early part Of tins debate
asked if this suffrage white basis was 50 dear to The
west there any price ton high for them to pay Tor &C.
Yes, sir, the question ~ put, as To imply that the
cherished right Of equality To bc matter ct sale
and purchase Now would appeal TO him whether IN
his estimation tlIa is proper ianguaSe to address to
freemcn! II the principle they cuncnd for Is right-I
they ARE entitled To equalty-if they rank among
resmen and make part Of the sovereign people Is
not to say the least of it, unknd and ungenerous to a
proach them with language like this What, sir, Aheri-
can citizens virginnns To come with prices in
their hands and igye with their eastern brethren Tor
those political rights which we have ever supposed had
been already purchased with the blood OF OAR common
ancestry and from them handed down III rs the richest
heritage that could pass from sire to sou. submit
sir that remarks like these are intoerable and
be borne by men, who have even the smallest share o
self respect-who worthy the nnme OF FirsInans.
No who has been attentive listener IN the
prutractcd debate in which We still engaged can
have failed TO remark the of superiority 80 frc
auentlv cvinccd by our opponents from the east sid" of
the mountains This is greatly to be regretted. 1t bodies
good. The wost can never appear rs suppantS for
equal political rights. Self respect requires that their
language ahouel be that ofrespectul demand We SAY
2-1 eastern rcnds that while deprscae all idea
Of dsmemberment %f thi. noble old State yet the
contest shall never cease X il vain to rcroach the
west as clanurin eterually for the purse strings inc
east Such is not the case. This beautiful process OF
osrolng that has grown up under the auspices OF the
eastern majority, gives them now every thing they
ask and great deal more than they ought to have.
Such reproach at all events is wholly inappicale to
the people whom have the honor i'll part to represent
They ut least are rcplcnishers exausters of the pub
lie treasury But sir is not question OF Interest but
Of principle whether justly or otherwise, Ger.
tain it is, the west regards AS an insult this partial
Acknowledgement Of them account of their poverty,
and the superior wealth of their eastern bretlren-and
lie ha. studied human nature little purpose who has
not learned that man universally will to far great
er extremes personal insult, or attempt to humate
him. than mere pecunlary wrong. Looking alone I"
the constitution Of human nature the latter may some
times be- forgiven, the former never.
The question then arises, even we suppose that the
west is wholly mistaken in regarding this mixed 'nis.
scheme of representation umatnS To them, Is 1t
better to defer far to what may be deemed their
mistaken notions and preudiccs To come forward IN
the spirit Of Cancellation and concession and attempt TO
devise some reasonable and fair compromise OF ms
ve1atous and dangerous question am aware now
greatly 10 this extent eastern friends are :l
barrassed by their unfortunate waybills and pledges
Yet say nothing of the self sacrificing spirit, which
the present cxigency demands, plan has been sug-
gssted which will at once do Justice and III my Jdg-
mcnt prove satisfactory any reasonable constituency
in the common wealth. allude to the proposition for
submitting TO the qualified voters both plans of basins
the representation i'll the Legislature The mixed basis
on the hand it my bs perfected by its friends,
and the other hand the suffrage bass as 1t has becn
reported.
Who that believes in the fundamental principle OF
our government, that all power resides in the people
and flows from then-tat whenever form of govern
ment fails to answer the purpose for which 1t was
formed a majority of the community hath All indublta.
ble unaienabe and incfeasiblc right reform alter,
or abolish it who in word that recognizes the great
principle of popular sovereignty which constitutes the
corner stone Of whole system and distinguishes 1t
SO gorio,sly from every other government earth,
will hesitate to submit this great and exciting question
to our masters, the sovere On people themselves VIII"
that calls himself democrat will hesitate upon such