Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-14

t,f he
principle Wien lLey have their own time TO deliberate
non Iii .nb;,cl and their time 10 aet II not IN
re.so..lic n claim that The people OF tins Common
wealth in voting Tor the bill, III l'' over one month
after l. had passed The genera ass'l''s, u'"TH,s A.
,h.. Ji ,hc numerous reforms when arc contemplated
I ~ on,.n.;,, il, oar organic law, having voted for
III. h ,rder circumstances ii thu, kind can be con-
sr,ed into a sanction oi the pf'Acipe OF me miXeu
basis, when vote taken by thus ION upon thai
,rincp,c when connected El.h hut ore other subject
could not be construed mo 'a''' " "''PP'o' d
of the principle. 80, ,r
nile hi. commonwealth no: bcca they approved Of
The mixed basis bur because the rre'"h constitution
was odous because every man almost ~ 'i, '"ihhioh
wealth desired reform and they determined to accept
tho LilI which ha :aor!, Of the legislature composed
or representatives selected by minority oi The people.
forced upon them and appeal 10 this Convention TO
do them Justice II the members .! the Legislature had
not known that the people by m overwhelming mn,
Convention unon the white basis il tie question hat!
been submitted to them 10 determine, Why did
;hsv reject in hot haste the report "i the committee
20 whom the subject Of providing Tor the ca'i u con
seHlion WAS referred and VINO al' iei' ol' ho. 'ny
ar taking Tie sense Of the people upon the ca of =
corv.ntio, bY also upon the manner in which repre-.
son,a:ion il, Ina, con, ynon should b" apportioned
What authority had The Legislature 10 pas that bill
Ry wha; right did they call upon the people 10 ex-
,rass th.;r santnents for or agai!s: convention.
yhe,c !, his whole constitution optcd in lS39 anl
sGo il Ler. sny provision made cot the passage oi
such m act, They had no more right u call his
Convention than Governor Floyd had bat the people
.ntcrt,incd and tolerated tie act and having voted for
gave il lie nnd being II Governor f'o;" had IS n'd
5;s nroc,,na;ian calling upon the pr"p!" TO vote for
amin, and providing nr it, organl alton
n c.. ,hr majority should vote or tand majority
uf IN, p,ol. ha voted and had se; delegates form
;.r Them u canst!tu;io--th"r would have Eai Nil
The p,rers which this Convention has and any CON
l,, ttliisr iI.,l
! v;lrd received the sacticn I'll NM oriiy of
rho voters Of Tho state void possess binding an
.hor.y and lie inst valid a. constitution hat this
cony,ion assembled br this act Of the general assem-
h, NAV form. II il a natural and nher"r: RICH; III
t!ra people. declared I" he 50 in the Fill al ng!..
~ .ony .,tion whore in TIER Judgment il shall
h.. necessary Ia promote the pwbc good and The PEG.
~. q. This State have in th"ir primary capacity, b.
primary meetings o. otherwise, tie ,sht 10 call !
convention whenever they please and trust in God
fthe mixed basis i, forced upon BY this Convention
,ie people will 'sc that RICH; n once. and not wat
fora vote IL 10 IT,, upon III constitution that you
ma" form.
Tie gentleman from fa,jsie'. IN reply Ia the goa.
eman from Augusta, desired Ia know il what doe, tie
ncucas in The organization Of th+ convention ,on
.;s,: And where he woald nluir, Ia. injustice been
done 10 thu constituents represent Does - w-h
10 know: | will point him IL !- district. The
co.l,.:e. Il Fatquiar and Re?pa,Anocs form
y,1, onal district uni have nion ;hi floor three dee
-s.c, III. two containing whi,e population Of i5,55g
making J. ~ L. :. Lel--att. The district that have
he honor pare IT, represent ha- !u four lel"sa,es
aud contains poPolnton Of io''5' Dividing that bv
four and il gives cach delegate lGlG2 people. !
would like to know if ny people are equal to the
people of .,!lucr Onc man in iauGnicr has much
power in tl- conventions aud potent voice two
lren in Rarboar Bccau-c this governmental naaIor?
which ca!lc, .hs Convention has controlled th' cci>la
,:yc power slic is possessed L. minority Of the
people And IRE We = h, :.-kci il have suffered
Z 4 ,,,,l, i l,.r,
you suffered from this minority government refer
Won Ia this a.; o the last general assembly.
was -onewha! amused when Ike gentleman from
FauGuier answered tn gentleman fro:a Augusta by the
fable o the flies and III fox and hc told the delegates
| in this Convention from lie ie.watcr district that
Piedmont was very auch in the situation ri tie fce
an! the future wc,:!d b. p@rng OF lie pub
lie funds Does IL know tn.,! lies NAV \" gc:sed
With blood hist men never can with none. And
tina; the people i'll Piedmont not gnrced refer TO
=, the declaration ri thu aen,lena. that the only
danger b. unprecedented lr"n Transfer Of power 10
the west Ia aS.n OF III, lxi, anl ,pp:opya.ins
power Now wish - iasc that IL connection with
another Of his arguments. and 1t viii prove what The
the gentleman would consider m abuse Of the taxing
and appropriatinG Power liz todd Il IN tac very sane
af-imcn, thai a:a,sc y" ii;"i: - inter
NJ; Improvement tina, he advo,..." the mixed i;-ia
:ha The white basis would arrest, il. indeed, il - not
/ altogether destroy taa. system Now, tx thu =
lecinn with he declaration tia. the only : :" le
unprecedented from ;raG-ar o. power IL the ~ /,
the abr,e OF the taxing and appropratin power, and
means just this that il the power be transferred to
Tie west that Ii rwa:eI, trans cghanv and the val
lcv districts might possibly receive little p;bgc
moncy FOR work, Of is description than they nave
heretofore received, n The prejudice Of Piedmont that
lie woui consider III abuse Of the taxing power; lsd
mont being abic to do she ha, heretofore done
consume rtarly III the derived from taxation
desire relieve my friend from Halifax. DIR Pm
K;s) from The dirl;. which he seemed 10 labor under
whom he addressed THIS committee lie did no; Know
how representation co, be alorloned upon he basis
o the qualified ~ C. How j. i. lie asks to b. done
Of,he ecn slaves Sta ,es iorr If them, viz: Alabama
Mississippi Arkansas, and Texas, have adopted as the
basis %: repre- -en'.,.ol w,.i,e inhab Ii louisiana
tennessee kcnt,ickv. and Missouri ...ye adopted the
basis ri qualified votc-s What can be done by Lous-
lana and Kentucky imagine can hc done in Virginia
Mr. ~ RkEIS dii not mean to SAL that 1t was
utterly Impossible TO a.ortion representation upon
qualified elect ,rs ba. that ii woid be wholly lmprac-
tlcaDlc 10 d', if tia principles t"r which Gent!o-
mea contend are to be- carried oil, III the constitution
meant II III appor;ionng representation upon qaalined
electors you design cnlv make reference 10 that great
principle which they contend es nj the foundation OF
govcrnme n--poitca! oql!aliivthat it was 10 TINS
view VII Sly impossible to nttain the end which they
daefed.
Mr.. CARLYLE. desire now in answer to my friend
from siajifax we'll ny friend from tnTcfer, 10
call the attention oil the committee To The fact thai ms
very report adc b. the white basis part o tie conlH'
tee provides II at within re years at thu i'rthcst from
Inc time oi TN" adoption OF tie constitution, shall D.
the duty of H. genera! assembly Ia fcappor"'l a.
co"dngt the p-inrp!" Of qualified voters representa-
ton hroushos the state and 4 now there any IN
equality existing, an; objection 10 TINT appotlon'
mcn these oh cctions hc removed III very snort
time b., tn" pr DIVISIONS If tbs report.
object 10 tho principle contanrd in The amendment
well as in the 'axed basis part OF the committees re-
port: direct y in conflict with every principle Of Ia
tionsl liberty ne understood in this country beeause II
j. in CONFLICT " III naI denial ot every principle con
tanned "a the 70 anv declarations Of fundamental prnrl-
pies freauva TO when Is recommended by
tb wise pat7:o swho promulccd them who sealed them
with their hoo l. and who lcit them to u.s. their de-
sccnants as he riches, and most precious inheritance
they cold betucah to those who were to CONC a'le1
them and for which they pcried life, fortune ana al
that j. dear 10 man c.rta. II Wa for these principles
and the bless: : which faithful adherence 10 them
will confer upon MI who observe them that al was
risik.l and FOR which much was sacrificed
object 10 tho amendment Is well as to The Hxe
basis part Of the rerort of the committee. because
either Moaid make tbs not republican government
MOI government t the people. but the most oai"Hs
oi all government q'esi nlonind m:st"craSy. An
ar.tnracy of talent eli arstocracy q. birth ihigns
command respect. but al arist"'racy made s sue,
because of its Wealth. minority governing rt'hs