Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-13

of the legislative power Of the government 1t is the
interest it is their right, it is their position that
here to advocate and defend.
Il Gentlemen OIL the other side have said that We ha,
no right to complain of the past administration OF tt
. government. One Of the gentlemen from Rlchmon
CITY Mr. Scorr) and the gentlemen from Albe.nar
Mr SorTnALL alluded to the remarks Of some westsl
gentleman upon this floor in reference to the past pol
lev of the State as placing this old Commonwealth
ours upon her trial on Indictment for high crimes an
! misderneanors Well does it not become a statesma
when he is called upon to aid in the formation OF
constitution for the future government OF the Common
wealth and when those who have possessed the powe
lin times past claim to retain it, although they al
lin q minority of the people of the State, to loo
to the past policy of this governmental majorlt.
l do not wish to put this old mother OF ours upon ne
trial The worthy gentleman from Richmond city Sal
that 1t WAS cruel in the extreme make these charge
and why so7 as stated bcfore examination Int
the past policy of the State is forced upon LII, an
whilst do not feel authorized to enter noHs proseqi
TO any Indictment charge that may have been pre-
: sented against this commonwealth yet oecuPyin
the position that do upon this floor, Am Bound
look into them and lift will suit tie gentlemen on tn
other side and especially my worthy friend from Rich
mond city lMr. ScoTr) better, let this examination b
regarded information in the nature of quo ,car
ranto.
r Dir. G. here gave way for motion that the commit
tee RISE which agreed to.
I Mr.. CAMDEN. On the rising Of the Committee yes
terday was looking into tho pas: policy of thu
! governmental majority having tho control over tn
legislative department Of the State with view to Sc
if this claim set up by that party to retain that power
Justified By the policy pursued by Heretofore: lstaet
on yesterday the melancholy fact, that with all he
natural advantages Virginia once At tho head of he
sisters in property, numbers and wealth now occupies
the position of the fourth State in the Union and in
very short time must unless tho policy Of the State Ii
changed take much lower position i'll the confeder
Iacy. take the ground that the natural advantages
possessed by this great wealth, by judcioui
administration Of her government would have main
tanned her in the position that she had at the formation
of the Union.
! Now what has this governmental majority done for
the internal prosperity and development of the natural
advantages Of the State We hear much complaint
with regard to the appropriations made for internal i'm.
provenents. But what has this policy effected espe.
ciay in Eastern Virginia If after appropriation and
expenditure there OF upwards Of Se0O00O0 IN works OF
internal improvement, the tendency to decline
is SEEM it must be caused by nudcious State policy
and there is IN evident want Of beraty in that policy
And wha. has the government done to improve the men,
tai and energies of the peopei While pur-
suing imperfect and policy something has
been done for the higher and something for the lower
classes of society but the great capital the great staple
of the commonwealth-the maases-the energetic and
entsrprising portion Of the people have been left to
struggle best they could and left TO their own
energies.
1t is the first duty Of republican government to
provide for the education of the whole people of the
commonwealth not that government should do every.
thing but that by udicious exercise OF legislative
hority we'll regulated system Of education should be
adopted by which tn. mind Of the commonwealth may
be developed When, sir cast my eyes over this wide
commonwealth and LOOK at its past and present policy
nothing to commend it to nay consideration for
retention Of tho power now claimed by this govern
mental majority and wish to examine for a moment
Mr. Chairman. and whether this policy, the policy
heretofore pursued by those possessing the political pow
OF The State has been such promote liberal repub
lcan principles. have come to the conclusion that
that policy has tended to different result although it
has been constantly opposed by the west and ss evi
ucnce of it will call your attention to the vote taken
in the House of Delegates upon bill to organize the
Convention of lS29-3O 1t was then proposed to ex,
tend bcraty to that large portion of the people
of the commonwealth that had so long been deprived OF
the right of suffrage that right being at the time
confined Ia reeholders 1t proposed that all per-
sons OF twentv-one of age being residents, etc.
should be permitted to vote for members Of the con-
vention, but defeated The vote upon that ques
ton WAS ayes 81, nays III The entire western vote
being in favor Of the proposition intended
nroad upon the arisocratc freehold suffrage and was
voted down and resisted by this governmental majority
But look please al the proceedings OF the last Con
rention. Why now told that this great COM
monwealt is to De radically reform ed in nil of it's de-
parmens except upon the question Of the basis OF rep
resentati", VII; is this So ask Why is il that
this governmental majority ID disposed to yield to the
demands of the people except upon this one question,
the reform OF which is also demanded by lnsge ma
jory Of the people? hesitate not to say that but for
the determined rt Of the west her constant and ener
getic efforts for reformand to establish liberal prncpes,
very different state of feeling would now prevail in this
| body do not mean that the members Of this body
would entertain different views from those which they
now entertain but tell you that gentlemen entertain
ing different feelings and views from those
pyng seats here from the eastern portion Of the State
would be here in their stead AS stated before un-
til the Convention of S2930 the right of suffrage
confined the frccloders of the State. The committee
in the Convention having charge of the subject reported
provision that WAS cigrafted into the constitution,
extending the right Of suffrage to certain other ndvd
ua heads Of families, Gc.
/ Now, wish to call the attention of the Committee
to the fact that effort made by eastern members
of tho Convention this governmental majority party to
deprive that class of citizens of that poor boon Every
strike ont given by eastern members. Here
| is the record; let me read it:
! "Mr. Garnctts amendment, submitted yesterday.
which proposes to amend the twelfth section of the
amended constitution by strkngo the following clause
to wit: Aud every citizen who for twelve months
next preceding has been q housekeeper and head OF
ton d5ric where lie may offer to vote, and shall have
been assessed with part Of the of the
monwepIth within the preceding year and actually paid
the same, was taken up by the House. and the ques.
ton being put was determined in the negative-aycs
40, noes SIS.
'.On motion of Mr.. Garrett ordered that the yeas
and nays on the question be inserted in the Journal
The names of the gentlemen who voted in the afrma
tive
Messrs. r p Barbour, ('residsnt,) John ". Jones
Benjamin ". Leigh, Samuel Taylor, VIM. B. Giles wm
H. Brodnux, George G. Dromgooe, Mark Alexander
William O. Cioode John Marshall John TYLER, Phlp
n Nicholas, John Mason james Trezrant, Augustine
Claiborne, John Unguhart. John Randolph, William
Leigh, Richard Logan Richard N. Venible, Robert
Starard, Walter Holladay Vim. H. Fitzhugh, John
Roana VIM. P. Taylor, Richard Morris James ~ Gar.
nett John s. Barbour, John Scott, John W. Green
Thomas Marshall, Litteton W. Tazewel, George 10y
all, Joseph Prentiss Hugh B. Grigsby. Samuel Branch
Flemming Bates Augustine Neal Alexander F. Rose
John Coatcr-40."
The member from Richmond, Mr. SrAsARD, the othe,
day stated the Committee that although young he
witnessed the proceedings Of the Convention Of 1929
80 with considerable interest, and that certain re-
marks OF John Randol. h. Of Roanoke made deep AMI
lasting impression upon his mind. wish to call tn,
attention of the Committee to the remarks of Mr. Ran