Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-13

NIL, nrc en,cra aimed and cherished us the apple Of the
eye Inv every white mal woman and child III that Por
ton Of Virginia They hold these opinions to be osru
unon nrncnes which are immutabe, and therefore are
npt fl h.. COMPROMISED They have deliberately placed
Themselves upon the platform which they have thus lad
down and whatever Their destiny may be, whether they
NAV he permtted to remain in this good old common
olth dr whether they shall be cast off amongst the
rt If mankind rs stated in of the city papers yes
tcrJav th.y will battle for their principles And until
tbay shn have obtained their rights they will remain
clanorous and dscontenteI people and IN their npl
ion. degraded people. will say for myself and feel
authorized TO say COR my colleague, that recognize
tho rht If instruction and the duty of the representa-
,;v, 70 obey The sentiments therefore embodied in
these resolution. adopted By constituents, prescribe
the course which their representatives will feel bound II
don in case the emergency should arise which there
contemplated
The SECRETARY then read the proceedings as follows
HARgsoSvILLE RIrcuE CorxrY. Va,
.iprH Sh. ISL.
Pursuant to previous notice, large portion Of III. cit
zc,s of Richmond county assembled at tie Court house
on the sth ay OF April 1851, being court lav to take
into consideration the basis Of Representations pend
inc before the State Reform Convention. Isaiah Wells
ESD. was called to the chair aud Col Philip Cox Jr
was appoint ed secretary.
On motion of Lewis a. Phelps, j. T. Blair was Gale,
ON to explain the object of the meeting Whereupon Mr
Blair arose and explained the object OF the meeting and
in his usual mild eloquent but force.ble manner urged
the meeting VIC vi
action OH the present occasion.
On motiol, Of H. S. Jones, ESD,
Resoircd That committee Of five be appointed y the
chair to draft aud report resolutions far the action
the meeting.
The chairman thereupou appointed as such commit,
tee Col Philip Cox, Jr H. 5. Jones Esq. }. B. Blair
Esq A. $ Core, Esq, and James MalYin, Esq.
On motion Of II. s. Jones. Esq.
RcsolreL That when the meeting adjourn it adjourn
to meet Tomorrow, al O'clock p NJ
The meelin. was then addressed by c. Hall, Esq.
Rev. james Wood L. y Phelps, and others.
Then, uu motion, the meeting adjourned
april 9TH 1851 | o'ciock, p W.
The meeting met pursuant to the adjournmcltof YES
tcrday.
The committee thereupon reported the following pre-
amb.c and resolutions
On motion of Eli Riddle Esq., the preamble was uuan
imouSly adopted
On motion of j. B. Blair, Esq, the vote OH each and
every resolution WAS taken separately.
PGEaMBLE-Whercas it is IN acknowledged principle
in all free and enlightened communities that Just gov.
ernmcut is the offspring and creation of the moral aud
ntcec tual nature Gilman that the people the
of all legitimate authority and power and that govern
cnt derives its authority and power only from the
sent of the governed those who are be bound bv
it laws; that it cannot D: thrust upon people with
out tier consent il is matter Of public and general
concern it flows from general want; affects the gene
raj happiness and all are alike concerned in its just aap
tation to the wants and veal of the community And
when it fails to advance the interest and secure the
equality andhappnes of those living under its influence
its authority ceases and those concerned have right
to throw off their allegiance and to organize gov
eminent i'll harmony with human nature and subservicnt
to human wants And whereas the good people of Eir
gina, in accordance with fundamental trnth,
now engaged by and through their delegates assembled
in Richmond, in rcmodclling the organic law of the
State and believing do. that any portion of the
people, however small have ualicnablc right 10 pub
icy express their opinions all questions affecting
the general welfare, thereby atioring rule OF action
for those who fill the high and responsible station OF re.
preventative, agent Of their will Therefore
!. Reso'.d That the charter Of mans rights and lib
critics is stamped upo his nature by the Sovereign Of
the universe and to this great charter
render the ri .t Of appeal without being traitor him
self aud to the Creators laws.
). Rsoud, That it is the fundamental right Of man
rs member Of civil society, to adapt government 10 the
constitution of his nature which require that the law;
shall be general in their scope and application and equal
and impartial to all.
RcSolcc That Representative. government 10 be free
and equal must derive its authority from the consent OF
the governed with equal Representations based upon
the numbers of free white persons within its limits and
not upon property or things
l. Resolved That the claim set up BIZ portion of the
people Of this commonwealth 10 the right to establish
the basis of representation upon property instead Of the
number Of free white inhabitants high handed
patton Of The rights Of thc people ityrauica! exercise
opowcr, and IN insult to the common Of the
! D. Rcso'rsd That of the reforms proposed
in the organic law of Virginia, the right Of representa-
tion on the free white basis PARAMOUNT TO every other
and not To he modified, compromised enerel,
AMI delegates III convention hereby instructed t"
conccde nothing this question, il being not Of ex
! pedieucy, bnt of clear natural right.
! 4. Resoircd That delegates further instructed
that i'll the event OF their inability to succeed i'll having
the apporiionmcnt OF representation the free white
basis established i'll the constitution that they then pro-
po'. to the Convention two plans of representation the
one founded on the mixed taxation and population
combined the other on the free white population alone
both Of which shall be submitted to nf III" people
and the ority of whom shall decide, which provision
shall be portion Of the constitution and should
ority of the Convention refuse to establish either of those
propositions, delegates requested to vacate their
seats aud return home.
7. Resoired That rs citizens of Virginia in view Of
her former history, and the noble lead she has taken in
all that great and glorious in our revolution,
have felt proud to be called Frgnians, and hail with
joy and deli ht the day when an enlightened policy
shall pervade her counscs, and all cause nt dcor be-
tween the and west. the north and south. be
moved BY the extension Of equal political rights to
rs part of the commonwealth,
s. Resolrcd That citizens of great and noble State
wewill chccrfully sanction constitution that will give
the strongest pnsbc guarantee to every species Of prop
erty, but view with emotions Of Indignation and
the infamous and detcstabe attempts of the cast
to place the free white of the west equality
with the slaves and money Of the east in point of rep
resetation, and pledge ourselves to resist the last
extremity all such unwarranable usurpation of our
dcarcs! rights.
g. Resoired That the Hon. Henry A. Wise and other
eastern members of the Convention. who have ably
and zeaolsly defended the rights of the people deserve
and we hereby tender to them the thanks OF this meet
ing. with the assurance that they entitled to the
gratitude of every patriotic Virginia heart.
To- Resored That the proceedings of this meeting be
signed by the officers thereof and 4 copy be forwarded
to our delegates in Richmond and the papers of that ci
ty and those in western Virginia BE- requested to pub
lish the same.
The foregoing resolutions being voted separately
were all unanimously adopted with the exception of
the Sth upon which there only in OPPOSE
ton. ISAIAH WELLS, Chairman.
PHILIP Cox, Jrr Secretary.
Mr. JOHNSON. move that the communication Just
read be lai, on the table
The motion was ayr ed to-
CONSOLIDATION OF THE COUNTIES WARWICK. YORK, &c
Mr. FlAAEl. present the petition of one hundred
aud 'ry-i"ur citizens of the county of Elizabeth City
protesting against the consolidation of the counties of
Elizabeth City, Warwick and York send it to the Sec
retarys desk, and ask it to be read
The petition read rs follows:
We the undersigned citizens and voters of Elizabeth
City county having heard through our representatives
III the Reform Convention now sitting in the city of