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

this district There is; great an; ety on the Fart of
u the Convention well as the part of the conn,
generally, that his question should he brought to AZ
= speedy determination as possible. have upun roS
|. than occasion, announced my determination =,
. abide by the decisions made here in Richmond ,bn
other counties of the district having informally spLcn
and very imperectly spoken upon this question esna
If clay If 1t was not in opposition TO the voice of b
=. several counties composing in part the district which
d represent. Richmond constitutes majority of Il.
whole voting population of this Conventional dis,uc
In the election which took place in the month Of an.
gust last, believe the city of Richmond gave IS
VOTES more than all the remainder of the dis,rc, TO-
gether.
! Well the vote Of this city has been taken in par,
but not in full but it has been taken sufficiently to op
erato as all instruction to me. Now, if were dspos-
ed to cav complain, think might be furnished
!. with sufficient ground Tor that complaint.
! might if thought proper TO do SO, 60 behind the
record that is presented, and might complain that
the purpose OF tho meeting witch directed that vote to
BE- taken, has not been literally or fully complied with
might complain that it was designed to present
the compromise which hive offered to the City Of
Richmond rs choice question, any more than would
nave presented it to this Convention Every gentle
man in this Convention is either white biss man o.
ia mixed sis man. 1t was hardly then to have been
presumed cxccp. rs an alternative either mixed basis
man or 4 white basis man would have preferred CON-
promise matter OF choice, but as matter OF neces
,ty. So with the people Ct Richmond. They are all
uyidcd into these two classes Of White basis merS-nd
uxed basis men, and it was never dreamed OF on my
part or on the part of that meeting, that the compro
mise should b. presented as it has in very large de-
grcc. as question competing in principle either with
The mixed basis or the white basis il was orig finally
designed that there sho Id be four columns az those
polls and that mixed basis man should have express
I'd his preference the white basis but ii the SAME
time have voted that he willing or unwilling to
/, otc To adopt compromise And so with the white
basis men That is not the way it has been pre-
sented and it has been presented in a very large
ul;orly Of in tancrs, az am informed by those who
Superintendent the polls, and from my own obser-
walton in part, in this 70 m: Whist are You for,
white basis, mixed basis, or compromised :" am
for the white basis. says one "H hat you for?"
:: am for the mixed basis, says another: and when
the question has been put to them: Gentlemen, will
Won be willing to adopt Il compromise although you
prefer the mixed basis to the white, the white TO the
rrixed the vote has generally been in the affirmative,
especially of the white basis men. | was myself at
one OF the polls nj - o'clock, Yesterday, Tor mo-
nent: gentleman came in and he ". asked the ques-
ton. How do you yotc!' I" vote for the white ba-
sis said he, and left the polls Hold on, said |,
g ono moment. Are you for the white basis and utter
ly opposed to all compromise upon the question =
20, no, said he, think the question ought to be
Why don't you vote 500" :" did not
know that had right TO do so. g You have right,
said [: and he came back and voted for the compro
mise In i moment another gentleman came up
: How do you votp?" al vote for the mixed basis;
md he turned off "Are you against compromising
the question:" "No; am willing 10 Compromise
the question" "Wh, don't you vote 500" 81 did
not know had the right to vote for and he return
ed and recorded his vote for the compromise.
Now might go behind this record and say the ques-
ton had not been fairly presented if chose, but do
not choose to do it. The people # Richmond are the
best Judges of their interest," and they the best
Judges Of the mode in which they will direct me 10 vote
cloose to take the record us is and far it has
zone am free to admit between The white basis, the
mixed basis and the compromise, the mixed basis has
carried tie question. What would have been the re-
,uit in relation to compromise it s not for to say,
had il been otherwise presented.
Under these circumstances, although the polls have
not closed, yet am perfectly satisfied there is prob
lilly that the suit will BE- altered by the vote of to-
day. and feel myself constrained to do what have
pledged myself to do, to bow in humble submission to
the will Of the people. If the people of Richmond
whom am representing here, opposed to comPro-
missing this question with the west, and for forcing IN
on the country constitution that in my judgment, Will
with absolute certainty be elected bv the people, and
thereby lose the benefit of all the other reforms they
nave been 80 clmorous for and in addition 10 that sac
mine.
! havc felt it my duty this morning when this
question is now, for the first time since have ascer-
tned The result TO be presented to the consideration
Of the Con, ention to announce my purpose to carry
out the will OF the people expressed a the polls and
vote for the only proposition that had been discussed
bc re- the people discussed before this Convention
{ The proposition of the gentleman from the county of
Westmoreland being unknown to the people of Rich
mund) the only remaining question for n mixed basis
ppotIonmcnt and all that was before the Committee,
nd the only one that was before the people when they
ave this vote was the original proposition A.
And now announce my purpose to the friends Of
proposition A TO give it my support. The question
suppose will be upon striking out proposition A. and if
The same vote is adupon that that was had upon the pro-
position of the gentleman from Fauquicr (SIr. ScoTT)
my vote will change The result aud will be carried All
hat gentlemen have TO do VINO voted for the other is to
vote upon that proposition, which is the Identical one that
mas been voted upon, except that the one had the an
portonment struck out and the question will be de-
r'd"d to-day al u o'clock. have felt it my duty 10
say this much at The earliest moment
Mr.. SEl INCUR. would like to inquire of the gem
tleman who has the floor to-day, OR TAYLoR) wheth
or he can conclude his remarks by the hour fixed My
vote will be regulated very much by his answer
Mr.. TAYLOR. ] cannot say. j can only saw that
so far as am concerned it is Indifferent TO me whether
the vote be taken before after make nv remarks
Mr.. BEALE. | would move TO amend the resolution
which has been offered So as to make it read
THAT the debate upon the pending proposition be
closed so soon as the Convention shall resolve itself
into committee of the WHOLE
Mr.. ANDERSON. l accept of the modification.
The question upon the resolution modified being
then submitted to the Convention it was adopted
THE BASIS OF REPRESENTATION
The Convention then in Committee Of the Whole, (Mr.
MILLER in the Chair resumed the consideration of
the report of the Committee on the Basis and Appor
tionment of Representation.
The CHAIR stated the question to be on the PROPOSE
non of the gentleman from Westmoreland (slr BEALr
On motion by Mr. cox the bell was ordered to DO
rung to notify members of vote being taken.
Dir. BEALE. rise to inquire of the Chair, whether
! have the right to withdraw the amendment that
have offered;
The CHAIR. Certainly, with tho consent of the
Mr. BEALE. Then move that leave be granted for
me to withdraw my proposition
Mr.. CARLlLE. That being the pending proposition
at the time of the adoption OF the resolution for taking
vote, the resolution will have effect in taking vote
If that proposition be withdrawn.
The CHAIR. As the Chair understand, the resou.
ton it would have been exhausted upon the first
amendment, and the debate might then have been re.
pnal