Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-06-16


u The following confession, which |
we find III the tWytheville) Republican,
win strike with surpdrizc. those who have
observed the unanimity with which the
delegates from fhat section have co-opera-
ted with the extreme Western members.
in their pcrtinacious and unyiclding efforts.
even to the extent Of menaces. to fastcn the
white basis upon the state. Under the head
Of promiscuous reflections upon the con
vention that Journal says:
But soon a light sprung up. TINT Gust fatai
glare in tho eyes Of Western democrats. new
idol was set up; and they all fell down and wor-
shipped il. A Basis for representation in the two
Houses Of the General Assembly was spoken Of, and
at that became the Aprons rod Of tho conycn-
ton, swallowing up all other questions. Basis Of
representation. who in this section ever heard Of
tho basisi Which Of our candidates ever brcathed
bass while canvassing the District How many Of
our people knew or cared What basis meant They
neither knew or cared. All they desired was Ger
tain rcforms-such us the extension ofthc right Of
suffrage, the election of officers by tho people, re-
| forms in the Judiciary, &c, &C."
The Rockingham Republican, published
in the heart Of the "Valley," furnishes a
still less eqmvocal proof, that the delegates
IN Convention from that quarter, have, in
their Incorporate zeal, transccndcd the
| wishes of their constituents-and satisfies
us, II we could fora moment have doubted
it, that those who threatened the division Of
the State, and those who allowed them
selves to be inundated by such threats
are not, and viii not be sustained by their
constituents, of either section. "As to the
true principles upon which government
shouldbe based, (says thatintclligent Jour
nal) we had supposed they had been set
tied and understood by every one in the
country so clearly as to admit ofbut little
fany difference Of opinion. But it seems
we were entirely deceived in our opinion,
and that the principles established by our
American revolution, which cost seven
years war, were erroneous after ALL
Representation and taxation were the prin.
ciples for which our Fathers and tho Goun-
ders our government fought and bled
and died. But all that appears now to
have been in vain, for 1t has been discover
ed by the "wise men of the ITcsf," not of
the East, that the principles arc false, and
that So far from representation and taxa
ton being the true principles Of govern
mcnt, the only true principle is found in a
bare majority numbers without regard
to circumstances, other than those ofresi-
dence, age, color, and ser. We should
really be glad TO know by what process oi
reasoning the conclusion has been reached
that residence, age, color, or sex, is any
more entitled to consideration as basis oil
government than property The reader
will remember, that the fisht Of suffrage
is to rest upon residence, age, color and
sex, and the basis to be in the qualified sui
fragc. Now, if these qualifications be ne
cessary, whynot add one more, that o
property, which in our opinion, is as impor
tant as residence, age, color. or scxl
The suffrage basis men often say with
much triumph of manncr,thatifproperiy OIL
a tax of any kind be required to constitut,
a right to vote, then the property or tas
votes and not the man. To all such W,
would reply, that if residence, age, color
or sex be necessary to give the right tc
vote, then, some one, or all of these quail
fications votes and not the man. II we
had time to extend the argument, il would
not be difficult to prove the absurdry o
such reasoning, but we have not and mus
leave it at this point"