Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-07


born zeal for the principle OF equality which animate
ny constituents. and will add. it is no selfish feen:
that prompts them 10 demand for themselves and thn
brethren OF The West II equal participation in the gov
crnmeut Of the Commonwealth. The district from
which came contains white population OF "a 800
slave population Of 96l1 and pays annually into tn
treasury S2l sos. My constituents seeker, al
ter power thcy are no mcndcan, praying for .
higher rank in the s.erhood Of counties. Whatever b,
the decision of this question: their political power yil
not be diminished. May not be justly proud OF III.
position am permitted TO occupy rs the representa-
tive of people Astounding in all the elements OF pros
perity, and conendig for great principle with in
terest 10 be- promoted by the result; Tie gentleman
from Faululer (hir. ScoTT) has yentlred 10 declare
that il the suffrage basis be adopted, the door noa
closed against the pIunderers Of property will be
thrown wide open-lhat the people of the Yves. are
struggling for the purse strings and not for principle
and tina; the camors of the West for equal representa-
ion 'eN his patience. Should property he assli.ci
" the pundcrers will never from the Augusta
district The people o. that community have interest,
too vast 1t stake To tolerate threat against the IN
stlt'io OF property much less to become its plumber
ers they have purses too capacios and well-lled To
be found clutchGs a. these OF their neigbors but in
respect ID the principle of equal Representations their
Cncca>iEs c!anor, must continue % the gentleman
from Fauquicr. have said that the devotion OF my
constituents 10 this principle is Newborn feeling,
called into active energy b. appeals 10 their selflntrr-
est. IF the scales of the heariless calculator II
be suspended and mems interest estimated by the stand
ard of dollars and cents were ~ he coldy weighed, il
might Jc found that interests would bear down our
princ pie. The time has been when the people 81 iu
G.ta "ere urged 10 espolise the doctrines Of The gen
tlcman from flalucr and We're told that il their
intercs; to do Gould you have witnessed the
ncr in which that appeal was met, and however ably
pressed Indignantly rejected, you would be satisfied
that il were vain 10 the attempt to perycr their
principles in order 10 promote their interest. Thcy
believe from the heart and with the understanding t
IL.
should he equal and their faith in these doctrine,
strengthened by the memories Of the past. They
member well the events which occurred twenty-five
years ago--how they, in common with the people in the
valley and the Piedmont district sroanca being hca'
~ burdeEed by the oppression of unequal representation
-ho" cordially the trans Allegheny district co-opcra-
ted with them 10 secure political equality, though AT
the time to its own detriment. need not remind YOU
that the Valley and the Piedmont district gained whilst
the Al!cshany lost political power in the Conyrn
ton Of 1890 Ilost il under and arbiirary y
parliamentary constitutional provision which like
it laws o! the Modes and Pcrsiars. change not .r.
poppRoot. with prophetic eye. forcsaw that The tim.
nigh. come when the Valley and the Piedmont woa!
cast oil their faithful associates and turn their backs mp
on them. Awcd, as il were BY this approximations how
eoquen,ly did he appeal to the people of those dis
trcts to cherish, TO keep alive the memory OF
struggle, for great principles, and never 10 desert their
glorious STANDARD. The memory Of that appeal, whirh
twenty yeas ago answered by the Valley and the
the people of my disric-s e"i.oes t lngcr in or
beautiful rallcy. ard I'm her" ~ redeem the pigh;cd
faith Of days gone byte declare the cpinions-o
advocate now the principles dear TO the hcar!s 50
cordially approved by the Judgment, III people
twenty years ago. do indeed take pride in their posi-
tionfce proud Of their consistency, and honorcd by
their confidence. And Loudoun-who, if / mistake
not in 1875, called her sister counties into convention
1t Sauntoa-who, al least, united in the great irro-
Of that convention which were tn secure thorough
nSf rcsD IN ttrlp erll
epresentation-nobic old Louloun. have the impress
sion. the principles of the past been ciaccd from her
mind BY the progress of time or by change Of crcn-
stances: No, believe not ard would fain hope
that her voice, always the side of liberty and equal
lily, may set be heard this floor without one dscoy,
ant tone. And is it-can it be. that aonlalle. Mel
son, Amherst Bedford Campbell and other counties in
the East once keeny alive to tie eloquent appeal Of the
orator of i'e West arc prepared TO turn deaf
to the cry for Justice once uttered by themselves, sim
ply because their cry has been answered, and they
Content
The gentleman from 'Fauluer (AIr. ScorI) has de- !
nominated the proposition advocate new and en-
traornary and that this eternal camor of the people
Of the West for the white basis his patience and
has declared that the mixed basis being the foundation
of the existing state of things, We mus give reasons for
a change. beg leave 10 s;ie h rapid sketch Of The
history CT representation in this Commonwealth this
history, think will establish two acts-rs that the
people of Virginia. people, have never had OPP
porunty vote upon and determine for themselves the
Just principle Of representation and second, that proper
has never been recognized ecmcntn representa-
ton excepin the Of the bill calling this convention
the prcccdents, far they co. being against such
doctrine. The colonial government was established i'll
July. 1921 Two burgesses were authorized e IN elect
ed from each town, hundred and particular plantation
BY the inhabitants afterwards they permitted to
send larger number Of hirgesses. In 49, counilcs
were formed in 1860 each county authorized to
elect two delegates and it continued, irrespective
OF the wealth Of the counties, through the revolution
and under the old constitution TO the year 1890. In !
l116 the ordinance of government was adopted-it
established under the authority of ordinary lrgisa-
tive body and was never submitted for ratification or
rejection 10 the people The circumstances were
gcnt--tc for liberty was raging-the old govern
mcnt was just thrown o-te for that act and
the principles on which freemen ought 10 erect the
structure Of government were announced in The bill Of
rights-a new government was to be o-calleu III tie
language Of Mr. Jefferson, " iur purposes OF resistance
and temporary srl:-protection and therefore the free
hold Suffrage which had been imposed on the colony
by the King of Great Britain at the point Of the bayo
net, and the county representation were permitted 20
remain a they were. II will he seen that property
representation moi thought OF in 100. There
twenty senatorial districts NAMED IN the constit,I
tion-tw:nty east and four west Of the Blue Ridge
nearly as We can judge this w's at the tlme fair
apportionmeut Of representation according 10 white
population But in 1890 each Eastern senator repre-
tented 1925 and each Western senator 81 sos white
persons in 1900 the numbers $3.50 East. and
II, 1863 West in 1910 there 1924 East ani salSl
West and in 1873 it es;ii4a,ed thu. The four
Western scralols represented twofiths of the white
population OF the State. Ihesc developments aroused
the West and they began to the Of Eastern
With their anlors for equal representation. They did
not that time complain much Of inequality III the
house of delegates, because population increased.
new counties were formed, and each new county be-
came entitled two delegates In 1915, bill was a
troced into the house Of delegates to equaze repre-
scntaton in the senate: the love OF power strong in
mans hrartso strong that his grasp Of the sccntre
always reluctantly relaxed Then a9 nor tine demand
or equal reprrs cca.iu, regarded selfish ella.
for power account of It's emoumcnts, and not as
the assertion of right to the loss of which free-n cannot
amely submit To this rcuctanee to give up the pow.
the East had boon wont WELD and TO u certain
opinion given by constitutional lawyers the bill was re-
eeted That opinion was that the constitution having
defined the limits Of the senatorial districts the general
assembly could not alter them This repuse created
profound excitement in the West and led to the great
convention ut Staunton in 1916 That Convention pre-.
erred petition to the general assembly, praying for
the call OF conventi,n 10 aquaza Representations and
fer other purposes bill was reported and passed the
hos OF delegates which provided for the call O! cnt
ventlon Tor three purposes first 10 ilsgf tie rights
OF suffrage second eyai,1e representation or the
bs-s OF te white population end third equalze the
land tax. This hill announced three grea: principles ola
free republican government viz: enlarged suffrage