Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-05-30
REMARKS OF MR.. sTANARD.

OnWe hep0Tl o. lhe COMMITTEE OF L19ht common
ly called The Compromise.
In CONVENTION, WEDNESDAY, May 2lst, 1851.
coNcLUDED.]
Why, sir, you talk about this scheme as pro-
lection to property do not mean to 90 into
discussion upon this subject. have had occasion
at another time to make some remarks on the
constitution of this Senate, and do not intend TO
repeat them here. | will only observe that with
white basis House of Delegates and white basis
Executive, a Senate with an arbitrary majority of
ten, Ito be reduced. it may be, by an arbitrary APP
portlonment, which shall give some two or moro
white basis districts East of the Blue Rdge-ts
six or less than six)-would seem likely to afford
but slender protection to property or anything else.
And even surprising the East to get the full ma
jority of ten, it would require change of but six
votes to reach any result, and is change of six
votes SO difficult matter? Let the experience of
this Convention answer that question. Sir, we
started in this body with a majority of nine, and
where are we now? But, as | said, | do not
mean to 60 into any discussion of this question
my sole object at this time is TO beg the attention
of the Convention, for few moments, while
bring to their notice the opinions, upon this very
subject, of one whose political sagacty no man will
question; refer to the opinions of John Randolph
under similar circumstances, when similar pro-
position to this was under consideration in the
Convention of '29, 80. 1t was then proposed to
organise the House of Delegates upon the white
population, and the Senate on federal numbers
That scheme say was proposed at that time. 1t
was one of the last propositions of Compromise
offered by Western gentlemen in the Convention
of 90. And how was that proposition, which
was certainly far better for the East than this re-
port of the Committee of Eight, can be pretended
to below, l say was this proposition met by
that man who stood confessedly in the front rank
of those who in that Convention, were regarded
as the especial champions of the principle of pro-
lection to property?
will tell you how-it was met by him with
the declaration, that he should prefer The aohiie
basis an both Houses, and should rote for IT.
Here are the reasons he assigned for his course.
| commend them to the special attention of
those gentlemen who talk about this Senate as a
protection to property.
"He would add one word, tsad Mr. Randolph3 as to
the ultimafum for which the gentleman commended
viz: the basis of white population, exclusively in one
branch of the Legislature and the Federal number in
the other. He declared with sincerity, which his
vote would be found to vouch for that if the gentle
man should succeed in imposing on them the hard and
stern condition OF submitting to so ntolerable yoke
in the lower House, he would yield to him the same
principle in the other, and let both branches be based on
the white population alone He Should do go by pre-
white basis, to the Manchoean plan, of good and an
evil principle, in which, in the Manichoeap system
the evil principle was the stronger and was always in
the end sure to prevail. To adopt such plan cond be
doing nothing but sowing the seeds OF nterminable
disco which must lead to consequences hat all could
He would vote with the gentleman so soon as he
should have vanquished them. He would then go for
the whole of what he commended for, by prefsrence-
He would sooner throw himself upon the generosity.
he might almost say, the charity of the West, than
take isllacious secnrity-not the Bakan--but
mound OF sand-something with which to cheat his
constituents, crying to them peace, peace when there
was no peace, and never could be any.
From the days Of Aristotle till that day. no such
government had ever been heard of-it was monster
Two branches OF the Legislature representing the same
people, elected by the same voters to manage the same
rests, to be ped against each other like two game
cocks TO tear and wound each other till one or the
other should be. forced to submt that the gov
eminent proposed for Virginia, tor all time to come
government ofnumbes in opposition to property was
Jacobnism, rank Jacobnism, he about to say pure
jacobrlsm-but nothing pure, nothing defeated could
belong the thing 1t to be an arraymg otnumbers
aganst property and then they would soon hear the
old cry peace 10 the cottage war TO the palace" and
when the Convention should have established this
Jacobnlca Pile, 1t was not lew despsed no.
bles-not few hated prests-odious at once for their
hypocrisy and their rapacty-no, it was the BODY of
treeholders, the substantial yeomanry OF the Common
wealth. into whose mouth they to put that bridle
and into whose nose they would put that hook But
they never could do it by him and his friends thew
never should do it. they ought not-they could not
consent to it. And he had said once before. TO
make The attempt would only be to sound the trumpet
OF civil war. 1t might at iirst be weaponless war
fare, war OF words but il would pour into the Gun of
existence an nmosity so deep and deadly; it would
fix in the bosoms OF the injured wound so ranking
and rsmedess, that nothing short ofthe peanary pow
er OF the Federal Government would be able TO keen
Virginia together
have read this extract for the especial benefit
of those gentlemen who talk about this Senate as
o protection to property, and for the purpose of
bringing to the notice of the Convention and the
country, in the peculiar and striking language of
that remarkable man, the views entertained and
expressed by him more than twenty wears aoo.
with respect to u scheme which differs from
that now under CO consideration in those particulars
and in this particular only, in which it was more
favourable to the East. On another occasion.
Mr.. Randolph, speaking of representation in the
House ofDelegates, thus expresses himself:
eve will not give up this question for the certainty,
and tar less Tor he hope that the evil will he rectifed
In the other branch OF the Legislature. We know,
everybody knows, that it is impossible Wby. sir. the
British House OF Peers, which contains four hundred
It is true than when Chatham sa id thew were but as
drop IN the ocean compared with the wealth of the
Commons they, holding their seats for lie and re-
ceivlng and transmitting them by hered airy descent
have never been able to resist the House OF Commons
IN any measure on which that house choose to insist do
you believe that twenty-tour gentlemen up stairs can
resist one hundred ana twenty below especially when
the one hundred and twenty represent their own dis
trics, and are TO go home with them to their common
constituents Sir, the case has never yet happened
believe, when Senator has been able to resist the
united delegation from his district in the lower House"
have felt ii my duty TO bring these matters to thu at
tention OF the convention, and through the convention
ofthe country, in order that the people, and especially
the people OF Eastern Virginia, may see and know
what has been the course pursued by their deee on
thus floor wish the country TO what were the pro-
positions that the Eastern committee were prepared to
submit, what were the propositions that Western gen.
ton that is now, by the means, in the manner under
the circumstances, and through the influences to which
have advered, about to be inserted in the constitution
OF these proceedings before u.s. is it, ask at all sur
prlsing, that when This report Of the committee of eight
was hrs presented to the consideration OF this body it
those OF the three Eastern members of The committee
that reported l Yes sir, out OF SO Eastern members on
this floor, 1t could command but the single vote of the
member from WILLIAMSBURG (Mr Rnuden\ AnJ -.