Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-10
PROPOSITIONS FROM WESTERN COMMITTEE


lt That the House Delegates shall appoione on III.
ed basis ppo excluding the captaiiun free
ers giving to the countless &c EastV the Blue Ku:c
That the appori,ncd according TO the rlaI,ci
giving TO the w division majority
That The Houses Of III. General Assembly ~ ap
mSn%ss according t" the number Of the Qualified 0srs Of The
3D. The same as the preceding except maaaory
rnr %a iT the sess .ss!s DI n f year r., @
on to the qualified STATE whether the same plan S
s shall nall be be shs.
81 So to modify the hs proposition submitted BY
'6 members appoHoned according the quaho
nate oi 0 members upon taxation
Saesa majority OF Ii to the in Senate maor o. II
appcronea according qualified voters 'O 's -
3h That both "gse be appolond on tho mixed basis
continue unt the 1907 when each House shall
ac@e9'dios Go TO The nunbero the qualified vo;crs
The above Propositions successfully made according e
ofaer Ia which they are here gigen and were each b.
declaration the Western Committee,
.sf a and on the part OF hos" for whom they acted " une
any and every proper nitation upo The Legislative r-e
Aaoh anu appropriations and The protection and security oi pro
Resolved That committee Of i've be appointed inform thu
eastern meeting that this meeting has unanimously approved ard
adopted the report their committee OF comDromse M conr
ufer requested with committee the oi the eastern
meetnsi and To INFORM that mreng through its that h
s recognize reapporonns" On he su
the decision OF the qualified voters at the polls
hope you will examine these several propositions OF
promise, coming they did from committees composed o!
has been adopted by the Convention 1t will be observed
that each proposition of the members accompa
MED with The explicit declaration Of the committee OF the
e readiness on their part und on The part of those for whom
hey acted 10 unite in any and every proper limitation upon
the Legislative power In regard and appropun
and The protection and security property left the
ing before the propositions reported and
ledge that was little surprised when first saw hen
and then became satisfied that compromise inevitable
and not until then.
Soon after the Convention the morning OF the l2h
Mr. Martin OF Henry moved that committee OF eight
bers be appoined-four from the Fast and four the
Wes-o take into consideration and rep" the Cunven
ion, fair and proper adjustment Of the principle OF
sentaton in both Houses OF the General Assembly After
some immaefial amendments the motion prevailed, by tho
large Of ~ ayes 81 nays The committee
appointed by prd vote At night the Eastern mem
brrs held meeting and adopted resolution pIrdging
selves vote down oil amendments until they could get such
Compromise os would be acceptable to the East Marx
the language, fellow citizens, Compromise a tai The
East nov aimed at having given up the mixed basis In des
pair.
On the l4th Mr. Martin Chairman of the compromise
committee presented its report providing in substance that
the House Of Delegates be npporioned give The
the West ID majority in the House of Delegates and The
Senate give the East 10 majority and that in 1865,
the Legislature could not agree upon IN apporonnent
should submit the question Of the basis OF representation
the qualified electors of the State. On the day, The
vote taken 10 committee of the whole striking
mixed basis report A, with the view Of inserting the
mise report voted in the negative and thereby defeated the
motion strike out-becarse had some faint hope clt that
proposition might still be adopted. In this however wns
soon dsapponted-for motion 10 strike out was soon
niade and carried l, Of co.rsc voting against it,
That night Eastern delegation held another meeting
which of the Members declared that he had only
voted the will of his constituents, but his will carry
the mixed basisbu, he satisfied II could n"
pass would therefore be bound by the acon o that
meeting-a compromise ineritatc and he be let
free best he could The meeting then
scnded the resolution adopted at former meeting leaving
the members free their judgments might dictate.
At this stage Of the proceedings left but have since learn
ed that the meeting determined 10 support the compT"isc
which subsequently, offered by Mr. Scott OF Fanquer
and which provides for House of Delegates the suffrage
basis and Senate taxation, with renpportlonnen on
the principles in 1862 and the 10Th year thereafter
the Legislature could agree upon appoonmeni the
competing plans of the houses TO be submitted 10 The
Such fellow citizens was the attitude in which the bae.
question stood before the Convention the 10th MAY The
mixed basis for which had uniformly voted was dead
eectuay dead given and abandoned by in n't
ing assembed-by the distinguished member from Fa!
Quer Mr. Scott. In this emergency what ought 10 have
done2 Should still have persisted in adherng 10 the nm
miga,ed mixed basis at the hazard Of breaking up the Con
venon and thereby defeating all the impornn reforms 20
anSousy desired by The people, when was "b"ion. 'r
mixed basis could pass? This cannot believe What,
them could do but support the best compromise that was
in my power TO obtain? felt il duty pursue This
course, and believe you would have done the sane had
you been here in my place Already since the adoption %
the compromise has important progress been manc IN
committee Of the whole towards REFORM II has been deter
mined that the Legislature hereafter shall meet only once in
years. and its sessions limited TO ninety days ac-c
important provisions and will save The State annually an
expenditure of at least $4,000. clearly % The
opinion that oil nearly all the important reforms wi! be
umphantly carried through the Convention
preferred the Compromise reported by Tie committee oi
eight only because it from committee I" genie"
chosen ny the members OF the CcnVeniio r's''es
and possessing have every to believe the cont
dencc majority of the body, but because believe 10
be safer and for the East. Mr. Scotts compromise
provided for re-apporonmen ia 1862 the effect "i which,
according the best data can command would De toin
the Western majority 10 81 in the House OF Delegate"
and decrease the Eastern majority the Senate about
whereas the committees pan for which finally voted S.
cures The East orty OF ten in the Senate Tor - years
and prevents the Western majority of ID in the loutc o
Delegates from creasng during the perod-or il The
question of representation be submitted 10 the people in
Iar session Of the Legislature in 1863 In other respects
both plans idenical-Before the final vote in Commits
tee Of the Whole the Compromise was tasen Mr. Innney
Loudoun asked that the Committee rise in order 10 cna
BILE him Offer the following day, pan OF c1mprDnise
which he thought would be acceptable 10 the East
at once rose in my place and stated that won cccEGy
support the motion rse my object 10 get tie
possible compromise for my constituents The Com
mee however refused TO rise and Mr. Junney has not Yet
signifed what his proposition was
In conclusion fellow citizens have only say that h1vo
honestly fulfilled all the promises and pledges made 10 you
while candidate for your surages. l have faithfully il
red TO carry out your views and wishes If in voting under
circumstances so unexpected for the compromise which ma
been adopted failed 10 reflect your will desire 70 kh"
The act-fpr undertake. OF my own free "I ana
accord 10 disturb the adjustment which has been made :"
our disrac.ing sectional difficulties cannot take the re
sility Of opening afresh this unfortunate o
80 much strife and discord in beloved old Common
wealth. which has so long tended 10 aenae ana eslrahg @
each other brethren Of the same State endearcd u
hv an mn nv hallowed ecoections-a origin com,
mon feeling and trust a common destiny Any nstruc-
tons however coming from majority oi thosc nave e
honor in part, represent WIN chee!iuy oney, De ,s
with yours frlIowcitizcn Every thing that hay: is IN
your midst In word my destiny is nseparaby in'erwo-
ven with yours-they and he same Tor "eo or "pe
Rn e NV individual preferences or convictions be what
they may shall raise my feeble voice In the Con'en
ion against the known will of majority of my constituents
| 1t is your province to command-nine TO obey.
Respectfully, your ob't serr'S ,,ru,p
RICHMOND, May 20, 1851.
RICHMOND MARKETS,
SATURDAY EvESlso JrSE !. ISL
! TOgACCO.-The inspections for the week have be"a