Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-04

no interest in property you enable them to use that
power, when acquired, TO the oppression of the five
thousand who own the entire property.
Again, suppose We find this same community consist
ing of ten thousand families four thousand of whom
while they two thirds of all the property
to the whole lands, stoc a. commercial capital DC, own
in addition TO this two birds of the property common to
themselves and tie remaining six thousand distinct
species OF property species OF property in which the
six thousand faiD es have Interest," species Of
property from its character such might be made TO
bear most of the lrthens of s-ernment. The arises
the necessity Tor inequality your representation
then the ty of protecting the organization Of
your government this four thousand owning this pecu
liar property r the aggressive action of the six thou
sand owning interest in that property Restrictions
upon suffrage designed to protect capital from labor
inequality o. representation to balance and harmonic
the conf ictng interests IN property itself But Just IN
this tsn it to me- that it has been said that
the all gsaorc principle of taxation would afford this
pere c. protection to that peculiar kind of property
viii Oh lay b. owned in the case have supposed by the
TO IT Thousand; and wa: is this dd raiorcm principle
What it but an item in the proposition insisted upon by
gentle men from the valley region tho system of parch
iment guaranties-aye, parchment suaranies-ior when
ever GU place the political power i'll the hands OF the six
thousand men, whose interests will teactlem to plumber
through the action of their government the four thou
sand YOU place in their hands at the time the
rover to alter this organic law, whichever the object to
be accomplished shall lie sufficiently tempting to induce
them to desire it.
But wish To call the attention Of the committee for
moment to the practical operation of this grca. prn
cple of political equality, which the gentlemen prorss
to emboiy in their organization Of the legislative de-
partment of this government Let progress
in the accomplishment of the great end of their prnc
pie practical equality in political weight Of each suilra
gan they have achieved by the scheme subnitte for
our considerations The re;nrt Statement ~ before
declares that the qualification necessary confer the
right of suffrage shall be uniform throughout the Com
aonw ea that in ali elections Of senator's md dele
gates the qualification shall confer the right
of suffrage: and the suffrage of Allied voter shall
avail as much that of another qualified voter wla.
ever NAV be the difference in vaae Of the propert
owned by them respectively This idea Of perfect poll
ca equality is the great principle for which gentle
men from the west contendiny. And what is the
result OF this their principle when forced in api-
cation the existing State oi things in thi Common
veathi We shall find that it actually ,;i-li:,ucl.es
aye DISTINGUISHES number Of her citizens scarcely less
aye much larger than the bclsed majority OF the west
trust may be allowed to say, without violation Of
Gel Of that subcommittee whose peculiar duty il was 20
apply this great principle OF white population q. the
basis Of representation practically to the State was
an eve witness to the entire operation from the first
electoral district which selected to the last be-
ieyc ii is not competent for amy man, et Of men, 10
apply this basis the counties of the STATE without
producing results equally Objectionable rs those d.
closed IN this table OF apportionncnt which cconpen-
equality of voters in political power las the ,niacl,
brought its advocates Norfolk city, with population
Of zoos white inhabitants, witt; taxation of $l2 JoG
has vote III the house Of delegates, while Morgan
county with population OF S4S and taxation Of 1912
has equally with Norfolk vote IL that same house
Is this fine exemp:iiication OF yonr equality of
weight in suifra.e By what legerdenan can You prove
to me- to your constituency, that upon your principle
these 3,43l white inhabitants shall have one dnegate
gE:.e e0GS equally white with Themselves shal be crt
RI al tlaps hero,
tered Tie entire State where similar inequalities
exist Chesterfield cou:tr with S.t;i white nliahiiani.
aas delegate while Clark county with $50 has ore
also; Hardy county with 5000 White inhabitants La
ane delegate, Northampton With SO! has enc Nor j.
his a-aid upon the face Of these tables of appor,
melt which are presented with this statement B. The
excess and deficiency columns for the house Of eleca es
and the senate and find l91 S2 of the free white in
habiants Of the Commonwealth Of Virginia totally. CT
fectualy, absolutely DISTINGUISHED By the pr;aciplc
which We are tod is to elevate every vote. 20 an ezac,
lcbe Yet lii the face of thee facts which must stand
prominently forth iii the very threshold ~ every effort
to REFUGE their principles practice i'll republican
government. gentlemen continue to cry ha:anahs 10 ;hi.
doctrine Of Natural equality.
Thee are unavoidable results Of n representative
government, Isupposc shall be informed | dcav tta;
such consequences either the necessary or the IN
ayodabe Results Of such form OF governm n. IS the
one which my friend here from Accomac. and o.lar
members with him advocate VIVA. is the idea they en-
tertain of what this government ehcad bel A pure
representative de ocracy il which every man within
the commonwealth of Virginia shall have Gle vote;
representative democracy in which vote which is
poilcd shall he entitled to equal amount ofrcprcscil
tation Thi, conceive to be the idea The Strike
from your constitution every electoral district ii,
the State; blot out the COUNTY lines, and Require
cry man who occupies seat upon the moor OF
the House OF Delegates or Senate to be returned
there by this pure majority OF mere brs for which
you contcndng. There is not here Who
will venture to pose this body scheme like this
There is not here who will venture to PROPOSE
to the people of Virginia that this their great princp.
shall be carried out to its practical results No, not
and, YET, it nothing bit great principle for which
gentlemen are ccn;enG!iag l an not very scsptical
my confidence Is easily Won; p aps weakness OF M
nature that that cen:ileHc, il easily won; but do
not, though ;.ls b" the disposition 81 the man before You
ask his crodcuce 10 the tale which tell that tbs is
great principle for winch YOU ne co.cndng while
your acts show that yoa shrink iron. IL, application
llccd not repeat the hope that no consider
alton could induce ne knowingly 10 give uerancc upon
this floor to syllable which would al unkiady upor
the ears of single brother member from the west
but must say that political power is the reat object
tol which gentlemen contend. AYE. the age of meta
physics goae. The clarion voice Of nv fricl f-e.
Accunac as been heard ringing through the moan; ,in
recesscs OF the west and swelling the broad plains
of eastern Virginia. lroc!ini in H., slrill and clear
tones the loctrince that i brzzard oas,s Of absrac
ton 10 be swept from ;ie-waiis Of this ienlno II 1t
this constitutional mstron avo this moitc. Of ;ate.
and of statesmen will, ali her robes o,ignity about her,
is To be transformed By the maggie power Of physics into
smiling and beautiful young dansel tia; her feeble
limbs longer to be dwaried in tbs tho circle OF
! her wroship, bu. that size is to spring up from the
ashes which metaphysics have accumulated upon her,
Phoixlike, and startle nations BY the rapdity of ho
march in her onward progress to empire There was
annunciaton OF another fact by ay friend from Au-
gusta which cast some disciedit. thought upon
the assertion that the west was raGying-h,l been
moving for t'ir'y-iive ycarsfof This principle lie
referred TO the great convention which assembled nj
stanton sometime preceding the meeting lhe con.c.s
ton Of lS29-So and stated thai tina: great s:aunton
convention spread throug hoGt western Virginia and
th.ougho eastern Virginia, and throughout the world
the great principle Of the white population the basis
of representation. But, at the same me that that
declaration made, it asserted in terms equal
IL strong, that the policy of Virginia WAS, that OF in
ternal improvement and to again the expressive Ian
guasc which heard fall from the :- Of the gentleman
from Accomac, ito reyivify tais old commonwealth it
necessary that the political power should exist where
the necessity FOR the improvement was found 10 exist =
that the political power OF Virginia should Be transfer
red to the hands OF men, who wanted their own country
nersectcd b. RAILROADS like the rivers Goa has place
upon earth intersected more favored regions But to
sI bora mill