Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-05-22
THURSDAY MORNING, MAY %, 1851.
THE TINES TERMS.
DAILY TIMES, per annum, if paid in. advance,
The Basis Negotiations.

We published, yesterday, in full, the several pro-
sitions submitted on either side bvthe committees of
conference, appointed by the Eastern and Western
members of the Convention, sitting separately in
consultation, on Saturday night, the 10th of May.
AS these propositions form very important part
of the history of The memorable series of proceed
ings by which the advocates. of the white basis
have succeeded in securing an arrangement with
which they are perfectly content, it may be well
to state in the most concise FORM the import OF
each proposition, and its actual effect upon the
relative Legislative weight of the two sections.
EASTERN PRoPosITioNs.
/. House of l56 on the suffrage basis, which
would give majority of IA to the est; Senate OF
so taxation, which would give the East majority
OF IA; with reapportonnent in 1862, and decennially
there alter, the principles.
g A House of $50, with 90 majority TO the We st,
and Senate OF so taxation, with IA majority to The
East reapportionment in 1862 and decenniay there
after on suffrage in the House, and taxation in the Sc
nate
8. A House of $780, mixed bssis of qualified vo-
tiers and taxation, giving maiorty OF IL TO the East;
Senate of so the suffrage basis, giving majority
of to the West; reapportionments in 1862, and de-
cennially thereafter on the same principles, and no
~ Cdlleu eACep W VotS VI
Of each House.
WESTERN PROPORTIONS
l. House OF ISL, on the mixed basis exclusive Of
the tax free neeioes0 giving majority # IL to
the East and Senate of sc the suffrage basis Civ
ing majority of TO the West, until 1862, when both
Houses TO be on The suffrage basis
2. The same The FIRST except that the Legislature
should be required in 1862, TO submit the question OF
basis to the qualified voters.
g. A House of l56 on the suffrage basis, with
Western majority of IA; and Senate Of so on taxa
ton, with Eastern majority Of IA. until 1862, when
both Houses to be reapporoned the suffrage basis
4. House of $50 on the mixed basis, teAclusve OF
the free negro taxi with an Eastern majority OF IL and
Senate the like mixed basis, with Eastern ma
iorty of H. until 1862, when both Houses to be the
suffrage basis.
Each of these propositions having been unani-
maously rejected by the committee to which it was
rendered the negotiation was concluded by the an
nouncement of the Western ulfimatun, penned,
as Mr.. Wise has told the Convention, by his thumb
and forenger, and declaring that the friends of the
suffrage basis acould "accept compromise aohich
does not ultimately in reasonable time, recognise
reapportionmen on The suffrage basis or the sub
mission Of the question Of reapportionment to The
UeCtstOt " TIE qu0fteu OOtefS ut Me poHs.
With this ultimatum resolution before our eyes,
it is not difficult to understand why it is that the
Western members, without one solitary excep
lion, have steadily, in every stage of the question,
and even at the cost of voting directly against the
simple suffrage basis itself, sustained the compro-
mise of the committee of eight. Their ultinaaiuns
was fully and directly conceded. They secured
the grand concession for which they had SO long
commended, that the bare majority of voters have
the right to control the government, and they
could well afford to give the Senate sort of
veto upon the House of Delegates for period
OF fifteen years, which, as Mr. Janney has
justly observed, is as nothing in the history of a
State. 1t will be observed that all three of the
Eastern propositions retained the cardinal requi-
site of permanency in the principle of representa-
ton proposed to be established That requisite,
the Compromise, sanctioned by Messrs Arthur,
Bowden, Claiborne, Chiffon, Marin Of H., Ran
dolph and Wingfield, sacrifices; and this in the
face of the stern demand of the Western men,
bers that the sacrifice must be made. These
seven representatives of Eastern constituencies
have thus surrendered the very principle for which
the East contended in the mixed basis, and have
united with the unanimous West to force it to its
adoption by bare majority of the Convention,
which, some of them have solemnly declared, they
would never do.