Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-17

provision for reappnrtonment appeared singular state
o things that taking it for granted hatthe mixed basis
scele was to prevail majority Of fourteen would be
cured TO our EASTERN friends and it some how other
happened that by the plruseoogy employed the power
was left entire ly discretionary nhe legislature wcthe,
ever TO re-apportion not. You remember also al
once suggested that in my Judgment it inal7cr
ce-that IL could not have been designed II has been
painted out i'll this debate over and over again bv thos
with whom have the honor to act on this question aud
we nave had gentlemen here avowinr that they wen.
hH The naked basis solely, at least chiefly for Tia
SAKE Of the results and not from devotion to the prc
p"-hat Is to secure IN eastern majority They have
persuaded themselves that western brethren were
pun'erers, that whenever thew should acquire The
Scehtlancy of political power, they would not fail
~ subject them to oppressive and exorbitant taxa.
lloh, md appropriate the money to their own pr
poses. lhey have said 80 distinctly not to be mi.-
aerslnod that It Is necessary the majority should lac re-
famed eaSl OF tho mountains in order to give protection
to their property
One gentleman my friend from Halifax, has told W.
necessary Tor protection representation should be s,I
altogether upon property. Here we have I'm nkling
"t what they mean by protection ,, by the Necessity of
protection | say gentlemen have repeatedly called
the attention Of mixed basis friends to the rx r:lor
binary phrase"logy of this clause, and one has vet
Mr.. SCOTT, of Fauquier. If the gentleman will al
low me, am much mistaken il, in reply to similar
rItIclSn submitted many days and weeks ago 10y the
gentleman from kanlwha, did not SAY that ~u lr rs
tho phras"olog yof that report concerned, was nv.
self responsible for it, and that that at which his criticism
points was entirely inadverencc. So far ,,s knew
the Intention Of the committec-so far a. / knew my
own intention and that Of the committees it WIS t a
portion representation periodically
Mr.. HUNTER That is ilist what desired and what
anticipated thought ii was inatrcrtcicy rs ~tl
ted to several gentlemen at the time. | never for !,
moment beloved that eastern friend designed lay
trap for U.s.
Yet still wonder that my friend from F.nuuicr who
has cunlr" over tho amendment which We are first to
vote upon 10 whenever il comes up did not
at once upon this thing being pointed ont get up and ask
leave TO modify it, and make the terms Of his amend
ncnt at least, mandatory upon the legislature.
Mr. SCOTT. | beg leave again to correct the gem
tlcnan. II is rather singular that he slonhl per.
sis in his criticism. stated, when up before tina.
designed not only TO modify my substitute in that p:I
ticI'ar, but i'll several 9th CIR particulars, before the
vote was taken; and still shall hold to that design
the committee will permit me 10 take that liberty with
the amendment.
Mr.. HUNTER. My friend from Fauqnicr, trust.
will excuse me if appear pcrtenacors about this mat
ter was unfortunately absent at the time The gen
tlcman from kanawa MIR. SUMMERs) made his speech
and when this occurred. If the gentleman had made
the statement when first up which he has just made
that it was his design TO do it, would have been en-
tirely sufficient. | was simply declaring nv surprise
that il had not been done before His explanation is en-
tirely satisfactory 10 me, and pass from the hec
To return then from this depression Mr.. Mason in
the same speech, proceeds
according 10 the pres eat population of America the
northern part of IT, had right TO prepondorac, and he
could not deny it,
According to the population Of Virginia in 1929. the
cast had right to prcponderae, and could not deny
il. They got il, upon what iancied principle not
now. Some gentlemen have demonstrated that il
upon federal numbers; others have shown cOnclusIvclv
that il strictly upon the mixed basis, and if am
mistaken the gentleman from Richmond city Mr..
SrASAHp has proven also that it upon the suffrage
basis. II was most Individually right upon any one OF
these bases in giving majority to the east, . but he
wished it not TO prcpondcralc hereafter when the req
no longer continued"
S" We wish it not to prcpcndcrate whom the for
it no longer remains. His language is argument.
prom the nature "i man, kc, may be that
those who have power in their hands will give it up
while they can retain it, On The contrary. know
that they will always when they cam rather increase
it..
The lesson here taught not to be disreart. ed.
for although my friend from Fauquer, (SIr. Scorr n
the committee who reported the mixed basis sclcn >,
may by mandatory clause, provide for re-appornn
ment III tie year 1862, YETI sir, if tho doctrines which
have been preached here have any force in tcli cv
to be carried out, the time never will come for
transfer Of power to the west The principle cocndcd
for by my friend from the county of Halifax, (Nlrire
klSS,) will intervene to prevent it, notwithstanding the
duty of reapporonment may he expressly emjonrd up
the Legislature lie holds that ii necessary for it"
protection property is entitled to the whole reprcsc
tation and by parity Of reasoning if the whole property
entitled to such protection any considerable portion
of it, for instance. the slave property of The east.
would be alike entitled to protection by representation
and this furnishes what would be deemed abundant
excuse hereafter for preventing the transfer Of power
to the west.
1t is conceded that the sccprc must depart IRON
Judah about the year lS6a-G3 1864, even upon
the mixed basis principle; and il these wild Arabs
of the mountains, rs our western brethren are repre-
scented To be, will have the power III their hands then.
had not better meet the danger ut once say rr,
for represent constituency eastern in its interests 30
far taxation and. appropriations are concern"d II
this view be correct, waiv. all higher considerations
it not better, to make virtue Of necessity and yield
them the power when can be done graclns and
upon fair terms Our western friends have announced
upon this nour-cvcry man of them, far as have
heard except one that they are willing 10 incorporate
into the constitution whatever limitations may be ncce'-
sarv in order afford the amrest protection T." property,
against undue taxation and not only to insert them IN the
constitution but to join you in dcvsing mode il mode
can he devised to put tlaSe restrictions in such form Is
will constitute pledge Of faith giving TO them The char
actcr of nvioa'le compact the nfraclon of which
would involve such absolute prrdy to bring disgrace
upon communities rs well as Individuals such breach
nf faith rs would bring the parties to point when
pc.cr;blc separation OH. Int to be desired by both.
IInt to proceed with the extracts:
III the Southern States therefore, should have tfc:
ourths of the people of America: in their limits, the
Northern will hold fast the major, ity OF representatives
One-iourth will govern threc-!ourtls The Southern
States will complain, but they may complain from gen
Grafton to generation without redress. Unless some
principle. therefore which will do justice to them here
after shall be inserted in the constitution disagrec.ble
as the declaration to him. he must declare he could
neither vote for the system here support it III ms
own State. Strong objections had been drawn from the
dangers to the Atlantic interests from new cStei
States Ought to sacrifice what We know to be right
in ITSELF lest it should prove favorable t" States which
are not yet in existencei'
Ought we, | AJAX, to sacrifice what We know TO be
right because it may prove favorable not exactly t"
States but to portions Of own State, which are
growing rapidly in Importance The path OF duty ana
of principle is the path Of safety maintain That
there is no security in regard to any political RESULTS eS
ccpt by adleng to principle. THIS the lesson enJoed
upon US by George Mason.
"If the Western States are to he n!iited lnt" Inc
Union they arise they must, he would REPEAT be
treated equals and be subjected TO no Degrading DIS
elimination"
This is precisely what the wost asks now II We are
to stand together united people, II, when the
storm comes it speedily may, from The slsr% p'r-
tents have in the political frlnanent o" ste we
,rc bear up against it, shoulder to shoulder our ives
tern brethren ask to be relieved from this degrading
discrimination against them to their political c'ndl-
ton.
They will have the same pride and other passions