Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-13

pecial benefit Of gentlemen from his rcgio, S ~ o.
! country. think my honorable friend on the ia va
(ar. BEALE) from the same county, and he as Val
as some others Of my friends from the same ra, rr1
seem to have enlisted against the majority nr;nc;,
wa. struck with the remark of my young friend ~
Essex, (hIr. NJ Il. II. GARsErr,l the other day in i.
nounciug the majority Of numbers abomiL,hI. -
| tyranny in the worst form. 1t is new d,c,;a
| to me especially to come from democrats W.
| in nv country the democrats advocate and ma;,,;'
| that aority should rule, and they endrayur SON.
times to make the people believe that their oprc",,
advocate different principle But, 10 the rcnarE. -.
| Mr.. Newton, he says:
81 do not hesitate to pronounce that if the Question
was now Submitted 10 the trccholdcrs of the STATE
decided ma ori:v would be opposed to the lu,;S -
! free white population. What then becomes Of n, -
gument Of the gentleman from Frederick, Mr. N,..,
| derived from the Bill Of Rights. No man more bi.,
ycncrates that sacred instrument than do; no ,a
yields to its principles more implicit faith: agree
with the gentleman and with the Bill of Rights tina;
"a majority Of the community hath an nduhitable un
alienabc aud ndcfeasible right TO alter, reform Or
abolish the government" But that majority must
prescribe the terms upon which the government ia
be altered, reformed or abolished. Has il done .o
Has il told us that the basis of the Convention must b.
free white population! Would gentlemen have u: to
substitute our arbitrary discretion for the kaorr
will of the ma ority: Sir, We are not usurperS We
representing the Interests and pursuing aEd hot
defeating the wishes OF Tie people.
What is conf ended for now That the majority shall
prescribe the terms upon which the constitution Is I" he
alt red Not Our mixed basis friends contend that
the minority is to prescribe the alteration that to be
made in the fundamental law of the land. How d!i
erct is the course Of argument OF gentlemen Of the
east now from that of SaS-'29. when the Scst ana
portion o! the East We're urging the adopr. of the
white ba lis in sending delegates to the Convention u
1929 The voice of the East then tia; the ma
iurity should prevail TINT the voice of the people
!ns be Needed that that voice had not spoken in favor
of the white basis that whenever il was aScertancd
that tho minority of the people wished to ADOPT s'y
particular basis would bo usurpation of power ~
The legislature the body possessing the authority, 10
withhold it, Vow il is conceded that II large majority
not cnl: desire bat demand the adoption of the white
basis but in defiance Of the popular will the minority
holding the governmental power IL using TO prevent
the adoption of that principle.
invite my friends to hcarken to the views of M:
Newton. They are sound and cannot be con,roycrtcd
Gentlemen upon this floor admit that they standing
here and advocating the mixed basis in opposition u
the known will of the majority of the people OF this
Commonwealth. This open attack upon free rrinsi-
pie. should alarm us we should take heed when We
gentlemen Of talent, Of ability, and of the highest
staining in the community, coming into this Convex
ton which should represent the Sovereignty Of the
State and openly that they acting in oppo,i
ton to the known will Of the majority Of the people
In 1920 they would haze been called usurpers leave
il II gentlemen themselves to give 1t its proper
Without further comments will read extracts from the
speeches of other members OF the Legislature ot
lS2S.9
Mr.. Fitzlush, of Fairfax, sa,l--"However we ma.
differ iii relation to the wishes Of the people, in specific
points however may Assert dcRv that i'll declaring
for Convention, they contemplated either this that
particular change. must all agree hat when ma
ior;tv OF the Commonwealth united in prcnoncna their
present government inadequate and contrary to the
purposes FOR Which il created, they never could
Lave intended to transfer t" minority of themse!ve
the power of prescribing the alterations TO be effected"
Mr. Thomas VI. Baily of AcconGc said" He wis. III
favor Of the basis Of county representation graduated
according 10 the white population"
Now here is the proposition that was before that
body at the time these remarks We're made.
Let me state. however before proceed further that
the Committee Of the Whole he'd reported bill for the
calling of the Convention giving TO each county dele
gate and tins proposition to amend that bill. II
Gordon offered the following amen lment
BE it declared TINT the several counties of the Com
whose white population, by III" 81
additional representative in conventions that is 10 say
The counties Of M"nongalia, ONO, Harrison, Washing
ton, Berkeley Jefferson, Hampshire RockbriIge, Bote
tourt, Wythe, Norfolk, Halifax, Campbell Franklin
Bedford Arconlac, Abenarle, Fauquier and Cu!pcper
sad he counties of Chesterfield Buckinghaim Mont,
,omcrv, and Mecklenhurg having within small fraction
Of $500, shall also 10 entitled additional repre-
sentative each and that each county which ha. white
pol!it"!. OF than 5000. is, for 1000 fl"
white persons over 5000 entitled 10 one other rrprcs"
IL TIE Counties Ol l,CcEnhil,
susta. and Iitlsylvaa, to two additional. and the
counties Of Frederick Shenandoah and Loudoun to three
additional representative, each
This amendment adopted in tho house b. vc,"
of los 81. zee that the delegates from The coun;ic,
of Acco:nsc Amherst, Buckingham, Campbell, Fairfax
Fauquicr LouGoun, Nelson, Hcnrico. and the CAY Of
iGch!onl voted Tor it,
We have been told more than once that our friends
If the Valley occupied The proud position OF maintain
ins the suffrage basis rem principle alone md you. lo",
II. (slr. WHITE Of Lou,on occupying tho chair and
ri your colleagues, mir CARTER, the gentleman from t'
conac (Ar. W!sE) aud the gentleman from Patrick Nlr.
STUART acted from that motive. Well sir, il is proud
position for you occupy should envy your position,
but for the fact that once occupied that position IN. 81"
In 1885? when your large county of Louron ha, b., an
equal representation with the then small county of Lew.
Is. represented by ny friend from Lewis M: RLASDt
r'd myself III the legislature, YOU appealed Il. a-
matter of justice that representation Of tn" severe!
Counties should be regulated BY their white polulatia
" hat did my then colleague and myself do. WY.
Fir. stripped little county Of power and tran
ierred it the large counties in the Valley Piedmont
and other portions of the State upon rrincipl" By
tracing the journals you will that my friend from,
Lewis, (Mr. bLASp rhcnmy colleague from that co,n;y
and myself voted upon every que.tion not exactly as
est to prompt YOU bat with direct interest agugst the
course pursuing.
1t il proud position, Mr. Chairman that you occupy
here have been grntiicd. exceedingly gratilc,:, J..
course pursued NhIleS anu portion 81 TIE
east. lcve heard the able arguments and the cgue;
remarks nude By gentlemen upon this floor froi the
Valley, from lououn and from Acco;nac. with great
.ati-facti"n You will abandon your position hive
i"ar,! il said because YOU have interest 20 i5oin.
yvu 10 adhere TO it, bmrs suc. fears ori appr.-
bend notiin;: 81 ;ne kind. You have everything 10
prompt Won strict adherence 10 the position :oa
have ;ttcn Oh nd your constituents stand before The
world high proof a.in-. the assertion ,@a!c Ia,
floor that mankind, in regard political affair." .lo
governed by interest nlonc Instead of dietr-uc Your
fidelity. you ard your valley and eastern associate.
shall b. captains to lead to victory for tr
umph we must. Ours is a that cannot he defeat
cd. although it may be delayed.
There IN attempt made in the legislature ),
l52S29 TO adopt the mix ed basis in the orgsnzat.n
of the Convention The proposition offered by =.
RUTHERFORD who then represented this city. But how
different it from the proposition presented.
Mr.. Rutherford, will be by the Journal upon
page lQ4, proposed TO organize Il convention Of $50
members. Tie white population Of the State thea
0Sl and the taxation only 423,454 Put together
the population anG taxes. and you have l026G2+ Nir
rutherford for making dollar of the taxes equal
to free white person How very different Irc: the
under consideration, which sinks free
man to less than 50 cents. And sir am happy To an
the committee that although that gentleman
Mr. Rutherford felt it lis duty otter that proportion
that he himself at that time in favor Of the basis