Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-06-23

VIRGINIA CONVENTION.
Remarks Of ME-. Mnvtim,


| OF HENRY,
III Tic frsinia Reform Ccmreaf,or, lIon-
day, Nay 70. 1851.
Mr. MARTIN, OF Henry. II has been
my purpose for several days past to m,kc
brief explanation Of the opinions l enter
tain upon the report Of the committee now
before the Convention havo been d..
TERED from attempting to present my views
upon this important subject TO this body by
two considerations, which thought weru
proper to control my action ,u,on tho sub
ject. In the first place, it will ba rccolIcc-
ted BY the Convention when this subject
was before the committed. Tho very same
morning upon which the coihpromisc com
mittce made their report 10 tids body. my
fiiend--"my college triepd'--fiom the
county of Southampton, Mr.. Ridlcy,) be-
| fore we went into committee, offered pro
position that when we went INTO commit
tee orthc whole, the vote should be taken
without any discussion upon tho subject
| The disinclinaiion upon the part of the
body TO hear any diseussion.and the further
fact which | tell my friend from Southamp-
ton operated upon nae, was ncr only u con-
sciousness oithc rccIiiudc OF my own con
duct, but ii confidence uppfoxi,nating
certainty, that | would be sustained by
| niletccn twcnteths Of those whom have
the honor IN part 10 represent upon this
| lioor, was an additional reason why l did
not trouble this body with any remarks up
ON this subject. But after the remarks Of
the gentleman from the city of Richmond.
and the direct appeal to me by the gentle-
man from the county Of Southampton. l
hope it may be the pleasure Of this body
to bear with me but Il few moments, Will.
present to them the reasons operating up
on my mind, that led me 10 tho position
which l at present occupy before this
body and the country. need not refer
to my course in this body for the last three
months ; need not refer to tho various
votes which | have given in connection
| with my effort to defeat the white or suf.
irage basis Of representation, 10 prove what
| that course has been. do not mean to
| do il now. do not even wish the oppor-
tunily here in my place Of defending my
self before those whom have the honor
to represent; but say this distinctly ly--und
| have not been uIoncin this opinion. which
| have entertained for some iimc past, and
which repeat here without The iear Of
crror--thatcvcrs Since the defeat Of the pro
position Of the gentleman from Fauquier
in committee. and the defeat Of the modi-
fed proposition Of the gentleman from
Wcstmorcland, (Mr: Bealc,) that very
many eastern mcfi-yes, sir, n large por-
ton Of eastern gentlemen with whom I
have been acting-cntcriained the opinion
that the mixed basis, in its nnm,igated
form as reported by the committee. would
not be established by this body. The opin-
ion that has been c1nturrcd III by casicrn
gentlemen, repeat again, ever since the
defeat Of the proposition Of the gentleman
from Fauquier (Mr. Scott. and afterwards
the defeat OF the proposition Of the gentle
man from Wcstmorelund, In modified
form, tho capitation tax upon FREQ negroes
having been stricken out. eastern gentle
men had not entertained the hope ofcarry-
ing the ,pnni,iguicd mixed basis. nv
friend tells me ! am mistaken. But say
from that hour never entertained the l,opo
that the unmitigatcd mixed bdsis would bo
carried in this body; But allow me to 60
a little further.
My friend from Southaiiijt6h appeals
to ME TO sustain the mixed bdsis, To sustain
my pledges before my people, and here
and elsewhere the fact Has been advcr,ed
to that proposition A was defeated by ,lo
casting vote Of the mcuibtf Nhu now ad-
dresses this body. What tbtk place ON
! the very day on which that sota was In.
ken? Wien the namc Of die of the gen
tlemcn from Accomack lMr. Finncy) was
called, he arose in his place and announced
the distinct fact that, although he should
vote for proposition A in its present form
in committee. he never would vote 10 h.
corporate il in the Constitution
Mr.. RIDLEY. iu.lts existing form.
Mr.. MARTIN. Of Henry. What was
its then existing form Upon the mixed
basis 1t was equivalent 10 tho proposition
of the gentleman from Fauuuicr--balfand
half but that gcntlcinanann,unccd to the
committee that be would never vote 10
carry II out in lis unmitigatcd form. !
| will not refer 10 what occurred out of
doors will not advert to declarations
made out Of this house, but plant myself
upon the position taken by a pron,incn,
gentleman Of eastern Virginia---s prom-
| ,,ent u,.,nbel II liz ~, -.
with no disrhspcc, ID o,ber .co,t:,on
leader 4 s,rcm leador III n. e,a..aJ ,.n.;.
interest IN Ibis great confess. hecrc + L.J
taken any iuiitiaiory steps upon ,his orcs-
tionof compromise. iis wcll known tb,,
many mornings ago. when III. pro,,os;s.;on
was submitted BY the gentleman from Ran.
ralsnnock, (Mr. StrotLer.) that this house
would adjourn with view 10 see if pr,c.
ticable whether this question Of basis could
be adjusted, The Distinguished gentleman