Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-15

bnre ibnt period Of life is found BY general and
common consent be the most appropriate the PERIOD
WIN infancy in contemplation Of law, ceases, and re-
sno.s;bIe manhood commences Those under the age
nj twenty one years would DC excluded.
That Third class. for which my friend from Loudouu
cj nccrar care and sOlictudc, the ladies, or. Il:
nrf.r to call them ~ the good old Saxon word, "o
mn. t women would be excluded from acting and
voting in this assembly, and why: hope shall not
subject myself to the anlnadrerslons OF any Of those
If hcr BIZ any here who have attended the recent
mans RIGHTS convention think these conversations
L"x. ,,', c'mmen,.G themselves in any high degree
10 III. women al Vir.ini:. trust they never Will AN
old law wri1er has sid that the law regardeth every
woman n. married Of to be married. Great laugtrr
That j. her manifest destiny, although II occteioi'a
b,nn.p tina, some cf them cludo their destiny Laugh
teri Being in contemplation OF law, married they are
i,rIber,nr, rr,arded rs absolutely merged and lost
in their husbands. | mean their legal existence, ana
i, honll b. So delight to cherish that principle OF
the common law which regards the union OF husband
and viii, in the !i.lt in which have announced it
thai they cease 10 be two pcrSo- and, the Creator
intended them are one; every feeling, thought and VIII
blended together and having but one He ana one GeS
tiuv They ar. regarded i'll law, speaking with one
vote. and having but one mind. That il the legal IN
terdncut however violent the presumption may De III
some cosos n laughter This being the condition OF
woma,-benr part and parcel of the husband, the two
together forming but person. it Is sufficient that one
speak the voice o: both They, therefore, would be
excluded from the deliberations and proceedings of this
assembly ;,
Bul although excluded from the elementary assembly
AMI from the legislative hall neither the women nor
The children cease TO De citizens do not understand
the word citizen IA restricted to those who have the
Qualification OF voting. shall not cease to cherish the
belief that mr. wife and my children citizens OF this
commonwealth although not permitted, they ought
MT to be permitted to minge in the scenes to which
have alluded. Yet they citizens and they are not
They are represented through the medi
UNI Of those they connected with the incapable ana
immature c!.d through the father; the wife through
the husband They are not thrown overheard. The
wifi. j. not thrown overheard For the satisfaction Of
mv friend from Lo,ioun, Mr.. JASSEr) whose scn.i.
i5Ics Seem to be disturbed, would inform him ha!
80 far from throwing her overheard, We throw her
where she ,, % be-n the arms of her husband.
[Grcat augnr
Who arc left: We have scparatel the and
children We have separated tn. slaves. Who ar"
left The white male population, Of adult age are left
With them, would BE- the whole business % the :s+"l
ilv which tler were convened to transact. They are
the individuals who would consider and determine the
wcirhtv concerns which had brought them together
1t l. upon the white male adult population, that
schedule i proposes base representation. II You
shall not chose 10 extend suffrage to the whole white
male population if you shall elect to afix quaIica
n,l. tn The right of suffrage, either in the form OF rcyc
nue. TO 10, paid the possession OF any peculiar species
oi property wi"thcr be land or slavt prnperty
ever your qualification of suffrage shall tc mann
tain that he s.ragans shall be- equally potent: and
equally represcncd-eqs at the polls and equal III
tn. legislative hall.
Mr. Chairman | do not deem it Necessary to detain
the col.ttcc with further remarks upon the PROPOSE
ton contained in schedule B. trust have said enough
l., vndirate it from Nil the objections which have thus
TAR l:ecn made
viii remark however before leaving this point that
mr. friend from the county of Loudoun, Mr. JASSrY,)
Iaborcd under n misrepresentation. in allusion which
he made this morning to resolution offered by me
some lime since in this body. He argued 20 show,
thai equality of representation was incapable OF being
carried out upon the basis of suliragc-that equality
was no: attaiabc because Of the Commonwealth being
cut up and divided into counties of different territorial
extent I'm this connection he did me tn: honor to
-rrbc Ia me much lorcthought and ,agacity than
hnv., an7 sort Of claim He did tnc the honor to
suppose that orescrns the difficulty which would
when we should come 20 carry out lie aPport!onmcGt
IF rrprcscntaoa according TO the number OF qualified
piers had offered the resolution referred TO for the
purpose Of asccrtaning the practicabi!ty Of rccon
,irucins the several counties Of the Commonwealth
max" them Of uniform size, in order TO aid Us in
lttaini. this equality of representation. have thought
Ina; il was 4 desirable. ii ii all atainahe end that
liz. counties of this Commonwealth. should b. recon-
,trilccd and made more uniform IN their dimensions.
did mol suppose, however when | offered the resuhl-
ion alluded that the committee 10 which ii was re-
cnacity with which counties, small and large hold on
o their boundaries, their court-houses. their assoca
ions. and all the relations growing out Of their separate
'ivl organization. will inform my friend from Lou
ioun that i'll offering that resolution, had IN view
plcr and different purpose Il moi offered in rel
renee 1" the equality of representation the resolution
rad reference the organization Of the judiciary, and
tho formation Of the judicial circuits and To that onY
c have been suffering in the west, under great difficult
c.. growing out of The want Of sufficient number of
lcs perform the judicial labor of that region For
.o must know that in the whole trans trghany coun-
rs. with population amounting TO 1871 900 white in
aha's, had until recently, but four circuit Judges
Ia perform the work of that whole district We have
sought relief from time 10 time. The Judges of the
general court Il few wears ago, as my friend from Lou
lon will remember, undertook, in pursuance of rcso-
luton vi the general assembly, To re-arrange the cir
cults. so as TO cquasc the labor of the Judges. Tn"
rviscrS also had this matter in charge, and the great
difficulty found at every stage OF the examination
10 consist in the existence of large number Of small
counties in tic cast in which court, had to be held rem
lrrng il impraciicablc 10 enlarge the of the east
ern c.cs. 10 shove them III part the
tain and thereby enable the eastern Judges help per-
iorm the labor there The difficulty so arrange
the circuits az with the same number of Judges TO do
the whole business of the State, aud this grew in a
vcry large degree, out Of the number Of those small
counties in the eastern portion Of the Commonwealth
James City. Warwick, York. and all the small counties
Of the li"watcr district have right 10 two terms Of
The circuit courts annually III The sane manner
Is. as the largest counties in the State. thought the
suggestion TO form the counties anew with similar gee
graphical area, might at least lead to the consolidation
OF many Of these small counties for judicial purposes
One court held at Williamsburg, ought to be sufficient
for James City, York, and Warwick had no difficulty.
Mr. Chairman as 10 the equality Of representation, not
the varied extent both in territory and
population. None at all. sir.
proceed now. to consider the matter before u.s. some
What in the point of vcw in which it has been placed
by the gentleman from Fauquier. CIR ScoTr.) and the
gentleman from Loudoun, Mr.. JAsSEr) | must ex-
press my qualification that these distinguished gentle
have each sought to give to this discussion prac-
tca bearing "hirh think much more likely to be pro-
ilahe. than 81. 'hcr lines Of debate which have beer
INDUCED III. ,a"k them for having dsentanslcl to
extent at least the question at issue between rs,
and for removing of the supcrincurbcn masSc-.
which have but served 10 coacea rhat we are in search
Of. These gentlemen each admit in the language of
the bill ol rights, that when the government shall be
u!nd Inadequate or contrary the purposes for which
il was framed, "a majority cf The conimunitu hath an in
dubah'e unalcnable and indcfeasble right TO reform
alter or abolish il in such manner as shall he Judged
most conducive to the public veal" They admit that
tie To,ing population OF thu State speaking for and o.
bcholf of The whole population OF the Stale, must de-
crnine whether the present form of government has
been found inadequate or contrary 10 the great end Tor
which II was formed, and that 10 this s,u majority il
also belongs to Judge what Other amended government
vii! be most conducive 10 The public veal Not "a ma
interests = L,S ha.,, sod, 49,, =.