Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-11


The right OF suffrage the suffrage basis Will probably
give western Virginia more power than white popu!a-
ton basis Under these circumstances we mai gentle
men rcpud:ating the white population basis with the
same ,lnanmity with which they formerly repGlated
the suffrage basis and veheTenly coiteua- that
the latter basis is the one whose principle tic fol-
requirements of the bill Of rights Here thea
point To change If position and Of principle aid coin
cident with change ri Interest iiiia HAT II Is III
easy thing for these gentlemen T. reason iIto'A'e.ycs
into the adoption Of the particular principle t'at give
chem the most power Let ms western irieaj> not E-
understand me- ] do not charge them WIKI >ecsa@
power for improper purposes. You n" doubt InS that
when vcu have obtainel power you VIII u ''!seiy
aud well. Bat think that lave detected The un23
ticcd and pervaiug influence Of the de>iFe toy poSet
that has shaped and fashioned their prin<i ::cS. IN
view If the facts which have rcci,ci, feel a:tsorzef
10 icnv their assumption of superior and isntoreel
devotion to principle and tell them freely and bod
tina, their side the love Of power, nlng.es With tn
love of principle. Bat | have not con;en.ed mys Il
with al investigation Of the past have ytenced ~
inquiries to the course .! senic;. i; this Convention
upon this subject. | a,k :ou 10 90 a,oas with me
and review the OF gentlemen who represent wet
ern yews upon this floor, and j! t!crc l. mo- ;la
same coincidence here between their Interest :n
their practical operation of their p.inciple pa
ticularv invite the attention Of AL my western trien3
70 what am going presca. to thr Committee
We are persuaded that the fires If i'll !;natioa A.
always ready 10 kinile in the bosom 81 the ceate:s
p
of his vrtuou- constituents, ~ tho bare Trough,
rifcia. principle 10 interest Let that ,ent!enau ,J
par. one Of his genuine .toinl-s If ndua,r
now-!or lie has himself been active :,a-;c ..:'t "a:
what am abou; to expose In orle: tat there Nav
no nisapprchens!on part O: III. position Of yesi
ern gem! cmen, vii! state il as understand il. Il
tate it inaccuraely ask favor that sose .en:!,
man that side Will correct ne The contend that =
na or5y Of the voters IN The t@ ought control To
legislation II the S:Stc. They take Cor tie pres en the
-
number of voters and profess that in arranging AMI
distributing representation among tn. counties IA.
election districts, thoic counties ami election districts
which contain majority of the white population sha.
always be enabled elect majority OF the member
OF the legislature. Have stated your d"ctr:a: cor
| reciy. Vow let us what Is the practical op,-
ration of this principle Is exhibited in Tie reo
# the western portion of the Basis Committed Twelve
II The NEST Distinguished gentlemen from western Er
.inia constitute one half .: The BASIS Committee. Win
nut interference or hndrance from SIDE these gen
t!eaen have leisGrely and deliberately maiured tlei:
own application Of their own principle The :esa of
their labor presented the scheme oi Representation
which give practical operation To the principles for
which they contend, AMI which therefore the wish 10
incorporate IL Il part of the new constitution Ii.!-
report presented come weeks ago, has besn prn:ei
aud plrcdi ia the hands of cre:v mc' oi tc ConVe-
ton No proposition to nnenG--no complaint & IL
:.periection h, Vet from single mctbor he
o;her side take it therefore that tbs proposition
meets tho general approval of Western gentlemen and
fally accompishes their view, AMI purpose.
| hold in nv hand tabular statement! 10 MT IL
lend to trouble the committee by reading il l
rs am done referring to ii any en:'eniaa Will h. -
ibcrt. to take it an, examine ii AZ his misunderstanding.
hat siytytwo counties aud election districts embracing
| 6ls white population will be authorized upon u.i.
D:an 10 elect iine out OF hundred and hit
liz members Of the House %! Delegates Will the rest
Of l. counties embracing about 60oo01 inhabitants ars
authorized to elect but scycntyscyeE members. et
sorsc Ly adding five other 10 the list have
f#l4t
Inc ci,hty-sx delegates. while the other corpiie. cor
taain los ono population sent bu! seventy delegates
Thus minority b. some twenty thoasa'd have "a ma
.ori:g ~ sixtcen the House I'll Delegates, hy p,u
whose protested purpose l. 10 give tn control oil Ito
Legislature exclusively The numerical mn;ory. ine
same remarkable Inconsistencies are observed IN thcr
s.Hat ori;. superintendent. | have not gone = IL"
trouble Of preparing tabular stateien. ~ rcs-f"HCc
TO Tie Senate. But have marked here o' tie face Il
he prtv, report nineteen districts embracing IN rouai
numbers about $4,000 population which are authorized
!pon the pln 10 elect nineteen senators "G: ~ .irsy-
-x The other districts including about i5S,pr0 popG
a,ien elect bt!t seventeen senators. minority by
twenty Thousand thus control the senate on the majority
plan Here i devotion to principle for yoU with
vengeance. Tie gentleman from Jefferson ir L;cAsl
told Us that it not merely Sectional majority east
N west BIZ; majority scattered all the State. Tc
upon the ycry plan that he advocates ;e embodiment
Of his own principles here will he minority q: rsore
than hundred thousand people scattered III; he
State, from Accomac tn Brooke. aud from Acconac
Russell that will elect maj ority Of the House of Dele
rates Yet in the face Of thi. strange exhb" of their
own application OF their own principles, ! think can
hear the mild toned, musical accents uf the d tineuiSle
gentleman from Preston Cir BRowH It'll! singing ii ~,
ears that in supporting this report he only following
~ prncp pies Gentlemen have followed their yaa.c.!
pr lies until they have transported tie sceptre o,o
Rockish gap, and while embracing the power this,
brought them they TO pay amy further rcsard
to the principle the only majority which this rcIog,
is eduous to the control of the legislature, i The
tain Protesting to be content with nothing bnt gov
ernmcn oil the numerical majority. gentlemen here
pressing the adoption of system that gives the control
oil tie House OF Delegates 10 minority of more tlan
hundred thousand Yet the gentleman from Preston
assures us that they only following their prncpo'.
Well always thought, for reasons which viii explain
before resume my seat, that III attempting 10 follow
the principles protested by these gentlemen they
following very impractical unsafe and unreliable guide
| | thought that they following will q the wisp.
But hardly expected that they would be entced into
such quasmirc as that III when they nov four Ter
| ing The gentleman must excu me. lie does not lind
his principles in this reported plan II he wants 10
follow them hc must begin his travels anew | am sorry
cannot tell him how and where he will ovcrake them
Perhap, they have taken refuge among the viruous ait
enthusiastic constituents of the gentleman from Augusta
CIR. SnrrfEY) and are now preparing that grounts~e
oi Indignation which surely must oycrwheim the gentic
man when he returns 10 those constituents after haviur
been chief agent III preparing plan OF constitutional
organization by which power secured I, them. whit
her beloved principles were Frustrated lDd aondonc8
Or perhaps they have crossed 10 Non0ngal;a and
are nov kn!ling the fire ol that volcano which Tie
gentleman from that county (,lr WILLEy) iniorrie! -.
would burst in destructive eruption upon the head. x
all those who support any scheme b. which t;c hana>
ccntro. the government of minority very .carfui
that the gentleman will fall the first victim Of his owm
volcano. For he has made an eoqueat speech in favor
of this report
The great oucry that has been raised here again. tho
mixed basis report is alleged to have been occa. ...i
By its giving minority Of ninety one thousand tie
troll Of the legislative department, audspuHe morey II
the scale against Gentlemen have exhausted au
guase OF invective in denouncirg proposition land
such they declare ours to be- which weigh, doars
against men-money against mora! and sen,lcai being
The English language has not been adefuate 10 express
the adherence with which gentlemen regard his ErcEo
,ition. The gentlemen from Augusta and Aecasn:-
tNr SHEFFRy and Mr. WISE have reinforced language
with the most significant gesture in the e!or gave full
expression 10 their emotions the subject ii VASE
unit! had witnessed those display Of the cent e'nea
that | fully appreciated Shakesprares description. 81
Hamlet in the play bearing the appearance Of on
Jus, let looe from hell 10 speak Of horror
When gentlemen come 70 study their own plan. mus
LII az. FOR