Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-07-04

less instructed BY my district to Change 'front.' and it will
REQUIRE conviction strong as proof OF holy writ L,
convince that the patriotic n?d
question and save old Virginia from years Of agitation
If not frum revolution .
But come now to the proposition Of the gentleman
from Fauquier (Alr. ScoTT and beg leave TO say in
honest sincerity that the name and reputation Of that
gentleman with nj least one of the prominent political
parties in nv district is tower OF strength will
take his propostion home to my whig constitu.
rpcy and will plant myselfupon this compromise and
challenge the world to prove that there s shadow o.
shade of difference between his proposition and the
port of this committee mean shade of practical
Inference What does the gentleman tell the great
difference between the two propositiohsi FIRST will
show YOU that in the result there Is no difference.
Tile report Of the eompro- Mr. Scots proposf!an gives
mise committee of the IL Del, west, II majority
the Convention gires: Senate, east, IL
!H. Del, west, Il majority.
ISenate, east 10 .mest, majority
on joint ballot Reappof
U.st 4 maiority tionment in 1861.
lon Joint ballot, stand till House OF delegates On
ls65 The question then to the suffrage bnss-senats
,bo submitted to the peo. On taxation.
pl. securing 10 majority In 1870 basis to be sub
IN the east till 1865. mitted to the people
On re-apportionment in 1861, according to the ratio
of increase of the last ten years. the majority Fs
west in white population would be elG.uoo aashIs
would give majority in tho house OF delegates to tho
west Of &c. There would be decrease OF the majority
of the east in the senate, as estimated to or g. Tho
majority of the west on joint ballot, according N.
Scorrs proposition after the reapportoi mt in 1851
would therefore be "a to 26. The same result woul
have been produced by the proposition OF the eastern
the caucus upon the proposed lsaPportior
n,ep in lS6O-a decreased eastern ori'y in the
,te 70 six or eight and increased western aoritv
lin the house OF delegates to 81.
The proposition OF the gentleman from Fauquicr pro-
poses to reapporton if the Legislature will or can make
- ,brpf YbnO 81
people arriving the end only three years later
than the report of the committee OF eight
Now, was not only satisfied with, but was happy
hear the position taken upon that occaelon by the
gentleman from Fauquer' because dld look TO bin
when he came forward with this proposition the main
prop of that party 10 this house that bent upon
giving peace and harmony to this Commonwealth
In explaining the proposition which he offered to tho
house. be used this language eni |, in my heart, ap-
proved it:
majority in house (hc house Of delegates Oh tho
white or suffrage basis they would be willing give
the cast majority in the other house (he senate
taxation) for 20 years double the time provided else
be made bv the legislature-and if they caunot mako
All appointment, then, for them TO submit tho
two alternatives Of the basis. suffrage ba.is nnd
taxation TO the vote of the people 1t gives protection
the east for period Of time long enough to allow
the system of internal improveme be completed,
and To allow the causes which have divided US 10 I've
moved lie trusted that this would he regarded n
fair compromise final settlement just and honorable
to both sidst. He also willing to farther, and
give To the west majority joint ballot and the pow
er 10 confer the honors and enouments Of such offices
ms may devalve on the general assembly. Some, per
haps many of his friends will not be willing
gs with him. But sufficient number of the eastern
members will go with him, to make this proposition par
take Of the character of compromise. Mr.. s.
pointed the difference between his compromise and
that reported by the committee of eight If lie appeal
ed 10 vain to the trans Allegheny should lie appeal in
vain to the Valley. whose members had now oppm.
tuny of proving themselves to be true noderaors To
which their position entities hem Both sides have
had trial OF strength and failed and he appealed to al
the Valley members take the credit and responsible
ity Of houorably adjusting this vexcd question Mr. s.
also appealed to his friends from Loudoun, t. Up
to the good work
have more under this proposition Of tho committee for
II years than the power upon joint ballot if they choose
to exercise it of electing the officers of the coun;ry
But he goes on farther and says:
"If his compromise will not satisfy the east to the
tire extent it will satisfy the to great extent.
We have now t06uiG rasd
nm no, much Of scholnr, and don't know exactly
what that meana but am willing to go that E!uch
blind. Laughter.
I'VE are now in the land Of compromise tho lard
Of promise"
l tell you that my heart warmed up when hca.l
him use that expression.
LET US harmonic and adjust this matter, now that
lit is in power. His proposition open to mod.
alton and il it should receive the vote of minority
he would move to refer it to committee Of modca-
ton aud revision. Mr. ScoTT then moved as substi-
tute for Mr. CHLroSs his proposition providing for
house Of $50 OIL the suffrage basis and senate Of 90
based on taxation, dehuctns the tux on merchants
licenses and law process and the captation tux on free
negroes
-V1 OLE -.
Now, sir what is tho great difference between these
propositionsf Why the retains that Cherished thing
the mixed basis while the other srrenders it. but hold,
the same identical power that would be entitled to-
mo- We have double the power that would he entitled
to under the mixed basis for under that basis we are en-
Titled to but majority of FIVE in the senate, Now
ask again. if gentlemen have their way-bils about them
If they ever went for senate tnxatonl Then in.
-ead of surrenderng the power that are entitled
to under the mixed basis this committee by their re-.
port have given double the power for II years that
We are entitled to ut present But granting that bv
the proposition of the gentleman from Fauquier, mr.
iScoTT) we would have retained this cherished
principle Of the mixed basis I ask that gentle.
man, and / ask this Convention if surrender of n
principle in future is not equivalent 10 n surren.
der of it at the present me If this Convention comes
here pledged to the mixed basis and then goes on and
makes n constitution bv whicn Mt the end of 10 or 90
year, they surrender their principle, would ak If il
would not be IA well to surrender it at the present tine
f by that very surrender they would retain the very
Identical amount of power that they would otherwise
bring peace to the country for which they
brought here tdmaks constitution Where i. tho
Idiferencel
But while they have failed tossetan their principle
Iof the mixed basis in their report will any gentleman
-ay that the committee have surrendere and sll 10
The west the principle Of the suffrage basis dcu; H.
care not how the thing works out whether they aro
entitled by this report Of the compromise committee
the exact number of representative, in the ho,-e Of
delegates that they would be entitled to under the sut
fruss basis still unlcs, you embody it in this report,
you cannot say that have surrendered to them tho
principle of the suffrage basic.
Now, this is very small matter, but it is enough 10
hight upon and therefore shal reserve my fire for that
Now, there IS difference between the two propo-:.
tons, viz the stand committed to- and the one of
the gentleman from Fsuquer, to which a good!y pov
ton of the eastern members stand committed Both
surrender the principle OF the mixed basis-he one
renders it in 1857 the other surrenders it into the hand,
iof the people 90 years hence The one gives the eus
majority until 6l OF IL in the senate while the Other
gives the east majority of 10 in the senate up to G..
Now, sir, with regard to the mixed basis. l care not
what gentlemen say to the contrary. it has been
ed often upon this floor and without cont