Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-08-08
Remarks upon
THE NEW CONSTITUTION.


Organization and popers of The Legislature
The fourth Article of the New Constitution re-
lstes generally to the Legislative Department of
the Government, and contains thirty eight sections
which embrace many most important modiica-
tons of the present Constitution. Foremost
among these, is the enlargement ofthe House OF
Delegates from one hundred and thirty five to one
hundred and fifth tsco MEMBERS and of the Sen
ate from thirty two to fifty. The expediency of
a considerable enlargement of both Houses SEEM
ed to be generally concurred in by members of
the Con 'ention but the precise number of the
House of Delegates was determined by circum-
stances almost accidental. The number fixed by
the "Compromise" was one hundred and fifty. and
the Committee of Apportonment framed it's report
accordingly but it happened that the county
of Fauquier was restricted by the report to one
delegate with larger fractional excess of voters
than any other county There general de-
sire to allow her an additional delegate, but it was
found exceedingly difficult to do without dis
turbing the whole arrangement OF the Commit
tee. First, an unsuccessful effort was made to
give her of the three delegates allowed to the
city of Richmond. Then a proposition was ac-
tually carried to increase the House to one hum
bred and fifty enc members, and to allow the
additional delegate to Fauquier. This, however
reconsidered, and in conformity with an un-
Outstanding with members from the West, the
number of the House was enlarged to one hun
dred and fifty two. and an additional delegate was
granted to both Fauquier and Monroe
The Apporhonment.-W regard to the ap-
portionment ultimately agreed upon, as some
thing has been said of its being unduly favoura-
Bile to the Wing party, it may be we'll to relate
some Of the circumstances of its adoption. The
committee of Appointment was constituted by
the President originally of seven Democrats and
five Wings. On of the Democratic members
declining to serve, Wing appointed in his
stead, so that the committee was equally divided,
politically. 1t is said that Mr.. Fisher, of Mason,
one of the Democratic members, but seldom at
tended the sessions of the committee, and thus
the Wings were generally left in the majority.
If this were true, it would be no impeachment of
the fairness of the committees report, for the
Wing members could not wisely have ventured
10 propose more than fair apportionment to
Body so decidedly Democratic as the Convention.
Il is well understood, however, that the Demo-
cratic members of the Convention were dssatis-
fled with some features of the report. and de-
termined in consultation to modify them, so as to
secdre more strength TO their party in the Legis-
lature. How many of these Denocra,izir,g
amendments we're contemplated, we are unable
to say, but certain 1t is that all were not accom-.
plished. The committees report gave Bot tourt
two delegates; Craig and Allegheny together two:
Greerbrier and Pocahontas two Bath and Hph-
land one; Monroe and Mercer one; Peasants and
Tyler one: Doddridge and Ritcheo zone The De-.
mocratc majority succeeded in changing this
arrangement so as to ALT w Botetourt and Craig
together two delegates; Allegheny and Bath one
Greenbrier, Pocahonas, Highland, Monroe and
Mercer one each; Doddrdge and Tyler one; and
Peasants and Richie one. Another delegate was
afterwards granted TO Monroe. The purpose Of
these changes was obviously 10 prevent the large
Wing county of Greenbrier from overbalancing
the small Democratic county of Pocahontas, to Sc
cure at least one Democrat from Monroe and Mer-
Ger and 10 secure two Democratic election districts
from the four counties of Peasants, Tyler, Dod-
bridge and Richie, instead of permitting one to
be Wing. The result, of the whole operation was
TO gain two Democratic delegates. Some other
little schemes of our Democratic friends were not
so fortunate. They wished to add Allegheny to
the Rockbridge Senatorial district, and to give
Tazewc two delegates and Russell one, and
Brooke and Hancock one each, and Ohio two, at
the first election by doing all which two more
delegates and one senator would have been gained
to the Democratic party. But the gerrymandering
process could not be pushed successfully throu oh
the Convention, notwithstanding its Democratic
majority of twenty. We believe that in every
instance, the committees arrangement NAV be
defended as the more equitable, apart from all DO
litcal considerations. Thus, Greenbrier has 900
white males over twenty one, and Pocahontas on
" 7O5 Both together entitled to two dele
gates, and so the committee recommended But
the Convention in order to prevent the election
of two Wings by Greenorier, placed her on an
equal footing with Pocahontas, although her vote
will be nearly three times as large as that of Pc
cahonias. So, too, Russell and Ohio are entitled
by preponderance of voters to precedence ove
Tszewell, and Brooke and Hancock. But VIZ
pass to matters of more permanent interest.
Senatorial ElecteonS.-The Convention having
determined that the sessions of the LIE gislature
should be biennal-the expediency and practical
bility of which are very probematical-tb became
ne essary to classify the Senators into two instead
of four divisions, and this is done by he third
section of Article ". If the Constitution te
ratified in October, every district will elect iii
Senator, and one half of the fifty returned, to b.
ascertained nv lot will sit for two the other hal
four, years; and after the first election, twenty
five Senators will be elected at each biennia
election.
The Conpromise-So much has been said il
the Times Of the merits and demeris Of the