Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-22
:, ynu,-yDs desire to know whether am

r,vsr;men; has sovereign power over proper!
NJ SI-NNERS l do not know what the gentle
Nj. ~ ~, ,hs government holding sovereign pow.
man ine" n:,r Property belongs to the owners and
f.,o objects of government is the protection OF
W., in the possession Of their property
'" Wr FDWUNDS l may have mistaken ms views.
am pleased thu, he has placed himself 1'Sh.: re-
"I no rght OF property higher and reiore any
gar! 'he IT," as asserted by the guarantee commit
''s'' .,, in n, owner by natural right above the
''s, ,..r and ahovs the laws. That government Is
t;,,.i 70 prce,t the owners IN us rS'ii' posses
49,: Rn. 10 claim that government Eas supreme con-
vol oyer property st" assert Tue power IL .'I gov
wv 49,. - ,rnanrpa:e or slaves, 10 TAX one portion
"i.'"' ,,rty Ia dev con the resources OF another
O tne ;,r-.ss;ve wor,is Of the gentleman from
E,,n tNt, HyS-xRl 10 take n'n2y on. Q, '.e locN-
r on, PARTON Of the people ah, '"' /. NV I LUG
to,. ri another portion. II Is 4 .s' s. :
t,,r saranced on this floor w''h'u' ~
a,, IN, clad the guarantee committee propose 10
~. ,,n ,Ir constitution the true relation between
e-'s', lna ror,rn,estal powers. wish the cohstl-
G,rrh that the owner Of property uoes not
6er;v, his right troH. constitution o: LAWS '
or, created for the protection Oh III, o""et ~
raj right owe. property ll'' tue 'S i
,;tnr IN. Government are but he trustees aho ser
.r,s If RI. H-o;le bound administer that govern
,,nt far tho pra -ctoa Of properly. lhat Il Is hoI
brc o. !, rs in soma oi the kingdoms o. Europe Wefe
I'll. government asserts supreme control over
ric gentleman from kanaw!a told us. also nat We
knew there Was majority III lafcr O. inc "i,c p'S'''
and asserted that the representative was bound 10 "sf
h viii ri his constituents And, he says that they
will .sk n submit cons. tuition embracing thc White
h,is and identical in all other respects wh that con
,;,,n.- III, iaixc! basis What Constituents c' me zen
,'ran mean We bound obey 'ld be Mean tia
,:or., If he ,vho. Stat in iaEo: q" The white basis
Cir SUMMERS Tie g.,,tiea&. seems in seyera!
,,srtcuars not exactly toucrstaNJ tie ground took
I-y, no iea tha; he intends 10 m:s:aprcsett me- l'u
when Gentleman hasa sci OF OPINIONS 81 MS OWL IL Is
very difficult for him to take Up the opinions OF others,
end give them their fair scope as' lntaihsG. lii:
gentleman and myself di"r t"A'f n re''r:.e 20 ,'e
no.,inas which We hold III this body IN" r'it OF that
rof;on Of his argument which he delivered this morn
,:r ,ya. 10 shoy that here representing our
Iis,rcts anil that W. ~ not here to frame cn,sti
t,,,io, i III, ,.". 1pie Of r,niil lie admitted
hat i "a, 10 be y,asScl Upon by the whole people ~
yir.,ina, ratified or recsedas the Whole people Of Vir
r;Y;a m,It clcc, hu, he tended. thar were Eere
representing districts and Were bound 10 carr out the
q, cns Of those districts. The great effort seemed 10
j. % pr Us here, the representatives OF districts III
inc sam. position the lcrlers 81 the Convention Of
l7sS which fran ID the federal constitution i'll
lis representatives Of States That seemed to be the
-~ca. effort of the gentleman from Halifax this morning
and that seems to be the tenor Of the observations he
isnow mak... STAGED this, tina, are here rep
ssntat.rcs AMI the members Of this Convention must
know that majority of the voting population of this
commonwealth, preferred the basis which We present 20
the basis which the gentlemen from the pyese
Tie gentleman allows speaking here for
s,.cnts and be taken the representatives Of
our constituents We'll, there tiftynn gentlemen
apcn this floor iron, the west OF the Blue Ridge, who
according vthe documents, representing i2 900
white people and there .evcntvsX gtntcGneu on
hi; floor i.oa the eastern side, representing some
$4,000 white people. Allowing that We are the proper
opponents of the opinions and sentiments Of people
Tie gentleman must concnic, that We do represent
iority of the voting population OF this State ui to til,
nr H., | Itgy.
right add ;wothirds Of the population vi LoUicun
one-thrd OF the Franklin district and half the hcco
mac district, and then throughout eastern Virginia
set off the remaining white basis population a.;als
II, few scattered mixed basis men west Ct the Gloun
;ans In that way, claim that those who here main
;aE this white bass proposition represent majority
the whole white population -fthis conlmonwca M,
or.y Of the voting population of this commonwealth
and .ss the gentleman, whether III making constu
zion Tor the whole people of Virginia he ought to
zen: himself with submitting to them proposition
which Il, kaows Is unpslaable and disasteul them
iho;;e the gentleman understands ME now
Mr. EDNGNDS | understand the gentleman. and
;, understood him before He asserts stated be.
lore tIa; there is majority in favor Of the white b.
-. and that We know ii. was not coutcs;ins that
p9in at all concele it, not because 1t fact but
a,a j: is unnecessary 70 my arguu!en. not TO
,ds r. Coaceiing The fact to De 4, he says that ihere
i majority Of the voters Of this State in favor Of the
witt. basis is there any obligation upon 70 vote Cor
cane here an avoved mixed basis man, and elected
~ ayowei mixed basis to obey the wishes vi white
;us. majority standing outside Of bis own district
:gr that seems be his view. II so, You had we'll
Tel! ne 4. cnce that en- bound vote for the white
basis that my hands are tied by this aggregate major
~. and my Representative duty and obligation i
Il, them, and not TO my immediate constituents.
differ with him wholly in his views that question
mi was to that very point was addressing myself
when he male his explanation lie seemed to suppose
IN. We were to look OUTSIDE OF our districts, to hunt
- another majority different from the majority in our
district. from whom We received our commissions, de-
rived our powers and 20 whom we are responsible for
ae exercise Of that power; ma jority, say, III the
west aI frame the constitutions to make il palat
ab!e 10 them dissent entirely; my allegiance is to
nv district and must express the opinions of that dis
,yct upon this basis question.
The Gentleman from Marion, (Mr. NEEsoS,) told US
tue oher day. that there was majority of from three
70 i've thousand democratic voters IN the State and
Ina. representation should be arranged to give to
ha: majority Of democrats majority of representa-
lives; that the senators Of the United States from
Virginia il their elections and Instructions might be
he rue opponents ofthe political opinions othe State
Well sir what other lnalorities will be started next
Here are two already to which are to look. | am
s.rc the gentleman from kanawha would not agree
with tie gentleman from Marion TO the representa-
ion Of this majority.
Weh.ye been told to look to the present condition
ci Virginia as evidence that the governmental ina;ori
* La. failed 20 discharge its duty look TO Ike condi-
lion Of Richmond Norfolk, and o;hcr towns.
has heeu more than intmatcd that it is owing to the
,rre of tue Legislature to carry out the great lines OF
.-nal improvement. that the present coldtlo Of the
Na. is attributable This has been .ar2:'s periods
h. fruitful theme of eloquent defamation. Various
a.-,, have been at different tines assigned 1t has
-.i Charge at one time 10 the want OF Internal i'm
goyvIl.nts at another to want of general education
i then ao:,in to the curse OF slavery | Will read IN
,.yac from the debates the federal constitution IN
IS. lha; the picture then drawn may be compared
NTH lie picture nov portrayed 1t is from Mr. Nor
y: lie never you'd concur in uphnl'ins domestic
>.a,.ry II was nefarious institution. Il was the
CTS Of Heaven on t.ie states where il prevailed Com
lo r re-: OPS vfthe middle States. where rcn aud
b' cultivation marks the prosperity and happiness
thy I, AL" with the misery and poverty which over
s" Tie barren wastes Of Virginia, Maryland and the
o'a,r >'ays having slaves. Travel through the whole
"aiiae., and YOU behold the prospect continually Va
m; with =" an".'ra. ;pd disappearance ofsarery
| ih' ,.,.e ., Virginia. i'll 1887, drawn IN the
l:ssrtec Washington, and Madison in the debate on
liz adoption oi the federal number rs the basis oil rep
,'eatoa IN Congress 1t attributes barren wastes to
:-e .1'se Of domestic slavery. The same cause has
aasisa~l By distinguished men, both from the east
- ne Vest in the Virginia Legislature, at period
~Sa '@: Inject was under discussion. aliuda TO
49, iur II" Dc res. Of introducing the subject here,