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

without seeing that 1t distinctly PROPOSES TIC iudEco
voters as the basis of representation
Mr.. SCOTT l do not dsavow IT,
Mr.. SUMMERS l know you do not know you
will no, shrink from the authorship oft But feal
YOU will shrink from the proposition 1t contains
That memorial drawn and presented TO the Con
yention through my friend, rs the chairman anu or
gan of the Committee, announced in so many word
the EQUALITY of the voters and founded represen
tation upon that equality. Very true SIR he speak
of the freehold suffrage. l will tell you what h
be speuks of besides That memorial which is better
KEY to the bill of rights than General SmvtheS key
was to the Apocalypse, airms the true meaning "i til,
bill of rights to be- that whoever shall be your SUI
fragans they shall be equally invested with te p"w
of Representation 1t atrms that to be the true aEt
uuouestionable meaning of that instrument And now
air appeal to the author Of that memorial, to Gnm,
up to the exGencics OF the OCCASION and carry out til,
sentiments which he then maintained and so We'll enu'l
GATED Ii he was for the freehold suffrage ticu h,
has grown wiser since appeal to nn' th:'l since lie
has affirmed as he has DONE the cqna!lty OF suffrage
and the equality of representation growing out OF II
that he ought not to withdraw from his position upon
the ground that We differ ia opinion "a 10 Wal the
qualification Of suffrage ought TO be- nm very sure
that he will not adhere dcslc to go back To I'M
old freehold suffrage, but will come up win Us ana
saw that whatever YOU shall determine to be the quail
fcs.ion of suffrage he as member Of tia body, will
confer equality Of power upon the individuals VIII" sinai
have it, Sir it was not the bill of rights that hxcd the
freehold suffrage; that done By the constitution
The bill OF rights meant to declare the equality OF the
sulfragans, whatever might be the qualification oil sat
frage; that equality did not depend upon the freehold
qualification or any other qualihcation
have now brought this principle down to the Con
veuton of 1925, held at Stanton and have so~! ti'l
it met the approval of that whole body, thcir i"tH"
rial to the legislature having been adopted without
division. We next find it proposed III the ConVen,
ton of 1S29-30 / know very ~cii IL WIS ho' inc
leo Of
which Mr. Madison was the Chairman. know per
fcctly we'll that it was not the proposition which
was offered by Judge Green, in the form OF M
amendment and which was the subject OF the long AM:
ablo debate in that Convention But sir. after THAI
nroposition was disposed of motion to base rep
rescntaton upon the number Of qualified voters was
distinctly made by gentleman who was II nem-
Der of that body, and who, | am happy to know,
is member also Of this body | allude tn tho mem
Der from the county Of Patrick (Mr. STrART) Il"
proposed in the Convention of 1899 the adoption "I
this suffrage basis and received the support OF ior
three of the members Of that body against nr:v-ni
in opposition TO it, uniting in its support the who.
body of those who favorable to equal representa-
ton The west stood upon TINT principle then as tn,
west stands upoi it now.
The present constitution you will remember MIR.
Charmun contains provision that after The year lS4l
general re-apportonment Of representation may b.
had throughout the commonwealth without regard u
the great districts and subdivisions Previous /" tl
time it was competent under that constitution TO make
a re-apportonment Of representation within the dis
tricts provided there was no Increase IN the number.
of either branch Of the general ASSEMBLY; Alter TIC
year lS4l TINT constitution authorised n rc-apporIoI
meut throughout the State, and fixed the maximrn
number of the House Of Delegates at one hundred and
iftv and the Senate at thirty six.
We were simple enough in my country to suppose
when the year lS4l came, that We would be heard hr
that governmental ma ori.y which has been spoken 9"
if should ask that that provision of the consultation
be carried out We desir ed reapportinnicnt o. rep
resentatives and We're entitled to upon every ncl
Pile Justice and fair dealing. There was memorial
which has been already referred to by the gcsciran
from Rockbrdge, (Mr hooRE) sent 10 the Legislature
from the county of kanawha, setting forth the g'i"v-
ances of the west both 10 the way ol l'i
and asking redress under this provision of the cNtt
ton There were resolutions also sent to The "ISt-
turc from the county OF Greenbrer and the county oi
Brooke concurring in the kauawha memorial. aud ak,
ing this re-appronment to take place. These memorials
and resolutions referred 70 select c"i,tte -
Which the present Judge Baldwin, of the Court :
peals was the chairman There was majority 81 &C.
tern members upon the committee, and t:: commit!
in au able report made to the legislature, ora""'y LIZ
Baldwin, reported proposition for rr-ap'"';
ofrapresenaton in both branches OF the GENERA r.'l1i
upon the basis OF qualified voters. There ss ;'i'i
ty report made by the gentleman iro; The coaIS "i
Fauouier, (Ar ScorT) When tie time arrived for &c
iect were indefinitely po-tpHed an. no ra-aPPor;'"i
ment was made mention it here for the purEc-e oI-
IL Of showing that the west III the winter OF lol-f-
stood, as she does upon the basis OF flA!
lied voters. The whole western delegation III the r-i
lat,lrc sustained it, and the indefinite post poncncnl was
carried exclusively by eastern votes stated We "err
simple enough to suppose the Legislature would i""i ii
self bound to carry the provision Of the constitution
TO which have referred; that they would regard IL
as mandatory upon them. Our petition set OAK the
most enormous grievances under which any people ever
L.bored recollect among other things ana my lr!en
from the county of Brunswick, Mr. SIEL,) with wl"St
presence am honored will forgive III rcicrln: I"
it recollect noticing at the time the inequality then
existing between the county Of hanaw!la ahd i'e e'
tv of Brunswick If there county III tn: con-,
mouyv ealth which would have been willing to gHe al
excess ofreprescntaton it mi ht DO the county OF rls
wick because of my long attachment to the gentleman
who now represents that county The little county OF!
Brunswick with white population OF i,9iS, " The
Census of 1910, had two members in the House OF Dec
gates Of Virginia, while the county of haawh at t''
time, with white population of 1920, had bat
but Nothing vas done, however, brunswick Ktp'
her two delegates, md kanawha her one delegate:
and so they stand yet.
hare referred TO these facts for tho purpose OF $40"
ing that this proposition for the adoption OF the bass
ofquali6ed voters, ia scheme. 1t need not be
said here that the west has abandoned any ground II
has heretofore taken in reference to this great question
IL cLSeu ~ thc ScuIic"iau 'iiE ''
ty Of Fauquier, (Mr Scorr that it equivalent |"
the basis Of the white population. The number OF W.
tiers will bear the same relation to the number OF wic
inhabitants in every part of the State
will ask those who have denounced it ~ novelty
as something that has never been heard OF bc!ore--
would ask fthey prefer the white population ba.i'
If can find any Of them really having a sufficient pre-
ference for the whole white population over tia. Of the
qualified voters, regarding them myself substantial
y the same, would be willing to accommodate an;
OF my eastern friends do not, however, understand
it in that light. 1t is used difficulty which they
attempt to throw in way.
Exceptions have been taken TO the basis OF the quail
fled voters because gentlemen say, that it dsquaiile
a large portion Of the white inhabitants Genemrn
have become very protective in their feelings. IcG
only take the voting population, it is urged and they,
in all probability, will not exceed some 100000 q"
100000 of the whole population. Ny friend from
Loudoun Mr. JANSEY has undertaken to be the cham
pon par crcelisnce of the ladies upon this occasion
Laughter. He asks in emphatic terms why We throw
The ladies overheard ! do not believe he manifested
any sympathy COR tho condition of the children.
[Lauchterl If we throw class over we throw the
other class over. He asks cmphatically why ".
throw tho ladies overheard
MIR. Chairman, there is no one thrown overheard III
proposing this basis of qualified voters. We. n J
maintain propose the true philosophical basis of repre-
sentation in republican government. We propose
that representation shall correspond with suffrage
We are all of the opinion that representation IS but