Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-02-22
REPRESENTATION OF TOWNS.

REPRESENTATION OF TOWNS.
Mr. Scott of Fauquer, on Monday last, sub
mitted in the State Convention, substitute for
the two reports of the Committee on the Basis of
Representation. 1t differs from the projet of
the Eastern moiety of the Committee, chiefly in
leaving in blank the number of members to be
fixed for each House of the General Assembly,
in not prescribing that the House Of Delegates
shall meet brienially, and in leaving it to the Le-
gslature to make the first apportionment of Soma
tors and Delegates.
One section of the substitute, however, con- |
tains very remarkable provision, which is wor- |
thy of attention. 1t reads:
4. Representation in both legislative bodies shall be
apporioned amongst the counties, cities and towns |
cordmg TO the number of white inhabitants contained
and the amount OF all taxes paid in each; deductng
from such taxes all taxes paid on licenses andlaw pro-
ees. In making such apportonnlent there shall be al
lowed one delegate for every -part OF the said in
habitants and delegate far every part OF the said
taxes and in like manner there shall be allowed one
Senator for every part OF the same; PrOrded, |
that the representation OF no city or town shall at any
time exceed - Delegatesand - Senators but |
the surplus fractions thereof whether OF population or
taxation, of both combined shall be estimated in as
signing representation to the sections OF the State IN
which they are respectively situated.
The proviso to this section proposes to establish
doctrine, which is entirely new in Virginia, and
which, it appears to us, is without any warrant in
reason Or justice. Its enormty was very proper
1y exposed by Mr.. Sheffey in his remarks on
Thursday, and with force of argument which,
we think, must have left few of those who heard
him unconvinced. II the law of apportionment,
which Mr.. Scott would incorporate in the Cons.
tuition, is based on a sound principle, the princi-
pie namely, that population and taxation should be
equally regarded in the allotment of representa-
ton, what plausible preteXt there be for limit
ing its operation in respect to the towns? The
object of the restriction is abundantly evident 1t
is to prevent the towns from attaining as much
power in the Legislature as they may at some fu-
ture period, become rghtfully entitled to exercise
The country and the towns are unjustifaby pre-
sumed to have adverse interests, and the country
being now greatly in the ascendant Gas in truth it
always must be) Mr.. Scott proposes that it shall,
IN the fundamental law, take to itself the lions
share. We know not what limit that gentleman
proposes to affix to municipal representation, but
none can be in accordance with the great republic
can principle of equal rights. If certain amount
OF white population and certain amount of taxa
ton properly entitle community to certain in
Huence in the common government it is the most
palpable oppression to withhold the benefit of the
rule from community that happens to be within
the circumscribsd limits of city
But if the restriction were capable of defence
on general principles, the particular manner in
which the substitute report proposes tosapply it is
open to the gravest objections. This point was
ably discussed by Mr., Shefey, with whose views
on the subject of representation, our readers
know that we are far from agreeing, but that does
not prevent us from approaching the force of a
sound argument from him or any other gentle
man. 1.-THE excess of representation, beyond the
limit yet to be ascertaned, is to be denied to the
towns, because the country is afraid of their
influence, and is to be accredited to other consti-
tuencies, it would seem 10 be remarkable (if rea-
son can be appealed TO after once disregarding
its teachings) that the portions of the State with
which the respective towns are most intimately
connected, should enjoy the privilege of which
they have been SO unnghteously shorn Butthe
substitute secures the surplus representation of
Richmond, Norfolk, Petersburg and Alexandria
not the Piedmont, Valley, and Southwestern
counties, with which they carry on the large pro-
portion Of their trade, but nth the Tide Water
section, which traics principally with Baltimore
and the Northern cities. "Robbing Peter to pay |
Paul'' is practice not uncommon in private or |
public transactions though its ethical propriety |
has never been formally maintained. But Mr.. |
SCOTS proviso Is good deal worse, for it robs
Peter, not to redeem just obligation to Paul, but
TO give Paul more than he ought to have. and to
set him up with undue authority and circumstance
amongst his equally merorious neighbours. If
it be determined 10 prohibit the representation of
towns beyond limit, the least additional injustice
that can be afterwards inflicted is to extinguish |
the excess altogether. If people and taxes are
TO be ignored where they properly belong, in the
name of common fairness, let them not be pre-
sumed to exist somewhere else