Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-09

mily with The IUclrihc Oh Inc Tlgit o! instruction.
down by ny friend from tie county OF Monroe or =
psn1oy to support The proposition OF the gentleman %
I Fauouicr now under consIderaiion-a!.I o. the ,i
aud position OF my friend from the county OF Hale
CIr. EpMry rs whose distinguished effort upon til. t"
i regret. did net have the pleasure of hearing !,r
been reflected upon BY that gentleman, am no, g,,
pared TO saw Whether concur or no in the opinion ~
pressed bv the gentleman from Halifax. as bis rer.,.
have rot vel been published. but will endorse tie d.
rinc o the right of Instruction rs cxpoandcf by Tie ON
tcman from Monroe himself.
IL. ronceivcs il to &c the duty G! ever. rcp.cse.
tive faithfully to reflect the views srd wishes 81 ~.
constituents unless they in conflict with some -
tab!ishcd canon OF good government. Upon that ,gaI
stion am prepared &c sustain before this Conyento
in the present stage ofthe question before TIE Comn
mittee the question OF the mixed bass Of rcprcscr,,.
ton. believe III thus doing reflect the view 3.
wishes of nv constituents, ant: bIieve that y!ulg.
no established Of good government -ind ter \.
me remark that while endorse the dccIaratIo: u IL,
gentleman from Monroe, MIR. CArERroS-) 10 list Is.
tent, was rather panied TO hear his declaration wtr
he proceeded step further and came TO tie mr.
ii saiion OF the organization OF this body: Tie prt>.t
Convention OF Virginia. sitting here for the purpose 4
rcmodc!iing the constitution OF tie Stale II uGdr
= cd aim right, in referring 10 this ba'.y he >tatc, at
this Couvt:lion had come up here organized under r.
.s,rpcd power on the part o.. the legislature o.! Ns.
MA deny that such is the fact | dt.tr with tie
propo,i;on as laid down by that uisn,,tl>icd .cf'!a
man. And Think that the proposition 10 t@! cH;egt
has not been sustained by any otter sencmN2 cal G.
", 81, yo has addressed the Committee upon this sex
ed question OF tie basis oil representation uaGcr
stand al least indirectly that the proposition has hcl
conceded en- all hands, that in community like OUR i.
government like ours. with organized State govern
ncnt, that the constitution OF sia can Only be
formed without rcyoGticn, III conicrn!it: 10 some
ablislcd law passed by the constituted authorities of
the State may say more, thai that proposition la.
been sustained not only b. the organization or tie
present State constitution, bat BY the past hi>.ory Of
Virginia in reference 10 the Contention which a>>ca
blcd in 1893 81 10 rc-organize and remodel the old
stuon. go further, and say thatt the orsaniza!1a
Of this Convention, is less exposed 70 Objection IA
the par, oi western gentleman than tie Con"tttu
which assembled in 1899 80. II will be seer uy
reference 10 the proceedings Of the Legislature 81
Virginia, upon that sum cct in ISIS. that the i..t
question, and the only question passed upon by that
leg sla,re, submit 10 the people of the STAT,
the question Of Convention or no Convention, S.col-
nccts with the mode of organization. Tn" pcope ol
the State first voted for call Of the Convention. aiI,
lie legislature n it, next session. organized the o..
rc:.ton allowing the people Of the Stale 10 Gee: .tr
delegates ro! Gael! senatorial district nj ;l. STAT.
70 o.c. presume. will doubt HE power al thr !li..
..c he peopIc having decided thai tic Contention
s.y be called! to prescribe the terms, a:G manner IN
y :c. that Convention should t. organized. BIT viii
70 a !lIr further. so far from the position ii N,
friend from ioaroc being sustained distinguished
gentleman from Westerns Virginia ma endorsed tho mar
ncr III which hi, body has been convened. AID the Law
under which nov assembled, was voted Tor "
six members CT the legislature from the west prr.
sumo competent Tor the legislature which passed
the las in IL -, under which we are assembled,
- have submitted Tie question OF convention or H.,
convention 10 the people, Dt they went step further
Ihcynot only ,'Ihnittcd to the people the question
convention or convention, Gal they sihll;tri 10
them The manner in which the contention was D. Gr
sanized: and than THAI they sib:ai,,r! 10 Them
The distinct proposition that ii sloui be organized upon
the mixed basis Of representation. Upon Al! question:
a. what is the voice Of Virginia. the only
which, have been in the habit Of looking i;.r .,
my political experience goes IL the expression 81 pub.
lie sentiment in the manner and mode prescribed by
law. y reference the vote upon Ibis subject. ,ui
will find b: ma orty almost unprecedented in Viz
siGa politics. that this question OF Convention c:hrac-
!a not only the question Of reform hut the lani Ui
organization, carried by ovcrw hc!rrs ma o;..
" OF the votes not only Of eastern, but western y.l.
ma 1t seems 10 me that from this result 81 tan
Inference, i, very fairly dcducblc. Either the licr
Of the people OF Virginia recognized thereby Ike mined
basis OF representation, the west wiling Ia
take the call of The convention upon that Representative;
and take their chances in canyassEg districts aaf
wc>: and il; they could net get majority o;y
in favor Of their views OF reform, but ia favor o: ir
basis Of representation. lhcr endorsed the cal! Of
convention they lave taken their chances Of ccr'rt
and The election has been held the public voice h., been
proclaimed. and have heen sent here as the rcrr,
scitaives OF the people to give expression that ,ur
andto declare what the views and opinions Of tie ,
pie OF Virginia arc, not only upon other questions a
reform, bu! upon the basis OF representation. Hos 4,
we determine the question; What the Vows Oitar
people upon any questions of reform: By reierc,crJ
he views and vpilous entertained hy Representative,
from the various portions If the State vo, a.rrrta.,n
embodied vii! Of thc people, and what their view
upon al questions OF reform AMI upon thi: az.
the basis OF representation. 1t appears Tia;
in the discussion OF the Question to the mannsr j.
which the Legislative department of the cor",pm>t:
sho!d bc organized that it is proper cc; oi
sid-r"ti'n - what has heretofore been the pYJD
PIE. il ANY, upon which this department OF the COVER,
mcnt has been organized in the wealth OF Nr
.nll. confess, Very frankly, that ii lind hr rcla
cncc to the past history of the State Tia, there Is
been no oppression" Of her citizens. violation al ii
personal rights not single net oi injustice pcr,"'rat
upon any one. that wo;id moi Civ" the experience
that eugh Of time for al the metaph ysr.t criuc:a,
from the bill al rights, or Tor all the theories of io:,
and Of Sidney or the spccuatcus Of Eurk .r If ar
lntoSh What has been the principle upon which II"
legislative department al this government hi. been
gtnz"l. from the earliest period in the l~,nr; u
State, DOM 10 the present hour! see b. rrtr.:cc
the early history al Virginia. that the first !lor
bura"Sscs that assembled in the romrnorn.ai'
met in .Iameet0wn. believe. in the wear iG!"or -.
II Wa constituted misrepresentation from ".,, r,,E.
ton, without reference 10 population taxation vtr
represented the particular interests OF the p!aiam.
settlements that sent item Several mutii;ca,,N- 70
IT," House OF Bnrg"sscs took during the h.,r.
/ the colonial government. For the first time ~ ltfl
when the first constitution Of Virginia wa- irnr,
by tn. representatives OF Tie propi" If size Sat
* a separate. sovereign and III ;cT.li:,r. STAT.
The pr1ncp pie Of representation by giving H. q. t
~ two delegates without reference their population
tContinmd 10 Second Pavr