Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-04

principle between the substitute, aud proposition A.
Tho only difference was. tlnt whereas proposition
proposes to settle halt dozen matters Of detail in
spac! of which differences of opinion may be entertained
by all Lof us, the substitute proposes only to commit
this body to tho principle of tho basis leaving all
matters Of detail FOR futnre discussion and future al Just
ment aaid, when was first up that did not intc.l
to participate thus caIly in the discussion and that
did not come here todsy under any such expectation
that was content il other gentlemen We're, to take til
vote upon tho question pending without discussion
And said in that connection, Justification for the
course ha indicated my Willingness to pursue, that
did not understand the proposition of the substitute to
involve any violent change from the existing order of
things in Virginia that the principle of the substitute
contained no novelty with and, in proof OF that re-
ferred to the fact that the Convention itself had been
convened upon the principle announced in it.
was not II member OF the general assembly when the
law passed which called this Convention, but
have understood that it proceeded upon the prin
ciple.
That the npportonmen of representation in the Con
venon visa nade between tho several grand dyisions
of the State upon the principle of the mixed basis,
worked out to result the principle indicated i'll the
suE-titnte--worked by assigning lnoiety Of repre-
setati,n Ia the white inhabitants and moiety to the
taxes. If am mistaken in that the gentleman from
kanswha, Chr. SruNgR) who may be better informed,
will correct me. But UNDER land that to be The man.
her in which the bill for the organization Of this Con
seniion prepared; snd, understanding. urged
it as why tho burden Of opening this debate
should rest upon the other side. There is the more
reason in this when We consider that proposition pro
poses 10 adopt state Of things before known in
Virginia novelty in its hstory-one which never had
received, in any form, the sanction of the people
Whereas according to my understanding, the contrary
was the case i'll respect to the substitute.
Mr.. SUMMERS. understood the gentlemen then
as uaw as saving that his amendment would lie perfect
ed by filing the blank with half every sew
enty ish part Of the population and being one seven
r gloA. l,1.
be the basis upon which this Convention is assembled
and that no regards all old affair. one TO which We
have been accustomed and far accustomed that
are bound TO show good reason why it should be
thrown oil Am | to understand the gentleman ~
maintaining here that because majority Of the good
people Of Virginia adopted the proposition submitted
by the legislature for the convcnins of convention 10
amend their organic law or to make new constitution
that they thereby to be regarded having foreos
ed the question: and decided for themselves their viii
iingness accept aud abide by that basis OF rorese
tation in the general assembly of Virgna Tins is al
old proposition one TO which have long been sccus
!, toned and the other is q novelty Proposition con
tens principle of representation new to u.s. and "a
understood the gentleman to say, though muy have
, inexperienced him. and unknown to history
, also
Mr.. SCOTT So far as the action OF our government
is concerned; mean tho commonwealth of Virginia
Dir. SUMMERS If the gentleman means to fill the
blank in the fourth section with equal amounts Of pop
uaton and taxes to conform to plan A. why docs
he leave il biankl Why does the gentleman IN reply
TO the gentleman from Accomsc inform hm that it is
in tho nature Of the bid Why does he inform him that
it is fixed up sort of sliding scale, whereby popua
ton CHI be enlarged on the one han and taxes limited
on the other; taxes enlarged on the one hand and
population limited on the other lie knows very we'll
that it is competent for any member Of the Convcnti"n
let his opinions bewhat they may to move the one
eishticth part i'll population and the ona-t#entetll
part in taxes or to reverse the proposition one twcn
ticth part population, aud nneeigEtc!h part in taxes
in house of one hundred mean. If it DO the gentle
mans purpose to I'LL the bank-as he has understand
conccdcd-with the precise language proposed IN plal
a. imagine sort OF reason for leaving 1t in
blank. Hc told u.s. in his first remarks that the value
Of h;s proposition was That upon it gentlemen might
vote for the nike, principle, and afterwards fix the
proposition might best suit them When physician
vista sick bed and dcsres to swallow pill
which he tells ia purity composed Of bread aud part
ly composed Of arseuc-partly o! bread known to be
wholesome and the staff OF life and partly OF arsenic
known be dceterious and fatal AJAX him TO inform
me in what proportion these ingredients arc mixed
and he tells TO swallow The pill and he will nforE
me afterwards how be has has mixed the :ents
demand t. know, before the gentleman from Fanquiei
asss me to vote on his substitute how these ingredients
are to be mixed. l decline to swallow this substitute
aGd then be Informed afterwards of the composition
this medicine for the body polite His proposition
is old onc and the opening OF this debate must b'
thrown ho imagncs, upon those who propose to par
eel cut and divide the Legislative power of this com
Inonwcath equally among the people who are parties
to It'll 1t is novel proposition and the on"s prot1n@
is upon thoee who sustain il. Why, have anderssc
that the very definition of tho term cvis society wa
that it composed Of equals. hnd nevor suppose
that it would be necessary, IN this enlightened era
repubcanism and constitutional liberty, to naint#ii
that all those who arc members of the body polite hav
cqnal rights in the government which is to DO formed
on the contrary, had supposed that those who Pr"
posed that government should DO founded ono hal
oa taxation and one half population, maintained
proposition so novel and extraordinary in ITSELF tina
had right to demand of them the roasons and tn
o ground. upon which they asked Us to asscn. TO it,
o have right now to ask the gentleman fcom Fauquie
= by what of reasoning is it that he expects e
maintain that the legislative powers OF this common
wealth ase To be withheld from the hands of maJcr;t.
o the people OF tho commonwealth Give Us reason fo
&c ths, what TERM and extraordinary proposition
say hear reason upon which you arc AUTHORISED
10 disircse very large portion Of the people of thi
y commonwealth. Let Us hear by What process o
= raiocnation you expect to establish proposition l.,
- which, while you have majority OF 100000 Of people
10 the western portion Of the State you place the egs
ative power in the hands Of the inUrity 10 the tune
d twenty thirty majority on ioin. ballot in thu
8 general assembly. Let hesr tho r.ason which l,s
a. induced you to import from South Carolina principle
Of representation. and to seek to plant il in The com
monwealth Of Virginia You call upon US 10 oman tn
u aud say tina. the burhren Of proof n on Il,
d sustain the right to an equal participation in thi
II government but deny it,. Let us understand also
'F why, deemed necessary tina. taxation SHOULD form
component part of representation that We Of the ives
\ should be deprived Of the value aud beaeG; of our in
creasiug taxation, look at the Table which was pro
. scnted here this morning, ana you will find that be
o tween the years 1910 and 1850 there has beon pc
centum of increase Of upwards of o. per cent in tia
portion of the commonwealth lying west of tho Blu
Ridge; while the increase of taxation east Of til
e mountains has been but little over 80 per Cent BIZ,
here, you not only found your representation half
i population and half on taxes but You have adople
the other and the accompanying feature OF the Sou
. Carolina consultation, both in the plan A, and in !h
substitute, which provides That at every apportou
d msat the amount OF taxes shall be estimated upo
c the average for the ten preceding years Even upo
your own plan Of population and taxation you will no
i give US tho benefit OF tho taxation which we are pay
lng Are not these novelties that require explanation
like the gentleman from Fauquier had not the leas
anticipation Of addressing word to this committee
this subject to-day, but inasmuch sy friend has take
the ground that this novel proposition, and on
whioh imposed the burden of proof upon felt mysel
called upon to reply in the manner in which have at
. tempted to do think that Wa laye much more RICH
to call on him for an explanation Of these features
Commonwealth asEous to hear the process of req