Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-22

interests of socic:. 1t is there that you must inn
your restraints ii YOU have any alarms for the safet
property is there that your confidence distru 81 il
the virtue and intelligence OF your teow-cltizcns mus
exhibit itself. When YOU have ascertained who shall
exercise the right OF suffrage you have given u h'
measure OF your confidence iii the people If you thnl
property unsafe il left to the control oil the mas ses
society, you will impose scl. qualifications upon tn
right 10 limit lis exercise 10 those who alone can b
safely entrusted with it, # YOU have confidence in III,
Justice The virtue and the nlcll+Tc, &c ~ lie 'or't-
~ lhcr cai city coai'rrh"c" inc srcal interests &
society, and in ,ic- patriotism 10 maintain mos; inter
csts, you will ctr-e the risht Of suffrage 10 IL great
est practical limits. | shall assume IL iof 5fantca
HAT no gentleman III this Convention gong 10 enlarge
.iie area OF sl!raee from any personal
connected with mere race icr Temporal. PoP";aTi't
mat lie Is ~ driven inie that reform lra'i ay outward
pressure upon his Judgment and comprehension tha
ie VIII do SO, because his knowledge ana oostF'a
non oi our people satisfy im that IL can DE Safely ana
properly doac. say then, that when you have h&ed
suffrage YOU have given to us your own solemn c"''ie
Ton as statesmen 10 the persons IN whose names The
Siiey and control Of all The dearest interests OF the state
may DC safely deposited.
Having then ;i.ccraincd who are be clothed witt
the political power vi Ike Statewide are % exercise
Tie ri IN. Of srlragc-wiio in the expressive language
oi the bill OF rights. TIC pcYsc ns ':.vus
mon Interest with and attachment to the commune
~. would seem to that tc 5jcC; o! represent
!atio in your general assembly h:t cc.ollary flow
ing from The proposition thus !cternI ned;
What Is representation. and what iii designed 10
ccmpsh: IT IS ;hc moGc by which ltr pc"pc-hcrc
too numerous and far scattered! TO council after
the manner of The ancicu! tia';s and ~r,na.r-drpuc
iicr agents 10 sneak an, Tor tlcni iii scuc common
hall Of dc!lhcralirl. Inc gent '"gan from Cu!rcrcr.
SIR RAHEnrh} il. Ills very n t. 2ui l." rsn% ar.,lnc
referred 10 ;!c representative system ., nab!.>t
achicvcca Of modern political SCIENCE Enqucs'icaa-
bly, il i, il he 2r!as the perfection whc! that "
tenn has acqrc: in moicrn times. Hu1 the represent
Ialiyc system unknown 10 the ancen, Greeks
1t la. been kaow:l for InTnv centuries ia England and
among the continental nations OF EuroI and tie ont
great Improvement which modern poit cal science has
achieved, has been t" make 1t CONFORM more exactly -
Ike source from which. it springs to max il the express
image of tla' Of which it is hut The sabstitutc-lhe
voice III the qualified v,c:s at the Polls.
Representation then ii it, pu:itr,i, ic COLLECTED s
irasc. OF the people. Il a me Epcr sont:o OF ileii
will in the legislative" ASSEMBLY. 1t i perfect n1ltr
fct,it a22:cs with the prrp'sca "i lis iDs,iitGn o:
dcrar from those purposes, just as ii is made
vcy faithfully convey FIJI. The aI egatc Of those
voices which spoken nj the polls. 1t is, or ought
be perfect lens to collect iEto Otto common ocls,
the scattered rays Of public sentiment throughout the
State. But ii you cJlstrucJ the Instrument, rs to
gather or even multiply the ras xhi ch pass through
olcalf Of its tisc, and TO repc The portion OF
those which ought to pas, t!rongi. Elc other half you
,nar succcc! in throwing IN image % "ulc opinion int
your L.. is;;iive hall, ut it Will lie All image perverted
dist nrtcd and ,ic[crE,cd.
The plan .l.i;tcd b. the euErass basis party pro-
poses to give representation that lssr lection To which
modern science HIS brought IT, It rds every voter
in the Commonwealth standing up" the same plat
form OF equal rights having cacl I'd all an equal
voice in determining the action and policy Of the gov
crn:cit As i: allows 10 individual wca lth superior
weight or influence 1T the polls il does allow
aggregate wealth any superior weight or intlcacv in
your halls Of legislation. As 1t docs MOI graduate the
Intelligence and int crest III The cGnn1 ily. oI any in
gi ;.l voter. bY the amount Of prop criv which he
holds neither does it graduate the IN! ELI scncc and ps,
riolsn Of counties and districts T. BE property
tanned to he within their limit. Tie equality
~hic! rcsns in the primary assemblies al the people
transferred to yuGr representative chamber. il Is 10
this mode, and in t, mode only, that your representa-
tive hall DC, what ought nc, ;iGnl mirror Of
the sentiments and opinions Of lie oo!" Of Virginia
Precisely opposite 10 this in its effects, Is, The Tropo
siti"n contained IN the scheme of the nj .c basis party
Whilst it c"ncrdcs viii: the equality ~ all the mai,
y,hIal voters Ut TIE polls utterly acilatcs that
equality III transferring their voices fro u the lsting
10 the halls Of legislation By that systt Inc voice Of
the voters At the polls IS Que thing and Their voice in
the representative chamber different I'll totally diff
tine. thing process IL interpreted Between emf
ifagc and REPRESENTATION and under It's ,ca opera
ton vote in section OF the State is multiplied
e. to count two and two votes in another section scaled
20 a. TO count one This may be very Ingenious piece
Of political nechansn-t may be adm raby fitted to
accomplish the ect for which it is dc ned the per
petution OF power in one section OF tie State at the
cxrensc Of ano;her-but II is difficult to sec in what
form il gives protection 70 property ~ reflects III it
results the voice Of III" people OF Virginia trust tbs
is not that representative system. which the gentleman
from Cu!pcprr regards rs the nuoc,G achievements
modern political science, il ST, ii would SEEM that the
perfection OF rel" escntation, consists III the facility
which affords 10 msrcprcscnt the scntl.lcnt OF the
people Of this State
Why is it that plan Of government uat and cGua
- that for which We contcndso well calculated 10 al
lay discomfort, and to promote harmony throughout the
commonwealth, cannot be introduced into virginia. a.
has been in many other States north west and south
Of llsi
We are told, it is because of the sity--tle
an; agonsIn of interests between the diff. cnt section:
If ibis Statc-that whilst no:liaa' = PEG.
pie, externally SO nr a. oar relations to the federal
government and si=ter status are concernsd We are
on. pcopicyc:, VIXEN cone to look into our domc
tic condition. see such diacorIan and Heterogeneous
mass Of elements combined under one government, As
to render unsafe the control of its interests 10
majority of those constituting the pecpleoi this state
have been both amused and amazed at the cXtrara-
gance of language in which gentlemen have thought
proper to indulge Oh this branch of the subject The
cal m and philosophical gentleman from the city Of Rich
mond (Mr. MErEnrn,) tells U.S. that there Is not to be
found undr tire sun" people whose interests are 50
dssimar as those Of the different sections of this state
Til, gentleman from tcoch!nd Air lEARE) lt a-cer-
tanned 10 biz own satisfaction, not only that there i
this diversity Of interests but that there Is IN equal d.
ycr.t" in the chu.ctf of the people The gentleman
from Buckingham. (Mr FrerAN unwilling TO het!cy"
tha, the rapid Increase 81 populations III western Virginia
could natural catscs
from the valley aud eastern "rtlons OF this state has
.rcayurcd 10 demonstrate upon the principles OF Nal
thus on ,opuation that very large portion Of the H.
habant inust necessarily be aliens and foreigners
s, have no doubt there great many excellent
and we'll meaning persons in eastern Virginia, who have
,rr, much the same idea of the inhabitants Of western
vr.i:,i that in parts Of E''ropc they seem to have
Of lie inhabitants uf North An.rica-a countrv which
the bclis,cto he yet wholly peopcih v the wild and
roaming sav;t,e- Of The forest. Know ibyscl IL one
Of the nroprn lest ma:;ms Of philosophy when apf:iod
10 Individual man. Know thy State" Isl maxim OF
aora! value and Importance to those who crc entrusted
with III, ,cstnics nf grc:.t r,mnonwealth In listen
in. 10 this melancholy description of our State ore
would he almost incliaed to suppose 4 a We were torn
to pieces by those unhappy and intestine :.u.s
whc, in ireland. array Saxon against Celtic bond-and
in Hungary marshal the Savon!c asaEsi the Magyar IA
crs But we must not mistake the high colnrIns which
heated ard partixan clouencc have impaired 10 the pc
turc for the sober realities Of truth.
If this diversity or atagon:sm Of interests existed IN
this State to the extent which gentlemen "a the n1u
gcncc of frrvid mag naol have pictured If It be, that
we are people discorIan IL sentiments, ana so
hostile in OH views of governmental policy that wecan
not coalesce under government upon the principle OF
equality as frcemsn what conclusions do sucn pre-
IN ..luDtion that prllc