Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1851-02-28
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THE VIRGINIA CONVENTION.

= ns 10y s4AiteNi on IasSaaH, was engaged in
the discussing Of the Basis question.
Mr. smilk,snf Kanawha, spoke at length agains,
The Mixed Basis Of Representation, and against
The inequality il proposed to establish The
founders Of ~ Sin Of Rights never contemplated
such singular compound as that Of The Mixed
Basis. Thetshad laid the Foundation for Govern
meni which skoaid be controlled by The sovereignty
OF me Pcoplelp pod based upon white population and
not upon blsSk and yellow skins IL the Mixed
Basis Is to b9kontinued, the East is to have an in
termnable Supremacy. Let it be continued and il
require NOT K spirit of prophecy to say, thar every
yestige Of Republican Government in this State
will be desus5ed If The wealth Of the State is to
control her fdstunes and Der destiny il establishes
adespotism Which transfers the just powers Of The
majority to iht power Of money; and the people of
the West are be made serfs to the East Would
you give To one Eastern man the power over the
other onel NJ. the idea is Indignantly repealed
He who thidhs that the West will lie down and
submit TO this sondition of things wofulIy mistakes
their character IL the seat Of Empire ischanged
70 the West vail there be less integrity in the con-
troll Of the Government then than now II the
Eastern property would not be safe in the control
Of the West, God grant that Western property may
be sale in the PRESENT hands OF battalion Of negro
holders. HIhepower is to be feared in one instance
il Is much nors 70 be deprecated in the other.
Mr.. Chamblgs, Of Greensyille, next took The
floor and detenesd the Basis Of population and lax
alton combined He contended that property was
an acknowledgement Of the body polite, and ac-
cording To- the admission of members On the other
side, il was entitaed 70 protection. What could men
DO without money they would be as impotent as
money without men. Our torefathers, 10 whom
such frequent reference had been made, regarded
property as an element of political power; and
whilst they pledged their lives and their honor for
great principles they pledged their fortunes" too
The West might have an excess of 500 900 popu-
lation; bur the East the battalion OF negro hol-
ders, owned loepOo00O Of property in which the
West was not Interested, and all they asked was
the poor privilege Of PrOtecting i Misrepresentation
themselves e.
MI, Shettey commenced speech in support Of
the White Basis. su, gave way for an adjournment
In the CONVENTION, on Wednesday, Mr. Shelley
continued his remarks in support of the Basis Of
Representation upon Write population alone. He
did not feel on shat door as an equal he felt thai
he was in the HANDS Of majority who could dictate
their terms Of equalization. Man never left his
state Of nature togo into the social compact bull to
secure and retais his social, civil and political
fFee ana equal sAlt - u to- equally Tree, that
half hundred, WHIP have money, shall govern one
hundred, who havE not as much. The payment Of
taxes by man Vas an elementary duty, but did
not entitlc him p sower.
Mr.. s. then referred to the large amounts which
had been expended il Eastern Virginia for1nternal
Improvements ssfd cpntended that the wealth Of
the, East induced 1.-THE propriey Of taxation there,
and that the Ws4Gcould not afford to pay as much
taxes. Mr. 5. save way, and the Convention adj
journed
In the CoSFESffeS on Thursday, Mr.. Shelley
concluded his speech in favor Of the White Basis,
and vas very inlSsesing and instructive, in defence
of his cause Represented an amount of statistical
information which evinced labor ami research,
and very adroillyattempted by its means TO drive
wedge between tie Tide Water and the Piedmont
country and between the rural localities and the
cities Of the Commonwealth.
Mr.. Beale, os Westmoreland, followed in a
speech, which vas marked by great felicity of ex-
preston and SONG strong points which was listened
10 with much altentfon. He spoke in favor of the
Mixed Baais. He was mo, 10 be swept away by
the war of inhesation, which was now innndRtins
the country The member from Greenbrier had
eulosised the men Of The Convention OF 80 but his
euiogy was like The rainbow, which, beautiful TO
the gaze only sersed to allure whilst he consigned
to oblivion their Memory in the dark waters Of the
abvss below. He denounced those men as aristo-
,crats The nsrsber from Greenbrier had been
horn in cannon sAot Of the building where they sal
and now he CANE as the leader ofthe cohorts oil The
West. with torch ID band, TO burn down the sane
tuary in which his fathers had worshipped Gem
tlemen need not salk political equality as prin-
ciple, when ihsysare not willing to work ii out to
81 nraceeal results. Apply the White Basis, and
take the excess and deficiency 10 the different local
ties Of the STATE aud you have 100 1872 people VIE
are totally disfraichised You give Morgan !
delegate ana you give Norfolk, with three times
he popula,ioni only delegate. Let members
sing no more 1hosannahs to political equality
after this II
In the CoSvksrroS, on Friddy Mr.. Brown oil
Preston being entitled to the floor, spoke in sup
port of he principle Of representation based upon
White populatiDa and al length against the detail.
Of he Mixed Basis Report ofthe Committee.
He was followed fyy Mr. Perkins, Of Halifax, whe
spoke in defence of the Basis ofrepresentaton upon
taxation and pSpslatien combined.
Before concluding bis speech, Mr.. P. gave way
10 motion tot adjournment.
The Convention, on Monday. in Committee Of th'
whole, was engaged il the further consideration
Of the Busis QUESTION. Mr.. Willie OF Mopongalia
occutied rs altension in IN animated and abb
speech.
49, n TfsWT