Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-11

gslative authority taxation and appropriation and
You saw further that this end only be secured by
seizng in your own hands the hands OF minority, the
reins Of government and that YOU alone must hold and
drive Now the difference between us is ths ana mere
is the issue We guarantee 20 yon' we 'cco'u % you
fully that TIE protection Of property IS one oil the great
fundamental objects Of government anu we say 'i''a
that protection is 10 be obtained by all essential guar
antics and proper Limitations legislative power OF
say ha: in that shape the protection Is "of "n',
that il is only useful in the form Whlch you uesSe, 'n
that is BY holding the power Yourselves ana " retain
ing The authority OF the LEGISLATURE III the ',e' Y.
minority. That is The distinction between u. Now
the gentleman from Fauquier the other day with That
candor for which he is distinguished PLACED. this que
ton upon this single proposition. The gentleman from
Fauquer has said that the only ssie ground 81 apPic-
hcnson which he has under Heaven Is III reference to
the leyying of taxes and the appropriation u 't .'c
revenue and that in reference 10 al other SUBJECTS OF
alarm he does not participate IN that alaE but regards
them chimcrical and mere matters oi ''e lhaina
ton 1t in reference to the power o TAXATION ana ap-
preparation only thar IL cncrains ny Apprehension;
and the gentleman himself has SAID Thai Ill reference 10
this. it can in his opinion be regIi;tea i' !i'ef ny
restrictions and by narantics Tie has himself thus far
taken the ground upon which " estern men stand here.
We come here asking You for an cqta! proportion and
distribution Of political power among the people oi this
Commonwealth and connect with 1t the proicr to
unite with Won in all jt.si limitations AMI guarantees.
of those who nantain this mixed basis proposition,
their agbcager in this great controversy has himself
admit ed in the presence Of iS Convention a oil the
people Of the Conmonweal'a. that this Is Ike only
ground Of fear and apprehension which he has and lac
saws that i: NAV BE- provided against. Now he !i:s
couped with the other assertion the declaration; OF opi
ion on his part that it cannoi BE- provided against
cept by miia; that may restrict III the future fur
thcr than he is willing TO 90 the power o! nt"a! ia
provement That may be point deserving OF cXaai:!:
..r.
ton hereafter ii is not my purpose OF gong INTO any
discussion of it now. But the ground upon which ap
prchcnd Western gentlemen will be found stand is
Ibis We ask as Il matter Of RICH. an equs! dis;rbu-
ton Of political power among the people o this Com
uunwcnlth and ut the time we are ready to unite
with you when you shall devise nnd present 10 lis for
our action al Iudicous and proper Limitation and guar
antics upon the powers OF the MAJORITY That Is what
We understand minority has right % ask, but that a
minority has right ask that they shall themselves
hold the power % the government, ana That The legs
latiyc authority shall b. conied to their a!- We Ut
terlY ,env and rcpudate We admit Of the right Of tie
minority 10 ask Of the majority such constitutional pro-
vision, or assurances call Them what YOU please limi
tation. guarantees anything else, shall secure
them from az erosion and the abuse 81 the power .! the
majority Such provisions for Instance rs sh.i! secure
uniformity of taxation and against injustice III i.e up
nropriaiinr power That admit, ray, minority
have the right to ask Of the GRITTY, and that this
iorty here stand rca 10 coacedc and give them 1t.
il be understood bY the people al th!s Commonwealth
and of the world hat while you here twiting rs
about guarantees aud n!tations and Saeerng al paper
guarantees and ASSURANCES u thu. KIND, *ou, minority
of the peoDe OF the Commonwealth claiming here
that tn. c,ly mode in which Won can be secured il. your
pro,crty is bv allowing yor, minority OF the people
to hold the whole power If government yourselves
That j, the true condition o in-s " this moment that
TOO in connection with the declaration of the gentleman
from Faunuier that there i but subject in reei
to which any apprehension need he entertained NJ MI
and tho, subject he confc,e Eiar he disposed o! 4;
10 proven. any injustice or any Improper exercise Of
power.
reference to these matter. ily desire simply Il
rcspond to the inquiry of the gentleman FROM uuCou!
in reference to the duties of tie Basis Committee. i
we'll known that tina: committee equally divided
In reference 10 this question of limitations and ga.a
tie. 50 far AZ know the opinions Of the iaen
bers of that committee, il va; that wiatc"cr Suar
tie and limitations should be deemed necessary and
proper ought to come fran the Legislative Conn;itoc
and ought b. provided ior BY The operation q gen
era provisions in the constitution. aud ought nc; !" be-
made part and parcel the basis ol representation
and that tiou ought moi 10 be basel Gpon them
as a condition IL it. apnoronment
I Mr. CONWAY. !; will BE- perceived hy the Convcn
ton that If speeches which made in committee may
be replied - il the Convention that gentlemen viii
avail themselves OF the opportunity to MAKE their
speeches upon this question III the Convention mog9
that we now resolve ourselves into Committee OF The
Whole and | 90 50 because a gentleman has the t'oer
and is prepared to proceed.
Mr. HUNTER Is such 4 motion in order while a
question is pending:
Mr. CONWAY. II il j., understood ;hHt there Is %
be- no further discussion III the Convention the CUES
ton will withdraw my motion.
The question was then taken the resolution Of Nh
HUNTER, and it was adopted
THE BASIS OF REPRESENTATION.
The Convention then, Oh motion of Mr. Coa'vAr ~
sumcd the consideration in Committee of the Whole,
Mr MILLER in the chair Of the report o: the Commit
tee on the Basis and Apportionmcnt of Representations
The CHAIR stated the question to be on the pf"po'
sition of Mr.. Scorr of Fauquer.
MrBARBOUR. | think that my course, since !
have been member Of this body gives stronger as
surance of the difhdencc and reuct nce with winch
obtrude myself upon the attention Of the Conven...
than any form of words which could employ. As one
of the younyest-perhaps the younsest-mcmbef upon
this flor hsye fell that il due to the Convention
and due 10 myself that should not press myself upon
ito notice excep: when mpeed TO do 50 oy sense Of
euty. But. like other gentlemen on this floor. have
nti.s TO discharge: and if those vino sent lie here
had have apprehended that would have permitc con-
siderations OF personal deicacy and didence to ca
barrass me in the discharge Of those duties that full
measured confidence by authority of winch am mere
rnnld have been withheld, and properly withheld, from
mo cannot therefore. shrink from the task thai is
before me- | must however, in the outset invoke the
indulgence Of the committee. am, for the first time
in nv life addressing delibe:at;ve assembly, and II
very we'll aware that may not be able to adapt my
stye TO the propriees Of this position The cont
mittee must, therefore pardon me ii use. upon this
occason the same Of manner the same Tree
dom of speech that would do were addressing my
friends and neighbors from the galleries Of my own
court house or upon the ury bench in my own COUNT
will add that desire to say nothing that Is offensive
10 anv gentleman or any collection Of gentlemen here
And ii any remark shall fall from tina! may seem to
hear such construction ask that it mar be atirba-
ted rather to inadvertance arising out of the excite
ment of the moment than to any purpose to vound the
sensbilities Of gentlemen.
In discussing this subject shall endeavor to view II
fairly in each of the aspects in which il has been
considered by most Of the gentlemen who have prece-
Ied me in the debae-rst abstract question IL
volyng the graycs considerations of public policy and
public safety One party upon this floor contends that
what they denominate the suffrage basis of representa-
ton is the only basis consistent with popular right
and the fundamental principles of liberty as they are
asserted in our own bill of rights. Ii their position is
sound one then there is end to The discussion ao
knowledge that there would then be occasion for fur
Their argument and should be bound to 90 along with
them Ii. however this question Of abstract right Is
not with them, and the fundamental principles OF free
government do not require u TO adopt the basis Tor
which thew contend then must give ourselves over
,o the oi1ance Of those considerations OF public policy
and sofstv that apply to the actual condition of the