New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-04-26

and not without resson, 10 tnls Uay' al"
which no one proposes to alter but 1t
practically failed to carry out the principles
there stated. 1t li4ited the franchise to
freehelders owning twenty-five acres Of i'm
proved, or a hundred of unimproved land.
or house and lot in town. This was after
ward amended by making the owrerof tifty
acres of unimproved land a voter. This
Limitation of the suffrage caused the Con-
vention Of 1880 to be called. And it was
not called without difficulty; the opposi'
ton to it was warm and resOlute; the final
majority in favor of calling it by no means
q large one.
When this Convention was opened, the
difference of interest between the two sec
tons, and that between freehOlders and
non-freeholders were brought out together.
The party representing slave property
found itself endangered alike by the ex-
tension Of the suffrage in their own sec
ton and the apportiOnment of legislative
representation throughout the State. To
give the right of voting to every citizen,
without regard to property was perilOus :;
to make white population the basis Of re-
presentation was no less so. Behind both
of these propositions they saw menaced
their right in their human chattes. The
matter was debated with eminent ability
on both sides. but as we said, Slavery car
ried the day. The suffrage was somewhat
extended, but sti i limited by odious pro.
pe1ty qualifications, while the still moreodi-
Gus privilege by which afrceholder can vote
in as many towns and counties as he has
r-aaholds was suffered to remain. The
Legislature was apportloned so as to give
to the East nineteen Senators and TO the
West only thirteen; to the East seventy
eipbtmembers of the House and to the West
ffty-six; and it was provided that in future
appointments each section should steadily
preserve this proportion in the representa-
ton. The reason Of this inequality was the
larger number of slaves held by the East,
it being contended that that sort of property
specially needed protection, and that as
it was represented in the Federal Congress,
it ought also to be in the Virginia Legs
lature. When this Constitution was sub
mitted to the people, the West gave ma p
jority Of above 1000 votes against it, but
the East one of near $4,000 in its favor.
1t is mainly in consequence of this inc
quality that the present Convention has
been called. Though the progress of po-
litical ideas in general has reached Viz
pinia also, and an elective Judiciary and
other Improvements are likely to result
from it, yet the great matter in hand Is to
settle the balance of power, that Is to say,
the basis of representation. The Western
men oppose any balance, scout the idea OF
allowing slaves to be represented, and in
sist on distributing the Legislature strictly
according to the white population. They
and their allies from the East, among
stand in this respect on the true Democratic
ground, and so far have the best of the ar
gument. But the Eastern party hold
fast to the necessities of the case, and OPP
pose to the eloquent speeches of the inno-
waters all the considerations which immO-
bile conservatism always has at command.
But their main argument is the danger to
which their slave property would be ex-
posed by the change; their bugbear is
Abolition. The contest is now at its hight,
and neither side speaks of yielding. The
West threatens secession and the forma-
ton of a new State if IFS demands are not
complied with. The East, though admit
ting that it has but minority of votes, in
sists on keeping a superiority of power
If they do not do this, they are convinced
that their slave property will be subjected
TO excessive taxation, and thus gradually
taken from them. They do not ask to
have their slaves directly represented as
in the Federal Congress, but propose
mixed basis of representation that is to
say, they will give so many representatives
to. population ard so many to property
taking care so to arrange it as to secure the
largest possible majority in both Houses to
their own side of the mountains.
OF course, in such 4 case, comprOmisers
come forward TO propose a middle course.
The chief of these in the Convention is Mr..
Bolts, who brought forward his scheme on
Monday last 1t consists in dividing both
Houses of the Legislature equally between
the two sections, at the same time provid-