Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-18

ter Let us see how fairly the gentleman from Fauqui
and his eastern brethren carry out this principle
admits that the voters are make the constitution
tha each Is to have equal voice. aud yet he reus
them all power to vote for such constitution as thu
desire Is this suffering the people to exercise the
right They must dictate to the people what they ma
or may not vote for and refusing the voters squ;
representation to enable them to have such constitl
ti'n as they desire They give power TO the peopl
to make constitution, but simply the negative powe
o' rejection lhis is giving the people their rights
One nf two things must be true Either the voter
have or have not the rgh. to have the white basis
coporated in their constitution Ii tiev have not the
why submit this call Of convention to them at all! VIII
submit this instrument which We shall frame to them
u they have right TO adopt this white basis, how ar
thev To alrlveat By calling convention to expires
their wishes through their Representatives. This In
been expressly refused tothcm. By demanding of tho
who hold the power to submit to such provision 70
their acceptance rejectonl Their demands and sup
Plications are unhcced Will the gentleman tell M
how the people if they have any rights will ever gel
Mt them Is it not but too palpablc that the rights
the people are cfFectually orcrrole and usurped
! The gentleman from fauqnier in sporting phrase
tells LIS that may boast Of being backed by the PEG
pie. but that he will bras back us-that he has til,
most unbonndcd confidence that the people will adop,
hI principle of the mixed basis The gentleman NAV
dealt tlemsevcs-he mny. indeed give the poor priv
ilcge OF cu. but it is Of avail for the whole pacl
Is stocked through and through. The gentleman
does not fear the people he tells us. but why
does he not fear theml 1t is because he knows that tn,
people instead OF having what they desire are to Re al
lowed but choice Of evils That they must either take
ils oious basis with the liberal reforms which will
adopt or tho present odiou- and unequal appor
onmrn with AL the other nlmcs Of the present con-
sitution The gentleman Offers TO Us the choice Of rn-
banc and the stil more subtle poison Of prussc acid
The people choose the less odous poison and it de-
mostration Of the peoples appetite for rats bane In
hnmely phrase the gentleman offers the choice ofhc
frying pan and the fire. That will choose the fry
ing pan the gentleman does not doubt and fclictalcs
himself upon the sanction Of his remedy BY the people.
What devotion to popular rights What confidence i'll
the people If gentlemen not serious about til,
right of the voters form the government they should
abandon the principle and the benefit Of it ut
Their sincerity be tested III moment and in i..
simplest manner. Do they desire to make such
.tituon rs tho people demand: Then lei them sub
nit two constitutions to the people. alike in every pr
ticuar but the basis Let one contain the mixed basis
and one the white basis Then the people can deter
mine: and until they will do this let them SPEAK
Of their confidence in the their respect for the
rights OF tho people
The gentleman from Fauquier ells ia that there is
one good ut least to b. expected from the west that he
'ols for to for i and comfort i'll the event Of trou
bios III relation to the union of States. regret
that do not sec the gentleman in his seat, Tor coming
from the west myself il possible that might be
able to enlightcn tie gentleman somewhat upon that
subject am not, perhaps, fully acquainted with the
grounds of the hope expressed bv the gentleman But
If he that which would be the natural conclusion
from his remarks that he expects the western people
to sustain him i'll the principles which he has advanced
on this floor and elsewhere eau unequivocay assure
him that he il mistaken Western Virginia loves tie
Union-loves it with sincerity and devotion. There is
but thing earth that e loves better and that Is
her honor and freedom n part of the old Dominion
But trust she will never 80 far forget what Is due Ia
herself or To others to adopt those od and discarded
doctrines of federal centras, soleinniy announced
on this floor by the gentleman from Fauquer. We
must be deeply and hopccssy wronged ercwe cnnprovc
ourselves so rccreant TO the South and to the rights Of
these States. to give unqualified submission to Cen
trail despotism The gentleman frcm Fauquer for the
protection of slave interest would fasten and rvet po
litical Inequality and degradation upon the cccnccrs:
people Of the west who have been your shield and de
fence against northern anatcsm and who have chung
to you on ths subject through evil and good report
with unwaverng fidelity and devotion. While he would
subject Ergnans TO the uncontrolled and uncontrola
bic will OF 4 majority of northern abotonists, who
have committed never ceasng aggressions upon our
rights and however damning the aggressons, he tell
YOU that Virginia and the South could have no peace
full remedy and if Virginia to dissolve compact
which had been ruthessv broken and utterly disregard
cd il would be treason in her citizens 10 act i'll obed
cnce to her commands do not envy slavery and the
South this champion Of theirgreat proprietary rights
| desire now to notice class Of arguments which!
have been showcred upon Us for the last ten days We
are told that our apportionment fails to accomplish the
object which We profess of giving equal rights to all
that large fractions of population in various counties
must go unrepresened and every variety of objections
of like character. Now. to all these arguments, thcr
i, the simplest and painest OF answers They are ob
cctions the operation of the rule and not the ruse
itself They objections to the apportlonment, Du
not the basis OF representation There necessarily VII
be mpediments or difficulties in the Development oil
practical operation of any general rule Most per
haps ALL of the objections that have been suggested
arise from physical difficulties OF the principle. anu arc
by no peculiar to, or consequent upon the wh''
basis principle but must and will follow alike any prln
ciple which you may adopt. Every difficulty Which
they advance will equally apply to their own aPpor
tionment But it viii be found that the rresu'aritie
are confined to section OF the State but are the re
suit of natural difficulties which bear alike OH ALL W.
NAV disfranchise some but it s from comparative lie
cessity They dsfranchse ninety thousand frcemen al
n single stroke avowedly and OH purpose Our prlncl
pie il carried out, and in complete and perfect opera
on would deny rights to none, but do justice to all
Theirs however put in practice wilfully operates IN
lust ice and inequality. The more truly and perfect,
carried into practice the more truly and perfect,
odious.
! Ii seems to me that every candid mind must admit
that these considerations present complete answer Il
this whole claas of objections There are many o,hc
arguments which might be here answered but believing
that all of them will be appropriately answer
ed in the argument of my own views upon this subject
shall beg the Indulgence of the committee while Ell
dcavor in humble manner to place those cicws be
fore them.
! 1t may not be regarded improper, before enterin
upon the regular discussion of the great topic that hi
been ngtatne all minds to examine for moment I'll
Of action and the elements of conflict The Con
vention of 1929 found Virginia with constitution bl
little removed in point Of true repubcanlsm from tn
constitution of England The government had been !
the hands of those who actually goricd III the rcseif
bance and who copied her statutes. aped her aristoc
racv and followed her judicial presidents and forms
extent that to others seemed alJect SER hy. IN
whole power of the government, like that OF Englan'
in the hands OF the propertyh"lders TO the cxct
sicn of all others The principal difference existl'
between the two being in name, and III the spirit oil IN
people A small majority OF the sovereign or whit
race and an overwhelming majority OF the slave popl
lation and the Of the wealth CT the State We're
be found east of the Blue Ridge while the people Off
western part of the State comprising nearly one hall
her white population were comparatively poor widel
scattered with no concentration or unity oil strengt
save from community of rights and wrongs and accu
toned to obey the laws and submit to The opinions
the east The people of the commonweait under the'
circumstances called the convention OF ISL! and d
maned that their gov eminent should be iberalzed on
conformed to their bill Of rights. This liberal spr