Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-05-17

1.-The General Assembly in the year -, and at in
intervals thereafter OF not less than ten years, shall re-
apportion representation in both legislative bodies The
first re.apportionmen shall be made according to the
principle and in the manner hereinbeore prescrbed-
IT, at the time ofthe second re-apportionment, the two
Houses do not agree upon plan or making the s same
the plans of the respective Houses for the determination
of the qualified voters OF the Commonwealth and there.
upon, at the session thereof which shall be held next
after the said determination shall be made, representa-
ton in both Houses shall be reapportioned according
to the plan for which majority OF the said voters shall
declare their preference"
Mr.. WISE did not mean to enter into any discussion
Bat the time had come when it was necessary tor him
to define his position. The gentleman from Fau-
quer admitted that proposition to put both Houses on
the mixed basis tor ten years was to his own
and yet this morning he had voted against the latter
Ills Mr. W.s proposition was the best, in his belief,
which the East could get.
the East would have protection for twenty years, in the
Mr. WISE. What sort OF protection VIII en- the West
in ten or twelve years, will have the majority by the
Mr. scoTT. That we don't believe.
MIR. WISE argued that Senate would be no RESTRAIN
upon popular House, with popular Executive and
with f1axen band. He repudated this whole idea OF
government with checks. As compromise he offered,
in good faith give the East both House for ten years.
sather than divide them And he wished his constituents
understand that he would much prefer the unmtgated
mixed basis to compromise which would divide the
two Houses in perpetuity.
Mr. ScoTT of F., referred to several States in which
the two House apportoned different principles
and the federal government also.
Mr. WISE said the federal government was different
matter. He had committed himself to the compromise
report having long perceived that time must be the chief
element OF any compromise that could be adopted. He
called attention to the fact that the COMMITTEES plan pro-
posed exact mean of time between his proposition
and Mr.. ScoTrs; there was only five years difference
between the Committees report and Mr.. ScoTT's plan
How was such difference to produce all the trouble
that gentleman alluded to?
Mr.. SCOTT of F. If the difference is so small why
you unwilling TO yield iii
Mr.. WISE said the exact category of the case was
that he had agreed to come half way between two pro-
positions either side, and Mr.. SCOTT refused. He
considered the decisions made hitherto had determined
that the Compromise was to be division of the
two Houses. He had agreed to stand by it, and he
ged its friends to sit here to-day and sternly it
through
Mr.. DAVIS inquired of Mr.. WISE, if he could be as
sured that one Eastern vote would he cast for his pro-
position with slight modification, would he renew it
Mr.. WISE. You have arrived just little too late
for the cass.
Mr.. DAVIS. Physical ndisposiiion had prevented him
from beng IN his place, when the proposition was be-
fore the Committee.
Mr.. WISE would receive any proposition from Mr. D.
as from one actingn good faith and in perfect honor
But he was perhaps now in position in which he
could not accede to his request
MI. Chiffon could not permit the speech Of his ool
league to pass unnolced. 1t was matter OF extreme
regret with him to differ with his colleague or with
leagues i'll his views would not allow him to control
his action. What was his position herel He had ex-
planned it over pand over again, and had said from the
beginning that he was a compromise He had
said he would not agree to asten upon the East Com
promise that was not acquiesed in by considerable
number OF Eastern members.
Mr. WISE interposed here to say that he some time
ago remarked that he would see the suffrage ba-
sis carried by bare majority He did not mean to say
he would vote against medium proposition which
might be thus carried Such propositions generally must
Mr. CHILToN reminded gentlemen that he yesterday
said he would vote to carry the report OF the commit
tee in committee OF the whole, though by a bare ma
orty, for that would not be putting it the constiu
ton. lie said there were three four gentlemen
who could not vote for the compromise, as long A
stood in the way. Now was out OF the way, and
with all such gentlemen he considered the proposition
OF The committee az perfectly unr ed that of his
colleague. Heurgrd that all its friends wanted a
lair direct, vote, and not that it should be placed in
competition with oilers. Several members, Lets
try it'll Mr.. G. had said and over that he was
welded to no particular scheme, and though he might
prefer the proposition OF his colleague yet if he found
not force itupon hem. The only difference between
them was in time, and in Mr.. SCOTS plan giving The
West majority on Joint ballot OF 2 instead a. As
to the mode OF submitting the question in future to the
people, it was merely difference Of detail. He stated
that the very proposition ofhis colleague submitted
IN the committee by the Eastern members as the basis
Of their confer and he did think the scheme
agreed upon departed materially from that His col
leagues plan proposed leapportionment in 1861,
whereas that OF the committee provided ot until
1865. As TO the objection to dividing the two Huu-
ses he had always thought that the best plan for
the government OF the State. 1t well understood
that majority OF the Eastern members opposed
to any compromise and he could not be guided by their
wishes. Understanding his colleague not to be of
these, and that there were other members from the
East who were Tor compromise, he must go Tor the
compromise he thought best uuder the circumstances
His chief desire to this fountain OF bitter
tiers dried up, this disturbing element removed from
amongst us.
Mr.. CARTER of L. said such was his respect for the
ability, experience aud wisdom OF the gentleman from
Fauquer (Mr ScoTr) that no appeal he could make to
him, would fail to meet response. There
view OF some gentlemen he could never perceive the
force of it that the property OF The State could
not be safely entrusted to the majority OF the voters
He had shown his disposition to compromise over and
over first by voting to submit this question the people,
then by voting to put both Houses on the mixed bass
mittee He referred TO the fact that the late Convention
of Maryland had placed provision in the new consti-
people every years He appealed earnestly to Mr.
ScoTT Of F. to forward and give his great nflu
ence to the report OF the committee.
Mr.. RANDOLPH said he voted yesterday against the
report OF the committee, in conn clifton with proposition
A ; but his reflections had conviction him that it
just medium between the propositions OF the two
cnses Saturday night last He thought they ought
not TO permit the question to be the pOns asaOrun OF
their labours. AS Eastern he could not for
the proposition OF Mr.. Scott. 1t gave the Fast IA ma
jorly tor ten years; whilst the committees plan gave
IL ~ HldolIiy WIicH was suIHclenU Tor ID years. and
he argued the latter better in view Of the rapidly
increasing taxat ion of The West
Mr. CLAIBORNE called division OF the question, so
the vote should be hrst striking out
MIR. SCOTT OF F. expressed to Mr.. CARTER of L. his
great gratitude for the faerng terms In which he had
spoken OF him, and proeeed reply to the remarks
OF Mr.. Chiffon. He thought his colleague knew that
since the adjournment yesterday. the Eastern members
had distinctly dsapproved Of the report OF the commits
tee.
Mr.. Chiffon stated that he had no knowledge of the
fact.
Mr.. S. commented on his colleagues statement that
his (Mr. SIS proposition the basis OF negotiations
in committee, and to the fact that he had yielded to
the objections made to by the Western members
Mr.. Chiffon said the Western members OF the CON-
mittee attached more importance than he did to the
question of time He himself preferred TO have