Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-07-04

the country without an explanation upon my part
When entered upon the discharge of my duties
member of this Convention determined to stand upon
the basis which had Advocated before the people of
district as long as that basis before the Convention
But beg leave here 10 that for the FIRST time IN my
life, heard upon this floor within the last fifteen days
the proposition to base either branch OF the Legislature
upon dollars and dollars alone would like to know
if there is any member of this body whose way bill,
or whose pledges to the people declared that lie in
favor Of establishing in this old commonw house OF
lords MS dcnomina ted bv the gentleman from the county
CT Henrico Ar Boris in other words OF having either
branch Of the legislature kased upon money anu not upon
the combination men and money The basis advocated
before the people OF my district, aud it is the ONLY
mixed basis advocated, or heard of in my dis
trict is combination OF men and money, and OF that
basis claim to have stood ere the champion not BY
voice, but by my votes, rs long ms there was any
mixed basis before the Convention OF Virginia But
claim now az think shall be able by the few remarks
I intend to submit to the Convention. to prove to
the impartial and patriotic citizens of ms district.
that occupy upon this question position more like
hat of Hlrginian than any from eastern Virginia
Laughter.
Yes, sir, young u, am and little experienced as
uay be i'll politics, claim to stand here. having dis
charged my duty faithfully to my constituents. It is
now my duty honest and patriotic representative
20 lay down my and to submit to the will OF the
jorty of this Convention and 10 stand By the govern
mcnt as it is to be- Has that been pursued BY
other gentlemen upon this floor to-day deny that
the course the gentleman from the city Of Richmond,
Mr. STAXARp) who las been in the service of the Com
nonweath for the last six eight years when he calls
the yeas and nays upon the motion strike PROPOSE
ion 3D. and then AXIS to be excused from voting up
III that motion, is Of that character. What the
object OF that gentleman in calling the yeas and nays
upon that question: Was it not for the purpose Of
showing to the people of this Commonwealth who those
are on this floor that the advocates of compromise
At the same time that he asked that the yeas and
NAV be recorded upon this question be made the decla
ration that the compromise reported the committee of
eight than the suffrage basis itself. Now,
10 not pretend that the gentleman from the city Of
Richmond ever stood upon the ground With the
gentleman from Fauquer, (slr. Scorr but if he ever
did, he stands directly upon the platform Of this coin
promise, aud there is no escape for him.
But i'll go back to the hrst page of tho history of
his question, to the amendment proposed by the gen.
eman from Fauquier to proposition "A" voted in
ayur of that proposition hot because preferredit to
he report Of the committee-proposition Adult to
with the east, who seemed be trembling ~ the
idea af adopting the apportonment which accompanied
proposition g a..
Well Fir the mixed basis was defeated in Committee
If the Wholu by vote. The suffrage basis was de-
eated, believe, by oritv Of nine votes. The dis
ussion Of this question kept up. and finally tho
vote was taken upon the proposition OF the gentleman
from kauawha (Mr. SCaMERs to submit this question
70 the people of Virginia. That too, stricken out
By ma ority Of hr, o votes.
As have sud- that proposition was stricken out by
majority Of three votes. did not vote upon that ques
ton. would not record my vote, because thought
had been placed in that position unnecessarily by the
EASTERN members with whom have acted. A vote wns
taken last Thursday upon the report Of this compro
mise committee 1t was stricken out, and my vote Is
recorded with ultra eastern in opposition TO the
compromise Of the committee of eight. vote was
then taken upon motion To strike out the original pro-
position 4 from the committee the basis. and upon
~, sfr rnfa una he
eastern delegation, who ultra upon this question
The moment proposition \ had been stricken out, the
distinguished gentleman from Fauquior (Alr ScoTT)
in his place. and declared that he had proposition of
compromise and that he thought of Offering 1t to the
committee but he would not do it until be had consult
alton with his eastern friends
Well this information given to us on Thursday.
afterwards the proposition in the possession OF III"
gentleman from FauGuier, and at once and willingly
gave my consent to vote for that proposition know
not how many eastern men would have stood by that
proposition i'll the Convention. but do know that after
making the declaration here that lie would not offer the
proposition until he hal consulted with those with whom
he had heretofore acted he did forward the next
morning, and present that proposition to the Committee
of the Whole 1t was presented As an amendment 10
The modified report of the committee of eight offered
on Friday to this Convention by the other gentleman
[ Mr CnLToSl from the county of Fauquicr, and the
proposition Of the gentleman from Fauquicr Mr. SCoTT
fell br refusal Of the committee to strike out the
modified report offered by Mr.. CuLros. Now voted
good faith to strike out the modified report for the
purpose of casting my for the proposition of the
gentleman from Fauqucr (Ilr SoorT.) will say now
publicly what did not have opportunity Of Say ing
before being forced down by the cries of question,
question But took occasion then to say 10 many OF my
friends upon the floor of the Convention aud to gentle
men OF known liberalty and high standing from west
ern Virginia. with whom it has been my fortune to
in the legislature that did think as this proposition
offered by the gentleman from Fauquier Orr ScorT)
would secure larger number of votes i'll eastern Nr
gnia than the report of the committee, and that it
varied scarcely ota in principle practice from the
proposition of the committee the west should come
forward and accept OF that proposition giving the
largest satisfaction to the greatest number Of the
btrs of this Convention. But the proposition de-
fcatcd They failed to strike out and the report of
the committee of eight stood solitary and alone the only
proposition fill the blank created by striking out pro-
position \. Recollect it was the only proposition upon
the subject of the basis Of representation before the
Committee OF the Whole A motion was made by the
gentleman from Accomac to insert the compromise re
port in the blank occasioued by striking out proposition
a. Then took ground in favor Of the compromise,
and here claim to have taken position that every
liberal from eastern Virginia who is authorized to
take ground i'll favor of compromise either from
of duty his constituents from feelings Of patriot.
otsm and love of this old Commonwealth should have
taken. We had been whpped-driven from the field
flag had been hauled down. 1t trailing in the
dust and lost III evtably and there was no hope of re.
storing it.
These are stern and solemn facts that will 90 forth 10
the State of Virginia upon the face Of the records Of
your Cosen,ion aud defy any to Shy they are not
true to the letter Yes sir the mixed basis was rrevo.
cably lost and defeated BY vote of the Convention
Now, presume the members of the Convention are
children; presume that those selected By the
people Of the different districts to make constitution
not boys to be whipped and driven from positions
they have coolly aud soemny aud deliberately occu-
Pied by the lash OF caucus the threats of any man.
or any set of men, looked upon them as honorable
gentlemen; / knew most Of them to lie men of firm
uess and character, who would stand bv any position
ey took in this Convention the very last Satisfied
then that the mixed basis had failed, came forward
and did what had believed for some time would be
compelled to do to compromise this question in man
ner that would give satisfaction to the great body Of the
people of both sections of this State.
Here beg leave to say the only time that this basis
of taxation alone 10 the senate of Virginia th. ars-
tocratc basis that dared not speak of in the pre-.
sence of the sovereign people whom Representative
only time that it mentionedin this house was by my
friend from the county Of Essex (Mr R. ~ II. GARNET
when be offered it as amendment to the proposition
of the gentleman from Acconac, proposing to base
presentation in the senate upon taxation and in the
house upon the suffrage basis That was the first and
only time that that scheme made its appearance either
iu Convention or in Committee of the Whole And ]