Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-20

;, r,,,n,N mIs confess that have been great
ly surprised the course Of rspn of Your Sc
Ert Committee They have cohtehutu ,e s ond
ming tina, their on!y oHert was ~ h In, nrolr,ion
@ ,' b.irnd and retained with certainty was through
hnss Of emceentaton in which property shouo nc ma
lcaI n.redcn-or oaS's IN n n,ber hand we Of the
rc., ihrr with few, noble gallant ioefai ahu Paltotc
,iIi, lcm the East have commended lhat 'e people u 's
l,I, cnfuh, nd upon one common, equa pat
In, every freeman in each and every portion OF
H; al Dn,;non should be entitled to the same tights pTl-
;ie nd immunitics individually ana polucay out inc
I,g,,inn generally denied 10 the people OF the
TS,snun RIGHTS and privileges because Oh the TACT that the
Eas hai Irne peculiar property which was NOT 50 coi-
@ -, -, W.st and that their only safety was IN retaining
~ If the members of The Legislature; and the plan
net and advocated by them which gives 10 persons and
taxes an equal number OF deesa'fsga ~ m o - ' ,I
nbns and five of majority in Senate composed OF
ffw ,embers; and this they conceived was complete and
m,c, otection they desired nohihs more hah pro-
n , they abhorcd the idea OF retaining power Tor Tie
more sake OF power. Well sir in this we were compelled 10
uieye they sincce-and inat an! pan w'Hen gave
h ,ynat they proessed DESIRE would unqueslionnby
NV satisfactory 10 thc but much fear that these gentle.
have not only deceived themselves but deceived us on
IL; and that the least they desire Is that which
NAV nr,ss namely protection 10 property Lei us, then,
lax for moment the facts and ser gentlemen are consls-
tent with their professions committee VI ne m iGr
from the East and from the West Size oil me blue idge
was few days SINCE by vote oil TINS ConTen-
ton amounted bring in some scheme OF compromise Of
this yexcd basis question which might prove acceptable TO
o,;Iv If this Convention; and after few days days
siJera,ion the said committee brought IN PROPOSE
lion BY which the people Of the West side oil the Blue
Rido ibcng majority Of hundred thousand oil The
citizens of the Sate) should be entitled To fourteen OF
majority in the House of Delegates to consist OF l50 men,
her. and the people OF the East side vi said Ridge being
minority hundred thousand OF the irceen Of the
STATE should be entitled To minority oi teh members IN
Senate consist Of fifty members ls Is iie compromise
$50 ca!ed which has been proposed oy our scec. committee,
nd am bound TO acknowledge with my friend from Rich
mond civ that is compromise which, tor the present.
uycs everything pay-a compromise in which the
thar
her OF eastern gentlemen seem slrcnuousy " oppose hs
proposition OF settlement and gentlemen 100 VINO were ever
,crto5 But Mr. President if their object 10 what they
nroless does This proposition OF the committee give
hrn eacr and certain protection than the mixed ba-
;,ssIf7 et us for a moment examine il. BY the mixed
sjs prncpe before stated the East would DC entitled TO
majority OF fourteen IN rouse VI De'cgaes numbering
I5n: and 10 five of majority in Senate OF fifty members
now as this principle would be applicable TO both the House
If the Senate the very same people that cleo
ted fourteen OF minority in the House OF Delegates would
elect five of n majority in the Senate, and in all probability
the sentiments opinions OF majority IN the one House
nI h, IN. ennents and opinions of the majority the
other az would represent The sentiments and opinions
of The same people and consequently there would be the same
security 10 the East in the House as The other and Just
the same security il they held majority In only one House
~ in both And that security would be precisely equal 10
majority oi nineteen in House Of 2OO members-but what
does the East get by this proposed compromise
Not only five Of Il majority in Senate OF nifty members
IN which they would be entitled by the mixed basis but they
actually get of minority in Senate OF my members
thus doubling the majority 10 which they are entitled by the
mixed basis principle and being equivalent 10 majority Of
nTv members in house OF POO when by the mixed basis
principle they would be entitled TO but nineteen Cannc
Then be any opinions in regard 10 the fact that the
object the East be- what they profess IT. that ms scheme
gves them double The protection and security OF that o the
mixed basis and il does extraordinary 10 me mat gen.
cnen from the East who have advocated the mixed basis
principle should for moment hesitate in giving their sup
port This propositions and stranger still that The anil
and anii-nrEal improvement party on this
floor from East do not with arIdity embrace IT. Tor II
much certainly destroys all prospect oi uny appropna
ton development of the mighty resources ol the Stale
principles IL gives 10 me re-
personalities OF small minority Of the people the power OF
defeating Tor the next eighteen years all appropriations 10
works of internal improvement although such appropra
lions may be sanctioned by the votes oil the representatives,
OF nearly lhrcc-luurtls OF the people ol The 9iae
But yet Mr.. President, notwithstanding those serious
objections to proposition Of the compromise committee
have much hesitation, brought myself to me dccml-
nation 10 i-a determination that shall execute
with reluctance than any legislative ACT OF my ne lot
by il feel that am compromising, Tor tlnle al least me
rights interests o! my constituents ana giving 10 'e
east than principle vi right ana justice she can
be entitled hut strongly am Impressed win the I'M
portancc settlement of this veXed question: mat
have determined IN give up more than Justly Should, WIN
a view OF accomplishing am satisfied that unless this
yroiec. compromise committee Shall DC adopted at
none can thai will not meet hearty disapprobaion
Of large majority of the people am aware that The peo'
pie Of roun o the State WI! never submit 10
the odious mixed basis principle by which hey VIII cons no.
or themselves degraded They would Seek division OF Inc
State much they may dcpecate IT. before hey would
submit ~ such dlslonor.
shall then for this scheme because believe II is Inc
only plan LEFT by which the integrity OF the State can
be prcservedbecause IN one branch vi Inc eesatuich
does JUS the people who have Inc honor III part 10
represents bcsosr, Of years, 1t VIII give to Inc
whole people OF State the privilege OF settling ms ques.
ton for themselves through the ballot box, when they will
he able vndcae and restore The equality and the rights
OF the people Of the State which have been 81 long WIN
held because people Of The west whose rights alone are
compromised be induced TO ocquiesce IN ms PROPOSE
lion for the present. and will thus restore peace and quiet 10
the country and because the plan itself has been ccomen
ded BY committee OF gentlemen coming in equal numbers
from the two grand divisions Of the State.
have for time felt how absolutely important ana
necessary was in order TO obtain any settlement OF ms
question: that bera compromising and friendly spirit
should exhibited by members composing this convention
from all portions Of the State; and in that spirit nave been
willing compromise this question upon nythlng Ike Just
and equal terms and such terms as many eastern gen.
temen ha ye acknowledged be equal and JUST and
that base branch of the legislature on the white
suffrage basis and the other on the mixed baa ana re-
apporlOnnen after ten years upon such basis as The people
b their votes should determines and that the popular branch
OF the legislature should be given TO the people, which woRd
have given the fourteen of majority in the House
of Delegates and 10 the five OF majority In The Sen
ate thus giving branch 10 the peculiar views OF each
party This impartial minds, would appear 10 be lar
compromise; but instead of this by the present proposition
the obtains double the minority in the Senate TO which
would be entitled by the mixed basis and double the ma
oy that many Of her delegates think JUST and this nn'
rity under all and any circumstances, 10 continue Tor
eighteen years you will remember that this question can
only be submitted the people by the Legislature that shall
the year 1865, by the governor that year, and
that the of the people shall be returned 10 the next reg
uar Legislature ,hcrener and you have determined on
biennial sessions of the legislature that Legislature will mol
until the year 1867 and will then aPpoon representa-
lion accordance with the OF the people, and The first
legislature shat shall be elected under that appurtionmen,
cannot meet sooner than 1867 So that this arrangement
must las, least eighteen years, although long before
that period your mixed basis principle the majority
wond have passed. in both branches, the west OF the
Blnc Ridge of mountains.
Under circumstances and with these facts in view,
The people the WILL they shall have under
stood them with accord support of this
proposition and receive il with satisfaction than
the mixed itself and the may induced acqu
csce and thus give peace and quiet conentment TO the
whole State, and preserve the unity and integrity OF THIS
good old Commonwealth.
i THE MICHIGAN CONSIDERATIONS.
As readers have already been informed there
ing Detroit Michigan the t-i, batch of "conspira
tors alleged be guilty OF crimes of and character
which have parallel in the criminal history
try Their scheme embrace general and systrma
plan Of robbery murder and ars0n carried with The
mnst guarded secrecy and with every imaginable