Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-06-09
To the People
OF BEDFORD AND CAMPBELL


of the public prints, that my course on the
question OF the basis Of representation is
very much misunderstood, have thought
it proper to give you, over my own sigma
turc, plain unvarnished statement of the
course have felt it my duty to pursue in
an honest cndeayorto carry outyour views
and preserve the peace and harmony OF
the State, in order that you may be the bet
ter enabled to determine whether or not l
have faithfully reflected your,will.
The basis Of representation, l need not
inform you, has been question OF great
difficulty and embarrassment to the Con
vention. On the one side, we have beheld
the united western and a fragment OF the
eastern delegation. representing large
majority Of the qualified voters ofthc State,
strenuously coniending for equality Of re-
presentation, as well as equality at the
polls; on the other side, we have seen
nearly the entire delegation from the East,
representing an immense majority of the
tax paying interest ofthe State, demand
ing protection-not power for powers
sake-but protection against abuses of the
tax-raising and appropriating power Of the
Legislature. As the humble representa-
tive of large eastern, slave-holding and
tax-paying district, l have constantly la
bored to secure for my constituents all the
protection which the mixed basis IN lis
most unmitigated form could afford; and it
was not until after this cherished eastern
scheme had been repeatedly voted down
in Committee of the Whole, and there was
no reasonable prospect of successfully re-
viying it, that felt constrained by an I'M
perative sense Of duty, to support the best
compromise l could get. Fellow-citizcns,
| respectfully submit, could | have viola
ted my pledges or misrcpresented your
views in doing this : Let me briefly re-
call TO mind the various votes and the pc
culiar circumstances attending them, which
have given, according to my best Judg-
mcnt, in defence of your interests.
1t was not until the 3lst April that the
Convention came to vote in committee
of the whole ON the basis question. On
that day / voted against the suffrage ba-
sis report 3, which was rejected, and IN
favour Of the substitute Of Mr.. Robert h.
Scott, Of I7auquier, which was also relec-
ted. Can any one say that these votes
are not in accordance with my pledges, or
your wishes, fellow-ciiizens Again on
the OH of May, voted against the alter
native proposition of Mr.. Summers, of ka-
nawha which proposed to submit the ques-
ton Of the basis Misrepresentation TO the de-
cision Of the qualified voters of the State !;
and on the same day, | voted in favor Of
the amendment Of Mr. Beale, of West
morcland, the mixed basis except the free
negro tax) which was defeated. l then
voted against striking ont mixed basis
proposition A. Here, now, are FIVE votes
from the record, every one Of which | cast
in defence and support of this mixed ba-
sis-yet, to my surprise, some of the pa
ners OF the district have taken exceptions to
my course.
Immediately after the Convention met
on the 10Th May, Mr.. STROLLER Of Kappa
hammock, a strong mixed basis man, moved
an adjournment upon the ground that
compromise of the basis question was OBJ
viously essential to preserve the peace and
harmony of the State, and he desired the
members to have time to consult freely to-
gether in order to see if a compromise ac-
ceptable, if not satisfactory, 10 both parties,
could not be adopted. Several members
spoke by leave Of the body, among them
Mr.. Wise and Mr.. Scott of Fauquier. Mr..
Scott advocated the adjournment, and de-
clared his readiness to concur in compro-
mise. The adjournment was carried by
q large vote-ayes 81, noes 20. The cast
ern delegation remained in the Hall alter
the adjournment, and appointed commit
tee to confer with such committee as the
western members might appoint, upon the
subject of compromise. AT night the two
parties assembled, the western members
appointed a committe to meet the eastern
committee, when the following PROPOSE
tons, to which | respectfully invite your
attention, were mutually rendered and re-
| jccted
The Eastern Committee made success
sively the three following propositions
/. Rcsolrcd, That the House of Dele
gates shall consist ofonc hundred and fifty
six members,and that representation there
in, shall be had upon the qualified voters
Of the State.
3 Reso1,,cd, That the Senate shall con-
sist of fifty members, and that representa-
ton therein shall be based upon taxation
exclusive of the license tax, tie tax on law
process, and the capi;atior tax on Tree ne
groes.
3. Resolred, That all laws may onSi-
nate in either Of the two Houses Of the
General Assembly, to be approved or re-
lected by the other; and all laws may be
amended by either House, with the consent
of the other.
A. Resolred, That the legislature shall,
in the year 1862. and in every ten years
thereafter, re-apporuon the representation
in the House of Delegates and in the Sen
ate, upon the principles stated in the list
and 2nd resolutions.
1. Resolred, That the House of Dele
gates shall consist of one hundred and if
ty members, and that eighty-five men,
bers thereof shall be apporiioned among
those counties, districts and cities lying
west ofthe Blue Ridge of mountains, and
sixty-five among those counties, districts
and cities lying east of the Blue Ridge Of
mountains.
2. Resoired. That the Senate shall con-
sist Of fifty members, and that represen-
tation therein shall be based upon taxa
ton, exclusive of the taxes levied on Ii
censes, law process, and the captation tax
on free negroes.
3. Resolrcd. That all laws may origin
ate in either of the two Houses of the
General Assembly, to be approved or re-
iected by the other, and all laws may be
amended by either House, with the con-
sent orthe other.
4. Resolrcd. Tha;ihe | legislature shall,