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

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Is Hlr. CAMDEN. ! will state 10 the rontlc,p,, n
II he Lii Ia oranizc the last Convention the Ho,
~ a: Delicate. ,on ito white hs. accorei;n, =. .ho -
ct - q. 1879 hut WIS ang:icd ii the Senate bv adop
III he ..,,:s i $50 VA, then ,!ember Of tia, Boz
aIr. NELSON Il then rtc,ircd the ratification
> ,ne ! reason II tie modification Of the Sena,
ItorI,,' = .,.fiy 10 s.rl2in the distinction wh
NJ. i't' -nsi. lie white and suffrage ba>
sr -. h"., 'H No., 'rned IN & debate not only vii
II inconsistency in abandoning the W ..'I.,., w.. w.
y improper motive, in doing o. Inc g.- "'' " :"
Cu!p"per Mr. B>Ercunl asserted that n oliisi t4''
thc western portion OF the STATE assumed liie WHY
rs the true one but that at The present le' iS'' "
delegation from the west ASSUMED the suffrage basis
the true basls-argna. in tie first place that 1t was
departure from original position and IN lie sec"n
place that was departure influenced by motives OF sec
tioa ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Ii the gentleman Will take tn
trouble 10 refer to certain d cuments which can pi
int" his hands liz vii! I'D that whic western Virgins
had in the convention OF 1929 hit So delegates she wa
entitled according to the white bass. TO 10 delegates
yet al the time according to the suffrage basi
western Virginia. having So delegates, had her ful
share, that at that tine the. difference be
= tween the white basis and the Suffrage BIZ and vol
Fan that the difference in favor of western Nr
slnl. But the gentleman III orde, To show that W,
were actuatcd by improper motives, gave the reason
which induced him To believe that the suffrage ba>,
gave western Virginia greater representation thar
lE Will" Ni>!s NOW III W. suppose Tor moment, thai
there IL uniform qualification Of Suffrage and n homo
scncous free population throughout tie State any
given number vi citizens white population will have
the same relative number Of qualified voters Is it no,
Il matter Of indifference which hlsis yoa adopt when
you pursuit OF advantage, if that he Your p!r
pose. Suppose the ratio between the Number of quail
tied voters and the number Of white inhabtnts ,o be one
eight, which i nearly the ease ii You adopt Tho
white basis and say that 5000 free white persons shall
send dogac, Is il not exactly the same TO say when
YOU aort ':r suffrage basis lcUo voters shall send
delegate provided have surm:scd that he relation
between the voters and the white population is tn,
same throughout the State and sach would be the rcia
lion if YOU adopt uniform qualification Of suffrage
throughout the State. The gentleman will perceive
therefore that he Is mistaken and that This basis give.
Us no advantage. Bat will 20 step further ard
prove To him. and think can prove il To his satisic
ton Mt any rate trust can the satisfaction of thu
committee, that western Virginia vii. absolutely log,
I by this Suffrage basis what might cain by the white
basis The willie population in eastern Virginia near
i,v stationary and making but little progress. Yonr
people are ak fixed and do change their location
While in western Virginia population is changing an!
increasing both from natural ca>cs aud by reason Of
immigration. just in proportion W. increase BY i'm
migration b. accession from foreign countries OF
other States. in that proportion do lose upon
the .,lra,.. basis and for this reason According 10
IN. report oi the committee the subject. and accord
inc n the rule which will be adopted whether adop;
he report 81 the committee or nnt,ali foreigners are
Guided from the enumeration. und,. the suffrage la
is: although thcr would swell the white population
thew world not he voters And all citizens OF the
United States belonging II the other States. coming
here, mus, have residence Of two wears according to
The report before they vote We would lose them
ui course b.; the suffrage basis, because those two
classes to which have alluded would not b. qualified
yoers--whcrcas would gain upon the white popnla
ton basis bccasc that would be upon the entire white
poIlat;on II gentlemen will reflect these tao ob
yio- differences existing in the two sections q country
,hry will see how unscncrous and how nnast it was in
III. gentleman from Cupepcr 10 charge that We had not
only changed ground, but :: 50 dom. had been nc
tualed ly The dictate Of se..is mess.
come back % the Joint where should pcrhap'
haze remained instead induciug in this depression Il
discriminate between the .chi;c and suffrage ba-is
+ have cadcavorcd to show that III I,G IN the bill
!; rights the popular basis was established in Virginia
and was again affirmed b. the solemn declaration o
the Legislature of lsiG-and by the reiterated dccla
ration Of the Legislature of 1928. now come dowi
10 tie Convict, ion Of % and in the first place vii
show hat this mixed basis was -olcmnly repudnted D.
that Convention Yes mixed basis or something smila
if not exactly identical with 1t. for gentlemen are mis-
taken in sa1ing that this basis was up before
Ihi. basis was proposed il 1929 debated in the Con
yen;on and bv q Of ortysevcn FOR il to iortvrin
. against il. wa- repudiaed. There another basi
n proposed in the Convention Of 1920 aid that you
. Slave bash commonly called the federal number. CON
% posed II the w,c population Of The State and three
ittha oi the STAY" luluialoii Hha II WIS eoGcAe
e and rejected by vote of fortyseven to forty
i nine-a fuii y.,e.
=, .ra.t this exhibition q; facts will show that vi,
in La, never departed from the true faith Of port
t =. ha-:aid that he has never suffered such heres
), :" ., n:erpoatcd into her creed. But what did tha
% Convention oi 1899 81 ultimately establish "a the bas
il ii ,tio |; appears To with NJ! due r.
!, -,ect 10 gentlemen who Lave r. coded me i'll this dl
c,-.ion h.. the minis Of debaors heretofore have IL
bored under mi-comceptnn III regard to hat rrincpl
~ have n.I fl.is n
representation established without regard 10 any prlr
, cir,lc on the SUBJECT and have said /; va; founde
49, on mixed basis essentially ike the si, now propose
. BIZ eastern -cntelneii Tie truth l. the Convention
r. $50? 80 Incorporated i;iso IN" eXi.shg .ohsn'i
- the State the white population Of Virginia a. the h's
, characterization an;r!ine It ten years est not on!
!, r.prdatcd TIE mixed a the black basis, hut rattle
!, the white basis. lhcirarPortIonmen: q! r"nresenato
= corresponds with that basis it existed IN the ";
y 1870, a. figures will easily prove Will read irol
III. remarks Of the ill,strous late chief justice Q! IL
-, United State. Marshall member Of that body. III
livcrcd jus; three days before tie Convention adjourn"
:. The appnrtioinent 81 present agieed "n was u
9 white has, a. il stool - 1870 Debates III i"e
!" TIN. Convention of l.2a 30 RI fed this white baS
" H.. un;catin- the population tea years AID IN" gre.
,J erin, Injustice al the net Was, that it defined tn
y limits within which the white population was i'ih
: mi rendered difficult ail PRACTICAL: impossible reaI
i nnr,;onneut corresponding, with it. hayrnow hni
u redeemed tie ,leg tna would vn'iiea'e Virgin
&, 81 hc a=ncr.on that she had apostatiz"d from tn
= ,rar faih ard Tia; fhc had ever adopted any othe
u than that Of the popular basis Of representation SUI
Is ~. Convention were ~ be a. liberal i'll the yc;
Isl, a. was The Convention il the wear ls:o S"ppos
cor, were Ia take the same basis which they took-ho
Would the matter stand! How w-uld you then orca'
', II. the legislative department Of the government:
INV. ,oa.. u calculation TO show the result which w"n'
II follow from aorn; the basi> ratified in 1879 $'7th'
= is to acor, he white population IS the basis anedan
. ina, non, qon ten years lie. ii. look at the lopu!;
w. lion Of s4 AID sec the relative force Of -srcssn1n1
:. s.s aud west ;pca that basis. which is dcncalv II
:" lia. of the present constitution. take the popu;
IN, Of ~ 10 arrive this result, and if your House
" neleatc. consists oi 30 and vour Senate of 80 men
. ior. mon this ba-- the first district, the tidewae
would lave 81 delegates; aud the second district Pie
, mont. woald have forty Notwithstanding in til" en-
m aggregate III ~ e!etcs the third or VALLEY ii
,r: would have % delegates, aud the fourth or tran
- al!eeha,r district would haze is delegates, making
,,re..atc in tic VI &c delegate ;:ivn: wc-'er
=, naori,y in the House Of Delegates Of two member
~ n Ia. Senate there ,gou!d be equal rePrescntati'
:, of - Senator'S from the cas-; and - from the We
:; Iha, would be tIe basis of representation IN our ne
- con-r on il YOU had even the liberay OF the III
n eral Convention of - 80.
~ 81 this poin. inl il necessary TO pause for m