Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-09
lroot;nue;l from Fourth Poq,.l

,,rinciDe whlca onlnCaLcQ III former u
marks thev established representation so IS 10 g"'i
and protect all the diversified interests OF TINS se.
commonwealth will not fatigue the Commlt.eee 49,, ~
history of the mode Of representation IN the o,u s
teen States will not travel over the sroenu, "L.s.i
has been already occupied ably by DINER geii''ee'
hy ebowinv th. manner in which representation was
based under the federal government. ihoPe s. NC
eycnsed for saving however, that 1t IL remarSaeie
fact tLst if YOU refer all the ootn osate
and federal to the organization OF the legislative oo
nartmonts of them ALL framed, they were, by men
ri from, the fires of the revolution and influenced By
rbe proper principles of free government that to some
extent, Won will find this principle of the mixed basis
nv the ton between representation and taxation
Mn. reco-ni.ed in them ALL Whatever other gentlemen
NAV saw or think about those those institutions
venture the opinion in looking back to the history OF
past ages that there never has been seen such ood
men with such unexamped wisdom and matchless Ti'
tue as was presented by the history OF those revou
onary patriots was struck few days ago, III looh
ing over the reflections of distinguished country m
of our own upon the federal constitution WIN 'l
high compliments which ne paid to the men WIZ
that the fairest Fabric of human wisdom tha ''e %'"
bos ever sccnour federal constitution. hope may
be excused for quoting brief extract from the very
n,nronrote remarks which he made in speaking OF tie
difficulties which that Convention had to encounter III
framing that immortal instrument The extract IS from
m address delivered By Henry \. Boardman on the
value Of the American Union. In reference to these
men he very eloqucntly says:
:. Enough has been said to show that the Convention
lean task to perform; and that without the speria IL
Illumination Of Divine Providence, they must nave g
saved in vain to frame instrument when siooio u
in it's support majority OF the States IL Is ah "u!
tonal consideration of great weight oeaflnS "on ~
point that they were without model! There was ~
Visiting government which they were Wiling tn copy.
There was no government Of antiquity which would at
o answer their purpose They were III truth not only
in advance of their own age but Of all ages IN ther es
of civil government We may apply to them what
Milton has said Of the Hebrew prophets; they appear,
AS men divnely taught and better teaching
The solid rules Of civil government
In their majestic, unaffected style
Than all the oratory OF Greece and Rome;
In them is plainest taught and earliest learned,
What makes nation happy and keeps 1t SO
Now Mr.. Chairman, am well aware, notwithstand-
in, This eloquent and merited compliment to those IL
lustriuus sases aal statesmen that We're | too an
nounced to this Committee that was prepared 10
sustain here the basis of representation which Is the
of this conederacy, and which was adopted
in spirit of compromise, and OF patriotism ana II
brings abon the result and gives about the same
distribution Of political power in this State as does the
mixed basis the very moment l made the announce
ment would be assailed b. gentlemen from all Sides
upon tn. ground that was supporting Il proposition
which would make five equal to three while men
Bat have depressed from the history was giving Of
the basis Of representation in the State of Virginia
had progressed far in remarks rs to state that
for the frat time in this State the question OF the basis
of representation arranged by the organic law II
l776 Ba. the question of the principle othe basis Of
representation allow to say Us distinct principle
Of representation discussed in the State OF
Virginia until after the assembling of the Convention IN
1929 to remodel the existing constitution OF the State
knnw that Mt the Stauton Convention, the question of
white basis raised and also in the year 1916 IN the
reappurtonnent Of the senatorial districts But say
that in all parts OF Virginia State question: ques-
ton which the people Of Virginia were interested al
great question of prncpe-the basis of representation
in our organic law discussed until after the
assembling of the Convention in 1929. ] know thar
the inequality Of representation had been Tor year.
previous 10 that time matter OF great complaint
know in all portions Of the State that question perhaps
as much as any other led to the calling of that Con-
vention for complaint was made that the small coun.
Kent and Charlie city had as Huch power
ms the large counties Of Halifax Loudoun 1t to
eoualize the representation extent that
ventoR was called, but the basis of representation
the principle upon which that equality should be es.
tablishea was never deliberately investigated in the
State as question of State policy until after the as
sembiing Of that Convention.
Mr. SEYMOUR. Will my friend from Henry per-
NIT me interrupt him to inquire if he is familiar with
the debates which occurred in the session of the legs
1ature in 1924, which fixed the terms upon which
the convention be heidi If he is and he will
refer to the the discussions that grew out of that sub
iect he will find that this matter of the basis Of repre-
sen.ation occupied the House of Delegates for
than months and that not only the basis ofrepesen
tation in the convention, but the basis upon which the
government should be organized by that convention
was most deliberately and ngeniousy discussed for
period of more than two months.
Mr. MARTIN Will the gentleman announce fur,
ther what the result of that discussion was
Mr. SEYMOUR. | will announce that the result
wss as fear the result of this discussion will be-
there packed majority against u.s. and the result
could easily have been foretold.
Mr. MARTIN. Still that is not all answer to my pro-
position It was never discussed as great question,
which was to 60 10 the foundation of this government
1t was not question upon what basis the Legislative
department Of the government. was TO be established
That is the proposition, which announced Il said that
the basis Of representation upon which the Legislative
department Of the government, was to be organized.
mad never BEEN question OF State policy, discuss
ed in the State Of Virginia, until the assembling of the
Convention of 1890 but if the view ofmy friend from
Hardy be correct it only adds additional Legislative
precedent against the proprety of establishing the
white basis. Well now it is aqueston of some curios-
uy more particularly after the views taken by some
gentlemen in this committee, the views to some extent
relied upon by my young friend from the county OF Ma:
rion mir NELSON J and my friend from the county OF
Berkeley Mr.. FAULKNER, to hear what was the result
of that discussion.
Il is known that it was question OF laborious and
painfGi investigation in the capitol of Virginia, among
those distinguished patriots and statesmen for period
of many weeks For long time public sentiment both
in and out of the CAPITOL, convnlsed in the COM
nonwealth Of Virginia. Many portions of Eastern
Virginia were led astray, to sopic extent thlnk' oy
that beautiful theory Of the white basis Of representa-
iion, Eastern gentlemen voted for that PROPOSE
ton. but what the result Of that discussions beg
the Committee to bear with me for q moment, and see
ftheir deliberations be relied upon authority
in this discussion if not invoke the result of their
dehberatons-thc decision Of that Convention that IL
lusirous body OF men, in support of the proposition
which am now maintaining before this Committee.
am sure that some gentlemen have maintained that the
result of that discussions, the adoption of Mr. Cor
don s proposition, and that Mr. Gordons proposition
was founded upon the white basis OF representation
Now wish to see how that matter stands The gentle
man front Marion believe, noticed the debates of the
Convention for the purpose of showing that that basis
of representation tie Gordon compromise, as it was
the white basis Of representation. Now what the
history OF that compromise The Convention as have
said before had discussed the question of the basis CT
presentations day after day and week after week, and
shen in the Committee for weeks The vote had been
ght to forty-eigt The venerable chief justice
,tarshal,-the distinguished member from the county
of Chesterfield, Mr.. Benjamin Watkins Leish,-the
gentleman from the county Of Northampton, Judge Up
shur and Mr.. Gordon the member from the county of
Albemare all had submitted propositions Of compro
mise to the consideration OF that Convention 1t is not
my purpose to go into minute Investigation OF these
different propositions Of Compromise wish to call the
attention of the Committee for moment and compare
the compromise Of Judge Upshur with the compromise
/x. 80 f,rn thn lofts honr in