Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-27

which the West are then paying but they propose
oure them by constitutional provision to go back FIVE
as they say take tho average OF the taxes for tho
ten preceding vears and make that the basis of repre-
sentati Now how do YOU account for this PROPOSE
tion7 know eastern gentlemen are honorable men,
believe in their own minds they disposed hon
orably know it, and would trust my honor as soon
to the keeping Of eastern Virginia gentlemen to any
men upon the earth How then do you account for this
ATTEMPT 10 do great injustice to the west even
upon their own principles to require them lose
the increase of tax for five years at every decade that
Won apportion representation. 1t only be upon the
principle thut they have most unjust conception of
western character 1t is upon the prnc pie that they
are treating rogues, men entitled to conf
dence and therefore they ustiabe in asserting to
every shift and every arrangement pos:behr the pur
nose of preventing this dangerous west from getting the
pswer. That ia the only ground upon which you can
account for it. These gentlemen no doubt quiet their
own consciences in endeavorng to perpetrate 20 great
Injustice upon the west by persuadng themselves that
they are acting with dishonest not 10 be trust
ed and therefore for the protection of their property
they have right to resort to the they do Yes
they adopt the Jesutical principle that the end us
!ies the means
can account for this provision in the report OF the
committe upon other ground. think it is the most
charitable Interpretation which be given to it. And
how remarkably, is the fourth and fifth Sections in the
report Of the Basis Committee marked A. drawn pre-.
vent the west from getting the power even upon their
own principle Of representation. These who re-
fuse to receive guarantees from the west propose to
turn people hand and foot without the power
compel the legislature to re-apporon representation
when we would be entitled to 4 ma Hrity upon their
own principle. What do they say in those sections
a.. The general assembly after the year 1862 and
intervals thereafter of not less than ten years sha
reapportion the representation of the countless cities
and towns of this Commonwealth in both legislative
bodies, according to the number of white inhabitants
contained and the amount of all taxes raised by the
legislature paid in cach deducng therefrom all taxes
pail on licences and law process In making such re-
apportionment there shall be allowed one dele gate for
every seventy part of said inhabs and one dele.
gate for every seventy fifth part of the said taxes and
the senator shall be distributed in like
IS. In every re-apportion of representation in the
general assembly under this amended constitution the
amount OF taxes shall be estimated from the average Of
the ten preceding years.
You will perceive that the fourth section has nothing
which has even the appearance of requiring the csa
ture to make decennial appointments 1t docs not
make it imperative upon them do it. asl YOU have
any guarantees in this constitution To compel this
majority to do justice You seem to be afraid to
trust majority, and unwilling TO take the
most positive guarantees and ask you. ought We
to have the most absolute guarantees upon this subject
Ought you not to provide, in language Imperative that
this majority should make this apportion!cnt once in
ten years. But you have not done it, This section
leaves it in the discretion of This eastern minority to
apporton representation not They prohibit even
this ma jority from making this superintendent in less
than ten years, and do not require it to appporton it
once in ten years.
Gentlemen who have SO much fear of trusting the
west when the Legislature is called upon to npportion
the representation under this clause, | hesitate not q
moment in SAYING would have difficulty in declaring
that they not compecd-it not imperative
apon them to make the apportonment once in years
I,,,tt l, e ,1oft H. al, 4
ever they please, with the only limitation that they
shall not do it in less than ten years
1t seems to me- and am sorry to say it. looking n,
the acts Of the ma ory and especially from an exam-
nation of this report of the committee, it looks very
much like the last dying struggle to retain power ana
if You accomplish your object, how long can it last
wish submit this to the calm consideration of east
ern gentlemen in this Convention. How much do you
accomplish How long YOU retain this power il
YOU had federal numbers have madr calculation |
upon it. and if the east and should gain in pOpu-
ation and property ratcabc according their increase
during the last ten years the west, upon federal num-
bers at the census would be- cnte the majority
Of representation. was astonshe to hear the gentle
man from Westmoreland (Nr. BEALE) aud other gen |
tencn express opposition to this mixcd basis plan
which your commmittee have reported, and prefer
federal numbers upon the ground that it did give
you much protection as federal numbers.
Why, upon federal numbers the power woull depart
from Judah at the end of the next ccusGs But it il |
carefully arranged to prevent it from departing
from you if possible before the second ccIss shall be
taken which vii! be in 1870. Twenty years would be
the longest period you could possibly retain the power
Upon this mixed basis principle, unjust and unequal a.
it is to large portion of the Commonwealth be-
lieye upon this principle that great sill
and increase rs to obtain 4 majority in the lcgislu
ture, when the next census shall be taken.
But. Mr. Chairman. (Afr. EpMuxns.) believe W,
indebted to you for the statement that the
are here tied, bound hand and foot BIZ instructions.
You are bound vote for this mixed basis ont and out
You have no dscrction-you have positive instructions
upon this subject. If this be the fact, ,Io know
why YOU are here. We called upon 10 consult and
deliberate and propose such amendments might
:hnk advisable But. if one section bound hand
and foot not prepared to promise anything should
like TO know how constitution is to be adopted!
All constitutions are founded upon compromises
recognize the ncpe OF the right of the people in
struct as far rs he who goes tarthest But when my
people elect d me to come here, lcny that they in
! ructed me to pursue any particular cou ! come
prepared told them in my discussions, to comprom
Use anything except principle Any great principle. "
ing at the foundation of republican creed. might
net feel at liberty to com romlse-any thing else !
mig compromise | would not be sent here tied hand
and foot bound to pursue particular If yor
succeed in framing any constitution at all should like
know If it must not be founded in compromise C:u
any gentleman have right to have ii exactly rs he |
sert hi right to have every thing just his con.titu
enss desire and nothing csel Ii any gentleman has
right to assert this, all have the same right; and
should like to know how to agree upon any con-
sttution whatevrr2 And then, with this doctrine,
think it is humilating to the representatives of free
people to say they sent them here bou hand and foov.
without any discretion without any authority whatever
to compromise any thing in the formation Of !. unl
mental law of the land But have not entirely done
with this report of the basis committee contend that
it only proposes to nict the grosscSt injustice upon
the west, but by the plan of representation which they
propose they have even attempted to perp%trlc the
rossest injustice upon some portions of the east. Was
there ever grosser attempt ut serrymanderns than
that attempted by the report of this commtce do
not mean detain the committee upon t,i subject AZ
ter the very conclusive argument Of M friend from
Rockbridge, (aIr. LErcHEn.) lie most clearly demon
srated that there is the most outrageous attempt in this
report dsranchise of the great paree Of casters
Virginia After hearing his argument | carefully ey
amned the report and also the statistic, furnished by
the auditor and ascertaiued this remarkable safe OF
acts-that BY this apportonmeut you take from POOR
tewater two delegates that it is justly entitled to up
on this mixed bass principle of representation and give
them to favored Piedmont, that Piedmont gets two
moro than she is entitled to according population and
taxation and tdewater two less than she would he en-
titled to upon that principle. That is little matter of