Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-24
The Convention met pursuant to adjournment.
The journal of yesterday was read and approved

FRIDAY, May L. l45l.
The Convention met pursuant to adjournment
The journal of yesterday was read and approved
BASIS OF REPRESENTATION.
The Convention resumed the consideration, il
Committee OF the Whole, (lIr. MILLER in the chair,
Of the report of the Committee on the Basis and APP
portionment Of Representation.
The CHAIR stated the question TO be on III. amend
ment Of the gentleman from Acconac tMr WISE to
proposition A.
Alr. FlNNEY moved to amend the amendment by
striking OFT the whole Of it, and inserting in leu there
Of the following:
|. The Legislature shall be formed OF two distinct
branches, which together shall be complete Legs
iaturc, and shall be called the General Assembly OF
Virginia.
Q One Of these shall be called the House OF Dele
gates and shall consist Of hundred and fifty mem
uers ito he chosen bicnniav) whereof 81 delegates
hall be chosen for and By the several counties cities
and loves lying East Of the Blue Ridge, and GO dele
gates shall be chosen for and by the seyera! counties
cities and towns West of the Blue Ridge
g. The other House OF the General Assembly shall
be called the Senate and shall consist of fifty mem
1ers, and shall continue in office years, and Tor the
selection Of whom the Counties cities and towns shall
be divided into fifty districts, so that there may
be twentvscven Senators chosen by the districts East
the Blue Ridge, and twenty Senators chosen by
the districts West of the Blue rdge-each county city
md town Of the respective districts al The time OF the
,irst election of its delegate or delegates under this
Constitution shall for Senator and the Shc.-
ifs or other officers holding the election for each
v. city and town, within five days at arhcst after the
last county, city town election in the district, snail
meet al some convenient place, and from III. polls SO
taken in their spectrc counties, cities and towns re-
turn as Senator the person who shall have The great
est number of votes in the whole district.
A. Immediately after the Senators shall be assem-
',lol in n
ried BY lot into two classes The seats of the Sena
ors of the first class shall be vacated al the expiration
Of the second year, and Of the second class al the en-
piration of the fourth wear after such first election and
this rotation shall be continued bennially, that one
half may be chosen cvc,y second year. In the year
1851 the Governor OF the Commonwealth shall BY his
reclamation, Immediately thereafter, require the quail
fled voters the Commonwealth to assemble in their
respective counties, cities and towns, and I" declare,
by their votes whether representation in the Eio
es OF The General Assembly, or in either Of them,
shall be apportioncd according 10 the number o! the
qua lifted voters in tho Commonwealth, or whether the
same shall be apporoncd, in both Houses of the Cen
eral Assembly, or in either OF them according Ia the
number of white inhabitants contained and the amount
Of all taxes raised bv the Legislature paid in the
al counties, cities snd towns of the Commonwealth, de-
Quoting thereroH -. taxes paid on licenses and law
process and Glowing one delegate for every seventy
fifth part oi the said inhabitants and one delegate for
every scvcny-flth Part of the said taxes and dstrh
ting the number al Senators in like manner.
s. 1t shall be the duty of the said Shcris ard other
officers taking said polls, within five days after the
shall have been closed certify true copies thereof
10 the Governor who shall thcreupon earl: NAV
be- ascertain the result Of the said vote and make proc
amaon thereof. I! shall also be the duty OF the Gov
rrnor To communicate the same to the first General As
sembv which shall after the taking Of the said
vote and the said General Assembly thercupon at The
sion thereof which shall he held next after the ak
II said vote shall apportion representation in each
oc t1o q he
ciple of representation therein for viii, ma ory of
The qualified voters shall have declared their prefer
rncc bv the aforesaid and thcncciOrth il shall be
the Gutv of the General Assembly, in every tenth year
thereafter, 10 re-apporton and distribute the mum
Der of Senators and Delegates throughout the Common
wealth, according TO the same principle OF rcpr'scn-
totion
g. The right OF property Is before and higher than any
legal sanction The right Of the owners Of slaves, a il
exists in this commonwealth, il a mviolabc the
RICH, OF the owner of any other property: and the es
Iture shall not BY any act or device destroy or impair
this right without the .cnt Of the owner.
:. a majority of tn. whole number of members elect
ed to serve in either branch of the General Assembly
shall be required to pass any bill authorizing the State
to borrow money, making an appropriation other
wise rendering pecuntry MD to work of internal i'm.
provement.
s. Capitation shall be equal Throughout, the State
upon all individuals sub the 4 free males
over the age of 81 years, and under the age Of IS years
and all slaves over the age of 10 wears and under the
aye of 80 years shall be subject 10 such tax provided
that nothing herein contained shall proven; exemptions
If taxable polls hereafter prescribed by law in
Of bodily inirmity.
Mr.. BOLTS ii il very evident that the house ia now
in spirit for compromising this question and from what
can learn there several gentlemen here who hive
compromises to offer We are acting very much in the
dark when called upon to vote for proposition
without knowing what propositions are behind IL
mean submit motion upon this subject, but throw
out the suggestion in order that may all Under
-tandingly-that every gentleman wko has n compro-
mise to otter shall present il to the committee ay it
upon the table and have it printed.
| might he called upon to vore for one compromise.
when would decidedly prefer another that has net vet
been presented and if they all he laid before VS.
every member can have opportunity Of examining
each proposition in detail and We shall act in nv opn.
ion, much more wisely and Understandings than We
can Mt present 1t has been sad-I know not with
how much truth-that the gentleman from Fauquer
Mr. ScorT) has proposition to offer should like ia
know what that proposition is before am called on IL
vote on the proposition of the gentleman from Acco-
mac or l3 colleague So in regard to every other pro
poston that be submitted and do trust the gen
lcen will afford US an opportunity Of knowing all tn.
propositions which are to be submitted before We are
called upon to vote for any
1t is suggested around me. and have no objection t.
il, though do desire to make motion OIL the sub
icct especially ii is not agreeable the house. tb
ii all the different propositions are laid on the
to-day. and ordered |" be printed We should ,'ao
over till Monday in order to have opportw' .'dlo'.i
anining them 'E Vi .
Loud cries Of no no."
slr. Bolts make no motion - tina, eT.c, n
suggestion ia thrown out BY gent va. ensi
shall be prepared if the propoS ona sso Ial me
are ordered to be printed tn ~ote IN +a MI
and take my choice. ''e'" 'o'Ano'''
While am up may say that since the adournmer
on YESTERDAY have Dssclf prepared proposition Ehic
may at future ut time submit to the consideration
thus ooiE: IL ne suggestion l have thrown out |
ADOPTED VIII lay the Proposition upon the table
pose to offer is in the following words: