Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-07-01

d.,
lang. imprisou, inc men. for the invasion ~ ipJ
IS or persons. if the virtue Of the community DO an
luate safeguard! ., o,.; Ia,
have e,lsavorel thus far, Mr. Chairman 70 consl,e'
some Of the general proposons when D e. ~ an
subject. beg leave now to present QUO Is oo
- The general position Of the absolute rights OF la
.ritv to govern upon which the opposing arsulhth!
.ests bv pointing out another consequence "en mus.
n ought 10 aow fr.rn it if gsntenco are f's III mat
,,sitioa an the affiliated principles upon Sn'en thes
,:aad in this debate W 81: W." ho~s coma I.for
aid. The men OF the revolution who nave gone before
n cndavorcd to found free. safe and secure gov
r,uen, in tbis country. AVE always SAID Ishnt the
rent PHILOSOPHER and Statesman OF france may
p narouel for uap'ng or referring TO that great aa
: IL. ,n Uhere We haze been told by some OF our
. . No. ,,,tou makers he is to be referred to
= r,,r,,.J mean NJ. tie Secondat, the sreut Monies
,,;,n Yes sir great then, great new, md always 81"
..rro. a. long as SQUAD philosophy. g-e:'; Wisdom.
-. o"l profound learning wise an1 wiIoes1Gla max.
,, Ne protection of the liberty OF he people are
,r,.ahr regarded lie too, said what the nleu Of tie
,i,,;nn sail-what that constitution which they
~ =. - the practical exposition Of their bill Of rights
III hs, localities ani sections must be represented
~, trre,ts abiding in localities, in sections, must be
,r.:., I'D because b. such representation alone they
~, =. r,n ,rv understood and properly protected
Wv ,,,onll they not be represented! There eau be
- - .cn cccp for it under the sun The interests Of
-, ro, for instance, in the city Of Richmond and
h ;uins counties composing the district, IRE eci,
tEty require lcprestnCeClon-LneJ require IL nlt
.,:v that they mas b.. understood but tnat they Iay
projected By representation
KIN sir. take the position and principles maintained
#, the u.her side Of tn: question: take the maSiias u:
ny .r;eui from Berkeley, (Mr FArLKSEn who say: he
n consoli !ation.t in State matters. Il know he l.
,t in federal matters he declares He would make
ii, o,e eat consolidated State; h. would break down
attn sectional and local distinctions which he says d"
liscair because the people Of Berkeley do not know
lie representative from Meck!euburg. nor those OF
1 cGienburg know him of Berkeley. And lie tells rs
INT the majority Of free white people ought to govern
elusive Of all other condcrati rs; then this principle
local representation must be overthrwn and destroy
a. For ii that principle be correct We are to be re
rGed consolidated government, and ther.nre II
thai tue gentleman agrees with in our principle in lts
application to the federal government bat denies IN rs
duplication TO the State government But, Mr.. Chair
uan, the unavoidable consequences if yen curry this
iocirae out will be aboli-h all these co!nr Ines IL
.tsh all these county distinctions not III fancy mere
but in TACT for how you to bring tn! Icop:e OF
i.lenbars into acquaintance with the Candidate 0! ne
,e Of the county OF B. rkeley, except by bringing the
an "A ~ from the county Of Mccslenburg 10 Berkeley
and tc candidate from Berkeley to Mecklenburg What
leu is to be the conseq"encef general ticket, the
lection of delegates 10 the General Assembly By gene
Il ticaeti An effect Of consolidation in the State gov
rnrncut worse than arv apprehrnded in the fedora!
government viz election ni all The representatives
irguia by the majority located III the vert pat
questions to these people, aud TO all others III cas-
Virginia, YOU, the people OF Richmond the
rolu OF this district willing that your delegates shall
e elected hv the people beyond the Alleghanes' Are
!ru willing, because the people beyond the AcShaInes
ave more white persons than We have that they should
sect our delegatest Every man will answer no. and
Xix ne whit right have they to do it: answer that
a my opinion they have right, unless this be con.
,p ak! government, and you admit this natu al right
the majority to govara. If yoa do, you have no night
say how this majority shall exercise its right; aud
hey maot exercise it As they please. II We are but
ue Consolidated government, these county lines are
nj, imaginary, they are distinctions for convr
ietce which NAV be broken AMI will be broken down
then te1 become announcement to the majority; anil
ney viii certainly be inconrenient az announcement rs
any other property where they stand in the
sar to power. Indeed the very proposition involves
ne IF county lines and the election of
tutatves By general ticket necessarily for how else
lie psope OF Berkeley become better acq TAINTED with In.
representative from Meckenburg than tiev are
Vii these count: distinctions be OF sufficient pntencs
, control the will OF the peoplef When YOU divide Il
uuty utu precincts. for mere convenience IN local mat
r:4 they are still county and So when ycu dvi !e
lie consolidated State into counties, for
ieuce they still one consolidated people If the
laYm; be true tLen aud founded in justice that tho
aurv Of the white people of the State have natural
I'd therefore absolute rsh to control it in all rcapccts
hey have the right to elect the delegates thr ugh
whom and By whose action the State lie To be controlled
al it's government managed and is unavoidable that
lie people the other side u the Alleghauies la wing
elect all The representatives for eastern Virginia upon
general ticket if they choose To assert il. Would &c
ioI had the ability Of Mr. Burke that power of wither
ny sarcasm and eloquent uvective which he had, that
might take this subject up and present it in its trn,
isht to the wondering and Indignant gaze of my people
Il; this unqualified right Of majority to govern be
u.tred the unavoidable consequence IS that one sec
ian having majority will elect the delegation for the
Whole. " But no, say gentlemen there the p.ncp!,
s:op." The principle is true principle but it i
~ hat I 10 ~,
value Of principle which yon csnnot carry in prac
lice Where is the right, and what is the value Of It
# il canuot be asserted. Aud why, if there be right
will il not be carried OUT Why not elect from I'll,
west. with your 1900 ma ority, all the deir to tn,
General Assembly,
You do not now claim this monstrous right il
know, but you assert principle which gives vol
the right to claim whenever YOU please and we OF III,
cas-: are left without any right principle for our pro
ecto and made to trust entirely to your torbcaranc
ur safety
Not merely does the principle asserted by western
gentlemen etle them to exercise this enormous pow
II Q: eectin delegates for all practical purposes bu
they propose Immediately to enforce It for what ava
give county representation Ill the east If put
power in the west, able 20 vote down the whole cas-
terra representation upon every question upon which
their interests differ And differ they do and must
upon the great questions # raising money BY taxes ans
afterwards expanding it. The west docs not wan: tht
trouble of our county management They do MT desire
the power LOT That eLl 1neS WalL II Tor the Othe
great ends of taxing and expanding And if you Civ,
them the power it nlmateral whether YOU do il by
general ticket nominal county representation The
conclusion is inevitable.
There is but mode of escaping it. And it is fo
enen to do what Mr. Burke sQid the refrmers ant
nnovators of the French Revolution did, viz sin one
hand they bore their principles in IL: other hand they
bore hand cuff that to curb ami control them Ii
Que breath and in moment to advocate their princ
pes aud in the next breath deny the value of those
principles in practice In truth to concede that the prin
cipe is only of no value but mischevous if eniorc
ed; tiger in cagc-a monster that be chained
to prevent the mischief his nature prompts 1t is ii
this state of the debate in this posture of the question
that the gentleman from Henrlco, (Alr Borrsl CONES
forward t" offer what he calls his compromise, and
confess that it strikes under the circumstances rs the
most remarkable and extraordinary act that have ever
Known be pcrforme in my little experience in pub
lie affairs, by any representative. Now mark be tells
Va in the outset that heeast has majority and he tells
us truly We know it. Yes. We have the majority
even we lose his vote; We have the majority If We
lose another. We curry the principle Of the aixed
basis through, and whether he here pledged to it
or not the rest Of are pledged to carry it. for one
am and shall redeem that pledge. Differing from Mr.
Marshall and Mr. Leigh who brought forward their pro-
positions of compromise after they had been defeated
upon that which they preferred he forward