Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-05-07
Hoao the present Convention pas Called.

Hoao the present Convention aoas Called.
The question of providing for the call of Con-
yention to revi Sc the present constitution was te-
fore the House of Delegates, in the month of
February 1850, in several distinct forms. First
there was the bill reported bya select committee,
the effect of which was to submit to the people
two questions, viz: LIST, whether they would call
Convention, and, 2dly whether it should be Or
ganized upon the white or the combined basis,
and the bill presented an apportonment upon
each basis. For this bill Mr. Stoval of Halifax
offered substitute, submitting only the question
whether Convention should be called on the
combined basis, and the bill contained an appor-
tionment upon that basis giving the East seuen-
teen majority. And, to this substitute Mr.. Dor
man of Rockbridge, moved an amendment in
these words:
"The apportionment upon the combined basis shall
be nearly possible delegate Tor each ten thou
SO that Virginia East OF the Blue Ridge shall elect
seventy-one delegates, and Virginia West Of the Blue
Ridge shall elect sixty four delegates"
On Friday, the 9Th of February, the bill, sub
stitute and amendment were considered in COM
mittee of the whole, and Mr.. Ferguson advocated
the amendment.
On Saturday, the Convention bill was further
considered in committee of the whole. Accor-
ding to the sketch published in the Times of Mon
day following
After considerable debate, in which Messrs Perrow,
Hail. Claiborne, Wells, Dorman, Campbell of N,
| opkins, Ridewell, Patrick, and Price participated
| Mr.. Domains amendment giving the East ma
ioriy only in the Convention) was rejected-ayes SIS
62; and Mr. StovalI's substitute Tor the reported
bill was adopled-ayes Is. noes 81.
The action of the committee being reported to the
House, the substitute bill adopted after some fur
Their disc uss ion-ayes 66, noes 81.
The question REQUIRED engrossng the BILL and it
was decided in the affirmative-ayes II, noes 49,
Mr.. Ferguson voted against the adoption of the
| substitute bill, and then for its engrossmsnt.
On Monday the 18th Of February, the engross-
ed Convention bill came up on its passage. Mr..
| Mortimer Johnson, of Taylor, made an excited
speech against it. The Times, of the l4th, re.
ported part of his remarks as follows:
ale proclaimed to the world that the Democracy O
this Legislature was not what it pretended to be-
had nothing to do with the rights oil the people, Blu
was wholly devoted to chhsing the rats in the base
ment. The secs ion had been taken up with nightly eff
forts at the remova of Office holders Democracy h.
forgotten in its energy for Office the sovereignty Of the
people. If wealth was to take the place OF men, Mr.
J. avowed that he for one dixie Mr. VIM. J. Brown
was done. He would make the white basis he said
question in the selection OF every officer
Mr.. Ferguson next took the floor, and we quote
all that he is reported to have said
| Mr.. FERGUSON thought j: due to his constituents and
himself to define his position. He proposed to show
| that the gentleman from Taylor was tor bill that
would place the West entirely in The power of the
East.
Mr.. JOHNSON explained that he preferred 10 the nre-
| of
Convent ion, and leaving the Legislature to fix the
basis. But he would assuredly vote against either
| BILL ''o'
Mr. FERGUSON proceeded to contend that the bill SUBJ
| mtng only the call las proposed by Mr.. Johnson,
would involve certain defeat of the West Scarcely
man in the West would vote against a Conyention in
general tems it would be carried and then the Lewis
laure would fix any basis it might choose He declared
he was tor Convention, and If he could not get it on
the ohite basis he toas aoiing to take the com
bined basis. They knew well that the East with its
majority OF 70 10 this House, will yield the prin
cipe OF the white basis The instance had never been
snown where %en having The power were willing
promise between The Federal an4 white basis. 1t
oould unquestionabiy sire the Vest majority in ten
gears And he did not understand that there was any
disposition on the part Of the Eastern members to de-
ny the West that majority when it should be entitled
to il on the principle of the bill
Mr. SHEFFEY stated that, according to bis calculation
, 'aeo federal basis would give the East majority of fit
Mr.. FERGUSON asked if the gentleman preferred the
| ederal TO the combined bassl
MI SHEFFEY said he preferred an Eastern majority
OF Is 10 OF H. and refused TO saw which Of the ,vo
| principles he preferred.
The gentleman would not dare to declare his prefa
renee for the Federal basis for he well knew that West
ern Virginia would sustain no who admitted that
principle. Mr. F. proceeded to say that he wanted the
Convention He wanted TO reform our present rot
ten constitution, to abolish the lite-tem of Judges TO
extend the right OF suffrage upset The conemptbe
system OF county courts, to make officers generally
more anenabe TO the people, to have the Governor es-
pecaly elected by thu peoples in short he wanted Vr.
gnia TO become a Republican State True. she had
stood by Democratic pnc les but they were not writ
ten 10 her constitution. In conclusion he ventured 10
predict that Western Virginia would not vote down a
constitution tor those great objects, though should be
upon the basis established in this bill.
Mr.. Cook of Roanoke, and Mr. Dorman, also an
nounced their intention to vote for the BILL The
debate being continued, Mr.. Syme moved the pre-
vous question on the passage of the BILL Mr.
West, of Tyler, objected as he wished to ex-
plain his position. Mr.. Harye of Amelia, an op-
ponent of the bill, had urged an adjournment in
order to ascertain whether it could not be defeat
ed.
Mr.. FERGUSON said he should vote for the pyeyops
question because OF the declaration of The gentleman
from Amelia, that he wanted to defeat this Bill bv ad
rourning - Nv
Mr.. WEST, Of Tyler said he was going for Con-
yenton, and il he could get it ON the white basis.
ne wouio GO Tor II on the basis of the bill He wanted
'ne poor plnul privilege OF explaining his position.
we add the sketch of the remarks made by Mr..
Lewis, of Harrison, as farther illustrative of the
state OF the question in the House: