Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-04


west, Now, suppose that every man will admit that
government ia made fer the people and not for the ter
ritory which they inhabit. Yet if you suppose the
gentlemen who composed that convention or majority
which enacted this provision, din 1t without any design
such as have indicated t:en they regarded TERRITORY
and nat population as the proper object Of
The provision allude to Is his that ate: the year 1871
eleven years ai; Ter tina: constitution went into ocrun)
the ma urv cfte legislature nigh have power appnr
ton Representation or 10 re-apporton il. low Not
thrushuu! The Commonwealth but III each Of the four
arbitrary Grand division. Of the State into which they
though: proper 10 divide it, FOR Instance ii the two
counties IuckhridLr AMI Shenandoah i'll the va:lcT IL
rl+o: owing 10 change IN ihei: population, had bl
uncniai in their representation it would be
peteut for the legislature to re.apEortlon between those
two as To equaii=c it, but mlte- VIVA. inequality
there was bet ween he east and the west, 10
main the sane even il one became bowling wilderness
! ana III" osiier rs deuscv populated Is China.
Now, il it proper and right, that re-app6r'i"n
should take place between counties il The
grand division, in the nance: common was it not
equally i5ht ana proper that i: should take place be-
tween the east and the we4 But ii that jus.
Zee depended with them locality. II mortal man
cal assign any reason for such provision, except \
determination 10 pcrpeiuatc power without: regard
20 Justice would like 10 bear it, b.. moi sill
coii..H;, although shc popu!"Iion Of the cant was
| then Only !cr;y-i"'p Thousand the west The
east retail: ed twc.:tytwo minority in the lower pll-,
and six in !hG upper: and, not conica with this nla or
~. not satisfied with the protection whc! that AFFORDED
the east ii the clause IN which they authorized re. ap
pnr,iomncat throughout the whole Commonwealth
| they imposed restriction which required the cusl
currenre 81 two thirds to any such rcapporinmacnt
Now il II ri,t - re-apportion at all between east
and west couG not they trust to ina urity OF twenty
two in one house and six in the other, But not conf
ding even IN their own friends they required majority
Of tmcthrd> do that between the east and the wcs
which they acknowledged just and right bctwecl
Counties il the same grant division Ly majority Thu;
d"cs tyrany cu!gavor preserve itself and perpetual,
its power .sainst even the possibility of danger Tier,
is another consideration that l. entitled weight which
has made deep impression upon the public mind in The
west WAY b;th of these conventions. the one il
lh3? aud this called just in advance Of the Kew Gems us
and II trance of 4 re assessment Of the lands ST
that upon far apport:onmcnt. upon am element that
they migt: think proper adopt for basis, The wcs
Could Rot get !he advantage Of their increase of punl,,
ton AID lakes a:ccrtainci b. the CELSIUS and re
assessment: There fact, connected with this thai
throw -nEtc gh; upon the motive of the east on Iii
sunlect A!lrr the Year ISL petition was prescn:c,
|" the legislature from kaIawha drawn b. judge sum
niers, able AMI nl-;rri. paper asking tina, iii,
Legislative, power. might hc cxcrci,ci in accordance will
the constellation" Tor tc purpose of rappor uumrnt. Ii
was submitted 20 committee; that committee divided
and they made ma orr report and minority report
judge Ba''!wi, able Judge OF the coart of ap
prai> one OF the Iem neil in whose purity Of character
rep.e unlimited Confidence. Wis chairman of th,. com
mttec, AID the gentleman from Fauquer Mr. SCorT'
was the member b.:"r:. who drew up the miupr,y
report the hous", however refused the petition re-.
tls"l u ra-adlc,; representation although The Cny Gu
ton bad Indicated belief i! they meant any thing
b.; ring he clause tlat rc.adiustmcnt would
b. necessary At that time and mad. provision for
H. ana "la OF the groun,,s stated in the minority
report Was that tn" legislature had no power in gran;
|" the east s!ch guarantees for the protection Of
then property such Convention was uonc COM
, T. a.,
OF reasal 10 grant the PRAYER OF the petition was the
want OF IN" power to srt these very guarantees that
al" no" S:o;si a; hy the entire east except the gen
t!ehla from rauqucr himself mere paper bubbles
,a the ssig"c came up the session. and the ncyt
ana IN" next hal the honor % seat in the house a.
Ie.,at"S durne all three Of these sessions although not
daring tn session IN which this report was made n: !,
was hardly respectfully considered Ii was voted down
ana theT continued, Ia understand, To vote it down
i 'r'"F' {" IL. s!crcct'u- sessions, n;il he we; b-
can ;tii >l" hat there 10 hope tro.n the s.alur?
:" 'htanh Their Just Influence the admin .tr.tior
OF 'hi. government They abandon the idea, and the
uVerss Wish OF the west was, that the question should
DC post pnned until another census and another assess
melt TOOK place that they might come before the Iecs
iatre then with claims that could not be resisted
"hen n" ca! Of this Convention was made by til,
legislature, not western man had opened his mouth
upon lac SUBJECT IL the >hapu of petition The bill
Mas introduced rom tie Why then, if they wcr,
ceai TO Inc calls Of the western people in all rrcrio
time, WIZ this Ccuyc:,tion called upon the eve snd
IN advance {" tho censGs, when they knew TINT deter
mined e1Tt would b. made BIZ the west for fair and
l'lsi apport!onneut of representation in both branche
OF me legislature a= soon that census was taken
There IL no other conclusion than that il was called
lor tho p!rposc Of breaking the force, and Of avoiding
'he erect o. The new census and Of the assessment The
! other hat been called in the same way
viii admit that the has not developed as favor
Hoe s'a" facts Us To the increase of population in I'll.
1 i,h-. IL.
t!eair pi:e "o first convened bat that is com
t,afat!Te, .. little Importance That census unL
l 'SHs:c't ought 10 have taken place anterior to the
call OF tie Convention Itself that it might have hecI
csseh uf)n 'i. facts asce-tancd BY that census and b;
tha assessment. II in vain to tell NJ ". have oo
all the lights which hey would have afforded ms in 5u,
deliberations here. The game is blocked There i. .
uead Weight against us, majority who say they have
pledged themselves, and who nj as deaf "a .dd.rs
every and every argument that can be nd
dressed 10 them.
These TAGS III relation to the conduct Of the ems;
III regard 10 sill The efforts Of the west To nh;air
what the; coi'ld"; their due influence ia the govern
'heh' possl5% MAJ be accounted for upon differ, nj
hypothesis than Of If so, it behooves gen
temcn OF the east to explain them for as thew are they
wear very unavorahle aspect, and show anv thing hui
far dealing towards the western people in rcra1d r.
TINS al important question. But | am sorry 10 an,
that TINS s not the worst feature Of their
here Is another to which have already alluded Up
vi WHAT OASIS il tiila convention called sav If
called upon basis directly in conflict with the bill
of rights as it coul.! be-
This Is to my mind clear anv thing can be- Wber
our constitution was first adopted it vas adoped as j.
we'll understood BY every all familiar with the his
tory Of Virginia. in the midst of revolution when the
roar OF the cnemles within hearing of tbo,,
who framed it and considering the urgeucy Of the oc
cason and their nc1perience in such matters it is prob
able as wisely framed any constitution that ever wa.
formed The bill of rights is perfect, and the dstin
gished gentleman from Fauquier, and nv friend the
distinguished gentleman from Albcmae have both dis
tinctly admitted and over that thew would not al
ter letter pmuch less word of that instrument Now
this bill Of rights part aud parcel of the constitution
itself 1t is just obligatory any provision in that
constitution any portion Of the frame work and struc
sure OF the government. Tho highest judicial tribunal
has decided. am sonv that ever discussion should
be necessary upon this bill of rights 1t seems to me 30
plain that every man ought to have understood it we'll
enough apply it to the pending question Mt once II
is strange that there could have been anv reason
able doubt upon important question: with regard TO
its meaning and proper application; but men will hold
on to power and there doubt expressed here with
regard to of tho most important provisions in it,
bearing upon the question at issuc deem it ne
cessary TO explain my views upon that subject some
what fully than would otherwise wish to do.
What the object of the bill of rights As no de-