Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-04-14
The Issue in the Convention.

The Issue in the Convention.
| The Convention is, at last, manifesty coming
to an ssue, and the final test must, before very
long, be applied to the frmness of the Eastern
members. The advocates of the Suffrage Ba-
sis" have thus far displayed nerve, consistency and
harmony, in manner which does them infinite Gre
dit. From the beginning of the session, they have
presented an undivided 'front.' on every question of
the slightest consequence; whilst, on various &C.
casions, their Eastern opponents have disclosed a
want of concert. Still, on the main point in dis
pute, we believe there are only two gentlemen of
the East, (Mr. Bolts and Mr.. Taylor not originally
committed to the white basis, who have given in
dications of wavering. As the period for taking
the vote approaches we begin to hear threa ats, that
if the majority will adhere to the mixed basis, the
Western members will abandon their Seats and
their constituents will be ready to dividethe State.
1t is evident from the published explanations of
Messrs. Bolts and Taylor, that they have allowed
their minds to be influenced by these admonitons.
Mr. Bolts has avewed his purpose of offering a
compromise proposition, and, in his card published
on Saturday morning, admits that it contemplaes
arbitrary ratio, (comSnon report says equazi-
ty) of representation. Mr.. Taylor informs his
constituents, that though still faithful to the Mix
ed Basis, The is willing to reduce the majority of
fourteen, which that basis would give to the East
To what extent he would carry the reduction, he
has not yet made known, but precisely to that ex-
tent, we are we'll assured, he will msrepresent
the wishes OF the people of his district. Neither
of these two gentlemen, it is proper to observe,
has ntimated willingness, in any event, TO go
over to the simple White Basis. If Mr.. Bolts
scheme is equality of representation, it denies the
principle of the White Basis TO the extent of the
majority which that Basis would give the West,
that is, majority Of delegates representing
the Western majority Of ninety thousand white
inhabitants AS Mr.. Taylor would merely reduce
retain some majority, and his views therefore,
must be less acceptable to the West than those
attributed to Mr.. Bolts.
But is it the part of wisdom in the East, to pro-
pose to itself any compromise or abatement of its
just and rightful position? Will such partial sur
render have the effect of settling the controversy
with the West, and restoring harmony to the
State? We venture to affirm that there is rot
Western member of the Convention who will
rise in his place, and guarantee that his constitu-
ents will rest content, for five years, with con-
stitution, fixing any arbitrary ratio, by which the
East would have representation equal, or slightly
superior to, that of the West. The experience of
the present constitution ought to satisfy every man
that nothing is more sure to create dissatisfaction
than fixed adjustment OF representation without
regard to some governing principle. If, on the
other hand, the Eastern majority in the Conven-
ton stand firmly by the equitable basis of white
population and taxation, and engraft that ba-
basis upon the constitution principle, ac-
cording to which the Legislature shall, from time
to time, reapportion the Senate and House of
Delegates, the patriotic citizens OF the West may
be expected gradually to become reconciled. The
Valley and South West, at least, will find that
their interests are identified with those of the East,
and will never, for moment, harbour the wild
project of dividing Virginia by the line of the Blue
Ridge The North West, welded as it to the
White Basis, and having scarcely any interest in
the protection of slave property, may be deeply
though unjustly dissatisfied, but when it comes to
decide the question whether it is better to remain
with Virginia, or 90 before Congress for sepa-
rate Government we have no fear that its decision
will be for separation.
Looking, then, solely to the relative effects
which unyelding adherence to the Mixed Basis
on the one hand, or an abandonment of it for some
arbitrary adjustment on the other, will have upon
the public sentiment of the West, it is our DELHI
crate conviction that the only wise course the
Eastern majority can adopt, will be to stand their
ground. If there be anything in the threats OF
division, and breaking up the Convention, which
have been sent up from some Western counties,
the friends of the Mixed Basis will have an in
finite advantage in the issue. The onus of pro-
posing and adopting violent measures will be up
on the other side. The East does not say that it
will divide the State rather than bear the White
Basis but it should have the firmness to say that
if the West is prepared to divide the State rather
than bear the Mixed Basis, let it be done.
But we really apprehend no such consequence
of maintaining principle which is intrinscally
right, which was universally sanctioned by South
ern statesmen of the revolutionary times, and
which the West, no less than the East, now in
sists upon retaining in the L ederal Constitution.
THE BOSTON AFFAIR.
We shall, doubtless, give in our postscript, this
morning, some account of what took place in
Boston on Friday, when the Commissioner was
to decide the case of the fugitive Sims, and when
the Aboonists had invited all their kith and kin to
be present to witness the degradation of the State
Some of the more violent had even announced
their purpose of forcibly preventing the delivery