Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-09

icct already hrcadbare present to this Comm:
:: few considerations, which. will induce me- i; rn,
my viii. the doctrlnc oiihc right ofinsr,t,ioa.
down by nj friend from tic county Monroe, Ejr
prproS TO support the proposition OF The e,nl,cnq
Fauouicr, now under consldcraiion-aad as The w.: "
ard position OF my friend from the county OF Nal
MIR EpMrS ps) whose distinguished effort pcn
! rerret did not have the pleasure of hearpc 49,
bccn reflected upon by that gentleman, am m, I
n, rod Ia saw whether concur no in the opinion,
pressed bv the gentleman from Halifax as his PENN,
have no; vet been published bit will endorse The &
trne eli the right OF instruction rs cXpoandci by lie
tlrman from Monroe himself
IA. conceiyes il to be the duty CT ever. rcryrs,c.
tive faithfully 10 reflect the views srd wisht. @; T..
constituents. unless they come III conflict with so,oc "
tabshcd canon of good government. Upon that prar
son am prepared &c sustain before this Convent,
in the present stage ofthe question before H." Cona
mittec the question of the mixed basi: OF rcprcrr,
ton. I believe in thus doing reflect the views ~,
wishes of my constituents, anG hiIe'c that y.s,.
no established canon Of good government. -.ni hcgr
me remark. thatwhc endorse the declaration of+
gentleman from Monroe, Mr.. CArEErcS.) 10 liza, e
tent was rather panied 10 hear his declaration .t
Inc proceeded one step further and came 10 TIE M
,aon OF the organization Of this body: tie r.,,,,
Convention O.! Virginia. sitting here for The pG:p>r nd
reInodcrs the consultation Oh tie State. Ii urir.
i cd him right in referring 10 this BODY. he stated t
this Convention had come up here organized under q.
us,rpcd power on the part o. the legislature 0! M
ui, DENY that such i, the fact. di.,,r Nth Il,
proposition as laid down by that distinguished genie
man And think that the proposition :" t.g; cX;,Is
has not been sustained by any otter 5cu,!cm. c.l ~,
west, .sno has addressed the Committee upon ri> ,g.
ed question OF The basis Of representation. ra,cr
sand al least Indirectly. that the proposition has uc,
conceded all hands, that III comm:.lty like ou:s.
government like ours with an organized State soyc!.r
nent that the constitution oil Virginia can Ony be re-
formed without rcyoilticn, in conformity 10 some g.
labIishel law passed by the constituted authorities Of
the State. / may say more that that proposition la.
been sustained not only By the organization OF tie
present State constitutions BIZ; BY the past h>ors q
Nrgia in reference 10 the Convention which Assem-.
bicd in 1929 - re-organize and remodel the old cor
5itulion go further, and say that the organiza'1a
Of this Convention, is less exposed 10 obIectioH
the part Vf western gentleman than TIE oohFtIDE
which assembled in le29-'30. II will be seen b,
reference 10 the proceedings Of the Legislature .,
Virginia upon that subject in ls2s. that the fri
question: and the only question passed Upon hy that
lr Stature, was 10 submit TO the people OF the STATE
the question Of Convention Convention li.co!
nccts with the mode OF organization The people o!
the State first voted for call Of the Coventipn. and
HE legislature, lis next session, organized the Coz.
yc,,ion allowing the people Of the State 10 Gee! :lr
delegates from each s2na tcfia district ~ Tie .;a
80 lc, presume, will doubt he power Of the r.
'.;G,c he pcoplc having decided that the Co'v.ltoa
s,al ba called 10 prescribe the crns a;; nlarurg il
:. .c! that Convention should be organized. BIT Hl
70 I:tI!c further. So far from III: position {" HA
gentleman from WcSter l:Lina ia- endorsed the aaI
nrr n which this body has been convened AID tn a%
under which we are now assembled, was voted for ly
six members eli the legislature from the west. Pre-
sumo il competent Tor the legislature which passed
the lax in 1919 %, under which We are assembled.
to have submitted the question oil convention or 81,
convention to the people Dut they went step further
rhcvnot only s'niIted 10 The people the question
convention. but they slhHl!;trd 10
them The manner in which the cogv cntnn he or
ganized; and more than that. they *libac,! 10 Them
The distinct proposition that it siod be organized upon
the niXcdbasis Of representation. pom n! question,
what is the voice OF Virginia. the only
whicii have been IN The habit Of looking, lar .,
my political experience goes. the expression Of pub
lie sentiment in the manner and mode Prescribed Dy
law. ly reference 10 the vote upon This subject ,oa
will find by maj orty almost Unprecedented in IT.
ina politics. that this question OF Convention, c!brac
ln not only the question OF reform hut the na,r al
organization, was carried by an over" hcmin. OIL:
" OF the votes oGiy OF castcrn but western Nr.
ma II that from this result one Of tao
differences is very fairly deducble Either the M riy
OF the people OF Virginia recognized thereby Tie nine"
basis OF representation, or the west wiling TO
take the call of the convention upon that rcprcscaar
and take their chances in canrassGg districts C>i a.G
west; and il they could not get majority bot o.y
in favor Of their views Of reform, but IN favor o: ;r
basis Of representation. They endorsed the cal! Ola
convention they nave taken their chance If c.ccl
and The cIcctionhas been held the public voice h., w
proclaimed. and We have been sent here the rcrH
Sc!!taiiyes OF the people To give expression IL that
andto declare what the views and opinions al ir
pie of Virginia arc, not only upon other question. u [
reform, but upon The basis OF representation Hos "a
determine the question: What are the views o.,g
people upon any questions OF reform: Ry referee &
he views and opinions entertained by representative,
from the various portions Of the State. :i.r"r.@
embodied will of rhc people. and what their view. "a
upon ai questions of reform, AMI upon this q. ..,r
OF The basis OF representation 1t appears i', q
in the discussion oi the question rs 10 the mau''r "
which the legislative department of the gpyrrnp,a
saoa!d b. organized that it is proper suffice; ri
sldernti"n To see what has heretofore been the pine
pie. II any upon which this department q! tie g"v.fn
,ncnt has been organized in the co.n,nwe.h OF VI.
GINA. confess, Very frankly, that ii lind Us riG
encc to the past history of the State tLa 1Irr, h.
been no oppression Of her citizens violation o ibr
personal rights, not single .ct al ni3ticr pcrrr'ra'
upon any one. that woui not gir" tn. experience
that length Of time for ali the lnetm,hy sirNi GcIG,;a
from Tie b OF rights, or for al! tn. theories Of iot
and Of Sidney, or the spccuatiors Of Burke &ri ot Mae
ntosh. What has been the principle upon mhteh'a
legislative department al this government ha been ID.
icz"tl, from lii" earliest period III ia" E!-'"rT %:
State, down 10 the present hour. see br rc!rf.'Eei
the earl history Of Virginia. llt !,, first tlo..r Il
iiurg"sscs that assembled in the camnl"ua'a' IA
met in .Jamcetown. believe. in the year lGl"crIe
was constituted ofrcPrcscntntiycs from each Iiaa
ton, without reference to population ;;.%.ri1a
rcpic -etcd the particular interests Of tie ,a'.u.
settlements that s"Et item. Several m;titra'a. D.
IT," Honse OF Brgesse. took place during lie !t>or.r
the colonial government. For the iir,, time III T. 81
when the first constitution of Virginia was Same 81
by the representatives OF Tie people Of tnc 80
Is separate, sovereign and in :cpclir!.i; >t'a FL
the principle Of representation, by giving To- "
ty two delegates without reference t" their p,.asl
(LDntinunl 10 Second Papr) ri
JOHN DOBBiSS,
Manufacturer, Importer, and Wholesale DealeF II
in sesars, snu:l, Leaf and Manufactured