Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-06-02

3. The same as the frat, except that the
Legislature should be required; in 1862. to
submit the question Of basis to the qualified
voters.
;. A House Of i56 on the suffrage ba-
sis, with Western majority Of IA; and
Senate Of so on taxation, with an Eastern
majority of Ii, until 1869, when both
Houses to be reapportioned on the suffrage
basis.
I. A House of $50 on the mixed basis,
exclusive Of the free negro tax) with an
Eastern majority Of l2 and Senate on
the like mixed basis, with an Eastern ma
jority Of l2, until 1862, when both Houses
to be on the suffrage basis.
II has been made public, in the debates
Of the Convention, that the Western men,
bers ratified the whole action of their COM
miitec, but that the Eastern members con-
fined themselves to approving the rejection
Of the Western propositions. Thegeneral
sentiment Of the Eastern members, upon
tho failure of the negotiations, was, that
liberality had been exhausted on their side,
and that their Only remaining duty was to
proceed on the ensuing Monday, to put
proposition A to the vote and carry it
But other consultations and negotiations
interviewed on Sunday, which wholly coun-
tervailed their expectations.
Monday, May 12M.-Immediatcly after
the Convention met, Mr.. Watts, Of Nor
= folk county. moved to go into committee OF
the whole. and that there be no debate on
the pending proposition.
Mr.. Martin Of Henry, who had hereto
fore acted with the majority of the Eastern
members, in every vote save on the motion
made by his colleague, Mr.. Claiborne, on
the preceding Friday, to attach PROPOSE
ton A, restriction on the representation
Of cities, expressed the hope that the Con-
vention would not resolve itself into com
miftee ofthc whole, as he wished to offer
resolution for compromise committee.
He stated that he had not participated in
the negotiation Of Saturday night and that
he had, on Sunday, conferred with several
Eastern gentlemen who concurrcd with
him in thinking that compromise might
be effected and that a select committee
cloud be appointed for the purpose.
Mr.. Watts Withdrawing his motion, Mr.
Martin offered the following resolution:
Reso'rcd, That a committee Of eight
members, four ofwhom shall be taken from
the East side ofthe Blue Ridge; and four
ofwhom shall be taken from the West, be
chosen by ballot, to take into consideration
and report TO the Convention a fair and
proper adjustment ofthe principle of rep
resentation in the two Houses Of the Gen
cral Assembly. and that the report IF said
committee be committed TO the committee
of the whole without debate
MIR. Summers opened the debate on this
proposition by expressing, with a manner
Of marked solemnity, his painful anxiety at
the darkness of the prospect before this
Convention. He appeared to speak al
most in despair of any settlement Of the
question. but declared that he was unwill-
ingto pass by any overture of peace, and
hoped that every member ofthe bod would
vote for Mr.. Martins resolution.
Mr.. VI. II. ii. Garnett moved to amend
the resolution by adding 10 it-'and that
the said committee be directed to report all
their proceedings 10 the Convention, and
report as soon as possible
After debate, the amendment, was re-
jecfed, ayes 50, noes rs; the white basis
members with the following Eastern men,
bcrs voting in the negative, viz: Messrs
Arthur, Bolts, Bowdcn, Chiffon, Claiborne,
Finney, Garland, Hill, Hopkirs, Lyon,
Lyons, McCandlish, Martin of H., Morris.
Randolph, Saunders, Scott of F., Snowden,
Straughan, Strother, Tunis and Wingfeld
-22.
p Mr.. Stanard then moved to amend the
Notwithstanding, "The Eastern mem
bers to be elected by those coming from
districts East of the Blue Ridge, and the
Western members by those coming from
districts West of the Blue Ridge.
In the debate on the amendment, Mr..
Scott Off, declared himself willing to
compromise on fair terms, but said he could
never give his vote for surrcndc.. of the
Eastern position. He invited Western
members to let it be known whether they
would accept compromise that did not
involve such surrender, and he explained
that he regarded as surrender every prop
osItlon which like those rendered by the
Western committee on Saturday night de-
handed that the suffrage basis should be
conceded either ~ presents, or in some def
mite period. If the Western members
would intimate their willingness to concur
IN compromise without such surrender
ON the partof the East. Mr. Scott announc-
ed that he would gladly vote for the COM
nittee.
No lntlmation of tho character desired
by MIR. Scott was given, Mr.. Summers
could hardly be induced to say that he.
like Mr. Scott, stood ready to compromise,
but not to surrender
with this earnest inquiry, on the part of
The East whether the West would accent
any compromise that did not involve con-
cess'on OF the Western nltimatua pro-
pounded on Saturday night, and vague,
unsatisfactory response from the leader of
the advocates of the suffrage basis, which
was equivalent to a distinct rcafirmation
OF that xft'mdtum, as the only condition up.
on which the proposed committee could
frame report which the West would a.
gree to, the committee of the whole came
toa vote on Mr.. Stanard's amendment,-
ms amendment was rejected, ayes 40,
noes ~, all the white basis members voting
IN the negative, togethcrwi,h the following
Eastern members, viz: Messrs. Mason
tPresident,) Arthur, Bolts, Bowden. Chill
ton, Claiborne, Finney, Garland, Hopkins,
Lyon. McCandlish, M,rtin of H., Morris,
Randolph, Saunders, Straughan, TAYLOR,
Wallace and Wingfeld-l9.
The want of unity, exhibited by the
Eastern members upon this vote, was the
cause ofthe mode in which the committee
was 10 be appointed, and that mode, it
should have been forcsccn, would incvi,a-
bly, produce report, (if the committee
should agree upon any report at ally which
would be sustained by the Western MEM