Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-04


has occupied the floor for the last hour appears obvious
" to he greatly fatgucd move that the committee do
now rise.
The motion agreed to, and the committee accord
ingly rose.
The Convention adjourned until tomorrow morning
At l | o'clock
MONDATI February 81, 1851.
Prayer by the Rev. Mr.. JOINER, OF the Methodist
church
PRoJEr OF CONSTITUTION
Mr.. JOHNSON. have received communication
having endorsed upon it Reform Constitution Sugges
tons 1t comes from gentleman who is foreigner
b. birth, and who has been citizen of three distinct
pgb!its. He is respectable and intelligent gentleman
AZ was IT,, lend of the late Albert Gallaa ard
state il: with him. 1t is couchcd in respectful
terms, an. ~, contain some useful suggestions. i l.
written, however, in very bad English, and mag give
the Secretary trouble in reading il. move, there
fore. that it he laid on the table ana printed.
Mr. u. GARRETT. ! dislike exceedingly 10 oppose
the printing Of anything offered BIZ any gen!emaa. but
does seem to me- that shou be setting very bad
inc, aent. :@est for the printing of very suggestion
am individual gent!cm4r1a dnoos.te send il here.
IL is with great reluctance that oppose t..nrntng
n:t rea.iy should think paper must DE emitted I,
Very good weight warrant the printing of any sketch
or constitutional suggestions which any gentleman may
choose to end in here cannot the propricty of it
This printing bill has already tip most enormously
and most earnestly suggest the gentleman to with
draw Ii motion TO print. 1t will le5a to read il
than TO print il. Let us haze il read.
" The SEc commenced rca,n. it.
Mr. NJ t.ARNETT. l Withdraw niy motion to read
have heard enough.
Nr. CLAIBORNE. | do not understand what the pa.
Pc. is. Laughter.
The PRESIDENT. 1t is paper offered by the gen
cman from Harrison, who explained it containing
constitutional suggestions from arc.pectabe and intel
ligcnt gentleman
4 Air JOHNSON. As there seems to be disposition
manifested By object to printing it, an rot te
nsciors about it. 1t will come ont in some shape, and
the g l:!emal may have the advantage Of it, without
ordering the printing l will withdraw the motion to
print.
I ALLOWANCE or ~ ACCOUNT.
Mr Chiffon. / have nm account in favor of Richie
L Dunnayant IN account amounting to S635T, for print
ing done for the Convention before the appointment o.
printer. am Informed by rhe Secretary that it is al
correct. ! offer this resolution:
Kcsoired Tint the Secretary certify for payment m
account Of Richie Dunnavaa for s63.57 for printing
done for the Convention before the appointment of
printer.
Mr. TREDWAY. | wouid inquire if there is stand
in committee TO whom I'll referred AMI
s;sge>. to the gentleman, whether it would not lie bet
ter 10 refer +hi account 20 that committee.
Mr. Chiffon The Secretary had the work doDe
ga; rer;ii;es to it. correctness thii it will not b,
Necessary to refer it 10 the committee.
The PRESIDENT 1t will be the more regular course
70 refer it.
7 Mr.. Chiffon would ask vote upen my resolu
ton.
The question being taken the resolution was adopted
srDsTITc-r FOR REPORT coNaITrRgs or EDUCATION
! Mr. u GARRETT II will be recolectcd that upon
III. coming in OF the report Of the Committee f.'!uca
ton t!,at ;rc-c,itci paper which intended 20 offer
at proper time substitute t. that report, AMI asked
tuat might h. printed AK th.. Il may b. re-
fcrrcd to The Committee Of the Whole.
/ IL was agreed 10.
THE BASIS OF REPRESENTATION, dc.
| On motion of Mr pENDLETON. the committee re-
s,mc,! the consideration in Committee Of the Whole
Mr M.i.rR in the chariot the report of the Commit
Tee on the Basis AMI Apportionment Of Representation
Tie CHAIR stated the question to be the PROPOSE
ton .. the gentleman from Fauqui.r. tNr Scorr.)
Mr.. PUREINS being entitled t. the iloor-
I MIR BROWN. VIII my fricad from Halifax permit
me ,o make remark in explanation:
Mr. ?l'n!,INS. Certainly sir
Mr. BROWN. On Eriday last The gentleman put
sore in.crrogat lries me. which. in tie confusion Of
tho moment. did apprchrnd and my ans#cr was
~, 10 tie point desire this morning IL answer the
Il ,:enan, that he may, before he proceeds, have the
...a.,are Of making AMI commentary upon them that
he nay desire. In ny reply 10 TIE remark OF inc ger
.r,ion,i guarantees worth nothing. cudeavored
to show that al rights, Of persons AMI ." property
zero no,y secured resting alone upon guarantees OF that
kird Aud in answer 20 the Objection which that gen
trrn,,n r ,r,! :ha although guarantees might be
nycn in GOO! faith and observed by those giriug them.
vet ano;hcr race o. people, another generation might
call n convention and rcpea. them. ! observed that
,b,t was very f. fetched idea, but that proba-
III. mirnt 10 Guarded against 10 extent. said,
,ha while the right in the majority Of tie communit:
70 alter or abolish their Fundamental laws. indubi-
fable inalenable and rdcfeasib!e yet it is competent
for this Convention to lay restraints upon the esisa-
tare pas ng laws facilitating such call, or Inviting
such calls While could not take from the M jori-
~ of the community their inalienan!c, indeeasibe
rights ,re could lay prohibitions upon the legislature Il
pas. laws inviting call for the purpose OF changing
the flndamen:ai'iaw.
Mr.. PURKlNS When the committee rose rpor
Friday last was addressing myself 10 the particular
pont upon which my friend from Preston CIR. BRowS)
no= tenders an explanation and in all candor must
say to that gentleman, that his explanation, in my hum
bic opinion, does not place him in any better position
than he occupied when he first stated his proposition.
The point W IN was eTdcavoring to impress upon the
mind OF Il. >oDaaittee this that the West came
upon this 1- assisting that majority OF the people
had light govern, and that the Last Should sur
c-he 20 this proposition Bat the question arises jus
here who are the people insisted that they formed
. political conmunit- created h. constitutional pro-
vision aJ governmental arrangement a3d tiat the ma
ior!.y o that political community was OF right to be
sar1ed the majority OF all The lnhab:ants CT tho
state ard that in that majority the political po"ef
; u,
part cf the West in whatever form they might be prt
sented. were designed 10 transfer political power from
majority to two thirds threeourts O! the commu-
aitv if is to be eectua and if hey choose TO regar
tat community as consisting Of all the inhabitants q
the state. it was total abandonment of the princp
upon which ,heY had declared ther designed fixing ei
basis Of representation. The gentleman from Preston
* no. a!cnc in this tender OF guarantees Distinguished
gentlemen a1.oca,ing the same principle he contends
for in this j,3 have upon more lnan one OCCASION il
discussions .at have taken place heretofore, here an
elsewhere proercd such guarantees and limitations ct
legislative power as would secure and were absolutely
necessary to secure in all governmental institutions,
the protection of property If'ey admit that proper
" REQUIRES protection from government, and the!
Generally do admit this fact, for the gentleman
from Augusta, as well as the gentleman from Pres
ION. more than once have advocated the principle
that property is entitled TO protecon-l wish to IN.
oure of them what those means OF protection are. anc
villa. are those guarantees of which they speak: rs:s
tey can show that the tender Us such protection
49, viii be ADEQUATE to. end fully commensurate with
The attainment OF the end We have in view, and that
these guarantees are the onl: means 1t IS clear
that these guarantees which are rendered us by the
gentleman from Preston and others being the only
curv they can give for the protection OF our prop
erty eyery gentleman ON this floor who advocates the
White basis must come up and back the gentleman from
Preston in the tender Of those guarantees.
desire, before proceeding further upon this point,