Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-09
(Cout;;,.cc5 ;rom First rasc.'

re
rs.ntat:uu houl ue gwen L. the o.her pu0 pro- efty'
that has been paid for with The money from tho e"su
rv Are gent ready to = out tleif owl piiie
pie and base representation the capto squN'e :,
the pententiary canals. rail ros and mua :" ipiAes
If the principle IS good one ~ nc sase I;ob,
Ith tosss the money of the s,ry, and the canals,
railroads and turnpikes engag hfoagn ,heir CHOSEN
representatives in the enactment Oh Inc laws oi 'he
commonwealth.
Tho yarous advocates of the mixed or combined basis
N tb;s discussion have occupied very different positions
This however might readily have been expected from
the aivocates Of proposition so entirely at variance
with nil our received notions Of the theory OF popular
government Some of these gentlemen have said that
property entitled protection and ought therefore TO
Be represented Others have .rsued that the true prn
cple Of representation is population and taxation UNI
ted The greater part OF the able speech OF the gentle
men from Richmond city who last addressed u.s. lhr
DArrsJ was directed defence Of this position And
third class have taken the position that there Is no
principle involved in the subject ut issue VI this last
class believe are both the gentlemen from the county
ofFauquier (Mr Scorr AMI Mr. Chiffon ihese sehte'
men have argued that it is mere question OF eNpedi'
encv in sett which, they are to be governed by m
terest This principle OF eXpediency Is unve one
alike applicable to all places, to ali men ana MI Things
To day may be APPLICABLE to one state OF aaars ana TO-
morrow TO the very opposite Ana now the defenders
of the supposed peculiar property OF the east are urging
in the defence OF that property the very thing that III
the legislature of lSSl32, was denounced by the adj
yocates of that property as HI unhsy means u
DESTROY the slave interests OF the commonwealth IN
the discu sion Of the slavery question: the legislature
Of 3d. this doctrine OF expectancy was condemned
..ud, think justly condemned as dangerous eXpeaent
-onc that ought not TO be venturon upon IN that
discussion Mr. Ghosop said" But. gentlemen IN pur-
anti of their fayote theory, have adrentured on the
bourdl~ss ocean of policy cpedency and even specnla
tion and they have taken along with them on board
my rights and property hope shall be excused II /
pursue them though the is rough and the voyage
seems
sxpedencv was considered rough and dangerous
voyage upon which to launch the rights of property in
slaves But the especial advocates OF this same
kind of property tell that eypediency is the vessel
in which successfully to ride the and buffet the
storms In the discussion in the legislature at the time
referred TO- it was urged that the rights OF property
were sacred and should be protected and then the doc
trne OF expediency was rspua!ea ~ mss H,
less there are as kinds OF expectancy III this com
mttee IA there are members of it. Expedency is the
law of tyrants and punderers 1t nay be plead as an
excuse for any crime, however tou or infamous. 1t
NAV be urged as prcteX. for A. the crimes and cruel
ties that darken the world And yet this principle Of
expedi.ncy so much dreaded and ccn ened in the leg
islature in 1892, that upon which the slave inter-
est was ia danger Of being spwrecEed Is now urged ~
pre,ext Tor present attempt TO violate the great
American doctrine of the equality and sovereignty OF
man. Expedieucy the law Of Calgula and Nero ana
other tyrants who have darkeed the world with treIr
crimes md deluged the earth with human gore. Nrr"
boodr Hayaau thought it expedcnt to butcher the
fortunate Hung who fell nto his bands and Ben
sdict Arnold doubt thought II expe'ent to betray
his country Expedcncy, when controlled by that 9TH
er principle of gentlemen--ntcreSt. lnar do anything.
And eeg OF them 10 remember that
"When self the waverng balance shake
It's rarely right djusted."
But who is to decide nponthe expediency of this thing
II gentlemen agreed to submit 1t 10 the voters,
the polls decide whether it is expedent to adopt he
mixed or suffrage basis ala willing. For am ever
ready to bow TO the majesty Of the people But no
thew are not willing to do that The mouths OF the
people must be stopped AMI gentlemen here must decide
the people what it IS expcdent to do Iheu indeed
rs cast upon rough in dangerous voyage, 10
be driven on through mc ht gloom deeper and black
or than Egyptian darkness without knowing whittier
are going We are to be tossed upon the waves with
out star left to the guidance OF mariners who knox
no rule Of action out Interest Expedency then Is to
be the foundation upon which to base the machinery of
government in this great State. And then afterwards
it will be the lever by which the machinery itself viii
be moved. What power is tbs to be welded hy an
interested governmental majority. What may they
do hereafteri Expectancy IS to be the guide aaa
interest, the controlling influence. Where then
rlght,i II they should at any time hereafter find it
their interest trampe upon rights CT to plumber
the west they will do it. Ii they should, at any time
find expedient their interest to mash down the
rights and liberties Of the people the prnciple here
avowed would authorise them 10 d. it, Aud lie h>
tho principle upon which have been called here aud
BIZ which the assembled wisdom Of the State is To be
guided in the construction Of the organic law ::
Do the liberties Of our people and the hopes of the
world rest upon such foundation Z hope not. for
there nothing uncertain and ndeuablen cXpctcn
cy. There is principle in it, indeed, it expressly
pudiaes all principle BY taking the place Of it. And
in realty there is such thing ex1ediency,
whatever 1t is but the machina;on OF designing inca
TO excuse crime or to Perpetrate unjust and unholy
powers And in this instance it is the dernier resort
of gentlemen with which prop up the sinkag for
tunes OF the present governmental majority.
We have been appealed To, by several gentlemen in
this discussion to know why do not show some Oh
iections to the practical operation OF the mixed basis
Why it, they ak that wci"varaby confnc ourselves
to the discussion of the abstract principle, instead
showing objections to the practical workings OF that
principle? And my friend from Spottsvlrania, who
addressed the committee some time since alr CoSwAY
pressed this inquiry with much earnestness. And he
asked with much apparent confidence, thought why
western gentlemen did no: attempt to show that the
practical Workings OF the principle, when carried out
would produce some bad result, or have an obccn.-
BILE tendency shall cndelvor 10 meet that inquiry
Df my friend although | had not before thouyil nor do
now think ought to be required to show any thin.
of that kind For it is think, ncontrovertbic truth
that q bad principle will and caunot produce good
results An impure fountain never did and never will
send forth Wholesome waters. And had thought there
FORE that only necessary for US to demonstrate
that principle itself had and that then the prac
tica opera ion would be I'm crstood corresponding
the desire Of the west under all circumstances to equal
ize th: power, aud burdens Of the government This
WAS clearly exhibited by them in sld when they alvu-
Gated the call Of convention to cquaze representation
taxation and suffrage among the free white population
of the State Then they the osers OF political
power by equalization of representation. but they
Willingly laid it upon the alter of their countrys veal
They were willing to lay down power for the sake
principle. Aud proud to know that the principles
lor Which they willing to lay down political power
are the same for which here ending now.
Thus showing the good effects of right principle upon
Them in producing willingness to surrender power for
right, and at the time exhibiting here to-day the
opposite effect produced upon opponents, by bad
principle in inducing the to hold to power regard
less of right The gentleman from Richmond City (Alr
DAVIS seemed 10 fee! somewhat the force Of this d.
For he entered into lahored argument last night to
prove that the principle Of the mixed basis adopted
in 1916 Although that gentleman was member of the
legislature at that time, he informed liz ncverhc.
less think he is mistaken in his recollection OF the tongs
of that body For feel Very confident that the BODY
of which he then member did declare in favor Of
eoualzng the representation among the free white in.
nabants Of the commonwealth, and also OF cqualiznr
the taxation among the And not ouy was the
q, r. Al.