Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-15

from this duty and that it assigned to 4 oonaitt1
u SEVEN who took middle ground. That commute
Of seven, at the head Of which stood went for suftag
is nllcatie 81 the basis Of representation And If ia
gentleman will look at another vote there he will fl
that stood b: freehold suffrage at that time 10 H.
Convention, and you will give me freehold suhr.S
that it shall necessarily represent population e.
taxation, / will take it now
Ar. SUMMERS l do not understand the gsnsIsnx
from Richmond having any disnc personal reeoll 4
ton vi the acuai state Of the yote taken upon the req
ill::inn in rrcrcnc. the blas he finds in tie pre-
cyriiny. the ayca and called and S. vay ~
II ;k, other and his recorded among the H. %
The difficulty still remains as which resolution TIA
= vote taken upon.
Mr.. SCOTT Of Richmond No. sir. The gentletna,
/. is utterly mistaken The ayes and not ealet
, upon that vote II is entered the journal that 8!
voted III the affirmative. and II in the negative; bo
Tie names III the negative are not gwen The hlrs
resolution TO which the gentleman has been referring
WA the third resolution Of the committee touching
Very different subject.
!, hr. SUMMERS. The question still remain, wheshs.
that applied tho third branch OF tho second rss.
u,io or to the third resolution a. it now stands n
he report Of the committed. In reference TO that
have merely read the authority of An actor in those pro
IcccinS- But here permit me- to inquire for a moment
III wha; position docs the memorial Of that Conv sntio
ti7a":n nvnwcdv hy the gentleman from Richmond Cks
ScoTr) place him, different from that which is assigned
TO him bv the statement in that paper: Let red
portion Of that memorial drawn by the gentleman ftou
Richmond; and then let ask him, In all kindness and
good feeling how, with tho opinions he entertained IN
the Convention Of 1925 he can nov urge upon his vst-
crn brethren who must have increased in populatcR
and taxcs beyond his most sagune tbst
this time they ought to submit to state Of things -
utterly NJ with his opinons and writes avor
els at that day. Here is the memorial which be drew
and in which he eprescnts the sentiments Of that Con.
vcnon az well gives his own distinct individual
opinions.
va. ,.,nor;ol;sts Loyo oSr,.J ,h., :, ~. 1911
,tion there is important provision at least ~hiA
was originally and always inconsistent with the grsss
principles oil which free governments founded ADD
which, by the operation of various causes has become
-till more oppressive and inuroua II erey peoa lee
dSnainq the principle, OF s constitution eorv.e. Y
efery Jreshotcr Of Firginio vas i" ITO BY nature
cqmsg frs" in precise language eatitied 10 "a
rY"ai share nf political poer how could the article u
the constitution b" justified which, BY giving two rep.
rcsrniAtiTcs each OF the counties distributed that
/ power among the citizens OF Virginia in ahares -
grossly unequal And if the apportonment Of such
power i'll Unequal slsres among tho people, was t.
p@r!"rs ~ principle in lIT6, that departure greatSr
al more manifest IL 1875
N"w, sir what does that memorial avert Why, tho
VERY doctrine for which are contendins here-shs
very position the -urFrayebasis party maintain at this
ti;:e-thnt the political power should be distributed
cqnnlY among the voters And ho nterprets tho bill OF
rights Tor Bear that in mind He Gays that "if
every man. or-assrcns that the principle Of the Goa
s;:ti!oi l. c"rrect-li every fre"holder in lT7G
equally free and then he explains or in more precise
language, entitled to equal share of political power
Why sir that Is the Very Interpretation which We hxya
bri giving the bill of rights during the whole of this
discussion. We haze maintained that the bill Of rights
awards IL rot"r the quota Of political power
Til memorial atrns that wha; the bill Of rights meant
b. being equally FREQ by nature WIS., that they s,-
tici 20 equal share OF political power equal
STARE "I political power in state of nature but that
Thy Drought these equal rights into society and cannot
b deprived of them by compact | commend this in
|, rprctmtion IA the gentleman from Albenarls W.
; rruAl'.) That gentleman himself An actor in this
S;a,nton Convention in 1925. He too was maintaining
tn resolution which have referred that the whole
wi t. population of the commonwealth the true
h- ot representation He. too, ncurred in the s4nsi
mlcI- Of thic memorial have right 10 invoke bis
weight Of character and his legal learning and ability
10 tn, interpretation which ho himself has givan 10 VA
proceedings and memorial Of that convention Of vhick
he part and parcel.
But Mr. Chairman passing Of from this matter what
is il that l. now proposed for the pe,,.e Z Vrginias
Wlat Is ii that they who claim to represe. hero GOV
ernea majority offering the basis Of rspsessn,-
alton: IN the remarks which am about to make,
sail ASSUME tilnt the propagation Of the gentleman
f!on Fauqucr DIR. ScoT aud the proposition contained
in -'heIuc \ are the same for although the substitute
ofrod by the gentleman from Fauquiar in blank ~ 10
lie quantities OF population and OF taxation yet h. h.s
av"wcd hiE purp"se to that this blank be fllod
with equal quantities of each. Ho proposes to f tho
BLANKS in hi substitute With the quantities OF
population and Of taxes that proposed in schedule
A-onc scvcny.ifth part Of each. For all substantial
purposes. far this examination is Concerned shsl
regard them. thnn aa the proposition And that
proposition j. that in this commonwealth Of VrQinia u
lhi wear 1851 with all the light Of this age and Of this
TINE. To adopt the basis of represen alton for
the people q" this conlnonw cnlth taxation and popula
ton combined in equal moietes. And now, sir lot me
ask in all candor whence this proposition We
have been told by the gentleman from Pauquief {Ar
SCOTT that the proposition which vo make is
ne-urw all events. To tho history of Virginia and
and extraordinary that he holds the friends OF
that proposition bound furnish for its adop-
ton In rcp to what the gentleman has said upon this
subject LOT ask him. and let ask the members OF
ti:i- Convention where the propagation contained III
schedule a. and in the substitute Of the gentleman him
sell cnles from and where it has been adopted
dnv that that principle has been adopted IN Yir
GINA. utterly deny that that principle has beea
adopted BY the people Of the Conlmonwe ath Of Viz
cinia, in convention or anywhere else. There WA
proposition before the Convention Of 1929 to adopt what
ras thea called the mixed bass but in what proper
lions the admxture to b" made how population and
none: were To be combined, far as know not
explained. Bat whether it explained or not
whether the proposition submitted to that body W.
identical with the present no-l cannot Be mstAks
in r:,yug that it voted down Sir, tho propositions
which offered BY Judge Green, Of the county Of Col
p~per was rejected and repudisted. Aye sir in . con-
ycton Of nincty--x members, whereof sixty from
the coun:e. lying OF the Blue Ridge, and thirty r
from the counties lying west OF it, with majority OF
twenty our members from the side Of the
tain, they unable to carry this mixed basis II this
b. the mixed blsia tnt proposed in the Convention
Of lsag When brought into competition with the
port vi the Legislative committee, made by Mr. Madison
it could not rally friends enough to carry it. I. is uss-
loss tell that the present constitution virtually and
substantially adopts the principle. II it does viz
tuay and substantially adopt it, that conformity
called and denied at the time for Judge Aarahan
most distinctly and unequivocaly stated in that co.,
ycnion that General Gor!ons proposition. which wsz
finally adopted aud the basis of representation under
the constitute Of 1929 framed with reference to- and
rests upon the white population Of 1890 1say then that
The Convention Of 1929 adopted the white population
III. basis % representation 1t is true, that they veot
too far back f,r the white population they went back
to the Census OF 1890 But they obliged do IT,
That convention like this called Just in icipa-
ton Of the cen-us That convention held in 1929.
i-t before the Of 1880 taken and they bid
Unnecessarily To 20 back to the OF 1920 But
than whom there was illustrious member Of
that bo.Y-Cicf Justice Marshal himsslf-avows that
the proposition of General Gordon based upon tho
willie population Of 1920. Now, air, whe.e has this
thiny-h;a mixture Of population and ta1cs-been over
adopted hy the people OF Virginia Sir, challenge
te,r!c.i.n-in the examination of the whole circuit Of
government Of every kind and degree, claiming u DO
rhal.nCo ham rrnjrcA fros,