Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-03-24

position to base representation in the Com
Tention Of 1899. upon the free white pop
glanon Of the State. was opposed by the
East upon the ground that a maiority Of
the people of the State did not desire II.
A distinguished member of the House of
Delegates from Westmorland, fMr. New.
ton, advocated the basis Of federal mum.
bers, and eontended that there was not
sufficient evidence before the legislature
to show that majority Of the people of
the State preferred the basis of white pop.
ulStion. beg the indulgence ofthe Com
uittee to read portion of the remarks of
Mr.. Newton and do it for the especial
benefit of gentlemen from his region Of.
the country. think my honorable friend
on the right Mr.. BeRle) is from the same
county, and he as well as some others Of
my friends from the same region seem to
have enlisted against the majority princi-
young friend from Essex, (Mr NJ. R. H.
Carnett,) J the other day, in denouncing
the majority of numbers as abominable,
as tyranny in the worst form. 1t is 81
new doctrine to me, especially to come
from democrats. Why, in my county the
democrats advocate aud maintain that a
majority should rule, and they endeAvor
sometimes to make the people believe that
their opponents advocate different prin.
ciple, But, to tho remarks of Mr.. New
ton-he says:
do not hesitate to pronounce that II
the question was now submitted 70 the
freeholders of the State, decided major
ity would be opposed to the basis of free
white population. What then becomes
of the argument of the gentleman from
Frederick, (Mr. Mason, derived from the
Bill of Rights. No man more highly
vsnerates that sacred instrument than I
do; no one yields to its principles more
implicit faith: l agree with the gentle.
man and with the Bill of Rights, that
majority of the community hath an indu-
bitable and indefeasible right TO alter, re-
form or abolish the government. But
that majority must prescribe the terms
upon which the government shall be al
! tered, reformed or abolished. Has il
done so? Has it told US that the basis
of the Convention must be free white
population Would gentlemen have US
to substitute our own arbitrary discretion
for the known will of the majority9 Sir.
we are not usurpers. We are repreSsn.
ting the interests, and pursuing, and not
defeating, the wishes of the people"
What is contended for now? That the
majority shall prescribe the terms upon
which the constitution is to be altered
Not so. Our mixed basis friends con-
tend that the minority is 10 prescribe the
alteration that is to be made in the fun
damental law of the land. How differ
ent is the course of argument Of gentle
men of the East now from that OF 192o-i
90, when the West and portion Of the
East were urging the adoption OF the
white basis in sending delegates to the
Convention of 1829-'3O. The voice Of
the East then was that the majority
should prevail that the voice Of the pso-
spoken in favor of the white basis that
whenever it was ascertSined that the ma
jority of the people wished to adopt
any particular basis, it would be a.
usurpation Of power by the legislature. or
the body possessing the authority TO with
hold it. Now it is conceded that large
majority not only desire, but demand. the
adoption of the white basis but in de6-
anCe of the popular will the minority
holding the governmental power, is using
it to prevent the adoption Of that princi'
pie.
invite my friends to hearken to tho
views of Mr.. Newton. They are sound,
and cannot be controVerted. Gentlemen
upon this floor admit that they are stRn-
ding here and advocating the mixed ba-
sis in opposition to the known will Of the
people Of this Commonwealth. This open
attack upon free principles should take
heed when we see gentlemen Of talent, Of
! ability, and of the highest standing in the
community, coming into this Convention.
which should represent the sovereignty
of the State, and openly avoW that they
are acting in opposition to the known will
of the majority of the people. In 1899
leave it to gentlemen Themselves to give
its proper name.
We have been told moro than once that
our friends of the Valley occupied the
proud position Of maintaining the suffrage
basis from principle alone, and you, too,
sir, Mr.. White Of Loudoun occupying the
chair, } and one Of your colleagues, Mr..
Carter the gentleman from Accomsc,
Mr.. Wise) and the gentleman from Pat
rick Mr.. Stuart, acted from that motive.
Well, sir, it is proud position for you to
occupy. Ishould envy your position but
for the fact that once occupied that posi-.
ton myself In 1929, when your large
county of LoudOun had but an equal re.
presentation with the small county Of
Lewis, represented by my friend from
Lewis, (Mr. Bland and myself in the Le-
gislature, you appealed to US as q matter
Of justice that representation OF several
counties should be regulated by their
white population. What did my then
colleague and myself do? Why. sir, we
!. .tr;r,-,ad our litila- con nLr Of rnznr and