Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-12-06

amendment, that the effect Of i. would I've .
supercede ell that portion Of the artic!e which
relates to appcrtionment.
Mr. PESpLEroS-l Was led !?.o al: error as
regards the condition o. ihat clause by TIE
response Of the presiding Officers 10 question
propounded q few moments ago. | ain, now
| ever, Of opinion shat 1t has not been, IN ,ucc.,
disposed cf by TIC adoption o[ the amendment
Of ihe gentleman from Puiaski. do nc: pro.
pose nov 10 % INTO any discussion upcn the
merits Of tie various propositions submitted
but il seems to me, that it is but acting III the
spirit which animated the minds Of these ger
,lcmcn in bringing in this report to en!e4vor
| to make a perfect Constitution. 10 no! ur.
| derstend why we should leave this matter Of
appor,iormcni 10 ;he Legislature Of 1865, OF
| look back TO the Constitution ui $50 as the
basis for our action. | understand that in the
| Convention Of 1850, the suir:agc basis was
clearly adopted, and that The proposition in re.
! ference 10 re.apporl!onment IL 1865 had no
reference - that question a. applicable 70 he
House. cut lad reference soiely to the Senate
| propose new, by the resolution which l
| have submitted, that this IIsrss shall !a:id9
distinctly whether they intend 20 .hrnw on. ~
tho Constitution, end upoT ;he Legislature, III
future years, the decision ot question whicu,
| in my opinion, comes peculiarly within the
jurisdiction Of this body | want, for ons, TO
send 20 the people ! peri:c: Cnnstitu-
tioa, which can be done by recomrni,ting this
article 10 the Committee, to whom the report Of
the Auditor can be accessible | cannot see
the proprie.y Of gentlemen's throwing upon
the Legislature in future that which we Can
do here noT. II We are 70 have suffrage
basis in the House oi Delegates, and if VIC are
TO have perfect Constitution, let US organize
that Constitution SO that it will york out, as
nearly rs possible, the results which the present
condition Of the country suggests II the
population has increased in SOME counties, let
them have the benefit OF that Increase buL in
endeaToring to make q Constitution here,
can ses no reason whatever why wr shaI pes.
pone Or throw upon the Legislature tia! which
we can do here. 60 not see why the votes Of
one county should be thrown into another, if
no can obyiate it.
trust it will be the pleasure Of ;hc Conven-
ton to accept the motion 20 reccmmit, So thai:
we may be enabled to send to the people Il
perfect Constitution, es seems to he thc wish
Of the members Of the Committee itself
Mr. TREpwAY-I rh:a:..; there is very great
propriety, under existing circumstances, in
adopting the proposition submitted by the
gentleman from Pulaski, and certainly not in
adopting the course suggested BY lie ge5tle.
man from Ohio, (Mr PENpLEToS)
Now, sir, as one Of the members Of this Con-
vcntlon, | am unal:erab!y opposed to your Euf
frage basis and if wanted to get an sGsan
tage OF the West now, insist upon sending
this report back to the committee, that they
might, if they ccuid, get at The population Ct
Virginia now, the number Of it's male citizens,
and proceed to apportion upon tnat basis. D.
you wish rs 10 take the CENSUS Of 1870, and
embrace all that class of alien enemies nov in
the Northwest? Are We 10 app1rtion repre-
scntation, and give these traitors c voice IN
our Legislature? 7 shcald hardly suppose
that such Il concession as that would now be
asked. And, sir, that would be the cifec. Of
adopting the suffrage basis and making an sp
por,ion:nent now according to the census .oi
1860, or sDy other that hes been taken.
We cannot &c. st the population q! the
Northwest l would be wiling, ina$much as
the suffrage basis has been adopted, 10 give
those ii North western Virginia who are en-
titled To il that fall siarc O! representation II
we could get st this population Ba. We can.
no! get at il now, aud !, therefore, infer ;aa:
it would I've impracticabie, anu e"cn il practi.
cable, it would be urj just to go into en- apPor.
tonmen. now upon any census tha: has been
taken heretofore. wish we could Get away
from that Representations. knew We c1nnot
DO It. Ee fiave a :ovcr5meE: row iha. is
Government &C IT, Jrites. ]; is tiSeG n eur
Constitution, ar6 We cannot get rid Of il
hope we may survive il; but venture to pre-.
6ict that your Constitution will rever work
we'll You Must have in vcIr legislation some
conservative element DO nor care how vr.
tuous and intelligent people may BE-, your
Government will ne"er work well where you
submi! i, 70 a popular majority, unless you
place some sslutary restraint upon popular
suifrsge.
regret, now, that did not vote the other
day for ;he resolution Of the gentleman from
Brunswick. and that we did not adjourn sine
die and leave the old Constitution as it stands.
The question WAS then put on the motion to
recoElalt, and it was rejected.
The question then rccu:red upon the adop-
ton OF the section az amended.
Mr. TURNER, Of JAcksoa-I mcve that The
Convention do now a9jGura.
The motion Eas LOST.
Alr. WysoR-It seems 70 me that the effect
Of the amendment which toe ConTeation bas
already adopted, is misunderstood by gentle
meE.
All that part Of the rcpor! relating &c sppor-
.ioument vas designed by Tie committee to be
m exact copy Of the present Constitution
Well now, sir, it is perfectly immatcrial wheth.
CT it be stricken out OF the Constitution or nol
it is the existing law. 1t is the law now; and the
amendment which was adopted upon my mo-
ton simply declares what the law Of elections
or Of representation shall DC, until the General
| Assembly shall re-apportion which, by the
present Constitution, will be in 1866.
! Now, sir, it may be stricken out here, and
you may refer to the present Constitution to
see what it is; or you may permit it 10 remain
here, and the effect Of e-apportionmcnt By the
!! Legislature will be 10 supersede tbs.
Mr.. ScoTT, OF FauqIer.-l thiak tie gen.
tlemsn from Pulaski, (Mr. WTsoR,) is in error
. understand his amendment 20 be in conflict
with the third amendment as proposed by the
| committee. II these succeeding clauses which
refer to the apportionment are allowed 20 re-
| main, then there mus: be O coGhict between
these clauses and the amendment proposed by
the gentleman from Pulaski. because these
clauses make the disposition oI the apportiop-
| ment inconsistent with toe present apport;on-
menl III tulsJ Luat IL ieheeS ous "'eoSelhet Ger
| tain counties that have been created E!Ece the
former Constitution was adopted.
/ To make it consistent, sir, it seems to me,
that so much Of the amendment reported b.
| the committee rs is contained in the balance
OF page IS, and in pages IA and 10. down to
the words general elections" in toe latter
pages, should be stricken out.
move, sir, that ali after The word Com
monwcal,h," in the fourth lire o. the second
section Of article in the 13:h page, down to
the word elections in the 10Th page, be stricken
out
The following are tLe eec.!ons embodied IL
the above motion:
The counties Of Augusta and Rockingham
| and the city Of Richmond shall each elect three
delegates; the counties of Aioe,narlts Bcdforo,
| EarL aler Camaheu Enrn,,iar Ecanklin Eceda.