Constitutional Whig. [volume], January 05, 1830, Image 4

About Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832

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~V~IHU IS1A CON VKNTION.
MR SUMMERS SPEECH,
Os rm; Question ok REi-uKSENrarmN.
(f^elirertii in Convention, on Friday, 1 iith Dec'r.)
Mr SUMMERS, after inquiring of the President
if it wou'd be m order 10 consider the resolutions of
fered some time since by the gentleman from Fred
erick. (i\lr. Cooke.) and tlie resolutions offered by the
gentlem iu front Northampton (Mr. Upsltur.) in con
nection with the resolution of the Committee of the
Whole, now under consideration, and to contrast 1
tlreir relative provisions, and being informed that it
would be in order to do so, addressed the chair in
BjibstauCe as follows?
Mr. S. said he could not longer observe the silettcc
which lie had hitherto imposed upon himself, in rela
tion to the important subject under consideration_|
The deep interest felt by seme fitly thousand of his
fellow-citizen's, in the deliberations of this day,and!
who he had the honor in part to represent on this
floor, forbid it The happiness and security of their
posterity forbid it. He came here, he said, persuad-!
cd, that the people of Virginia had the unalienable
fijglit to alter, and reform their government, and to i
direct its operations when formed: this opinion he had
ijot abandoned. It was one he never shobld surren
der; necessity, and very imperious necessity, could
ulono limit its influence; that necessity, lie thought,
ut>w existed, and he was willing’ to limit it to ground
extensive than it legitimately coveted. Its en
tire surrender was, however, demanded, and he was
required to adopt the principle, that a minority of the
people, under peculiar circumstances, should govern,
control, and direct u majority of their fellow-citizens;
d sftori/Tcc which ho could not make, which he never
would make.
If ».forc entering upon the consideration of the sub
jects b'fore him, he said lie would take leave to cor
rect some errors into which gentlemen had fallen.— |
It had been supposed by the gentleman from Spott- ,
tfylvania (Mr. Stanard.) that the west claimed an equal
participation in the legislation of the country, as a
debt of gratitude, accruing from the blood anil trea
sure expended in defence of the eastern frontier dur
ing the late war. In this, he said, the western peo
ple were misapprehended; their claim rested on other
and stronger grounds. Debts of gratitude, he said.
\yefre cancelled when claimed. That the west asked
nothing of the bounty of their eastern brethren; they
invoked their justice only. The gentleman from !
SJpottsylvania, lie said, had, however, kindly pointed j
Us to the beneficent conduct of our eastern brethren,
oil two occasions, when he supposed, that as far as
gratitude was concerned, the account was settled_
Th<* first was the distribution of the Literary Fund,
according to white population; the second, the savim* j
of tin* wo.-t from the pernicious effects of “a splendid
sCheuic of bunking,” rejected by the Legislature a !
lt'V years since.
.'VE* to the tirst, Mr. N. remarked, that the policy of
thb east forbade the cduchtidu of their slaves; anil as
white children were the only objects of the public
himuty left, it resulted, necessarily, that this bounty
should be distribateil with reference to the numbers
fd be bonotitted, and without conferring any peculiar j
boon, on any particular part of the Commonwealth, i
A.S to the second, be said, all must recollect the perti- 1
nacltv with which the Legislature resisted the at ]
tj&mpts which Were mado, to aid the enterprize and
industry of the west, by the establishment of a few 1
safe aud secure ba^ks; a resistance which brought iu- !
to existence those that were founded in infractions of]
the laws, without capital, and in their ultimate results 1
irlast injurious to -tiie country in which they had j
istence; that a coarse of legislation followed, which '
left those unauthorized bankiug institutions, in pos- *
session of their ill golteu gains, without any I
litpans of recovery for the great variety of debts which
they h id contracteil with tire holders of their notes.
This debt of gratihlde paid to the west by saving
tlunn irmu banks, was followed in the east by crea
ting and contiiiu:ug in operation banks of vast capital, j
extending their branches from the mctrojmlis ro all
the principal towns. What was to have been the
curse of on-- quarter of the State, was given as a b!es
sjtig to anotlier. lie would not slop to inquire how
much of that property, for which political power is
now claimed, had resulted from bank accommodations,
bb.uk dividends, or bank salaries; but judging from
tire palaces aronud us, this source of wealth* could,
nx>t have been inconsiderable.
Mr. S. said, when tiie question of equal reprusen j
fjution was presented to this body, it was resisted cm 1
the grunnd that the slave property of the east could
not l>tv safely confided to western legislation, because j
btjtt a sux’ill proportion of thin property was held ini
that part of the State. To resist this disingenuous ■
objection, the west had referred their eastern broth- j
rim to the alacrit y with which the men of the moun-,
tains descended to the shores <>f the ocean, to assist i
in the defence of the persons and property of their!
eastern hrethreo; not as fbrraing claims upon their)
gratitude, but for the purpose of repelling the un- j
warranted assumption, tbat they could not be safely I
trusted with their just share in the government of]
lip country. lie asked to whom was this distrust
directed? Who aro the men you thus hold unworthy
bj’equal ooUtical rights.* Sprang from tlio namocom
nioxi stock, their fathers formed the frontier harrier
bl\twcen your fathers und the savages of tbe-wildor
npBS—tlio deseexidnuts of the Gampbells nnd tlio
lVc«ton=»—the [..e-Aviscs and Um Dickiusuns*—the Low-,
thors and the Morgans, ask their eqnal rights nt year]
hands; and are they ta be told, that alihough they!
are t/io suns oi tores who Bore your llag triumpliant
u'g iinst the Indian hordes at the mouth of Kanawha,
ritjd ngainst the no less barbaron.s enemy on King’s
mountain—wluo stood by yoa in every peril, and
sliared with you in every danger, that they must hold
a col<mini inferiority iu the Commonwealth, borau.se
tbvv hold fewer slaves than their brethren in the east!
The men whom yoQ cannot now trust with equal
political rights, were not distrusted during tlie dark
est liours of yortr <hanger—When the capital was
threatened during the Late War, your Governor appeal
fed to the patriotism of tlir. countly for its defence.
The West irnrc.elv heard the alarm, when a corps
uf cavalry with their intrepid leader, Steenhergen at
their head, left the Ohio shore, for the defence of the
J'Vtfctnrn border, Wilson’s Company of Riflemen left
lire valley of K.eoawlia for the same destination. The
enquiry was not. then made, who paid the greatest or
IgalSt amount of taxes? who owned the greatest or
firryUJgst number of slaves? Their common country
was In. danger, ami tlui anlv question Was, where
ctnild service ho most effect u ally rendered. A* char
acteristic of t he feeling of that country, lie hogged
leave to mention n single occurrence of devotion to
th.e Commonwealth. Two young gentlemen, wluj
)tad just closed thuir studies, and about to enter on
thg’rr professional career, left the Western frontier on
frtnf, and tlircadcd the mazes of your Western timon
trainy, until they reached Jackson’s River- Unac
customed to tiiis inode of travelling, fatigued, but not
discouraged. they eroharked in a canoe, ar the mouth
ofDunlap’s Creek, encountered the perils of the falls
nnd rapids of James River. to which they Woio en
tire strangers. At Richmond they reported them
selves, and repaired to Norfolk, whore they performed
a full ten.r of duty. With pleasure, he added, tiiat
this enrlv devotion to tlicir native Ktatc, luid been
followed bv a life of honor and usefulness, in each of
these gentlemen nnd that ofy: of them holds n place
upon »his floor. lie hogged Jcare to enquire, if
stronger evidence could he given, of the safety and
security with which politieal rights, nnd equnl parfi
dilation in the government, could be conceded to any
people. Another ground of di-trust, however, he!
said, had been relied upon, it has been the pleasure!
«>{ the gentleman f'«>m Culpeper, (Judge Green,) toj
suppose, 'hat the people of the West, have contracted j
a passion for internal improvement, and 1 lint this pas-1
sion msv promnt them to excessive taxation, to enr- !
rv into effort their favorite system of policy. The!
tendency to abuse <h" tnxing power, bv flic people of;
the West, bnd also been re:ied <>n bv other gentlemen.
tm a source of dange.r to fbe Kagi, against which they
dWin security. He if iff* djsqmrtifvitljr
i mama, really prevailed m the West, from \i horn
" ■>' >t derived? He would call the attention of
tie- Convention, to the letters of General Wush
, mgivM!. Tho father of his Country was scarcely re
lieved from the toils of the Camp, when in writing to
the then Governor of Virginia, he urged the iicci ssi
tyof connecting the Eastern and Western waters of
the Commonwealth, at the moat practicable points,
particularly enforcing the practicability and great
importance of drawing the Western trade into Vir- j
Iginia. by the Kenawha and James River. In 1310—
j ’} 1, ° Lowland Legislature orgauixcd a commission,
tor the examination of those rivers, whose report j
i gave to the country the most flattering prosjiect, of i
! securing a very important share of the Western trade,!
j by that route.—The strong and powerful reasoning!
1 employed in that report, gave an increased value to
I the enterprise, in the minds of every one; and he on
j ly felt restrained from speaking of it, with the warm
i feelings which it produced, by the presence of the'
! distinguised individual, at the head of that eouimis- j
i sion. The subsc«pieni reports oftlio Civil Engineers, I
; continued to increase tlie conficence, felt in the prac
• ticability and value of the work. Butin this, as in
| many other splendid projects, lie feared that a due re
i gard had not been paid to nil the elements, which en
jtered into the consideration of the subject. It was
, then supposed, that the use of Steamboats, could not.
| under any circumstance:!, reduce transportation from
j New Orleans, to the mouth of Kenawha, to less tliali
from 40 to £50 nor ton; and upon this estimate of]
freight, was the conclusion mainly formed, that the
Virginia line of proposed communication, might sue-'
cose-luliy enter into competition with that, through
tlie Gulf of Mexico. 1 -nfortuuatcly lor this hypoth
esis, he htid been assured by merchants of re'spccta
bility, that their goods had been brought from the ciiv,
of New York, to a point on the Ohio river, near the
mouth oftlio Kenawha, at one dollar and seventy live
cents per hundred,including port charges, insurance,,
transhipment at N. Orleans, and drayage round the
j falls at Louisville.—This single fact, had gone lar
it0 remove from his mind, the disqualifying |passion.
| supposed to he felt by the western people.
In looking through that district of the cmnnion
i wealth but few objects of internal improvement pre
t smiled theinsi-! 'es, of a cliaracter, warranting public
expenditure. The forming nud graduating a few letid
ing roads, comprised the principal benefits, which be
thought could now he conferred on that quarter of
fhe State, with prospects of adequate returns to the
II reasjiry. The attempts to improve tho rivers, had
as yet proved abortive, particularly so. in relation to
tho great Kanawha ^ Ije then adverted to the quar
ters ot the State, vvlrnre public improvements we’re
mo'at required, and where, under any system, having
lor its object the development of'the reSoilrcos oi'
the Commonwealth, they wore most likely to take
plaCt*.
In doing f0, lie called the attention of' the Conven
tion, to the connection of the upper branches of the
Itoanoke,' with New River, and to the important in
tluonce of such n ennucnctimi, qpnn the growth and
prosperity ot Norfolk. The Kaginee'rs, in the sor
tice <Ti this State, as well as those iu the employment
ot the l nited States, had concurred in the reasona
ble practicability of this connection, without tunnollrun
or dedp cutting,—an advantage peculiar to this line"
Aud it, iu his humble judgment, any portion, of tin;
people of the commonwealth, had a ' deeoer interest
than their fellow-ci'izeus generally, iu a’liberal and
extensive system of improvement, it. was the people
ot Norfolk, and those interested in its wealth aud
i extension.
I A* t0 Limes River, lie said, that although uo ado
| T1 "Vl inotivo may exist, tor mingling its waters with
| *"110 ,'auawha, yet it had high claims upou the re-mir
r ct'R of the Sfuto, ibr further improvement.
I he Ciioal ot James River, although now com pm
rati\ ely unproductive, would, he thought, produce
ample return.-; it extended to Lynchburg, its saluta ■
ry cltects, ujion the trade and commerce of that in-;
tercKtiug town, could not be doubted. The Salem
J 1 drnpike. now languishing for want of funds, ini«rht
i receive an invigoration, which would shortly extend
| it to the Tennessee line, rendering it a source of much
wealth to the intermediate counties, as well us to
Lynchburg. The Rivanna and the Rappahannock,
ue said, also looked to the patronage ofthe State for
the eScfended benefits, winch, he hoped, they were
i destined hereafter to confer on the Agriculture of the
; country. 'J-hu Valley Country, Le said, would ex
• pect, as the Chesapeake aud Ohio Canal progressed,
| some application ofthe funds ofthe State, to the iro
, proveuaent ot the Shenandoah nud South Branch;
bnt when tlie whole libld of operation was passed in
; r('v>ew. and the objects of internal improvement fnllv
| considered, he thought every mind must be satisfied
j that the YY est could Cud no motives** for favoring a
| rigorous and unjust system of taxation, to carry into
, etlect objects, in which they could have hut a'com
I mo? “ltercst« a.nJ "I relation to winch, the Midland
I ,xud loastcrn. DKlriet must foci more deeply cooccrn
f c“- than their Western fellow citizens. The various
i and varying views of gentlemen, iu relation to this
| subject of internal improvement, would furnish, lie
thought, some illustratioo of the weight due to tho
argument. Which denied to the western people their
due participation iu tho legislation of the country, be
! cause oj their passioo for internal improvement.—
j evmjte lew years since, n« enterprise was determined
i upon, iu the town ol Baltimore, having for its object
| the connectiou of that city With the Ohio river by a
rail-road. Among tho authors of this cniMitenod
Undertaking, was found the venerable Cnrroirof Car
rollton and William Patterson, who might bo almost
regarded as the father of that city. These gentle
men, with eight others, subscribed about half a million
ot stock Their example was followed, and the re
sidue oi the capital was taken with uviditv by their
Inflow-townsmen. Application was made "to the Lo
gical iko ot \ irginia, for a permission to conduct the
road through hor territory. This boon, which was
to bring uo cliargc upou the Treasury of the State
but which looked to the expenditure of a lar^e sum of
money among its citizens, was granted, bof coupled
with a prohibition against milling the rail road with
tlie Ohio river, at any point below the Little Knna
\viia. Jhip reservation, as he understood, was m«d€
tor the avowed purpose of improving bv Virrrfttfa
moans, and \ irginia resources, the line of" the (Treat
Kanawha and James River. So strong was the pas
sion tor internal improvement with the lowland Aon
tloinon. that they reserved this entire line for their
own especial °Iterations In the course of the suc
caoding season, reconrfoisances wore made by the
Jmginecrs ofthe Company, who directed their cxn
tnuiMtion* to Um valleys of Hie Shenandoah South;
* tot,,C v,llJ°y °r ^xocnkrier and
K.iiiau be J heir reports were sufficiently favorable
to induce the company to determine to submit the line
to a critical survey and examination, if the Virginia
rtfs auction should be removed. Petitions from vnri
ohs qoiij-.'cr* were presented tothc Legislature, ur
ging «he removal of the restriction—but to the asto
m.smnent of every body, tiie bill introduced for this
!moiTnSC T* rjf:cU wns re^'cd by lowland)
k utk nen, w hose influence had not been sufficient lo
S -rUV U'r^UUrcr "Olio State on thisfinc, but who
spush'd one branch ofthe Legislature, thnt this B.,1
m.oro connection might weaken the n flections of the1
upper country tv the eastern schemes of improvementJ
d convert tliat part of the Common wealth into tlie 1
back co<mtryot Baltimore.” Thus, he remarked,
Jiau been the wayward notions of gentlemen in reji- <
Hon to their western brethren—heretofore, they had
ib nierl totlmm all participation in the benefits of the '
J Baltimore Railroad, least ,t might diminish their I
passion for internal improvement by Virginia. Now !
their political rights and equal participation in fheLe
fvSni°n|»f 'n a>".n,rv* wns,-» be cruelly and unjust
'U° ,hMl "SS'-alilwlc and the
p tsxinrt J„t Internal Improvement, ho proponed to con
Hi- er another (pound, upon which it was deemed „n
S,'<! .*« the Went to f„l| parr,r nation
m legislation- He said, it had been - t.H, / j£ ,
S25 ZT'rrr "t *••**. - -W
em“ r.fb. ,n*T»d. that gio tat*, worn yo ?
quai* that iviieii a uestq'nc niau paid mu* dollar, an'
eastern man contributed from three to four dollars; I
ami assuming what remained to he proved, it was in
sisted, that the temptation to exorbitant taxation on
the part of the west, and profuse expenditure upon
local objects, was so great a3 to endanger the prop- •
eTty liable to taxation in the cast. He said, an in- i
spection ofthc documents from which those results
were attempted to be drawn, would at once expose
the fallacy of the conclusion at which gentleuich ar- !
rived. He uffirmed that wealth consisted in the quan
tity of labor, which any individual held the means of
controuling and directing—that the labour of a coun- j
try constituted its wealth, and that the products of,
labour, over and abo.-e the consumption of the labo- !
rers, constituted the aggregate profits of the comniu
i nity, ami that taxation, when properly regulated, was
j that portion of the profits of labor, which might be |
required by the exigencies of the government.— !
lletice, it followed, that taxation to lie equal, must
take in equal portions from the labor ofthc country
—that testing the taxation of Virginia by this rule,
and lakiug the entire popu'ation. both freemen aud
slaves, as the proper exponent ofthc labor of the
country, lire following results, lie said, would be found
accurate.
The several diklticfs pay per head, as follows*:
. t r. in. c. in. c. hi. e. uk
Western Uislricf; If :t J 2 8 L G 4 I 20 5
Valley do. 22 1 | 5 6 | 6 G j 31 3
Third do. -1G fi j 1 t 0 j ,| 5 | 35 3
•Tide do. 15 9 [ 12 6 j -1 1 | 32 G
That dividing the State Lv tire Blue Ridge, and
placing the taxation ot’ each portion in contrast
with (Ire other, tho fdlotying results would be
found;
c. n). c. iq. i*. iq. c. m.
YVeMcTn Hist. Id JU I 4 2,1- I 6 .Vi I 27 fi>.
Eastern do. 16 3;] | 13 [ 4 3$ | 34 0.\
'Phis exhibition, he said, would show that thc la
bor of the west is higher taxed than that of the east, j
in relation to two out of three of the subjects of taxa
tion* and difihra inconsiderably in tire amount of lax
paid per bend in the ditforeat quarters ofthc State.— 1
That difference, he said, was owing fo the apparent
ly dimmislred amount paid on land by the extreme
Western district, aud which Ire thought might bo fully
aud satisfactorily accounted for, by reference to pT(>
sent. and past systc'fus ot taxation, and their influence
ou that pari oft he Commonwealth.
Before the year IS 17 the tax on land was assessed
upon an arbitrarily assumed average of the value in
the several districts of the Stale. By the operation j
of this rule the Inferior lajids of the west were taxed
beyond any just regard to their annual product, whe
ther from cultivation or appreciation in the market,
aud the consequence has been, that a vast quantity of
the western lands have become forfeited for the non
payment of tax ^s, and are now vested in (he President
and Directors of tho Literary Fund. Xo means, lie
said, now offered for ascert aining the number of acres
I which had been transferred by this process from the
| assessment lists, nr of the amount of taxes and dama
ges now due. or annually accruing, on lands so situa
ted. or ot tho amount annually paid into the treasury
for t he redemption of lands in tiiis condition. Mr. S.
said that an attempt to investigate this subject nt the
Auditor’s office had furnished him with a statement
ot the forfeited lauds iu one of tho western couuiics
only. From this statement it appeared that there
was forfeited to the Literary Fund, in the county of
Cabell, 3,130,582 acres, charged with taxes and da
mages, amounting in tho year tfii t to *19.97-,. lie.
said this singular expose was n melancholy, couitnen
: tary on our land laws of J789—under the operation
! of which, land to nearly double tbe area of the coun
ty had boon sold by the Commonwealth, and the ovil
| was daily increasing by new grants from the land
1 office.
i 3jr. r>. reoimkCH that ho had, however, attempted
i to ascertain vvhat ought to be tbe probable product of
j the land-tax in the colintv of Cabell, under a system
; " hich assessed the tax upon the hind, and not upou
the pretended titles which tbe Cummonwcalib was
daily furnishing. lie found the area of that county
to be 1,033 sqnaro miles, equal to 061,11*0 acres;
151,003 acres only of which were now to he found on
the land lisle lor taxation, and which produced a re
venue of $351.
Mr. S. then entered into a calculation, showing,
that it the residue of the laud actually found in that
cotint)’, amounting to 507,117 acres, was restored to
the tax lists, and charged at the same rate with that
already on the Commissioner’ books, that it would
augment thekxnd-tnx of thecounty of Cabell $1519—
giviug an amount of revenue from land in that county
beyond tho sum derived from tire same source, in
the large populous county of Accomac, to whose re
presentative the Convention had been indebted forso
much statistical information.
Sir. S, remarked, that he did not mean to go into
the questions of revenue presented by that gentleman;
but that lie Would take occasion to rctniud him, that if
the eastern peninsula of Virginia, contributed mere to
the treasury tlmn some of the western counties, it
was more than indemnified in its proportion aft he ex
penditure for the support of the judioiarv. Sir. R.
said, that he was satisfied that whenever tho paternal
care of the government should givo quiet and repose
tx> the western settlers, that they would not be found
deficient in contributions, either to the treasury or to
the defence of tho country.
Sir. "R. said, that on examining the relative merits
of tire propositions before tire Convention, it might
not be unprofitable to look into some of those which
had been heretofore pressed upon its consideration.
It would be recollected, that eastern gentlemen had
taken their stand upon a proposition which combined
white population and taxation as tire basis of repre
sentation. lie said that he was accustomed to re
gard himself as nol understanding that, of the results
of which he was ignorant. lie had, therefore, put
into requisition his own arithmetical skill, aided l>v
two gtyitlemen particularly versed in calculations—
One of them furnished hua with the combinations, as
follows':
Western District g 1
Valley District -g2
Midland *{<)
Tide* water U5
Iii a House of Delegates composed of 120 members.
In this computation men and dollars were regarded
as units of the game value, producing about 7"f Dele
gates from the white population, and 43 from the tax
ed property. Its application to the extreme western'
and eastern districts. \vns found to place the inhabit
ants uf each in the following relations to the other:
In the western district, 7,">77 white persons, paying
taxes to the amount of 1,107 dollars,w ould be entitled I
to one delegate, while in the easlnrn district, -1,700 ■
white inhabitants, paying 4,126 dollars, would he gnti- {
lied to the sumo representation. Uv this political a
nthmetjo, an cxc<«* j0 i aval ion of 2,710 dollars was
to lie compensated, by nn excess in persons, equal to :
2.1;..,, which balances at the rate ol 07 c, per hoad. !
I his combination, nitimngh if rated our western ei-j
tl'/.ens as five Ir.'inc pieces, and their eastern brethren
as liouifd ors, was found more favorable to western j
equality than was adtnia>ible by the principles of com- '
bmatii.n, avowed and explained by the authors of that.!
notable project. I heir principles of coin Iwto tin n re- j
r|Uired, that to ascertain the number of delegates toi
which any particular district would bo entitled, ,r
was first necessary to find wliat number would he
gi\eri by white population; nod, secondly, what uum
licr the tax paid by the district would entitle it to —
flic combined results divided, or nforaged, was then
assumed as Hie proper representation. The applica
tion of H;e llius rn• *■ ’Tti«»<l. was found to give to
‘Ml1 * iff
Wester# District 21
Valley 21
Midland 41
Eastern "i'i
120
Following out the results of this scheme, Mr. S.
said, it would hitvc required 8,637 of the white popu
lation of the west,contributing to the treasury 1,608
dollars, to send one*ile!egate, w hile in the eastern dis
trict 4,810 persons, paying 3,063 dollars, would have
becu entitled to equal representation. Pursuing the
inquiry, ]jc said thut it was found that the political
rights of 4,165 persons would he sacrificed, in each
Delegate District of the West, to 2.295 D'd'ars ex
cess of taxation, In each Delegate District of the
East. In thus comparing tho measure of political
rights, in the two extreme Districts of the State, he
said, it was iomid,that 4,165 white persons in the
west, wore required to suirender nil thpir rights
, in the government, on the p.tymcut of 2,-295 Dollars
j beyond the average taxation by an Eastern District.
• By this scale lor ascertaining the relative political
| weight of turn and money, it was found, lhat the
■ h’ghest attributes of uicn, the dearest initnutii
\ ties of freemen, were to be rated at 55 c. per
head. This political morality and equality, he said,
h<>d been supported by the' votes of nearly one
halfol*the Convention, but happily for the liberties
of the country, it had not secured a majority. — The
next scheme for the security of property, ns its
friends were plenshd to denominate it, but which to
his mind, looked to power and power alone, was the
proposition of the gentleman from Fauquier, (Mr.
Scott.) to apportion the Senate to taxation alone_
a proposition, which if adopted, would have given iu
that body, equal political weight to 18,400 inhabi
tants of the lowlands, with 90,692 inhabitants of the
f Western District; and even this scheme, he said,had
been rejected by but a tmall majority. Mr. S. then
i eotcrcd into a comparison of lire relative merits of
the resolution under consideration, agreed to in
j Committee of tho whole, and those submitted by the
gentleman from Frodcrick, (Mr. Cooke) which had
lor their objeet, a House of Delegates, rounded on
white population, and a Senate based on.federal nuin
• beTS. 1-ln said, that he had used throughout, in his
computations of tho present population nftheCom
rnouwealth, the tables furnished by the Auditor; he
did net maintain their entire accuracy, but believed
they approximated tho truth sufficiently near for
general purpose* of enquiry and comparison.
AerOYimj to tboss (abliw, ho «iid, tb« apportionment of a
I lifttisc oi ueicgn«es or 12b members orignt tn j»1ve to 1U15
Western DlsTffcL *m
Valley, g*
Midland, 3*7
i Eastern, 3^
! The proposition of the gentleman from Albemarle, (Mr. Cor
don,) coucurred in by the Comm.tteo of the Whole, gave as
lire present apportionment ift a House of 127 members the
I following proportions;
•Western District, 09
Valley, m
M idfead, 40
Eastern, 34
placing a majority in the hands of the country east of the nine
Hldg«, of 21, while the basis of white population, dguicrl to
that t ounirj' a majority larger lhau 8. It proposed a Senate ol
J2 members, distributing 13 west of the lilue ftirlgr, and 19
east 01 that range of mountains—while the present apportion
meut of that body, enlarging it to 32 meinlrers, gives a repre
sentation equal to 12 and 20. lie said that contrasting this
schema, with the results of white population, in the House of
| Delegates, and the present condition of the Senate, it sacrifices
1.1 Delegates m the West, and yields one additional Senator to
that District. Should tire future Senate be composed, with re
ference to F ederal numbers, the relative apportionment of thut
hotly, he said, would undergo no sensible change, as he had
found upon computation that die West would be entitled lu 11$
1 Senators, in the present state of the population. Mr. S. pto
CVscded to remark upou the effect of the proposed apportion
| meats, upon the District west of the Alleghany mountains.—
; 1 hat country, he said, was divided into 2B counties, now scud
| ing 52 Delegates, to a House composed of 214 memliers, equal
: to 31 iu u Flouse composed of 128 members; that it how sent
I di Senators, nearly equal to «, in a Senate of 33—and what
I were the inducements, he asked, for gent! Hindu roprc't-online
1 that country, to reduce its present influence, hi the House ol
Delegates, without any acquisition in the Senate; n sacrifice not
1 called for, iu support of any priuciple connected with represeu
| Wive government, but ou the cnm.ary avowedly supported on
the ground, that it was founded on no principle whatever, ex
t cept the equitable notions of its author? If, said he, the ’wee
tern delegation can lie justified, in accepting a present appor
tionment, so unequal and unjust, in relation to their coostitu
cots, that justification nmsl be found iu the salutary operations
of a future rule of apportionment. The gentleman from Alhe
made, he said, had given them none to appeal to; that presented
by the gentleman from .Northampton, (Mr. Upshur,) as it stauds
notv amended, by the Committee of the Whole, was alone
pressed upon the acceptance of tbe Wes!, by either «entle
roe». 0
lie said, it came to us recommended, liy the votes and advice
(*f the most revertd and respected members of iho bouse. It
was urged as a measure of conciliation and compromise, as
one that called for equal concession of the different grounds
sustained here; that while one side had contended for taxation
ami population combined, 01 federal numbers as its equivalent,
the other had insisted on white population alone as the troe ba
sis of government. That taking those two as the extreme rules,
their combination, and the average of both, ought to be occn
pied as the middle ground. That here equal, and only equal
sacrifices of opininu, were made ou the altar of concord. .So
strong was this appeal, so at ly was it enforced bv the highest
reasoning powers of this country, that he said Ikj had been fr>r
some time iu deliberation as to the vote which be ought fo give,
i ,^1’ examination of the whole ground and a cnmparisou of the
i concessions required, had becu necessary to convince him of
; the unequal, and consequently uujlist abandonment, which was
, a;ked at his hands.
tire principle affirmed on one side, was, that the pcopla
were, capable of self government, and ought to participate
equally in its formation, ntirf that a majority might to give the
direction of its action. On the other side it was contended that
a portion of the people ought to bold an increased influence in
the formation and direetiou of government, either in proportion
to the taxes paid by the different quarters of the State, or to
the number of slaves held in the dliferent portions of the ('mu
i noil weal ih, by the np|drcation of which rale a minority of the
people from the adventitious circumstances of wealth nr situa
tion might, aud probably would, have the government in tbeir
hands, and exercise it 'independent of, and uncontrouled, by the
majority. He denied that the proposed ar.r.ninmndiiiiou at
tained middle ground, and i»si-ted that it only increased the
numbers of the minority to whom it proposed to confide the
government, ami illustrated the effects of the proposed compro
,*,e ’lu<5ition of future apportionments by supposin'*
oOO.ftOO Iree white cittums to reside west of tlie Blue Ridge0
anrt 200,000 east of that Ridge. Me said the slave population
In the east, exceeded that of tbe west .‘140.772, and if three
tenths were introduced into tire body politic, it would give on
1"crease °f political units to the east of 104.000, with the aid
yl winch, two eastern men would balance three western men,
ns long fls their relative state nf the population remaioed, and
tins pernicious (dement of power continued Its iuflncnco
would not, he said, he limited to thocontrnul of tbe action of
the majority, when that act ton might be at variance with ihB
interests or wishes of tlie minority, blit would place the entire
law making power in the liaods of the minority, to he exerci
sed indejieiident of the majority, and uncniitroulecl by their
unanimous wishes and entire interests.
\Y ith this view of the subject, be said, he nev-cr could con- I
. .'Cut to tjre proposed measure of compromise; Ire never could j
- affirm a principle that denied to tho people of Virgiuia the ca I
pacity of self govcfinneiit, and fmm which resulted the reptib- i
JiCiin rule, that the interests of society could only be confided I
o a majority of its member*, lie thought that it was as fill- j
| ly objectionable 10 give r»»e part of tbe state incrtatexJ iiolitical,
j power over another, by reason of its wealth, as it would lie to [
I give the tnhahitan.s uf the same county unequal portions of I
; political power inconsequence of lire disparity of their fortunes, j
ii filming his mind to what would Ire an equal onneevsion
V"e J, partw,.hr Called to his recollection what had liecji i
aitirined by disjQngfiished geutlemen m the past debate, (Mr.
Biles and Mr. P. P. Barbour;) by those gentlemen tbe right ofj
, the majority, to give the direction of the government was de-.
fended; they then only contended, that the rigbts of the minor- I
Hy ought to Ire respected in all just governments, aud Uiat a '
StUhcienl portion of polificalpnu cr ought to be exercised hy the
liunority, to stay the action of tbe majority, when uot directed
by the Interest of all—a role so just in hself, so salutary i« prae
lice, readily met with his absent; be was desirous of canvtng it
mfo effect by restrictions on tire legislative |KmTr of the Gov
ernment. Tic had supposed tbnt restraining elatises would as
amply protect property in all its various relations, as the tree
f *!{ eeligton, (he freedom of the press, and the great shield
<>l civil Ii icrty, tlie writ of Maheas Corpus; but so earuest, and •
so pervading s'eemed the fears of the Kasiorn genifemen, that
he hud at lengtli came to the conclusion pf giving them secu
rity on their own principles of controuling power try power
I !>on this hypothesis: he had consented to give in connection
with the house of delegates flowing from white population, a
reoate based on Federal oomliers in doing so, he had satis
fied himself that the fears of the F.ast, whether teal or imagi- i
nary, must lie buried in a branch of the governuie.nt flowing in
an eminent degree directly front themselves, charged with their
peculiar interests and safety, and immediately responsible ro
eastern constituents. This principle of security and of com- !
promise had the lYirthVt recommendation of railing into exis
tence the legislative part oftbe government from two rival ele
. * ° ^.e nroC!c 11 *?Te popular branch; to the slave
holder* it gave tile snpcrviiihg and cOhirotflin^body_it tip ft! f- .
..v 'X *i' . . -Hi.
.
I o .Ids spirit of'compromise |„. viel.k.f his' ftu’"”'
because the safety „f *,* pan of iho coutu.v n0t,
becauw the just principle-!of renrc-eutat li <,l",p<l '*“"*■«
manried it; b,it a. the price of connin' ImVm K,,ve'do
tranquility of tim btate. *r °n^ an<l k»tuic
Beyond this-be could not go; other or further r r
at^r£h,t
cr„.l »..<• *.ll£g y>,i* „.l„ch Iho, i7,V7rZ,,'l«7 1'
numbers and intelligence in the wt£t ami » r,...A f * Pal,,i*
justice and equality Fu the east, ralhS dm., ,£ L 8 *?*«» $
affording hut inengrn and- InWeJI£Xfef aX \T'T'‘“‘V
hereafter he hoi den ,„ release all tllAt fa oiV-1,41,1
lie bogged gentlemen to consider that a majority rn cAm!!m *
represented a minority of the people, and how exXmelv Ml"
and futile u must las to offer a constitution for a. cent*,, C
"Inch con d oot lie received by those who a.e seckhATXrA ’
r**-*5*-^
ours tooflcr, nnthc demand of reform.X^ CXXloSA
would accept They will „ol (*, apposed bv£.cb 1 1 1^
ry answer to their claims, they will \>a7r7,J^l,7\7- . ,U"s,i'
iMHenraW,fi,rhh mUS* hpJU'1
IH- a>ken, il thn protection now nlTi r»>fl *u. »u«c; *
he refused, will not even the people of KasteA. vl^ut
that It is the lust of power, and not the protect'™ n7 perce,ve
for which the rights of their fellow citfe'ens of X u'^Th^’e’
been sacr.ficed-such discovery, bo rt.ooght, ,nu* »LX«h Z
sasszzze - p“
If, however, these anticipations, stmdd not he i
the cold hearted, «nd cruel policy shonld p^ad
n/ti Cf,fr" ' ir”'u,ans unsafe depositories of equal nortioiA
of the political power of the Commonwealth iliol ,»»!! * i ?T
AA el«?!n"fAfntL7f-m“’^sl,Xk,a^r,al -,or>uo<| •£«»■ A
IwAfAJ ‘ h. ( “mu)"nw®ahb. Ktjt.wlnit must be thefr
D-AV ^ untJ**r,,,<* deprivations of political riglils with
which they are uow threat t-uvrf ! n
He begged geud,-m«n to pause be fore they severed Umse curds'
pieiix^r^^vr^-■**i,mn,H o,k
9J* Tbe argument in the impeachment of Jmfcfo
i ,ams bcforo tho Tetutesveo Legislature, cfosejt
on tho 21st 1>er. The qr^t Nuahvilie papers iyi‘1 '
I bring i]|C scnldoco-.
To the Editors of the Tf 'hjQ
i CTiRS-tr. BVea:-1 observe in your roper" of tho 1 'nh
jinsf. a comnuiuicniion sigueil “A Radical,” «rjvi«IV
l.n extract from the Journal of the prnceediSi S
| the Staunton Convention ufl 825. Ae Joninal is:
i mcorrect.aoclthe note poblished hi your‘ ,5
I a,RaJlcai’ ««9 npou the sobject of the Judicial/
! and uot upon Lasing of Reprcsrtntation in tho «rOv
£rDII3-‘ 1 1CVV Ul11 h(i -cet'n preference to^t h^
proceedings in direct conneciiou with this vote.
In page 22 of the Pamphlet of ibe proceedii’m^ „f
the Staunton Convention it will be som that" Si/
^a,1Iaca ™vc£ to the third resolution re
ported hy the Committee by adding thereto, tho t'ol
lowing words, to wit:--Alt hough it is in favour V
introducing some nddilioir.il safeguard to that of tire'
exiting constitution against the abuse of its pu\y
Mr. hcrcueval moved to amend the aforesaid ‘*2
^nri'?t,,,',o^-p0rtC<1!,y the by adding
thereto, ‘ This meeting is nevertheless of opinio*
tbf,'pu r ^udic.,a* system require* amendment.”
‘lhc (jncstion was then put, (jMigc 23) shall tire
J5'd ?r£™°A J°n’ rCfTt<:H by ,lH3 coimniuee, \,P
clT, d U ADd, TVe'* Question, are the votes
01 and 17 as extracted from the pamphlet bv ivuu
correspondent, “a Radical.” P y * u'
• ?,he ,rutb ,silIhm 3^d res"lution, was ineorporateU
in the report of the select committee, and related es
trlT t ft? 1 i-h,.SJ8 "b°Un b? fb« annexed at
?’ m ’ uthejudieial department of the government.
J“t tb? .,,nbl,,cat,o? °flh® proceedings in the pomdi
■et, this 3rd resolution has been omitted, and a rc.
solution offered by Mr. Mercor, inserted wroD<rtally
in its place. In page 20 of the pamphlet, it i^evn
.that on motion ot Mr. Mercer/ the report of tho
j committee was further amended, bv insert in* there.
| in after the last member of the second resolution, the
I blowing;—'‘Resolved, that in any apportionment of
representation to numbers, regard should b*• bad eN
clusjyely to the froe while Inhabitants of the Coin
! raonwealth And on the question being taken thert.^
upon, the /and resolution was adopted, eio-bty oiiu
voting ir.theaffirmative, oDd eleven only in theneir
atne. But in place of this rcsolotion being inserted
j ?pt>r t,Je la«l member of the second icsolntioo, it Ini's
, been made to assume tho place in tho journal of tire
»»^sru,~’*“4 -*—£
j 11 is the a yap BDd noes are not rrenrdei!
1 r, J,?urnal nP°n »i'»esiron in relation to rep
resentation, r cannot account. They were certaiir
! h,yttLe Kccrota7'and "milled,it would
:if^ Kby tbr prua,or of ,he Pamphlet. It may bt
i that by a reference to the papers of the duv,' tpe
l° asccn:tiD''d 1,pun
A sense ofjnstico ban prompted rue in Urn publkTi
tion. I Kuow that somo, nnd I thiuk roost, of thfjsfc
whore namoB oro recorded in/Ac ,0/anrUy of
voted lor Mr. piercer’s resolution, “that in any ap
portionment of representation to numbers, regard
I Sr"Vld bc had exclusively to the free white tobabiSuffs
of the Commonwealth.”
A JlKMllKR OK TICK f?T.IT-STOV
[ Core r»tv T«m or Ui2h.
lJie Rdtimr-re Chronicle, T)*r. 3f,
FROM WASHINGTON.—We kuirn fn* a
highly esteemed friend and oorr«spi>nWeflt at Wnsjr
; lngton, that os yet there Ims been no demonstration
i £,U,e peltry of file majority; akhonghMr. WicfcllHp,
ChHirmanof the Craft of Retrenchment, appear*
i l^tT,v;rly;.n^^d *« the objects
plated by the Committee, in their tarn on* report two
Kcsmoos since. From iLc statement* made by Mr.
,, ‘ p®,ldin.cr the discussion of the hill to rcmihiTo.
!,hc «>f members of Congress, it would a-p..
pmr that svom** abuses hove btetr, he retofore, pr/tu
tiseri, whiuh it is alleged will be corrected lit fit* lull
i be reforming gentry are likely to wince under fi,*.
operation of the law shoold it pa*, Tt i« JlJoli3
theMl,,’l I ,,0F 'y0” ,hrmVH »U1 ky way ofuVlib f„'
tl e^vhale to satisfy pnblic expectation/and diver
p it^ic attention from more important matters. Thi*
it nppoars is the only approximation towuids a-rono
my, except by profttmonr, for in ru«r*t cases, so fur ;fs
one is able to judge by acts, rerotumendatioux, UJ,d
opiniouB, the expenses of fho governn ent are to bo.
much inrrea,e<i. The President, it appears, wants a
r .. , . Sr.w OntrAss, Due. H.
i rtpers .rom Mcxiee, winch Rimotioce AX r\*l'KKKX Tlfj.V
in y ainpeachy, have just beeu communicated »„ ^ p*. uarti
*°"?f |, ?CC Uh? proHMiowd (I.e C,n4ral Jlr/nittHe.'~[Jhr.
/I vv nvr vrrat’n'7' I’aper rrniiaitrit.g a ciroolnr frltm.
fliB Minister of interior, at Mexico, vrbo tiifonn* that all fits
Spanish ofhrerr who were in Ibu Mexican service, and now <>*.
pclled from ihe Republic, are allowed to rCfnrn and enter die
service again.—[lb.
Central America—'Mir View President of Ocntrtil
America arrived iit Acaptilo© on the 7f|i nf N’oV. from
Acojutla. with 65 perann*. nrircipallv hi* oflVor*.dx
1,0(1 fr"U)lii? country. They Ware to await ui Pn,in
roa.orsfome other near point, the derision of Mr r,R..
gross concerning the terms of their expatriation. '
PLOT R — V Ito l’bila<le|| Jjia Price Current ot
Wednesday, notice* a furliter decline in suprrtbie
dour. A sale of .$500 barrels Iwd been uindr? at
^ it wo.- bMiifld fin tfie .Synth America ft iu*r
ket
. «r . . . -1. •