The Central gazette. [volume], January 22, 1825, Image 2

About The Central gazette. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1820-1827

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
WPAjM MMttAOTglL
It 1C II MON D, MNUi.HY 13, 1835.
Ycsteiduy, a communication was re
ceived from the Senate, that they had
passed the btil adding a part ol’tlie coun
ty of Grayson to the county of Wythe :
*—and that they had also agreed to the
resolution for causing a road to he lo
cated and surveyed from Danville to
V» ^ the court house,w tlh an amemluieut;
iu which the House concurred.
The Mouse resolved itself into a Com
m ttcii of the Whole, Mr. Winston in
the chair on the bill “ Prescribing how
contempts of Court shall be punished.’*
After eon-iderable debate, this bill
was indefinitely postponed—for the
postponement 87, against it 85.
\ir. Morris of Hanover, obtained
leave to bring in a bid to amend the
act, entitled An act concerning the sure
ties of John Preston, passed February
1st, 1833: and to extend farther relief
to said sure*ies.
January 13.
Yesterday, a communication was re
ceived from the Senate, that they had
p issed the bill Giving further time to
Owner! of Lots, in certain towns of this
Commonwealth, to build on and improve
the same. Also with amendments, the
hill to ament! the act entitled, an act
authorising the President and Direc
tors of the Snicker’s Gap Turnpike
Company to alter their road, ami for
other purposes. These amendments
were agreed to by the House.
> alums committees reported hills—
among these,a bill to incorporate a Com
pany for the purpose ol* improving the
navigation of the Little Roanoke anil
Haifa In livers—and with an amendment,
the hill amendatory of the act of 4th
March last concerning the Inspectors
of Tobacco at the public Warehouse in
Richmond, and for other purposes.
Januaht 14.
^ esterday, Mr. Patterson offered the
follow ir.g preamble & resolution, w hich.
on his motion was laid on the table,
and on Mr. DronigooPs motion was or
dered to be printed.
The Finance Committee reports the
total amount of available funds of tin*
Commonwealth for the present fiscal
year, to he $553,Jt3 63, and the expen
ditures fir the same period, they sup
pose to he $1-30,006 91, which leaves
an excess of receipts hoyond expendi
tures of $116,300 72; tiiis sum is sub
ject to appropriation by the present Gen
eral Assembly, and the greatest part
of it is now actually in the Treasury.
Of the public debt, the Committee
says, it eonsists of an unascertained n
niount of »!il 6 per cent certificates,
which they suppose to he about $70.0 (l
and $319,000 of 7 p<*r eeul debt held
by the President anil iVireclors of the
Literary Food i lUi* former they advise
to he called in, and their advice has
been executed in part by the passage of
a hill liv this House for that purpose;
of the latter they say. “ its redemption
at this time is not considered important
to the interest of the .State, as it could
not probably he as advantageously in
vested again what was the language
of the Committee, is now the langnim***
of this House, for it has adopted the Re
port. of the Committee ; it surely is not
the intention of the Committee or of this
Ilouse.'to keep up (lie taxes to their pres
ent rate, to raise money which the House
by the adoption of the Report declares
it is not “ important” to pav.
All money drawn from the people by
taxation beyond a fair estimate of the
contingent demand upon the Treasury,
is. to say the best of it, upon specula
tion : the more we speculate, the longer
we shall slay here; the length of the
session Is a subject * * t iiinv.-rtinl e«>m
plaint, and it is believed that no scheme
to shorten them is so efficient, and none
can be so fully relied on as one which
is based on a moderate income : Besides
the hold, intrepid attempt that was
made at the last session of the Assem
bly to seize upon our excess of reve
nue nnd to pledge it as a perpetual fund
for the payment of interest upon loans
cannot soon he forgotten.
The foregoing estimate is submitted
to shew the true reduction of which the
present tax insusceptible; it embraces
every item either of income, or expense
of an ordinary and permanent character,
which is contained in that of the Cotn
.mitlcc; it cannot he wrong if that of the
Committee is right, for the permanent
items, such as are likely to occur every
year are the same in both, the only dif
ference that exists between them, is the
roto of taxation supposed there, and
that which is recommended here.
This estimate shows after a reduction
of 13 3-i per tent from the property
tax; that there will he .an annual saving
to (lie peoj)le of $53,80 2 83, and besides
that saving, there will he an excess of
receipts beyond the disbursements of
gf 1,483 44.
To this excess may he added the por
tion of the surplus of the present fiscal
year that probably may not be appropri
ated by the present Assembly, nnd also
the saving that will result from an ad
journment by tbc 10th dny of Februa
ry ; the two sums may fairly he suppns.
to he g30.000 which added to the gt4.
IS.t 45 will make (he sum of .54,483 15.
subject to the contingent calls of the
next Assembly
J/rsotvrif' thprpfnrr, 'That it is expedi
ent to reduce the (axes uj.on lands, lots
improved or uuitnproved, horses and
mulct and upon slaves, about 18 3-4 per I
cent.
January 15.
Yesterday, I Ire House proceeded by
joint ballot with the Senate, to the elec
tion of a Superintendaot of the Peni
tentiary. Samuel l*. Parsons was re
elected without opposition.
On Mr. White’s motion the Report
of the Committee of Roads and internal
Navigation, on the subject of the James
and Kanawha rivers was ordered to be
printed.
This Report strongly recommends the
completion of the Wooksttow prngess
ini*—and that the sum of £3.30,000 he
borrowed for this purpose on the credit
of the fund for Internal Improvement.
January t7.
I*n Saturday, in pursuance nt a reso
lution of xI**» General Assembly, of tlie
SOtIi nit., iti honour of Gen. Lafayette,
tin* Speaker proceeded to appoint a
Conimit'ee on the part of this House, to
net jointly with a committee of the Sen
ate, in carrying the said resolution into
effect : and the following gentlemen
were placed upon the Committee .• j
Messrs. Upshur, Morris of Hanover,
Mason of Southampton, Tyler, Gordon.
Bowyer, Colston, Lovell, Smith of<
Greenbrier, llarvier of Richmond City,
Cahrll. Mason of Fairfax.and Sherrard.
'The following bill was ordered to be
engrossed, viz : “a bill authorising the
payment of the sum of $10,178 which
was appropriated by the Executive
Council for defraying the expense of
the York Town Festival, (aye# 02,
noes ot:)—Concerning persons who
have suffered hy the loss of slaves, and
other property, taken and carried away
by the enemy, during the late War be
tween England and the United States
of America :—Imposing taxes for the
support of Government :—and a hill
appropriating the public revenue. The
last hill was, on Mr. Garland's motion,
ordered to he printed.
THE CONVENTION.
I he House, according to the order of
ihe day, resolved itself into a commit
tee of ihe Whole, on the hill Concern
ins; a Convention: Mr. Colston in the
eliair. A considerable time was spent
in discussing tlie amendments proposed
• o the hill. Many of these were, adopt
ed. On th" Committee's rising, the hill
and amendments were Ini I upon the "i
hie—and the hill, as amended in Com
mittee of the whole, was ordered to he
printed.
fM otions were at first made to strike
not ihe preamble, or certain parts of it
The Chairman decided that such mo
tions were not of order; that the bill
was before the Committee; and after
they had gone through it, the preamble
would then t ome before them, and might
he so modified or amended, as.to con
form to the details of the adoptwl bill.
All appeal was tuhen from this decision
„ol (he (’hair, which was confirmed by
the Coinniidrc.
Mr. Sexton moved to amend the hill,
so as to strike out so tnu< It of the first
section as recognized n limitation of the
powers of the Convention. This motion
was supported hy Messrs. Winston and
Lovell, and was carried.—So the Cnn
veution is to he unlimited.
Mr I jovell then moved to strike out
so much of (he hill as restricts to Free,
holders the right of voting ou the ijues
tinn of a call of the convention. This
was supported hy Messrs Lovell. Bryce,
laeoh and Ship, and opposed bv Messrs.
Stevenson, Wallace and Thompson of
Fairfax—and rejected hy a considerable
majority.
Mr. (><*orge moved to strike out the
'void • District’ am! insert * county.’’so
as to coniine the choice of the Conven
tion to each enmity. T his motion was
oppest-d by Messrs Sexton. Thompson,
and \N insinn.—Mr. Oonrgc adhered to
liis motion to strike out : hot withdrew
th.i* motion to fill the blank "ilh the
word ‘ county'—and said lie would make
this motion in the House. The motion
to strike out prevailed Ayes 115, Noes
01.
Mr. T hompson observed that incon
sequence of the amendments to the 1st
section, eight other sections in the hill
containing the limitations, were useless,
and moved (ostrike them out, and in
sert :
lHnd be it further enacted, That ns
soon as the result of the vote aforesaid
shall lie ascertained, if shall he the duty
of the Executive to cause the same to
he published in such newspapers as to
them may appear best calculated to dif
fuse the information thereof throughout
the commmonwealth. And they slmll
moreover communicate tbs same to the
Legislature at their next session, in or
der that proper measures mny he adopt
ed for carrying the will of the people
into effect.
Mr. Callier opposed it, because it
would too long delay the meeting of the
Convention. Mr. Thompson supported
it : ami it was carried Ayes 124, Noes
50.
Home verbal amendments were made ;
"hen the Committee rose.]
January is.
T osterday. Mr Daniel obtained leave
to bring in a bill. To regu’ale the fees
of Commissioners in Chancery, and to
compel them to return their Itepoilsio
tin •ir respective Courts.
A letter wns received from the Presi
dent of the Board of Public Works,
enclosing n Report from the Public En
gineer relative to the location of the
Cana! to be opened through the Blue
Ilidgc—which was ordered lobe printed.
Thu following engrosed bills were
rend a 3d lime And passed* viz : u bill 1
concerning person* who have suffered by
the loss of slave* and' oilier property
taken and carried away by the curmy
during the late war between England
und the United Htaies of America:—
Concerning John Nicholas Concern
ing Charles Ewell:—and Concerning
Win. Brnudus. .
The bill concerning Col. John Nich
olas allows him full pnv as a Colonel for
five years. It called f »rtli much debate $
but was filially ^msscc
Sun rises 3 min alter 7— Sets .<V7 min alter +
CEUffTJtAX GAZETTE.
SATURDAY, JAN. 22, 1825.
V*___
KOa THE CENTItAli GAZETTE.
Wo have lately seen several nrim
Hers, in th« Central Gazelle, signed
Democritus, urging ihe cull of a con
vention to alter our state constitution,
'file good temper ami candor displayed
in these numbers desenes our respect j
Hill the reasoning docs not upper to me
to He snflieient to convince us, that sve
ought to unite with the writer, in his
endeavours to effect the proposed .alter
ation. The writer himself hn* made
statements and admissions which appear to me
to a(Vmd mnch stronger arguments agai-nt a
convention than any which he has used in fa
vor of it.
In his first number, and fifth paragraph, he
quotes from a pamphlet, published last spring,
ag.a-nst a convention, the following passage ;
"Men ought to feel some serious practical evil,
to know that that evil proceeds ft cm some
vice or ile.fect in the constitution, &.e —before
thev endeavour lo eceitr in the minds of oth
ers,or cherish in thrirown,discontents against
a government so mild in its character as ours,
and so beneficial in its actual operation.” Up
on thi*- passage Democritus observes, "No er
fo’t is made (bv the friends of a convention) to
foster a spirit of discontent, to create a faction
or in any wise to alienate the attachment of the
people from the tempo- and forms of our gov
ernment ” In the next paragraph, he says,
the de ire to call a Convention *ri* a measure
which originated in Ihe sober judgements of
men who lo-c their fountiy, and venerate its
laws. The spirit of those la w$_j k vet too pu’,
to countenance the suspicion, that a conven
tion is «oughi f.-r by »nv one—from hostility
to our institutions, fcr
Now i the ft lends of a convention are satis
tied, as is plainly implied bv Democritus, with
the tempei and forms of our government, ant*
if‘the spirit of cur aws is so pure’as to de
serve our‘veneration * and remove allrau*e of
‘hostility to our institutions,* I cannot ima
gine upon what grounds they ran reasonably
require a convention.
But Democritus no! only approves tfio 'em
per and forms of our government, and the pure
spirit of our laws, hot he professes to go be
yond CTlravat'anrc. in hi* admiiaiion of the
ex -client manner in which our govern men’
has been administered In his second number,
and fourth paragraph, lie observes that, "The
author of the • Substitute’ savs true when he
tell* us the government o! Virginia has fieri:
well administered. |r is justly entitled to the
eloquent rhapsody which has been pronounced
on it. But. I would go farther than even that
gentleman has gone, in the extravagance o'
hi* admiration '* H the temper and forms of
onr government, and the spirit *f our la ws,
and the manner in which they have heen ad.
minis’ered, he justly entitled to the eloquent
eulogium, 11 will not say‘rhapsody’) which
may fairly be extracted from the quotations
we have made from Democritus, where shall
we find snflfie:ent motives to desfiea conven.
tion to yhange our constitution, and thcrebv
perhaps.put «o hazard all the hles«ings of good
government, which it is acknowledged, wc at
present enjoy ?
• ms approbation o onr government, and
its administration, would seem to lie utterly
inconsistent with artni-r toil'e.r our rnnsrifn
«i >n; and we should be quite a*, a loss to nn
derstand Democritus. w ere it not for w hat fo'
lo ws in the paragraph from which we last quo
led. in which, it appears.that the writer there
mean; to make a distinction between onr
stitution and our government; and he denies to
our ronstituti n any partii ipation in the mcr
it of having produced and maintained the pn
lilical happiness which he admits we have en
joyed, and sti'l enjoy under onr goveroment
FTe says Shat, "our government must have
been well administered tho’ the constitution
^iad been a thousand times mot e defective than
it is, or indeed, tho’ there had been noun ’’
Demon ilns dw. not seem willing to noply lo
our constitution the old adage which says
thal “the truth "t the puddiu" is in the catin-r\'*
and he denies to it anv shareinth.it praise
which is said to he due to In the hrid -e c«
which tvr ha’-e pas td nrer safely) lie ascribes
our political freedom apd happiness altogether
to the moral qualifications of our prop’c who.
he says, “are virfilo is, thev are enlightened!
they are proud of freedom and attached to il«
blessings. Such a people, who have learned
to love freedom hy its contrast with oppres
sion, — almost without the extrinsic aid of anv
government.would chalk out their own rou se
to happiness. The knowledge of rational
right has been infused into Ihc people of Vir
ginia bv the expet ience of wrongs which thev
have suffered, not hy the excellence of a form
of government on paper."
What would have been the political and mo
ral condition of our people, if, for the last half
a century, they had been ••almost’* without
the exit msic aid of any government.’it is per
haps difficult for as to know, or even to ima
gine; hut if the writer had said, al’ngcthcr
without such aid, we might form a pretty cor
rect idea of tvhat might hare been their condi
tion. by referring tp the condition of the Jew
ish people, when tW Theocracy had ended
and at the time wlen. it is sai l, “there was
no ki "g in IsreM; and every man did that
w-fnch was right in his own eves ” In the
svretched condlti/m of the Jews, at that time,
as descrilied by their historians, we can nei
thrr find anv thing to envy, nor to support
fhe npiniin whiVh sfrnu to he entertained by
DcmocrKqs, that the school of oppression af
fords the best le?sons to leach man “tV.e |
knowledge of tational 1 iglit,” and thepiiuci
pics and pia«.tier of good government.
But while he admits our past and piceciit
good government, under our present ronstiiu
tion, and asri ihi s it exclusively to the virtu
ous and enlightened diameter of our people,
he looks forward, with feaiful apprehension,
to the lime when this virtue am! wisdom will
no longer exist amongst u.i; nml to guaid a
gainst the evils which must ottiei wise arise,
he recommends the call of a convention fo al
ter our constitution in such a manner as
give it ••that strength of proportion,* which
will continue to sustain it, when the shield of
public virtue, and national integrity shall he
withdrawn."
But, alas! Democritus; when thatdeplora
hie period arrives, «• when the shield of public
virtue, and national integrity shall be with
drawn" from the defence of our constitution,
of what avail will be the Attic proportions,
ami Gothic strength of “the most stupendous
fahrick of political wisdom ?” In the hands o
a corrupt people, and a profligate ininisti v. if
it were built of adamant, it would be frail as
bands of tow upon the arms of an unshorn
Sampson Even now, in thi« age of “puhlick
vi-tue. and national integrity,” we almost den
pair of being able to defend and preserve onr
constitutions. They aie threatened with in
vasion hv universal Tariffs by sea. and with
great national f >: roads hy land, extending fiom
Washington to every extremity of the union ;
and perhaps they may soon expire in the da k
and inexliicable labyrinthi of a Tunnel thro’
the Alleghany Mountains, or the Isthmus of
Panama *
lint, as Demon nos ascribes our present po
litic.'l happinexs and love of freedom, not to
our constitution, but to the lessons which out
people received in the school of oppression,
vvhe'c they learnt “to love freedom hy its con
trast with oppression,” it docs not seem to
follow as a necessary policy, that we ought to
alter our constitution, in order to guard a
gahist the consequences that may arise from
the loss of the “love of freedom, and the
knowledge of rational right.” We certainty
do not agree with Demociitus, in the opinion,
•hat lessons received in the school of oppres
sion, and enforced with a whip of scorpions,
afford the best discipline to prepaic and quali
ty men tor the love and practice of freedom
The history of nations, and examples which
have occurred in our own times, some of
which are now before oiireyrs, seem to justify
us in holding a different opinion. Rut if the
opinion o‘ Democritus he correct, instead of
altering our constitution to guard against the
evils iikelv to arise trom the loss of publick
moialitv and the love of freedom, perhaps it
would he better, at convenient intervals, to re
establish the school of oppression, for suitahle
periods or sessions, where we. and our poster
ity, may receive the benefit of renewing those
lessons in liberty to which we arc indebted for
our present possession and enjoyment of it
Perhaps, at Ihis time, we might fortunately
procure a suitable president for our periodica)
university With the assistance of pretorian
Hand.*, and court.* martial, and must eteers. and
Die habeas corpus c im cat o’ nine tails, the
duties of this office might be most ah)v dis
charged hy General JAf’KSON.
* Should the reader think that wc t'eat this
subject with unsuitable levity, wc must re
mind him that, in the excellent school of the
antirnt philosopher “Democritus.” it was a
fa> oritc maxim, that it was better to be merry
than sad; and he taught his disciples to law'/i
instead of weep over the foliics and vices of
mankind.
———
CONVENTION—NO V.
I n tin* I.jt*2?t s I u ti vo Depart men I of'utjr
Government it in objected, first, that it
is too numerous; secondly, that it is
unequal as a system of representation :
and thirdly, that it is unjust heeause of
the restrietions on theri*rht of Hii(lYa«rr.
* lie first objection must seem reasona
ble enotig;h to every candid observer of
laets. J he lojrsilalures of our state of
late vears have been chnraeferiged liy
a futility, an inderi-ion, a prodigality of time
and treasure, whic h. whether we regard the
measures that have been adopted, the sums of
money which have bc«-n expended, or the t ime
consumed, warrants us in declaring this, the
most expensive, i! not the least useful branch
of 0111 government. Our system of jurispru
dence has become morcand more complicated,
as successive legislatures have piled statute
upon statute, in the vain effort to give it addi
tional light. Schemes of commercial and in
tcllectnal improvement have been adopted and
abandoned with puerile fickleness of purpose
—objects of legis'alivc regard, and of great
national interest have languished and wasted
to decay and ruin, after they had horn cherish
rd foi a time hy state patronage, and a' a con
siderable expense—measures have hern re
-olvrd on. and so far effected as to make it the
interest of the Mate to compete them, and
then abandoned as useless or improper_la
hours multiply as the number increases fi.ll
thp ta k of legislation like (be wch of Pen do
p*-’. is fit'the from being finished in conse
quence of what i- done It rannrt be that
this branch of government is deficient io tab
ml* or patriotism ; for in a body io numerous
and honorable as the Legislature of Virginia,
there will always he found men of ever" varir
tv and grade of intellect Then why is ii ?
It ».s 1 eran*c. though u r have many hirelings,
there are few labourer* in tiic vineva d. The
II ot Delegates consists ol eonsldef'ijhlv more
than two hnndrpil members ; jts session* are
annual, and as the ti casury as well as the re
rords of that body might testify, of very long
duration VVhere the sessions of a Vgislatnre
are so frequent, in a country not more exten
sive than ours there cannot he tnanv snhjcrt*
of great importance always requiiing alt-cn
lion I he fart is, that of the dozen scores of
laws which our legislature annually gives
b rili to. a great majority are act* of mere lo
cal or prh^tp tendency, involving no consider
ations more important than why a couple iin
fortunately knit together in wedlock, should
or should not he put asunder, or whv A P>
should or should nof be released from * f»**«
imposed on him for a violation of a previous
law Whatever is now done bv our' legisla
ture* might he accomplished with more dis
patch and at least as much judgment, if the
number of delegates were le*s ; while, if wr
imitate the examples of our sister slates, per.
haps a great deal more might he done, and
done too moeb more to the pu. pose. The ar.
duous duties of legislation are performed al
ready by % small majority of active, intelligent
members, while Ihc majority arc inactive spec
fators of whatever is done around them _
They •rem to occupy their scats for no other
11 ason than that Ihc constitution requires
* .cm to do *o, compK ing with the cetrmoni
als of legislation in drawing their wa5es and
putting them into Iheir pocket* Should the
n' mhrr of this hotly increase in thr ratio in
w hich it has hitherto increased.and its sesSjoti«
contipur to bp more an<^ more protracted, the
tirr.r will scon come, worn wc shall find mor*
law.oivcss In our capitol than dollars in o' r
ti easu' y
Slut we lose time in attempting to ptow
what is not denied. 'I'hat om legislative <<••
pailmcnt, i-i both too itnmcrnus anil !«•<» t.i,«*
qiial, seems to be cunftsM'il on .«i| mini -, wbiir
it is denied by some that these are e\i's, and
hv othe»'« that there i- any -vie end -me ri n •
tly. admitting them to he su Ji jr not alinjg
ed that any piml i> aide schi me ol' j. .,v ei no «i.
ran be'adjusted with the rvii i tic- mid pie. |
>io*t, that a grocer br.Unec- weights in a *<•»!* .
oi that the administiati«»n ol any uo-m:,.
ran he stVietly equal and imi oiin in •* - ai j.t?
cation to all men Hut thee i- a piaetirai
mean in all things which is at once alia liable
and useful ll we cannot euic the oil we
may mitigate its ettvets.
It has been piedieted with a spirit t:i:ly
prophetic, that, “no lutme mtu rnimn ran
level the mountains of the west, teitilixr tl.e
sands or di ain the mat sites of the ca-t.” N’ow
the conclusion which is drawn from this «,«|f
evident truth, is, the impossibility of equaliz
ing the representatives of our people, f'oui.
mon sense teaches me.r that it is impossible to
level mountain • and lettili/r dc-erts, it might
have taught thorn that ,st;rh tilings are not
I desired by tho fi iends of a convention A
convetition is sought from tca-ons which ate
iust.and for objects which I trust, ate to be*
attained
The thorny of representative demon K*f
contemplates, that tlic piople should do l.y
delegated agents what it i* inconvenient <>i iut
P '«sible for them to do in person., To effect,
this, the number of representatives while ji j>
large enough to ret ope n the opinions and in
terest- of the mass of constituents, should not
l e so large a- to degenerate into tin* interests,
of a iiioli It. is the hu-iness of a represent a
five, to regard the public and aggregate intci
ests of the society ever which be is sentinel;
he cannot enter into the view- and sentiments
of all the individuals who compose that -ocie
tv, and if he could, it were still impossible for
< hose views and sentiments to he distint tlv act
ed upon in any other than a pure ard -inn le.
democracy A local icprcsentation is prefer
ted to a general one, oolv because of the com
mon interest which is supposed to exi-t be
tween the inhabitants of the same neighbor
hood or district, not that it is cither possible or
desirable for a delegate to comprehend or re
P>escni me -reungs ami wi pes ot anvsi riety,
however small. The geographical hound*
t ies which sepaiale llic counties of Virg'nip,
give rise to a difference in name onlv, without
creating a difference of interest or chat ncler dr®
feeling among the people inhahiiing them _
The interests of the people of Virginia as one ’
people, at c emphatirally the same every where.
There is no diversity from inv natural cause .
it is not probable there ever will be a diversify
from any artificial one.
1 he subordinate and local interest® of men.
regarded as individuals and not as a society,
may he distinct eithe> in a state, a distiid, a
county*, a neighborhood, or even a family _
But these are more properly ohjerts of con
side<aiion with men in private life, than of
government
The laws and institutions of a fiec, repte
scntaiive government, derive the sanction of
their authority from the supposed will of a
majority of the people Constituted as our
government i-. it is not only possible, but even
p o! able, that measures of the utmost impor
tance. are. determined by less than a majoiity
of that class who are icp-escntcd Our house
o'* delegate® a® organized bv the piescnt con
stitution, ron®i®ts of two representatives from
r' *h county, and onefom every borough rn
.'Icd bv law to ieprcsenl.ation Without rc
"ard to the number nf inhabitant? which a
coi;n*v contains, to its territorial extent or
taxation, the smallest and most barren in the
state, c’ects two deb-gnte-., while i|,e largest
and mo't populous elect no moic Though
I l>e number of freeholders in some one or more
counties. should be only hah' a dozen, white
in many others it amounted to thousand®, ibis
'•onstitulinn would picservca perpetual equal
ity of power. ithont regard to the ghwir.g
inequality o( right '1 hi® cannot be a tepre
senla>ion of ibe people—it is not a repr stnta.
bon even oi freeholders, The right of repre
sentai-on i® manifestly not vc-tcd in the per
sons by whom it is exvcised. but in a ro*’»i|y
f,r a corporation, or a certain geographical
area designated l.v a pailh n’ar name. and
marked out for local and municipal purposes.
If the counties of our state had hern orig:r»l
!v distinct, sovereign and independent powers,
which were now hound to each other onlv by
ties of confederacy —if enrh county by viiine.
of prescriptive right, or from :ts srpatate in
teicsts, had a natural light «‘o he represented
as a corporate body, and had not thought pro
per to divest itself of (hat light, then, thi® sys
tem might be a reasonable, and pci baps a use
ful one But it has been atioprrd fiotn no
reasons of this sort It was adopted in ibe in
fancy of nor colonv, when no better or rro e
con-, eoirnt classification of electors could le
re«orted to, than that nf county, divisions.
which were necessary for ihe local po’(itv and
accci m modal ion ol the people r it wa* coiitioti
c'l alter the Revolution, like many otbe*- fea
tures of the colonial government, simply be
cause it was in existence, and had proven si.f
fir*.-nt 'or the purposes and tin.esof its origin
al adoption.
ii Is doMini »o ra»i that a c^vcrnnifnt of the
people, in which the right to make law- is
vested in a majority of shire*. The constitu
tion provide!) Ilia? • when any city or borough
shall so den ease, that the number of pnson*.
uaving right ot suffrage therein, shall have
been for several years successively lessjban
ball the number of voters in some one count v
in V irginia. such city or borough shall thence
forward rease '.o vend a delegate represent-! -
live to the assembly Why. ii may be asked*,
should not a county lose its light to di: tinct
ieprreputation upon the same piinciplc nrni
for like reasi'ti? How many counties in Vt
gin a would lose that right, if ir «pie gradna
ted by the number ol citizens each cenn-v
contains, instead of beb nging arbilrariiv to
aII, the small and la gc, b.vrcn and tcilife,
populous and deserted, alike?
Ft is supposed by some, that there is a pern
liar virtue in the present system of coi n'v ie
pre-wntalion Their i-* no teal sut-eriniitv in
'bis over any other fair mode of elect ion It
has hern the fashion. and therefore «hould rot
be altered,’ i« an epitome of all • be ai g muenls
rvhirb have been addureil toeU‘lii]ti it ’1 hr r
is probably a t-r.von for every fa«hirn ; but
that reason mav not always be the best, or it
it be. it may cease to opeinte under rariir ulsr
r irrnmsfance*. The>!i«ti ict plan of rcpirsen
tation is opposed on two grounds; first, he
r.msr the connexion between con«tiluent snd
representative, would be too remote—second
Iv. because perfect equalit v is not attainable
even by ibis means The first objeefon rrurir
to^re an assumption of a fact which is runii »
d*ed, not sustained, bv what experience vie
have ofr 'he subject. The *erond n r.»ht ap
p'v equally *o an improvement to be effr 'uf
by human power. Will any nran believe,
that; to tny useful purpose. the afhnrtv. il<e
oblrgation.the « vurvoatl -|*»a which exist brtt-.rci^