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r epr esent at ion 18 Cooke on Democratic Representation On October 27 , at the opening of debate on the compound versus the white basis, Benjamin Watkins Leigh presumptuously challenged the reformers to prove their case. John R. Cooke responded at length in a sp eech his foes derided as “speculative .” Forty-three years old, f rom the prosperous Shenandoah Valley county of Frederick, Cooke was little known in the east,though he had been in the forefront of the reform movement since 1816.As the west’s principal conciliator in the later stages of the convention, he played a crucial role in its outcome. He was, or soon became, one of Virginia’s most distinguished lawy ers. The novelist John Esten Cooke and the poet Philip Pendleton Cooke were his sons. Mr. Leigh of Chesterfield, said, that he did hope that the f riends of the proposition reported by the Legislative Committee, would assign their reasons in support of a plan which proposes, in effect, to put the power of controlling the wealth of the State, into hands different from those which hold that wealth; a plan,which declares that representation shall be regulated by one ratio,and contribution by another: that representation shall be founded on the white population alone , and contribution on a ratio double , treble, and quadruple in proportion. He hoped the f riends of these new propositions ,new at least in our State,if not new throughout the world,would give to those who diff ered f rom themselves, some reasons in support of their scheme; some better reasons than that such principles were unknown to our English ancestors,from whom we have derived our institutions;better than From Proceedings and Debates of the Virginia State Convention of 1829–30 (Richmond, 1830),pp. 53– 62. 260 The Virginia Convention the rights of man as held in the F rench school; better than that they were calculated in their nature to lead to rapine, anarchy and bloodshed, and in the end, to militar y despotism: a scheme, which has r espect to numbers alone, and considers property as unworthy of regard. Give us, said Mr. L. some reasons; reasons which may excuse us in our own self-esteem, for a tame submission to this (in my opinion) cr uel,palpable and crying injustice. Let us have at least some plausible r eason; something which has at least the colour of reason, which may excuse us to oursel ves: something which may gild the pill and disguise its bitterness: something to save us from the contempt of this present time, and the assured curse of posterity, if we shall betray their interest. Give us something which we may at least call reasons for it: not arithmetical and mathematical reasons; no mere abstractions; but referring to the actual state of things as they ar e; to the circumstances and condition of this Commonwealth; why we must submit to what I c annot help regarding as the most crying injustice ever attempted in any land.I call upon gentlemen for these reasons. Mr. Cooke of Frederick, rose in reply. Mr. Cooke said, that he could not but expr ess his unfeigned astonishment , that the able gentleman f rom Chesterfield (Mr. Leigh) should have ventured to say to that assembly,that the principle of representation recommended by the Legislative Committee, was “new to him, and new in the history of the world.”Can the gentleman have forgotten, (said Mr. Cooke,) that the principle which he treats as a novelty,and an innovation,is asserted in the “Declaration of the Rights of the people of Virginia”? And does he not know, that when the Convention of 1776 promulgated, in that instrument , the principles of Government on which their infant Republic was founded, they did but announce, in solemn form, to the people of Virginia, principles which had r eceived, a century before, the deliberate sanction of the most enlightened friends of liberty, throughout the world? Sir, the fathers of the Revolution did but reiterate those great and sacred truths which had been illustrated by the genius of Locke, and Sydney, and Milton: truths for which [ John] Hampden, and a host of his compatr iots, had poured out their blood in vain. Driven f rom Europe, by Kings, and Priests, and Nobles, those simple truths were received, with favour, by the sturdy yeomanry who dwelt on the western shores of the Atlantic. The love of liberty, aye, Sir...

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