Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1850

The Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1850 was an assembly of elected delegates chosen by the voters to write the fundamental law of Virginia. It is known as the Reform Convention because it liberalized Virginia political institutions.

Background and composition

Following the 1830 Constitution, Virginia began to change politically under the pressure of party competition. The Old Republican gentry rule supported by their local county freeholders began to be replaced by partisan lawyers of state's rights Democrats and commercially minded Whigs, though the planter elite and their representatives in the ruling Democratic "Richmond Junto" continued to resist any change. Democrats were divided between easterners who supported an apportionment in the General Assembly based on a mixed basis of population and property which favored their slave-holding counties. Democrats in the west, while agreeing with anti-federal government Doctrines of '98 and states' rights, were more inclined to a white population basis. The Whigs were more united statewide in their insistence to expand suffrage and find a more equitable reapportionment between east and west sections.Shade 1996, p. 262-263

The General Assembly malapportionment was a perpetual irritant in Virginia's politics, and in December 1849 Democrat John B. Floyd became the fourth governor to call for a Constitutional Convention to reform the Constitution of 1830.Van Schreeven 1967, p. 7 Although the Assembly complied, the planter Richmond Junto succeeded in extending the existing Assembly apportionment for the Convention representation. While the western counties held more than half of the white population, the eastern Piedmont and Tidewater sections held over sixty percent in the Virginia Senate.Heinemann 2008, p. 189

Most states reformed their earlier Constitutions to embrace white manhood suffrage and white population apportionment in state legislatures. Instead of the earlier colonial "stake in society", they placed a democratic faith in the people's ability to govern themselves in a democracy. But only in Virginia did the reactionary basis remain a mixed basis of population and property to reflect the "majority of interest" in slaves. Indeed, even reformers in the "Reform Convention" of 1850 spent most of their time explaining that their innovations would not threaten the institution of slavery in Virginia.Shade 1996, p. 174-277 The Convention delegates were a younger generation raised in the Second American Party System of Democrat Jefferson Davis and Whig Henry Clay. Unlike the three generation Convention of 1829–30, they were primarily in their twenties and thirties at the beginning of their careers in the professions and industry, without large land holdings, without gentry family ties.Shade 1996, p. 169-272

Meeting and debate The Convention met from October 14, 1850 - August 1, 1851, and elected John Y. Mason its presiding officer.

The Convention featured fierce debates, the arguments raged throughout Virginia in the press and they were widely reported nationally. Direct popular election of governor was supported by Whig Congressman John Minor Botts. He was opposed by Richmond Junta Democrat Richard L.T. Beale who argued against the natural equality of all men, and the "plundering propensities" of the multitude seeking a "majority of mere numbers".Heinemann 2008, p. 189-190 Although for direct election of Governor, Henry A. Wise was more fearful of the eastern slave-holders loss of control in the General Assembly. He believed that "protection of slavery, not the liberalizing of Virginia's Constitution, was the most significant business before the convention."Shade 1996, p. 276-277 Albert G. Pendleton suggested that nearly 100,000 citizens of the western counties were disenfranchised by the 1830 Constitution, and that malapportionment led to the lack of internal improvements needed in west. Muscoe R.H. Garnett opposed expanding the franchise to prohibit internal improvements that might benefit the western counties.Dinan 2006, p.8 James Barbour objected to extending the franchise to white westerners because support for outright emancipation had originated from there in the past. Even with proposals for freed slave expatriation to Africa, Barbour doubted any assurances from the west for the long run preservation of slavery.Dinan 2006, p. 9

After almost six months of wrangling, the question of apportionment was brought up for a vote. The plan for representation in both houses on a mixed basis failed, and the plan for representation in both houses on a population basis failed. The compromise was for the House of Delegates to be on the white population basis, giving the western counties a majority, and for the Senate to be on a modified mixed basis of population and property including slaves, giving the eastern counties a majority. In the remaining two months of the convention, it was agreed to allow direct popular election of the governor, but each office holder would be limited to one term. Constitutional provision for public education was voted down.Shade 1996, p. 280-282 Voting by secret ballot was rejected, perpetuating the voting vive voce aloud.Heinemann 2008, p. 190

Outcomes

The powerful Assembly-appointed Governor's Council was abolished and a popular elected Lieutenant Governor was created. Most radically, judges on the Supreme Court of Appeals, in district courts, and county justices of the peace were to be elected by the expanded electorate. Three classes of taxation were linked so that an increase in one required the same increase on all, applicable to poll tax on whites, land taxes and slave taxes. In a measure to advantage slave owners, taxes were set for adult slaves at $300 each when the unskilled field hand was valued twice as much in Virginia. The state legislature lost its statutory ability to manumit slaves, and it was enabled to pass legislation prohibiting individual owner manumissions of their slaves.Wallenstein 2007, p. 170

Over three days' balloting in October 1851, the new Constitution was overwhelmingly approved by 75,748 for with 11,060 against. Property requirements for voting were abolished and Virginia state government had the democratic form of Jacksonian America at last. Yet the Richmond Junto leadership of state's rights Democratic rule remained nearly as powerful as ever.Andrews 1937, p. 466

Chart of Delegates The delegates to the Virginia Convention of 1850-1851 – elected on the fourth Thursday in August, 1850. (One hundred and thirty-five members, from each Delegate DistrictPulliam 1901, p. 99-100

District Name County Accomack and Northampton Louis C. H. Finney Accomack Henry A. Wise Accomack Norfolk City, Norfolk County and Princess Anne Samuel Watts Norfolk County (Chesapeake) John Petty --- Arthur R. Smith Norfolk County (Chesapeake) Tazewell Taylor Norfolk City John Tunis --- Southampton, Nansemond, Isle of Wight, Sussex, Surry and Greensville Robert Ridley --- John R. Chambliss, Sr. Greensville John Y. Mason Southampton A. S. H. Burgess Southampton Petersburg, Chesterfield and Prince George James H. Cox Chestefield Thomas Wallace Petersburg Timothy Rives --- James A. Jones Petersburg Richmond City, Henrico, New Kent and Charles City Robert G. Scott Richmond City John A. Meredith Richmond City John M. Botts Henrico James Lyons Richmond City Robert C. Stanard Richmond City Hector Davis Richmond City Williamsburg, James City, Gloucester, Warwick, York and Elizabeth City Lemuel J. Bowden Williamsburg Robert McCandlish --- Essex, King and Queen, Middlesex and Mathews Muscoe R. H. Garnett Essex James Smith --- Caroline, Spotsylvania, King William and Hanover Francis W. Scott --- Corbin Braxton King William Eustace Conway Spotsylvania Beverly B. Douglas King William Edward W. Morris Hanover Richmond County, Westmoreland, King George, Lancaster and Northumberland Richard L.T. Beale Westmoreland Samuel L. Straughan --- Addison Hall --- Prince William, Alexandria, Fairfax and Stafford resigned Richard C. L. Moncure Prince William Daniel Jasper Prince William William L. Edwards Fairfax Edgar Snowden Alexandria Ira Williams --- Henry, Franklin and Patrick William Martin Henry Nathaniel C. Claiborne Franklin Archibald Stuart Patrick Halifax, Pittsylvania and Mecklenburg William M. Tredway Pittsylvania John R. Edmunds Halifax James M. Whittle Pittsylvania William O. Goode Mecklenburg Edward R. Chambers Mecklenburg George W. Purkins --- Prince Edward, Charlotte, Appomattox Willis Perry Bocock Appomattox Branch J. Worsham Prince Edward Thomas H. Flood Appomattox Lunenburg, Brunswick, Nottoway and Dinwiddie John E. Shell Brunswick Robert D. Turnbull --- James L. Scoggins --- Cumberland, Amelia, Powhatan and Buckingham John Hill Buckingham Joseph Fuqua --- Henry L. Hopkins Powhatan Campbell and Bedford Charles H. Lynch Campbell Gustavus A. Wingfield Bedford Lewis C. Arthur --- James Saunders --- Nelson, Amherst and Albemarle Samuel M. Garland Amherst Valentine W. Southall Albemarle Thomas Jefferson Randolph Albemarle Littleberry N. Ligon --- Goochland, Fluvanna and Louisa Walter Daniel Leake Goochland Drury W. K. Bowles Fluvanna Richard I. Cocke Fluvanna Culpeper, Greene, Madison and Orange James Barbour Culpeper Robert A. Banks --- John Woolfolk Orange Loudoun John A. Carter Loudoun John Janney --- Robert J. T. White Bedford Fauquier and Rappahannock Robert Eden Scott Fauquier James F. Strother Rappahannock Samuel Chilton Fauquier Botetourt, Roanoke, Alleghany and Bath Fleming B. Miller Botetourt John T. Anderson Botetourt William Watts Roanoke Augusta, Rockbridge and Highland John Letcher Prince William David E. Moore Rockbridge Hugh W. Sheffey Augusta Adam Stephenson, Jr. Highland David Fultz --- Rockingham, Pendleton and Page John Kenney Rockingham George E. Deneale --- A. M. Newman --- John Lionberger --- Shenandoah, Hardy and Warren resigned Green B. Samuels Shenandoah Mark Bird Shenandoah William Seymour --- Giles Cook Warren Samuel Crowdson Williams Shenandoah Jefferson, Berkeley and Clarke Charles James Faulkner, Sr. Berkeley William Lucas Jefferson Dennis Murphey --- Andrew Hunter Jefferson Frederick, Hampshire and Morgan James E. Stewart Morgan Thomas Sloan --- Richard E. Byrd --- Charles Blue --- Brooke, Ohio, Hancock and Marshall Jefferson T. Martin --- Zachariah Jacob --- John Knote --- Thomas M. Gally --- Doddridge, Wetzel, Harrison, Tyler, Wood and Richie Joseph Johnson Harrison John F. Snodgrass Wood Gideon D. Camden --- Peter G. Van Winkle Wood Marion, Preston, Monongalia and Taylor William G. Brown Preston Edward J. Armstrong Campbell Waitman T. Willey Monongalia James Neeson Marion Randolph, Lewis, Barbour, Gilmer, Braxton, Wirt and Jackson Samuel L. Hays --- Joseph Smith --- John S. Carlile Barbour Thomas Bland --- Cabell, Mason, Putnam, Wayne, Boone, Wyoming and Logan Elisha M. McComas --- Henry J. Fisher --- James H. Ferguson --- Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Fayette, Raleigh, Nicholas and Kanawha George W. Summers Kanawha Samuel Price Greenbrier William Smith Greenbrier Benjamin H. Smith Kanawha Carroll, Grayson, Floyd, Montgomery and Pulaski Daniel H. Hoge Montgomery Samuel Mc. Camant --- Benjamin F. Wysor --- Mercer, Giles, Tazewell and Monroe Augustus A. Chapman Monroe Allen T. Caperton Monroe Albert G. Pendleton Giles Smythe, Wythe and Washington Benjamin Rush Floyd Wythe resigned George W. Hopkins --- Connally F. Trigg Washington Thomas M. Tate --- Scott, Russell and Lee Samuel V. Fulkerson Scott Hiram Kilgore --- Dale Carter ---

Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1850

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