Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-09-07


! ASH resided in the capital Of vo,,r s,a r
!. (Philadelphia) in the e time thar i,iea mru.s
sonls,' and all my political writings, during
! the revolutionary war, were written in
That city, II seems natural for me 10 look
back on the place OF my political and lite
rary birth, and feel an interest for itsrhap.
J piness. Removed as now am from the
place, and detached from every THING. Of
| personal party, address this token 20 Won
on the ground of principle, and in remem.
orance OF iornier times and friendships.
The subject now before you is the cail
OF acsnsention TO examine and if neces-
safy to reform, the constitution OF the
state or to speak in the correct language
OF constitutional order, TO propose written
articles OF reform TO be accepted orreiect.
cd by the people by vote, in room OF those,
now existing, that shall be Judged impro.
per or defective. There cannot he on the
ground OF reason, any objection 20 this !;
because tno reinrm or slterntiun is me-
cessary, the sense of the country will per
mt none TO be made: and II ,iecessorv.. il
1vfH be made because Il ought To be made.
Until there fore the sense OF the country
can be colleeted, s made known by CON-
vrntiop elected for the. purpose, Ill ot.Do-
sition to the CALI of convention not only
passes Tor nothing bui serves 90 create .
suspicion THAI the opposers are conscious
that the constitution win net bear an eSa
minaticn.
The constitution formedby the conyef.
tionof l7T6, of which BENJAMIN Franklin
(the sreatess and most useful man Amr
r'ca has yet produced) was president, had
many good points Ia it, which we're over
thrown ns the convention of 1890, under
the pretence Of making the constitution
OF The state csnformsble to that Of the u
nited States; as ii the forms and periods
o. election For territory extensive as the
United States is, could hecome rule Cor
single state.
| The principal defect in the coustitst;op
oil i776, was. thstit was subject, in prac.
tice, to tso much precipitancy, but the
ground work OF That constitution was good.
ne present constitution appears to me 10
be ciogged with Inconsistencies of hazard.
Gus tendency, as a supposed remedy a.
ga'nst precipitancy that might mol han
| pen. Investing any individual. by yba,.
ever name or official title he may be call
cd, wisI negative over The formation al
the iawa, is copied from the English 20.
vernment, without ever perceiyirg the in
consistency and absurdty OF it, tyhen an.
pied TO the representative system, or un.
derstanding the origin of it in England.
The present form of government In
England and all those things called pres
negatives Of the crown, of which this ne.
gauving power is one, were establishad
by conquest and not by cornpaet. Their
prigis was the conquest OF England BY the
MOTHERS under William of Normandy.
snFBsmed the Conquerer. in lo66, and The
'geneaIogY OF its Kings takes its date from
him. He is the first.of the Tst-There
IS no historical certainty file time when
parliamenss began, but be the time vhen
u may, they began by what are called
grantsor Charters from the Norman con-
qaeror or his successors TO Certain towns.
and 10 Countries, 10 eleet members IN
meet and serve in parliameas- .obiea 70
his controui; and tn, custom sin cont.
nues with king of ENGLAND CALLING the
Parliament "my Parliament - that ;s a
Parliament originating from his AUTHORITY
ana over which he holds cohtroul in rieht
81 himself, derived from that conouest.
us from this assumed right, derived firm,
conquest, and not from any constitutions
t'ght by compact that kings of FnpIaae
hold negative over the formation Il th,
laws and they hold this for The purpos,
OF preventing any law being enaeied ,ha
might abridge, invade, or suy way sfFee
or diminish what they claim TO be iheii
hereditary or family rights and preroga
Iiyes, derived originally from the conquest
I. OF the country.t This is the origin Of q
: king Of England's negative. LISA badge
: ofdisgrace which bis parliamenls are obi.
{ ged to wear, and to Which they are abises
. enough To submit.
But what he's this case TO do with le-
gisIstnre chosen by freemen on thsir own
authority IN right Of themselves ? Or in
/, what manner does person s.iled COVER.
nor or chief magistrate, resemble con.
Parliament is a trench void 6To1ght inSo
z England byThe Hornians Il comes from the
French verb barlcy--tsspeak
When king Of England (for they arc mo-
!, Iso kngis h race Of kingst negatives an az pass
led BY she pasamsnt, be does i IN the Norma,
Z los French Language, which was the ianguaoe q
1.-The eonqus - the literal .rauslation OF ,vh,eh !;