Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-01-23

inconsistent, with those ofall stable 60
vernnicnts. For, having proved, what is
certainly true, viz. that the bill of rights
is part OF Inc Constitution-that tiev
constitute Que instrument, lie tells us
that the recommendation they contain.
OF frequent recurrence 10 fundamental
principles, gives the power i'll question
ihat II is direction TO the Legislature
That II IS i provision for the amend
ment oftle Constitution; that il was OBJ
yiously SO Intended and that ne should
give to it the intended e.iect"-and this
construction the gentleman follows up
with resolution TO legisate the people
! INTO convention, whether they will or not
Can we do this If we can, we can do it
by sin,ple maicrities ~ 10th Houses nav, by
malorifies of a quorum ofeach and the
Constitution will, indeed, be mere "nose
of wax"
The gentleman from Wythe goes fur
Their, and leaves nothing TO conjecture
He expressly maintains, that whenever
"a majority OF the Representatives of ike
people, consider That aeliangc is necessa
~, they NAV declare il, and il is the cx-
preston oftle opinion OF the people by
their representatives - and he insists that
the adoption of the Federal Constitution
affords precedent which would autlio-
rize us to go much further.
With respect to general suffrage, will
remark that the General Assembly have
no right 10 discuss that subject i'm their
capacity OF representatives of the people
fla Convention be authorised, there can
be no dcnbt that each county and corpo-
ration will instruct the Delegates elected
i'll the Districts to which it belongs.
And # IN no other case such instruction
,,fI 10 |. 4 Al
But more of this hereafter.
The gentleman from Wythc (for d.
vide his argument according TO my own
sense of it) contends, LIST. That prccc-
dents warrant us iii providing at once for
caiiofa convention, and i'm providing
for the CXpences incident thereto.
ID. That no precedent warrants us i'm a
measure of advice, Recommendation.
Sd. That no convention, in Virginia, e.
yer considered itself bound by the exis-
ting laws of suffrage
The precedents relied on biz him, and
which, as Twill show, operate against both
his principle and measures, are these
Those of the Conversions of I775 and of
l776, and the elec ton ola Convention
10 adopt or reject the federal CONSTITUTE
on.
The first of these was elected by the
freeho!d suffrage then existing. After the
principal abuses of the royal authority by
Lord Dunmore. this Convention held
three sessions ;Thehrst in March, the Sc
cond III July, and the third in December
| 1870.
have already observed that the Con
venton of l775 was elected intheusua! man
ner-that is, bv the then existing suffrage.
and whatever their hopes of an accomeda
ton may have been at an earlier period,
they considered the royal auth itv as
at an end before their session IN July
l776.
The gentleman from Wvthe enquiries
by what authority the Freho!ders OF l775
usurpcd the suffrage of the country.
| they are mostly gone to another world.
| and will answer for them That usur-
patton was not their trade, they us,trDrd
nothing. They retained only the poiiti-
ca.rlghts they b fore possessed. The gen-
iieman from Wythe foresaw this ob;ecti-
on TO his argument, and almost maintain
ed that the whole government, on which
their rights depended was at an cnd.
Does the gentleman remember no illus
trious example i'll the annals of our fore
fathers, III which the contrary doctrine
was settled Did the abd;cation of.yames
| destroy the other estates? No. the pay
ii""iNh' uiIt IL. = new TIe0 Tie
| throne with another prince and the 90
vernmeat went on in the usual forms, but
more TO the satisfaction of the Nation.
Just so here, the business oflegislation
went on, and was hailed by the blessings
OF the people.
| inthcirJuly session, the Convention pass
ed an ordinance for electing Delegates. TO
| that glorious Convention ofl77G who made
| the constitution ofthis staie-The member
| from Wythe relies upon their conduct TO
prove that Conventions regarded not tile
| existing rights of suifrage-Ther act on
this subject commences OF the 46th
page Of the journals of the Conventions
of l775 and I776 lately published by the
| ordcro OF this House-The second section
| is in these words" That the FrcesoLQgrs
of every county within this colony, who
are by law properly qualified TO vote for
| Burgesses, shall have the liberty and pri-
| viiege Of choosing Annually two OF the
| most fit and able men, being freeholciers. of
such county respectively, TO be present
at and vote i'll all general Conventions
| which from time to fine and at any time
| thereafter shall be held within this do
| minion: and also that the frechoIders
| of the several and respective corporations.
| and town of James CITY, and others.
| qualified by law to vote for a citizen or
| burgess. shall have the liberty of eIectng
one Delegate TO be present, and TO act and
vote in The General Convention and
! the iand holders IN the District of West
| Augusta shall be considered as a dis
| tinct county, and have tie liberty ofsend-