Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-12-28

REMARKS OF Mr. j. BARBOUR,
y THE SENATE.


/ IN THE SENATE
On Introducing his proposition 10 amend The
Constitution so as to imit TIE aatn,5cr OF
Representatives. ia Congress.
MIR. Barbour said, before he obtained the
leave asked, to introduce SO important :,
measure as the one he was about TO propose.
1t would be expected that he should assign at
least some of the reasons which had Induced
hiM TO present the subject to the considera-
ton of the House. Before he did so. howcy-
or, he owed 10 himself, and TO the body
whose structure was the subject of the rcso-
luton, to make Il few explanatory remarks.
Mr. Is. sand that in taking this step he had
been influenced only by Il sense ofduty Left
to his own inctinations, he should be content
to hold the silent tenor of his course and
without taking upon himself the high respon-
sihl lity of proposing, be satisfied with giving
ms vote ON measures proposed by others
lie therefore would have been much gratilie(i
II this measure had been originated in the
| House of Representatives, and thereby have il
relieved from any difficulty arising from th.
place whereit commenced. Ia this, however.
he had been disappointed. Indeed, could he
nave believed that any gentleman here would
have taken the lead, he would have been ST.
lent. Deeply impressed, however, with the
necessity of the amendment, and believing il
done, he had encountered the responsibility
Lest his course might be attributed 10 impro-
per feelings, he must take occasion TO declare
that, IN profound respect for the talents and
patriotism of the other branch of the I,egisli-
ture, he was inferior To no man that il was
to that purity and capacity we must look fer
the duration of orr free institutions So long
as that body shall sustain the high character
1t now so justly merits, it may be safely look
ed to AS the guarantee of all our hopes. H.,
therefore, any thing done by an individual as
humble as himself should be cstees1ed wor-
thy of observation, he hoped his Justification
| would be listened Ia aiso,r3d then he should
nave s'offiinS to apprehend from The decision.
| flrtncr,nurc, he must be permitted to remark,
that generally he should Insist that this was
the proper body in which amendments To the
| constitution should originate. Being the di-
rect representatives of the States, whose rati-
hcaiion only was necessary to give validity
to the amendment, indicated Il superior fitness
IN ihls body taking the lead in proposing a.
mendmcnts. As To lie propriety Of amend
lag the constitution at all, these reflections ma
turaily present themselves: That no man
would think of tampering with the constitl-
tion Tor trivial objections ON the conraI Y,
l where there is palpablc evil and pvactica
BILE remedy. we should but lily fulfil the views
OF the trainers OF the constitution, we should
be wanting TO ourselves and To our posterity,
were we not 10 apply the remedy. Amid all
| the praises bestowed on the intelligence and
| patriotism of the founders of the constitution,
there is nothing presenting II higher Claim than
that clause which impaired to the constitution
the capacity Of amendment in a manner the
least calculated to disturb the tranquility of
society, and yet so guarded as to present an
linsuperhblc barrier against hasty and improvi-
dent alterations and thus giving to it the fa-
Guilty of adapting itself To the Suggestions of
wisdom, guided by experience. acting on the
endless~vicissilude of human affairs.
AS it regards the propriety Of The proposed
amendment, that is a question TO be decided
hereafter, upen the most mature deliberations,
and, therefore, need not now be- fully discussed.
4 lie would, however, take the liberty of sug-
costing a few OF the icasons which operated ON
his mind "A conviction thtt it would be an i'm
pr0yement. He woud not, on a question of
sach importance, avail himself of the considc-
tlon of economy. However it may be neces-
saFy in other cases, it ought not to weigh upon
The decision nt the house as to the best or
ganzatiOn of the Other branch--its Importance
swclIs far above it bui Mr.. Il. thought hc
might, with proprctv, urge The impedimeut
that multitudcs IN drllhcratiye body present
cd TO the dispatch of business. Take The Sc
nate and House of Representatives, and com
pare tncIf relative diSpdtch OF business, and
The history of the two branches informs us
that 1t has been at least in inverse proportion
10 their numbers. will not say that blisine IS
is better done by this body, because it might
be esteemed insidious. As to the precise
number Of which Gcliberativc body should
be composed, To- procure the wisesl counsels,
it is obvious there is no definite rule by which
to govern il. We all agfre upon the extremes
there may be too few VI TOO many. If the
r body be so small as 10 enable the members
to coacsce with IMMUNITY, no one hesitates
to say, that the organic tion is vicious on the
contrary, if SO muItitUdinous that a portion
only can deliver their sentiments, and "A few
only hear it is any thing but deliberative bo-
dy, ~ the just sense of the word. II has been
remarked by wise man, " Had every Athe-
nian citizen been Socrates, still cvery meet.
ins Of the A'henian People had been mob
The happy medium between these extremes
should be the object Of inquiry. Happy vii
he the man to whose superior genius the secre
shall be revealed. In the absence ofthis guide
we must content ourselves with the best light
, we possess. If we were 90 decide on the mum
r Der best calculated for deIiberatvc body
!, without reference TO other considerations, Tn
q number uow composing the S no,e would ~
esteemrd sufficient bat we are constrane,
= 60 mix other considerations, namely, the ne