The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-07-25

or amend IT j: yet Pubiicuia himself insists
on the supremacy of the constitution, and
declares the right of the people to alter or
amend it at discretion. In the constitution
of the u. States, provision is made for lis
amendment, both By the people and the
legislature. Ii PubIicola meant TO deny
the right Of the people to amend, by as
sorting the doctrine that the whole power
of the people was or ought to be transfer
red to the government, could he have ap-
pealed to that very constitution where the
right IS recognized, to support doctrine
which DESTROYS it, He does so, however,
in the following language: " The constitu-
ton Of the United States seems to me to
unite all the advantages of the French and
English, whilst it has avoided the evils of
both. By that constitution the people have
delegated the power of alteration, by vest
| ing il in the congress together with the state
| legislatures, while at the same time il has
provided for alterations by the people
themselves IN their original character,
whenever 1t shall evidently be the wish of
the people themselves. This article APP
pears TO me to be rcplete with wisdom
and believe il will stand the seveiest test,'
&c. Could Mr.. Adams have eulogized this
article of the constitution, ifhe really meant
to dispute its reality, by saying that the uhole
pouer Was taken from the people and vested
in congress
cannot think it necessary to say or
quote more, TO expose the unsoundness OF
the construction that Henry has been pleas
ed TO attach to the isolated quotation from
Pnbllcola. On this part of the subject,
will make one observation more, and post
pone the conclusion of this examination to
another opportunity.
If there is any thing 10 Pnblicola which
IN the remotest degree sanctions the doc.
| tnne which Henry imputes to him, it is his
Justification of the revolutionary parliament
OF 1893, which, originally elected for three
years, upon the expulsion of James the Cd.
prolonged the term of their political exis-
tence, without consulting their consiitu-
ents, to seven. 1t is not the principle which
Mr.. Adams approves, for this was in them
an act of usurpation, but the act itself as
Justified by necessity. 1t twas unquestiona-
bly, justified by great state exigency: and
even Junlus, that jealous guardian of the
rights oil The people, silently jjustifes it, by
saying only that the people were in effect.
by its operation, DISTINGUISHED for years.
Ii was similar state of things to those
which sometimes occurred in Rome, when
the consuls were ordered by the senate to
take care that the commonwealth sustained
no injury, which expression implied the de
legation to those officers, during the exist
ence of the danger, of dictatoral and abso-
Ihte power; or a like difficult conjuncture,
when dictator, exercising the power of
life or death, and controlling the laws them.
selves, was appointed. Itwas a violentre-
NEEDY; but no rejecting citizen will deny
that such state of things might occur in
our country as would authorize the tempo
rary humiliation of our constitution and
government, il no other means were left
but this salntary violence 10 secure their
existence and perpetuate their blessings,
and If, without this, they were to be expos
ed to inevitable destruction.
| DITVNJ EnGJ