Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-05-18


,ol, uf ,,ec, tina; men whose attention - distrac-
ted by the necessity Of defending their country ioia
FOREIGN c.lmy iii better cifc unstances Tor dis-
CUISINE and settling the principles of government,
,h,n , convention assembled for that express pur-
moss aud no utl,c, that tie frsl attempt tina,
y,s made in the world, frame written constitu-
ION for Il nation, produced, oil course, the best ia
s:ruincut of that aatale that ever can be made !;
that we, alas! III these degenerate days, have no
war, no revolutions, to ciasies hearts, crp0nd,
eHi;Skien and nerrc oar nii,dS, or as Robcspicrro
used to say, to up to the ''hcufeT dee
circumstances" WE have only the experience our
oion, and Sister Suites r i3 gears. To guide ms
therefore, cannot safely touch the ark of our Pc
litical covenant. If we do, wesare threatened, If
not with instant 6cah. at any rate, with evils 50
horrible that all the aarmists have terrified them
selves, anil constantly terrifying others, Amos!
20 deaii by bug bears conjurcd up by their dis
ordered fancies and yet, says the same substitute
in political affairs especially to what concerns the
"practical forms and principles of government, ES-
"rERIENcE alone can detect what is evil and APP
prove what IS GOOD.
According 10 the substitute, (as understand it,)
no form oi government, when long established,
ought TO be changed. until It's practical operation
has actually proved i,;ioicrIJie grievance. But
the quotations from the Declaration of lndcpcnd-
encc and Bill of Rights, do establish such doc
tsnc. 1t is only and ;hat inpiedLg,l stated, that
changes ought not to be made for "LSh! or fr0hs-
rteGt causes, truth Al
1 presume, no body is prepared TO deny. Yet the
part of true wisdom, certainly is, to PrerfH evils,
If possible, not to wait Till they become ssusTa-
bic, and Mcis apply rcmcay. Penienti ccc'urits
morj0,' is 4 good maxim i'll politics, as well Us in
medicine.
1t should be remembered however, that when the
authors of the Declaration of Independence and o.!
the Bill of Rights, framing tho clause quoted
By Mr.. Leigh, they had in view no changes in go
vcrnmcnts but such as they supposed could no; be
accomplished without; violence Y blood-shed. The
truth is, that, in the year 776, instance had per-
laps ever occurred, of n peaceG5tc change OF the
form of government of any nation. 1t remained
for the people of these United States furnish
ny happy examples of the formation or amendment
of constitutions, without any disturbance, except
the moderate and often beneficial excitement pro-
duccd on such occasions by animated discussions,
and conflicts of rival ia,ollects.
Time (says the proposed substitutc) IS Hs 'csssi
of all things" And every institution which has con-
iihued long time unchanged, must therefore be
ccllent. If SO, monarchy (Which it cannot be dcni-
ed, is much mere ancient form Of government than
any oher must be fruig excellent 1T follows too
that the Patriots OF iIl6 were guilty OF rash and
foolish innovation, in exchanging that old and vcncr
able system, for repuJiic !rhe truth is, tina; time
is OF the means of acquiring wisdom; but for
those only who learn, aud profit by, the lessons of
experience. The bigoted and blind admirers of es-
tabished systems, content to Lee things remain
they are resembling that honest ami very saga
cious Dutclman, :-Io always used Il Sa:ipp!c st0ae
to balance his wheat, because his father had done
The before him. To such persons, time brings
no neutrality-suspicious. 10 Improvement but,
from generation to generation. they 20 con-
tcntclv, hugging the cha!us of slavery and isnor-
ance, deuouucing all innUyators, audacious inf
drls who regard "nothing sacred in heaven. no
thing venerable EARTH nothing terrible in hell.
The S0gcS Of lII6. were characters of different
stamp they were hold enough 20 ini.oyatc and
change the order os things h,et estabiished and,
by such imnoyation, they pracured for themselves
and their posterity, Independence, freedom, aud
long list of other blessings; neither would they
src their children. !or cndeavoring add 10 the
numher OF those blessings, By iDlpr0rin9 the beauli
tu republican, cdifcc they erected Perc1ivins now,
that some apartments in that noble fabric are
cOngruous with The rest, bat exhibit TO offended
view, disgusting appcndagos Of dTiSf0crdcp; that
ihers are not Us well pioporiioncd, or cOmmodi-
Gus they may, withou; difficulty, be made; we,
the Conveuiionists tins 1t cXpedient 10 make some
jUdiCious alterations: not 70 pail down destroy
the bu:ldia5 but To render il more pleasant and a
grecablc the majority of those who live under its
root. THIS, and this only, is the head and iron,
= OF our offending"
The substitute proceed, 10 draw, in the best STYLE
If lis ingenious author, very pleasing picture Of
the prosperity Virginia has enjoyed under her pre-
sent constitution; from which it is argued that, Ivy
attempting any alteration in that Instrument, we
may jcopardizc tho continuance of this happy state
OF things; and ergo, that such perilous attempt
..!o:,id DC made.
The friends ofaram!ments, do not deny that gre at
blessings have been enjoyed under the constitution
of this commonwealth, and that the government has
generally been administered with republican virtue
aud purity. With hearts truly grateful the gle
nous author OF ali good, acknowledge that,
citizens of irgulto, possess many advantages
which cannot be too highly priced; advantages far
superior 10 to those enjoyed by the subjects of GGU
but that condition has been, or is
better, than that o.! sister states, cannot adj
nit Certain it is, that the Oh D0n'Hion," which
formerly stood the head of the American Union,
cxcclling all the states III population, and proudly
pre-emincn in political influence, has now sunk in
10 the third rank aud soon will into the fourth or
fifth her federal numbers being now inferior 10
those of New-York and Pennsylvania, and even Of
before the District of Maine de-
tacned fiom that state; that of Ohio s. kentucky also
are advancing upon her with gigantic strides.
These unpleasant facts will mauesiIy appca r, by
the pt pulatOn of the several states in
ii9D, 1860, 1910, and 1920, according the cen
'us made i'll each of those years. By consulting the
same authentic sources information, that the co8,-
2Gyaiirc increase of population in Virginia, was
much less during the tiiity years which elapsed |
from 1890 to- 1920, than even in line states of North
and South Carolinil, where slavery exists as well |
rs here but where the Nirginian restriction upon !
the right of Suffrage does not exist, except that
II. Carolina, it i, applied 10 the election of Seno-
tors only. 1t is certain too that tire .ogress Of
of every Kind, i'll this or highly IA
vorcd commonwealth, which has enjoyed the bles-
sings attendant upon the constitution Of 1116, for
nearly half century, has been slower than in al
most any other state in the Union. To what cx-
tent the practical influence of political organi-
zatiou, has been unfavorable to the prosperity of
the state. is not easy TO be asceftaurl with preci-
sion but it cannot he denied that Nie tree is 10
be judged ~ Us fruh" there must be invete-