Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-12-23

VOL. XXI.-NO. II
| rights of man, and lessen the number of sia 20
abroad. she Is taking eff.ctAal steps TO destroy
those rights anu increase the number of slaves
among fr'rndiess and unfortunate class Of
her own population That she is .nIarsipr
her resources for internal Improvement, for the
prOmolion Ut the arts and sciences, for i'm
parting light, and securing freedom. by con-
dennlng her sable sons for petty offences,
iorleifing their freedom. and selling them and
'hsreby blooming their poseriiy) to I'm condi-
iiuna aud interminable slavery? Will they
not with one voice, cry shame upon us and
shall we not deserve il 2
lam AZ much disposed as any man in the
community, to promote separation from
these people, upon just aud proper terms;
buI, believing that this act presents no surh
rxredrnt. trust il will be repeated: Aud to
that end, c2llupon you, as the wa,chu,en
whum our country places aioft to guard her
against evil, to save her from this poIutiont
MY object, mainly, is. to induce you to ex
anime, and reflect upon, this subject; being
assured that the justice and mercy residing i1
your bosoms, viii extend their BENG n infJ,,-
snce even TO these. wretched aud degraded
te'ngs' anu " plead like angels, numpet-
iongued, against the deep damnaiion of tb.ir
" caN
cruel! A FREEHOLDER.
For THE ENQUIRER.
No Ill.
will first examine this subject in an anti
iudr, which the opponents To a Convention
nave M; thought proper 10 consider. would
ask, u the present Constitution of Virginia, is
entitled beyond ali question, to That auiIoritv
which the term implies Ii in Virginia. as j.,
England. "A constitution is to be framed, ali.r-
ed, suspended or abolished, by single branch
oi Tue government, that branch Of governments
ZOO, being elected For other and very differ
rnt purposes, by less than ma Driiy uf the a.
duit citizens of the couairy, aud at time
when public sentiment had scarce begun T.,
conte nplate the necessity of a constitutions
would know Of The orthodox siiekiers for
ancient right and established authority. wl,.-
Their We In claim this constitution hv
virtue Of the common law righ, of pr.scrin-
lion, as we would claim to tread upon our
neighbours grass, or To catch fish out of :,
pond? And, l would know further. wbat
le.gth oI Time, how many weeks months or
years, must elapse before the pec,,le are EN-
'uarprd into passive obedience, by a tacit ac
qnescence IN any unauthorized measure?
constitution has been termed, the 80 lex lrgum''
Lille supreme. Iucontrove, lible rule OF 60
vrrnneni, established by the soy ereign power
and unit government, as 10 The mode, ti,,.
subjects, the extent and spirit Of lie operations
without attempting to prove, that the iostru-
'n-nt 10 which we have assigned these i'm
poriant prerOSati,es, is destitute of that So
l'mnuy or Gurce which il should possess
without alledsins one defect or suggesting one
amendment IN its plan, might not appeal 10
me good sense OF my countryinen, and ask,
whether the fact that this instrument * oe
llts ANIL oh.
fix that point beyond all doubt (? Men are too
APT TO do wrong when their obligations 10 d.
otherwise are plain and obvious but for polui-
Cal men 10 err, when they pursue distinction
as an end, and use power rs - means il is SUI
lcl, ut 10 furnish them with prciexf.
That The Trainers of the present constitution.
designed 1t 10 have all the attributes and eff
iects OF such an instrument, (at least while the
revolution hsied,) l have never, for mo
'neni douhied-ihat il has been adopted both
Ia theory and practice, as such an in,rument.
is likewise clear. But this is not the cues
ton. Had the convention of I77G, power
and authority To adopt, ore ven propose "a con-
siltuiion III they had, whence and how did
lhey derive Ii /! The people, surely, whose in
ttrtsls a constitution Is Intended To SECURE are
the only body which have right 10 establish
u. In what manner should the peppIp uer
Iorn this peculiar and important duty5 Ger
tain'y,hy delegated agents for the idea of any
other Than representative democracy. is alb
surd. Gan an agent exercise any authority.
wh'ch lie does NOT derive by his appointment
- can he do any thing more than he is d@snred
to do any thing which his Constituent did NOT
contemplate, he should do9
Lt' us see how these queries are solved in
me rase under consideration. The pollcy of
me Blush Government toward lis American
Coionies, me measures ut resistance adopted
10y The Colonies, and The bioodshrd " bich en-
sued, lrit no doubt upon any mind. so esrlv
as 1873, that u contest was approaching. M,
less doubtful in its final result Than in ts i'm
mediate objects. The redress of grievances.
rs distinctly enumerated as they were severe
" let, was certainly The first object Of the Re,
'o'n''on. But how Tar this opposition To lhn
mother country was To extend, or what were TO
DC us consequences, no man yentursd 10 en-
qiire. Ihe perseverng Obstnacy with which
the British Parliament continued to heap lis
oppression upon The Colonies, and the spirited
reaction with which that oppression was met.
led the American people by impercepiible and
unexpected degrees into a war of Iudepen-
drnce or absolute submission. Men who li,
ed IN these memorable times can meyer for.
get The surprise and alarm which was uniyer-
sally irii, when the people were awakened Inv
the extren,iliee 30 which they had been push.
ed, To sense Of their real condition. yira-
nd, upon The eIoprnIrnt of Lord Dupmore
regarded The projection of Great Britain MS
virtually withd avn, but the people knew nos
whether To expect IFS reiarn or ATTEMPT the
establishments of al Independent government.
10 'hiS slate ut uncertainty and alarm, when a
large portion OF the community cIung TO the
sinking fabric Of colonial power add only a
10 Atrt rn eli. L..s