Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-07-15

another sample of the republcansm of this distin-
suished opponent Of Conv ention; who both APP
Prehends, and does not apprchend that MIR. Mercer,
who is not ofhs school, it seems, shall have the
chtet hand in framing constitution for himself
and his posierity May not the future conduct of
the General Assembly, by jus,iiying the public dis
trust, augment the public discomfort! The best vim
dca'ion of the last General Assembly and the only
Jus'ihcation is to be yet furnished, by their
sors. Ii majority of the people for Con-
vention, rely on it, they will sooner or later have
one. III against it. promptly enable them 10 de-
eide, and TO make that decision known
MIR. Leigh charges his adversaries with most
absurd exposition of the Bill of Rights, which
gives exactly the same import TO &c frequent
recurrence to fundamental principles as to
frequent calls of convention TO amend the
constitution" He infers that every recurrence to
these principles, must be designed to beset con-
ven'ion, and a contention too, without regard"
such is his languase,) ',o its necessity or expe-
diency." Undoubtedly every convention implies
recurrence to the principles Of tie constitution,
since II Is only, by faithful and discriminating APP
plication OF these principles TO any constitution,
that ITS detects be discov cred, and the exped-
ency or necessity Of amendment made manifest
But every recurrence does not imply the necessity
or the expectancy of such convention. The re-
eurrence which the frierls of convention now
recommend, and which they hope will lead TO a
invention, empowered to submit TO the final jidg-
ment OF the people, certain amentlrIc nts of their
present constitution, is founded on yicon that
Ihese amendments are necessary; that necessity
Is, on candid recurrence, in conformity with the
injunction OF the sagcs oil l176, to the fundamental
principles which they soemnly proclaimed Ii is
not denied, that there other uecs to which such
! "a recurrence may be applied. N o legislature can
proclaim what shall De, nor any court adudgc what
IS law, without regard TO those principles OF the
| constitution which no law can contravene; but il
would be the height OF absurlity to deny the bene-
fit ct the application of similar test 10 the con-
sttuiion Itself, which Processes derive its founda-
ton from those principles. the superstructure
erected on that foundation be impaired by age he
who would supply its defects or repair the ravsges
OF time, IS no enemy Of its perpe;uity; nor can he
proceed with greater circumspeclion in his salutary
and useful labor, than by examining before he be-
! gins, the original structure of the edifice
! The solemn truth expressed with such simple
brevity, in the Bill OF Rights that all government,
Is, or ought 10 be, instituted for the common bene.
mt, Is said, by Mr.. Leigh, TO be &c TORN by Mr.
Mercer from the context!'' Whyl Is maxim
worthy OF being inscribed on every temple of law
III letters OF gold, and the hearts Of all men, in.
| capable OF subsistng alone? What commentary car
make tits beautiful political axiom more plain
what argument more perfectly demonsra c its truth
Is it abused when applied to the exposure of tina,
political injustice which gives TO Williamsburg and
Richmond, to York and Shenandoah, the same
political influence in the popular branch Of the
Virginia legislature? How does Mr. Leigh obviate
the force OF this application? BY the simple aver
ment, that Mr.. M might Just as well have infer
red from the Bill OF Rights, that every Hung soul
should participate, equally, in the adniaist, atio,
Of public affairs" Ifthis be argument, tits no,
orislna! The very same reason was urged against
eqaaliZing the representation of the other branch OF
The ie6'ria'''re, ti~ >iaA, i.~ -;.>,IS
| represented more than 80, 900 white inhabitants re-
tci.l IF IL. IN
more than 1000 on tide water, also elected a men,
ber How often has Old Sarum found an advocate
In the British House of Commons of tie same doc
srine, against the claims Of the electors Of Westmin-
ster. THIS Is not question Of right between the
freeman and the freeholder but among the free
holders themselves. Because perfect or absoIute
political equality among all the individuals of one
community, be unattainable, Mr.. Leigh, practical
republican too would make correction of tic
grossest inequality OF representation. like his
practice as little as his theory
| In answer TO an argument OF Sc a Friend of Equal
Rights treating of the same topic of univ rsal
! complaint, the inequality OF representation in the
House OF Delegates, Mr.. Leigh confidently ZAP
peals to any man TO say if the inequalities in the
| counties have not been continually decreasing
| from the foundation OF the Commony eaIth?" Take
notice, the inequality complained Of, is Of repre-
sentatlon, IN relation TO numbers. The reply OF
Mr.. Leigh is, that the inequalities OF the counties
(by which must be meant their Territory is decreas-
ing PerpleXed, is his argument, and needing
illustration, that which follows it, does not i'm
prove its force. g In l776,'' we ore informed
/ - that the small counties, on the seaboard, had
their present extent" and that there then existed
g besides West Augusta. which the policy OF
the crown had prevented from being peoped -
" berkeley, including all Jefferson, and part oil
Morgan; Culpepper, including Madison, &C. to
which, the writer might have added, Loudoun, in
Guiding part OF Fairfax. Now, in I776, the W olive,
prowled, almost unchecked by the hunter over many
OF the still uninhabited mountains of Berkeley and
ten years alter, in spite OF his keen-sighted rifle
they wasted the flocks of Loudoun. The large
county OF Berkeley did not then contain as man
people, as the thiBly inhabited county of Morgan
now does; and the little counties which Mr. Lei b
enumerates, boosted least twice, their present
numbers. II the brief LoudGun address, was decEa-
naofory by what term should such arguments as
these be characterised? For noticing them ut all an
apology is due 10 " A Friend of Equal Rights, l."
who IS, unaided, very competent 10 maintain his
own ground. Had Mr.. L. included, in bis essay ,
the facts adduced by his adversary to illustrate tic
/ inequalities, of which he complained, (Mr l..
could not question their truth j lie would have
superseded the use Of his own. " a Friend of
! Equal Rights" vindicacd the trainers of the CON
sliution from intentional Injustice, by avcrrine
that they could not have fo5eseen, since they dill
not provide, FOR the " enormous increase of the
inequalities which, even " then existed among the
Counties Here the quotation Of Mr.. Leigh stops.
| HIS adversarys next sentence, added, q" They did
not loresee that time would arrive when 20 coun-
ties IN the upper country containing 233 ,26 free
white inhabitants, would have more weight in The
government, than 20 counties on Underwater, con-
tanning only 50,97l" " When a freeman of
Warwick would have as much political right
and power as twenty-scyen Jrtemen of I.oudoun,
Frederick, or Shenandoah and so, II might have
been, truly averrcd OF the fyeehoIdeys Of those