Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-07-19

=" safety, and most effectually secured against m.
| = administration One would suppose that tn, +.
was much more cause to wonder at any construc-
uon which would limit or deny the right of the
citizen thus 10 meet, than one which should allow
II, and am hnnbiy of opinion, tina. if the Legs-
iture oil Virginia ever did, or ever si.o2!d arbitra.
| NY pass any law contravening abridging such
fish, In the citizen, they not only commit perjury
IN violating the oath 10 support the constitution for
the constitution sprang from the Bill of Riehts
as child from IT'S mother, but the are guilty oil
treason also, in esablishing, or attempting TO es
taoiish, another government; for the Bill OF Rights
Is not only part but it is the foundation of tie 20
vernmen; OF Virgins.
Now, Sir, the strength and security of a republi-
can form OF government depends on tie love and
affection OF The majority OF, The people, and the love
OIL the people can only be secured by careful dis
iioution OF justice TO all alike and here Sir is the
whole secret; the government of Virginia is no,
founded In equity and good conscience and there
fore is not secure of the affections OF the peope in
which alone consists the strength of the government
anu ITS security from mai administration; because
ma-adinnisirsiion is supported by Injustice never
| by equity And, Sir, here rest The caus, of Com
ventIon; ii II be in truth If ii be OF heaven i,
conquer, because tine hearts of enlightened iree,ren
canno, disagree, must unite; if it he of nequty let
1t perish, as 1t inevitably must, if my premises are
true.
If then, sir, the exercise of such powers as the
"'SNbh va et<Chs at Is COnSCHant 10 the
oili OF Rights, what do you mean by revolution? ?
What Is revolution in government? Is any
Change In the Virginia Constitution if 1t cores
pond with the original first declared principles of
HE Bill OF Rights, revolution? Is it not the same
cove eminent OF the people still, is there any radical
| change! how then revolution? Are YOU not
dereit Cd by the subileties of your own mind Does
not your enthusiasm overpower Your iudemen,
when YOU Intimate an anaiogy be- cen the reyoll-
| tons OF France and England and such a chnure as
the one conicmpl ted by the friends ofconyetioo,
| When tie House of Bourbon was smiiteo to The
EARN by an enrdSed popuiace and sc madness rulod
tn hour, this was revolution When the first
Cherries bowed his neck to Tie democracy of En
Isl nd, Tins was arevolution here were Fundamental
changes. Such again exhibited al this ,ay in the
overthrow OF colonial vassaIage on this continent,
and tie up;urned roots of the Spanish and Por;u-
suese monarchcs now lie " bleaching in the north
ern biast or . ainting summers gale;' and such
is the holy struggle of modern Greece and when YOU
| snail behold the crescent, paid and humbied by
the awful spirit ii freedom, this will be a revou-
uon DO you not perceive the difference, sir do
you not perceive that long as the people are
| sovereign, there can be revolution in the 20.
vernment OF Virginia. and long as the friends of
| convention and the supporters and agents in the
| Staunton Convention, acknowledge that sovereign
| ~ and act conformably TO thai sovereignty, which
sovereignty is the present existing government until
Otherwise declared you have reason yyhatev er
TO complain; FOR 10 be alarmed; no reason TO
denounce them, raise 6 hue and cry,' give them
pad name and excite " the proud mans contume-
ly." II this be Lot your idea of revolution. we
Lave drawn our no; .ons of republican government
from different fountains, and have totally misun-
cersood all those founders OF our institutions the
pitriafchs OF our country, who wiiled themselves TO
| De Tree, who spoke and IL was done. DO you sup
pose that Jefferson, Madison, Henry, Lee, W ythe
or Mason ever imagined that a mere discussion of
the rights OF the citizen, whether By the people or
portion oil them, whether their fire sides or in
public, whether by few or by many, whether in
the House OF Delegates or in caucus could in any
| shape deserve the name OF revolution or an atienp
| at revolution! IL cannot lie, and | have no doubt
SIR, that the sage OF Monticello, whom God pre-
serve Thousand years, must be astonished, that
gentleman, who has studied the history, and drank
OF the spirit of his ancestors, could so have mis-
coaceved the bre things of that inspiration, hich
dictated our Holy Bill Of Rights.
The next presentation you make OF the question,
that think worthy OF notice. is subs; an;ially this;
! that he who loved us, whom all love and whom
not to love would be an objectionable sin, George
washington, has out of his ineXhausbe and untir-
ing goodness, his farewell legacy, thought proper
10 caution.us against faction, under the specioas
5arb OF reform, and charged TO beware OF false
prophets and TO watch that the evils OF seducli,e
innovation do not bela What is this, sir, but
tie language ofthe conventionsts! There is no one
who will not subscribe TO it; then where is the dill
terence between u.s. 1t rests here, sir whether there
be not an evil grievance existing sufficient 10
justify an appeal 10 the fundamental principles OF
the Bill OF flights, in other words to the sove-
reignty OF the people for correction? My inter-
preaton, Sir, of that clause OF the Bill of Rights be-
lore cited, which inions The people as a duty 10
seek and support 90 that government which will
produce the greatet degree of happiness and safety
and is best secured against mai-adminisiration''
t,Trf- ~.
pie IN any mode, to compare their views and make
the proper dispositions To- ascertain the will of The
sovereign power, upon the subjects which form
their grievances.
II e friends Of convention sir, concur in tie doc
trine that Tor light and transient CAUSES, govern
ments ought not to lie disturbed, and the question
still returns is the cry of reform causeless9 is The
objection light and transien,;'' is the burlhen OF
those who complain light ?' is their yoke easy
You may" discourse most eloquent music" upon
the resessness OF some choice and perturbed spirits
In the CONN unity; you may declam most scorn-
July upon the imag inary ills that beset them, and
cry patience to your crIcitied adversaTies and wax
warm with egotistical slibmity, and pour out all
the bitterness oil personal and political resentment
but il all will not do. Evils are generally imapi.
nary; liberty is often an imaginary good slavery
also, Often an imaginary evil, each heightened by
the circumstances, with which they are respective
y allied. Was the lax upon tea TO resist :, bicb
Our orea'hers loughi, real or imaginary evil, or
was the principle involved in that resistance anv
thing but Imagination? Was it not the abstract
proposition, that there should lie no taxation with
out representation, for which they commended even
unto death! And yet, sir, you would sheer at ab-
sraciion, at theoretical opinions, TO which you owe
oil the blessings you enjoy - You, who when you
take retrospect OF The history OF past ages, and
trace the progress Of science and The arts the pro-
gress OF mind, of liberty, Of government, must ac-
irarst Inff 49, al. r