Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-05-12
i ~ 11'7.I-'

|ie.h a lteVel'lon oi Vev Chei Magistrate, AMP
|ssI' true to mselyel NotheF session would @di
! At States TO lpFess then opinion upon this most
aeTes'ing subject; subject with which, in h,s
piuion he future welfare of the country, and the
rrties OF lis ci'izens, Were more closely connec-
4 han any other ,hich had been agltai ed IN Con-
ess since the adoption OF the Constitution.
IAir. Johnson. oil Ky. sand he had never seen The
me. since he had read the Federal Constitution,
Fbt what 1t had been prudent. with,u; respect to
Fhne, place, person. TO vote for the amendment;
10 this part OF ne Constitution OF the y States
and he would pledge himself 10 him. eff, and he |
would pledge himself 10 the gentlemen who had
spoken, if hs thought they would pledge them !
selves to him another occasion, TO 20 with |
them at the next session. He referred TO the SUP
Ject OF abolition OF Imprisonment for debt, which
ne wished to 20 pdyt PdSSE with these other great
measures. There three things, Mr. j. said
which were necessary to perpetuate this Govern
veinment: To give To The People whether IN the
district OF general ticket-,o give to the People
The selection oi ther rulers, and, when The People
proved recrean;, and could not govern themsev es
at the polls without the interv entun OF Il third
party, he said, let the Government 90 down. Ano-
ther subject She abolition OF Imprisonment for
debt. He wished hat the berry OF the American
citizen, regarded his personal safety should be
more sacred than that Of the Roman ctizen.-
The third OF these important subjects was the
revival OF, what he knew never would be revived,
the old compensation law, He wished now 10 in
quiIe, whether 1t ould be IN order (suppOsng the
rule lately proposed by the gentleman from Mis-
sour! not TO pass) to refer this subject to certain
day, say, the second Monday OF December next;
because he wished 10 call up the SUBJECT of i'm
| prsonment Tor debt, aud refer it toa certain da,
at the next session OF Congress.
The Chair said, according TO the present state e
| the rules, such motion would not he in order
Mr.. Macon said there was time now for The
| discussion q this question. He never wished great
questions sych this, to be taken up when the
members were exhausted; but he was very willing
TO take 1t up AT the first day Of the next sess on
and 80 18th il Ill il Was d -cled Mr. NJ sal!
he had been uniformly in favor of the district sys-
tenn, but or such mighty quesion-and this was
one tina; decreased daily la .ragnitude--;, coald
hardly he expected, that IN Gov eminent like this
! 1t couldb done At once. The gentleman from Mis-
sour might at-ty himself that this question must lie
/ decided by Congress some time or other The
cases he hac cited in England were certainly true
but the comparison did net hold with TIE character
! CT he two Governments, and the power of the
People. in England the right of votin, wa.
limit ed to few, and there were MANY boroupb.
which had but single vote. Here nothing OF
that kInd existed; here, every body votes No
person has the power of sending a member here;
therefore, the difficulties not, he thought. so
! great IN tins country as IN England. The idea OF
reform IS gone IN England at present Thouoh il
was known ia the earlier part of the Revolution
airy war such Is the character Of man. such hi. nm
willingness to part with it, that it was not I'm he
year I1Si hat the articles of Confederation were
signed; th,ge National i,overnn,ect till
liuen. Ihe moment peace came indeed before
ihe peace look place every inan in the United
States was conynced that the Federal Government
could not answer he purpose for which it was in
tended 1t was then the ear 1887, before an al
tempt was made TO revise this Government sin the
! opinion had progressed that the Federal Govc-n-
meni must be altered Ar NJ said when ,Ley
Looked back and saw how things progressed. the
Etn ieman Dould not despair OF his measure. hui
gle Tine Tor this principle to progress throughths
extensive country. lie did not know whether he
could go so lar with the gentleman from Keniurlv
as that gentleman wished. If the thing was rjubf.
an th"t was necessary was perseverance II tie
eope "eIe capable OF self government, " e
ought never 20 despair of carrying measures thai
were calculated to promote their happiness. No
great events were ever brought about bu, by per-
severance SO III these amendments we ouqht
not TO despair, but TO perseyere
There seemed % be, Nj. VI. said an opinion
prevalent, that the Constitution was 90 sacred IN
be touched Certainly il ought not 10 be amend o.
Ell on slight occasions. The first Congress that
mel under the FedeIal Government were so cor,,i,
ced that it wanted Amendment, that they nronosed
several: The lanllsi9 is' tq1se--lr!dn; SAID Mr..
VI Will never be discovered till you go into action;
you must Try II by experiment, and If. on eype,i
'"ent, ii does not answer the purpose then propose
/ 10 amend H. am against any amendment on
! mere theory; bat when Inconvenience is found
10 result rom ractIce j. is the duty of CONGRESS
7 TO provide that remedy which experience has de-
lhonstrated; and that Is the case in The present
! instance The inconvener ce has been felt. and
under this view OF the thing, ,hofe Is nothing IN
be alarmed at Look back TO The beginning Of his
| Government, and see how many scenes we have
| passed through Only leave the People alone ~
Their good sense, AID they will sci the thing right
/ themselves. This Government is founded on d.
principle ;hat ihe People have sense enonob 10 .,
vera themselves; and passion shouid on,eti,3es
-how i'seil, Il Will burn out and reason viii re-
sumo her throne, and the thing will come RIGHT -
II Is true there are times that are more lavor,-
Die than Others Tor getting any thing great done.
ana next session, or the session after that will he
as favorable time for getting this done a. any that
can happen. mention this because I do M,
know that shall be heretw years hence Elec-
lions viii take place new third will come ic,o
this body, members WILDE fresh, and this is great
object which will be agitated in all the elections
have no objection TO laying the resolution on
the table.
Mr.. Branch said believing as he did that the
pcTqe'oalon o. the liberties OF this People depen-
aea on me adoption OF the amendment proposed;
believing that II depended on bestOving on the
People he right OF choosng their Chiei Msris-
uatei believing, fur her, that 1t could not he main
iaineo without yielding an equivalent 20 the small
states; he rose Tor the purpose Of returning his
lnanls 10 the gentleman from New York (Nr.
an bdfcn) Tor TIE mapnaaimity he had DISPLAYED
on the 81 Cseui oCc1si ~, he had done on n n