Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-08-22

Hear tins Important subject far, infinitely
far more worthy Cf attention than minC:--it sounds
deep and solemn from the vault where rest the remains
of Washington. 1t is addressed To- YOU gentcmen and
may be considered as uttering the last words of Jiug
father.
Say Washington in lis farewell address TO tue rco>
pie OF the United. States
81 have already i-ti,ratcd YOU danger of parties
in o State with particular the founding Of
them on geographical determinations. Let take
comprehensive YOU, IN the most
lmu against baue3ul effects OF tue spirit Of
patty, generally.
Tins spirit, Unfortunately. Is usepayabc hom
turc having in the strongest passions of tc human
mind. irxjstS u,der different shapes IN ala governments
les s'ijed c"no"lel or ep,csscd; bat Ia tn"' 81
The populIr or it in the Creates i0nkncss, a"d =
trulv their enemy
The alternate dominion OF faction another.
sh tpe"cd by the spirit of natural party diSSe
ton, which, in different and countries has perfetnacd
the most horlid ctormoS. j. itself hShul despotiSm
But this leads length a for,uai Gnd permanent
dcSpotsm. Tie disorders and miscGes which generally
result graduav incline the minds or men To seek security
and rrrcsc in the absolute power ct individual: and
later the chief of prevailing faction
able fortunate than his competitors. this dis
"spoS" 10 tie purpose of his own elevations tue ruins
Of public liberty
'Without looins forward to an extremity OF this Kind.
(vheh nevertheless ought no, to bc entirely out OF Sgh
me common and continual miscHirS Of the spirit of parry
"ncjont maze it the interest aud duty wise ueo-
re to discourage and restrain, it. II always dis
tr'c'e public Councils and To cnfeebe the public Adm
tistraiou Il agitaics the community with iii founded
lnalorsi and false alarns kndcs the luminosity
party agGns, auothcr; f,ents occa riot aud in
earrccticm. II cpenS foreign influence aud
rugion. hicr fud facilitated the governments
itself through the C. anncls of party pnsson- 1hus the
policy ar! Will Of enc country subjected the policy
nd will OF another
There IS an ".'':1n, that parties in fee counties
0Seiu !Aech VT2n the Administration Government,
and serve keep alive ..it OF liberty. This. within
certain limits, pobahiy and in governments of
mornrclrai patintsi may indulgence if
ro with avorr upon tho spirit OF party. But in those of
n"puar character, in governments purely elective, it is
spirit not tn be- encouraged From their natural tcndcn-
~ is certain there will always he eno"sh of that spirit
so every salutary pun pose. And there being
niger of excess the effort ought 10 be- Ivy force Of public
rAion. mitigate nni assuagc fire qucuch
e demands an uniform vigilance 10 prevent It's burst
"g into fame lest instead OF warming, it should
sumo"
Il" offering any thing further, gentlemen, on this sub
!3 should more probably weaken tlan add strength
or permanency To the inprcssion which these last words
OF the expiring father ut country calculated
make.
Returning. therefore from this intcrcstng cgression
we viii enicavnur to regain sight of primary OBJ
t" be made Ard duly considering the large draughts
have already made your patience, SHALL to what
remains, cndcavuur 20 he concise. We had begun,
wien mpefcepthIy lead aside from purpose, TO
anime the reasons that could be offered against our
proposition Of submitting the subject OF constitutional
TCfJrin to The decision of The people.
The objection, we have most met with against this
measure has been advanced nearly in this iOrm:-we
are content say the objcc;ors with Tie Constitution
a. il is:we opposed to any change; and therefore
viii neither promote, nor consent 10 any STEP that may
ICdd 10 4 change
Bat how. gentlemen, NAV taking The sense Of The
people lead 10 = Charge Can II lead TO change in
any other way--on any other snppostion, than tla of
there being majority in favour of a change; On the 7
contrary superstition, that there sha be foun} maio.
1'y on the other SIDE instead of leading a change il
lhave direct contrary leading it will tend TO set
the EXISTING state of things and put tie question (
onnstitrl iOnal reform at least for a time
Sat on the Snprosition, mat there is ai0fity in e.
90. q change charge ought unquc: onably to take
'ts5 What protested republican will deny this? Is
.lf ling ~e have learned in the science tf po-
e. ar Lncarned' Is our bill Of rights the intend
f-- the existing Constitution-is the fundamcn-
'..'- :" oi all republican institutions, and of all
RI. 81 ion 10 DC torn up; and tie absurd principle
., th&t%the will Of the minority ought to 90
..H -" Is the long exploded osuitical principle TO
a o'Ished, that we may do political evil for the
~."'ao3t al SONG Interior political good?
You uo doubt most sincerely believe that it would be
20 luf 60 reform the Constitution. But YOU will
..e .sa canjour TO admit that i:e friends Of reform
~ ~s.naereIy Of different opinion. And here re-
f.s. 'e question, which onni";; is to prevail? And if
- y: the majority, how it be carried into effect
N|!,ncut having previously ascertained hat ii s'
But there exists in the minds of many, another
against submitting this subject to the pcopc and which
suspect efficient than any yet noticed
This is generally kept under cover, being
cd presume as having TOO delicate constitution bear
much exposure the sunshine. 1t opinions
that the people arc really not trustworthy in this maer;-
that they undertake to amend the constitution, either inn
mcatcly through the agency of their representatives,
they viii make II wosc;-in other and fewer words tina
they are iucap abc of self government.
This incapacity presume, is be extended
the whole people cf tie United States to he confined
exclusively tic people Of Virginia. For the other old
have amended rncir constitutions; have corrected
their faults, supplied their defects and adjusted them to
existing statistical circumstances Aud the new states (es
thigcen number, forget which, have all framed
fuu beginning To end 4, task
surely difficult that Of repairing one) aud I'M
der which they prosper exceedingly And appears that
the people Of Virginia IN former capable of ma
nagins their public concerns FOR they made the con-
sijuom now in operation, aud which, considering the un-
favorable distances under which work was necss
saty d"nc certainly for rs al, di,paised
Whether ibis Old dominion has gotten her dotare, or
hv what olar form OF ecrpitude imbrcity or degcue-
racy, she IS now deb'>cd aud degraded below her sister
not informed But admitting fact. it still
appears To that something ought be with the
view of ac,n2 changing the present course of things
Those, who have discovered ucapacy sell Govern
Iuru may consider any interference as unnecessary; sec
ing, that ~ consequence OF tine existing limitation To- the
5ht Of suffrage aud the great emcrea-ug Inequality iu the
ratio Of cprcscnta on cvdeny aud pi5y tend