Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-01-26

'e3nSss possessed Oh the same c7paoNleS, nearly or
quite as well informed. more deeply interested in
The welfare of their country, diniinitely further
removed from the operation of Indirect causes
Are they not, in fact, the identical persons who
are greeted with the sppe:la,ion of Sovereign,
Whose viii is admitted To be the Of all power
and whose happiness IL proclaimed to be the end oil
all government Then, with what face can we
turn upon these people, and Tell them that they are
incapable OF exercising the Only attribute of sove-
reisnty which they have ever clamed-that OF cleo
ton
The existence Of slavery in some parts of the
supposed, by some 10 present an
'nsuperable obstacle to the plan of amendment pro-
posed by the committee. In HE opinion of these
persons, the operation OF the direct vote will in-
volve the loss Of the qualified votes which they
now give for their black population. Such would
tie the effect, if the plan Of the COM
mittee was the same which il was understood by
many to be, plan Of consolidation in which all the
veies OF all the States were TO be collected into
one general return. and the election decr~dto him
who had majority of the whole Such plan
would work an Injury not only TO the save-hoidny
states but IN greater or less degree, almos, ev
cry State in The Union for the qualifications of
the voters differing in each, prescribing free
mold Possession, some the payment Of 4 tax, some
a residence OF a few months others of year. and
others again the privilege of universal Suffrage it
would thence result that the same mass of popula-
'ionwould yield, in different States, very UNEQUAL
numter OF votes But the plan of,he COMMITTEES is
not one OF consolidation il disturbs no principle
ofrelaiive weight among the States now fixed in
The constitution each will give the same number
oil presidential votes with, or without the amend
mont" The States will be divided into districts.
IN the same manner as II for the choice of electors
The qualified voters will then vote for President
and ice President, instead of voting for an elect
or, and the persons having the highest number of
votes Tor these Offices respectively will be con.id
cred as elected in The district and entitled to
one vote 10 the result, it will be wholly inmate
rai whether n district containing a given number
OF souls, say 10000, shall possess one Thousand
or five Thousand qualified voters. The State will,
have its number OF Presidential votes and the mem
pie OF each district will give each vote accorJine
10 the'r own sense OF their own interest. The for
nation OF the districts, AID the qualifications Of the
voters, and tile regulations of the elections now
ers OF essential importance TO the States and mos,
capable OF being properly exercised by them. are
iett 10 the States respectively. Thus the plsn Of
me committee avoids all questions growing out of
the existence of slavery in some s. a,es. the vari
Gus qualifications OF voters in Others and presents
Ho' single objection, which would not apply with
equa! torae 10 the choice OF electors by districts
considering these several objections as etfectual
~ disposed OF, there still remains an aryumen, IN
De answered, which demands from all the friends of
our present forms OF government, the most res
Pec'iui anu deliberate consideration. 1t is one
"h'ch derives itself from sacred regard for the
rights OF the STATES, ard from an apprebens;on
mat the committees plan of amendment will tend
produce that consolidation OF this league of re-
puhics which every friead Of liberty must denre-
GAZE and oppose. If sach was indeed to be the ef
ieet OF their amendment, and the committee could
De made sensible OF II, they wouh be the trst to
oppose That Plan OF election which they are move
recommending with so much earnestness. Far from
looking with Indifference upon that Jealous snir;,
OF State rights which feels alarm az The sl;obtes,
NOISE Oh encroaehment they regard it as spirit of
nsPP'est omen, worthy OF being respectfully treat
cd generously cherished, and carefully kent alive
The preservation of the State Governments .ucb
as they ie'f themselves when they gave up psrt
OF their powers TO compose this Federal Govern,
nieh'' Is DOT only necessary to The well-beine of
the people within those States, but is pdispens,-
ole In The continuation OF the Federal Government
"sen 'hey are broken down, or materially
i" e"hehea' the y ederaI Government must cease 70
oe what II IS, must be broken down also, and re-
composed under some new and inini,e,y s,ronoa,
form. In all Its operations in defence of liberty.
ana IN AL ITS contests with foreign powers the Co
'eIhthehts OF the States can give the most efficient
aiG 10 The government Of the confederation and
II this latter should undertake any thing against the
l'es Liberties, or property of individuals the State
Governments alone are competent to check the
e'f9ach'neh' ana give protection 70 the rights of
'he siuZen They are tile best directors of all the
powers which were reserved TO the S,,,ss i, IL
convention OF 1887, and fthe time shall ever com.
When these reserved powers shall fall into the
"anos Oh me Federal Government, and be exercis
ed by members Of Congress drawn from ali IN.
sta'es the fate of the weaker members and .najl.r
'eouons OF the confederation may be read in the
'hs'ory OF all the confederate. which ancient or
n"uein times nave produced tyranny and op-
preston on the part Of the strong misery and doc
radation on the part of The weak; burtbens u,eoua
imposed benefits unequally divided & the most I'm.
Just uecrees enforced with arms penaltesI Such i;
the irgh'ful picture which the history of all sucb
cohederacles presents, and from which this. in il.
'.'h' coufu expect no exemption. The dread of
'hese evils should alone be sufficient to make us
'he rights OF the States with Jealous care and
maintain with inf1exible mness that eop;l;b,;nr,
81 power which was adjusted between then, All ~.
ederai Government, at the establishment az tho
present Constitution. But consideration ne ear
'gnes ana more imperious import, demands The
sane poiIcy. That consideration is this M,
L'derty Itself, uoW Hue longer in LEAcur n
1'ePuo"es, man an Republic ONE and nm,
';i'n reason and history support this propo-
.on' In 'Re hrsf place. it is certainly more diff
'uir 10 overcome many governments, acting to-
se'her ior common cause, than il would be IN |
oVertufn SINGLE government, possessed Of tbs;,
anhed territories, strength, and resources. IT.
history OF our own Revolution is pregnant ex.
ample OF this truth. In the next place. The CON
iuct OF the capital, in great nation, often decida.
ne late OF The nation itself. Thus W. have seen in
history 'hat whoever had Rome, had the Empire. |
"u, IN our own cay That whoever had Paris, had
france. But in league of Republics. the Cor
upton, covardice, or treason of the MetronoI;,sn
|hy, could not affect the safety of the remo,er
members OF the confederation. The mother csn,,.l
night open her gates to foreign enemy, or bend
ier neck TO the yoke Of domestic master b, o,hsr