Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-03-02

larceny brings disgraee--great frauds on the peo'
pie produce honor. The iyrant scatters splenGor
over his crimes; and corruption sheds indemnity
over it's victims. Such is the fascination which
exists in power, TO charm every thing with which
il comes i'm contact. He could not, however,
consider it but as felony, to come to power by
any other than honorable means. He is felon con-
vct who obtains it by other means, and the monu-
ments are around him which testify against him.
Are we exempt Are the statesmen Of the U.
States more pure No. The People, for the
reasons which he had given, the peculiar structure
of society, are superior to the People of England
But there is no country where Office has more at
traction than in the United States. He had felt
more modification this subject than any 9th .
er during his political life. Public men here as
fond of patronage as in any other country.
He did not say this in censure, or in praise. HUI
man nature is the same every where. We are,
however, somewhat worse than in England. "A |
member of Parliament would disdain TO accept a
petty Office at the hands of the King. A member
OF Congress will accept any office. Pitt, the
elder, threw his commission in the face of his
eregn, when he found his principles would Ion
ger prevail in the cabinet.
We all prncipes--all the colors of the
rainbow, in our cabinet sacrifice of principle
at the shrine OF power. Burkes celebrated descrip-
ton OF the motley administration of England would
exactly suit US. Members of Congress, like all
other men when exposed to corruption, are always
conquered. What gives to patronage this great
power Every man is fond of display, and of
| showing it. This is our weakness. We are as
weak and corruptible as others.
We have never yet been ed to crisis suf-
hciently distrinct to prove ourselves. We can
give no Judgment in events in which we are our
selves actors. Hitherto, the men of the Revolu-
ton have presided over as. Their hardy virtues
were incorruptible. But the sceptre has passed in
to the hands ola new generation, and he feared
| init Of bad
are not OF the same hardy receive possess none
oil the virtues of the field. We are not 10 argue,
because the fathers of the Revolution have not
been corrupt, therefore, the present race will not
be corrupt 1t had been suggested to him by
| gentleman of another country, that this Govern
ment would not hold together, because it had not
suilcient patronage to cement it. Look forward to
the next fifty years the population of the Uni
ted States will then be fifty millions When we
nave twice the population of England, what must
be the extent OF our Executive patronage 1t is
growing up around us, and must grow in propor-
ton TO the number and wants of the population.
with the vast multiplication OF Offices, rendered
necessary by this increase, patronage will be ire
sistible, ifbrought to bear on a small BODY.
1t Is the part OF wise men to resist in their ncip
lent stages, those political evils which, if not re-
| sisted now, never can be. He would saw, on the
authority OF history. no nation ever fell into degen-
eracy-corruption never took hold on People
/ afterwards
Ii must be checked at first never.
The peculiar danger to be apprehended is.
change in public opinion. What is the principle
OF hereditary monarchy ? The People find their
government become corrupt, that they prefer
Government of chance. The People ofthe Uni
ted States prefer hereditary monarchy 10 cor
rupt government. To obviate this, he wished to
take away temptation, to preserve Congress pure
and to elevate 1t above suspicion, TO make it de-
serve the public confidence, and to have it.
In order to obviate the objections founded on the
destruction OF the contingent equality of the small
States, he would observe, that his proposed amend
ment does little more Than restore the old constitu
ton. The original proposition was, that each
| State should vote for two persons for President .
which rendered the contingency acknowledgements
The change of the constitution and other csbssk-
have destroyed the compromise, by making the
event almost certain. Before the time of Mr. LES
terson, the only fact which could affect the election
was an equality of votes. Jefferson and Burr
stood on an equality The change was then made,
which, in effect, prevents its recurrence
4 No man had more disposition to preserve the
i rights OF the States than himself. What is the
condition ofth state (Delaware) so ably represent
ed by the Chairman 1.-THE Committee Can DEL
aware complain that she has not power ? Her
population Is not more than that of the District re-
presented by his friend from New York. TNIr
Storrs. She has, therefore, three times the eIec,o
mr.
Pennsylvania. The security of the small states he
regarded as the preservation of the Union and
their security consists in the destruction of all
combinations in the large states. The small states
are iavorite children of the constitution in
respect. The smallest state, if attacked by an enc
my, has right TO call all the power of the Union
to her defence. They cannot enter into a CONNIE
uton OF power; their best security is the perfect
unity of the system, destroying all distinctions that
could tend to their oppression
But will the United States ever submit IN he
governed by minority ? Will New York agree
that Rhode Island and Delaware shall exercise az
much power she What must be the effect of
such system ? The large States will combine.
The people of the large states will never submi,
that any other power than themselves should gov
ern. Shonld the present effort be resisted with sue
cess and should The constitution not be amended
before the next Presidential election, he PLEDGED
himself 70 bring forward a proposition for con.
vention ofthe people. If you will not give the
amendment, The people shall rise above YOU and
will you endeavor to keep down the lion with
cobweb /? Where then will be the small States
Where will be the eventual power He hoped the
small States would not hold out, so as to induce the
large States to crush them.
/ Have the people of the small States distinct
power distinct interests, from those Of the LARGO
States The object is to have the President the
choice of the People. They have an equal inter.
| est in that with large States. The Representative
of small state, this floor, ifhe possessed the vr
tue Of Cato cannot escape suspcion; s. he had OBJ
served with pride some of the members from small
states expressing desire to escape from the res
| possibility. He had seen the vote of small States
| given against the voice OF the People
| The great object is an equitable compromise be-