Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-02-13


der The whitening influence of new and danger !
Gus principles, and gentlemen now ask usto adopt
ano her principle which goes to rob her OF one
tenth of her physical force. ViTgininia has hi
therto stood in the breach, and resisted with firm
consistency, every ak upon the true principles
of the Institution. 1t vii, be vain 10 oppose The
extravagant pre- ensions of the men in 20 er; 1t
will be vain to declam against the RICH; TO make
roads and canals; will be vain TO bear up against
the overwhelming destruction OF the tariff SYST EN-;
il we weaken sill farther, the only power In
which our safety can be { .und. This considera-
ton alone, would be enough to drive me with ter
ror, from the dangerous principle which gentle
men seeking to force upon US
My sixth objection To this ratio IS, that all The
safeguards which i, promises, are already found in
the present, organization OF the government. Re
presentation in the House of Delegates is by
counties; in the Senate, by free white population.
1.-THE small counties are most powerful IN this
branch of the Legislature, the large counties are
most powerful in the other. There then are found
mutual checks and exact balance. Neither
party can do mischief because each has power to
conroul the other; yet both may work together fof
all good and general purposes. Few constitutions
in the world can boast of 90 safe and happy a
iistr ibuon Of power. What more can gentlemen
desire' If they wish for power to do good, they
have i, already il they wish for power to do evil,
they ought not to have II at all.
have thus, sir, endsavoured to prove not only
that it is right in itself 10 organize the Convention
upon the principle of county representation, but
that no other principle would be either just or
wise. There is yet another feature in the amend
menis to which gentlem en- have not chosen 10 adj
vert in the course of this debate. They provide
that nothing less than a majority of the actual
freeholders shall call the Convention; that Is TO
say, that in asceriaining The will of The people up
on this subject, reeholders who do not vote, shall
be taken into the account. Who Ca. object to
this! Gentlemen profess to wish for Convention,
because, as they say, the representatives of a. mi
nority of the people rule in this House. Surely
then, they would not desire that any thing less
than an a-certaned majority OF the whole, should
change the fundamental order OF the government.
There Is important difference in this respect
between ,he,am.ndu ents and the original bill that
bill contemplates the call of Convention or no,,
according 10 the majority of those tcho pote. -
None but the acre and the alert. IS no can at
tend the polls, 10 be consulted. The ODD
who apt also TO be the wise the inii-m all
who are kept at home by accident necessity, are
excluded from all agency in this business. How
ever, important may be the stake which they have
! in the government, whatever fund IF experience
and wisdom they may be able 10 bring into this
| great consultation, their weight cannot be felt,
their voices canno, be heard. / may submit it 10
every genuine republican 10 decide between this
| plan and lis opp, site.
am conscious, sir, that have already had my
full share of the tine of the siouse, but before
conclude it is proper 10 adver, TO one or two
arguments of gentlemen or the other side. The
| gentleman from Fauqtier objects 10 the aIaend.
ments, because they submit j, 10 the Executive to
count the woes, and he is unwilling 10 trust one
man with such power. The Executive does moi
! consist OF one man, but of nine men but even il
! his power should be entrusted o one man, tber,
( l. little danger that lie would abuse il. L, is a
mere Office of numbers, which one can perform al
oil and III 81,
cnracy ofthe Executive in counting, and their in
| tegriiy in proclamng The truth.
| The gentleman from Petersburg I Mr.. May1 OBJ
! Jec's 10 the amendments, because as he suproses
| they empower the Executive to call a Conpen.
| ton. am surprised that gentlemen who are re
markabe for the clearne OF their views upon all
subjects, shonld fall in'o m sake like this The
amendments give M such power TO The Execu.
tive. nor do they even purrort to do 50. They
submit IL TO the people 10 say whe' her they Will
have Convention or not, and the Executive are
but The organs through which the people declare
| their own will Ia another.
The gentleman from Frederick has told us tha,
If the amendments be adopted, he friends of Con.
vention must vote again i the BILL And why So /;
The answer il found in another part of The gem
tleman's remarks. He tells US tina. it would be
4" worse than uselessio go into Con, eniion upon
county representation" And ~ Inv 500 Ii has
been shewn that county rel resenlalon will an =
swer all general purposes, and ii is, therefore, fair
infer, thar different representation is pr eferre,I.
or private and local purposes. Such, indeed is
the avowed object. II is to change The ratio of
power in this House, 10 take il from one portion
OF the county and give IL TO another. Ga this
subject, at least, the gentleman appears 10 be fully
instructed, and he must, therefore, abandon anotb.
er OF his arguments which went 10 prove that we
ought not not0 TO organise a Convention, because
we were not instructed as 10 the objects W hich the
people sought 10 obtain by H.
The same gentleman warned his friends against
the amendments, because they were counsel offer
ed by enemy, and he reminded them of the
classic Caution a. Tuneo Danaos Gc dona Gereu.
teS.' Sir, we oiier no counsel, except in that
-pirit Of deferentia respect, with WHICH the veal
must always approach the powerful Neither do
we bring any gifts. Satisfied with what has been
bestowed on us, although il has left US poor, we
ask only TO be let alone 4 ware that rover il
against US, we rest our claims only upon the strong
pleas of justice We ask that the hand which
is going 10 de-poil US, would stop something shor
oil our utter destruction. But are we not author
lied by the views which have been developed in
this debate, TO use this caution against the een,Ie-
man himself? The boon which he offers ~ ia
political principle, and we find in il the pr,ncinIe
OF universal suffrsge he offers political prIoci
pie, and we find in it claim of right to tax us
with all the bufthens Of government; he offers u
political principle, and the same voice sounds the
knelI OF our existence countless; he offers ne
political principle, and find in ii political
death! This is, indeed, the Trojsn Horse, perfect
IN shape, and to the eye, all symmetry and grsce.
But within Turk all the hostile PASSIONS and he
ho touches 1t, embraces destruction and DEATH
"a" Ifmeo DonGOs &C dona ferenfes."
Mr.. Speaker, have been compelled in the ex
animation of this interesting subject, 10 touch ON
variety Of topics May l hope TO I've excused.
while briefly recapitula,e them. Let il be re-
fnen'bsred, that am notsarguing against The final