Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-02-22

argument, indeed, Sir, unansyer.ble. berause i
one usurpation of power is 10 justify another
,nerei Is no rule by which we can be governed
iIeu principles are OF no value, & we have noug h
10 90 out commit error and plead our justification
ther eor, in the commission of other errors
w mar hen, Mr.. Speaker, is the amount of this
enquiry! Does i, not come back TO this thai
no change in the fundamental principles of the
constitution can take place without endangerinp
me "hoie instrument, and with it endaDgering the
! rights OF the people? Does il not come 10 this
'ha' u he principles ofrepresenta,ion be not fixed
ana Interchangeable, above leei sla,re controu, that
II is all farce TO talk of constitutional rights OF
any SOFT! WHAT principle more dear to the peo-
PIE! Which OF all their privileges do they guard
win more scrutiny and jealousy, than the one
"n'eh hey exercise at the poll! And, we
10 DE told, that they intended tn grant to the very
men themselves, who are TO exercise these esisla-
i've innctions, mo- only the rover of changing
'heiF character, by new grants of power to them.
selves, buI the power also of ahridgins the rights
OF the people in their choice? Not SO, Mr.
! Speaker.
/ The gentleman from Berkeley, in fur,herance OF
This dangerous and parricial doctrine, has endea-
Voied TO Prove, that fixed quantity Of land las
necessary qualification 10 voters) was recogniz.
e by the CONSTITUTIONS and ss vs. tha, no law exist
ed establishing the quantity; indeed sir this was
ooid posilion-the Gordian knot was TO be
slackened only BY cutting it, and the gentleman
I
81. at Large, containing the law of 1862, contain
ing an act of the House OF Burgesses, fixing the
qn'n'Iy OF landto SO acres of unimpros ed or 25
acres OF improved land, as the basis of suffrage
ar' Coiston here interrupted Mr.. Douthat, with
we purpose OF informing the House. that the law
IN question never received the royal assent and of
course never was law.)
MI DoushGt resumel-I admit, sir that King
ueo'Se never gave his royal assent 90 the law |:
ou' sr' IL was an assent not wanting for my
purpose Assent was given TO it by their Royal
'i'Hhhesses the People-An assent, sir, beyond
euhparison more to he regarded and esteemed than
an me powers and prerogatives of every sovereign
IN the world. Nor did his most gracious Majesty
give ms royal assent TO this grea, Charter of the
feopes Rights, under which we are now autho-
''sea 10 Ill here, In solemn debate, upon the Fri
vueset proper 10 be exercised by the people of
G"aiies Ciy. Yes, sir, his law OF 1852, esia-
oiished the regular, legal and distinct mode of
choosing representatives. and the Qualifications of
Vo'er and representative was made certain and
rendered paipabe 10 the understanding of the peo-
P'e' Chuer ms law ON ancestors continued TO
"c'' up 10 The trying times when this sacred IN
srunent was adopieI-and the great men, (bles-
Sings on tbemD who adopted IT, nerform.t that
sacred duty by authority OF the people acting un-
der this law. VIVA, did they mean sir, hy saving
mat Inc IlSht OF suffrage should be exercised as Al
present. III no mode OF exercising il " as in legal
existence! cannot consent to proposition
which goes TO fix upon the men of 30 such folly
The revsred names of Pendle;on, w the. Ma.
son. j. herson and Lee. have teen used, 10 sane
ton tins liberal construction of the gentleman
ron i'erkIey. II did my heart COOL TO lis en- 10
ms hish and truly eloquent comiums upon the
character OF orr noble and wise fathers cf the re-
voiutIon. Permit ne, also, TO accord 10 them my
most ardent gratitude, and join with The gentle
man warmly, in the full measure of his praise If
such had been their opinion, / should weld with.
out struggle. Indeed, sir, trenbed for nv
cause when the gentleman liz the heat of his ar
Sument, and under the iI.fineuce of his imaginary
triumph, announced the illusrious names in sInnort
OF ms POSITION. How was Irelieved, when from
ms own lirs asceriained the full extent and i'm
port OF that authority, Indeed, sir, nv heart
thrilled with absolute pleasure, when learnt that
so lar from being authority against me- the opj
mons ana acts oil these great men supported the
position for which con end What are the facts ;
In NOV 1875, a committee was raised to revise
Inc laws. Mark Jou, Mr.. Speaker to revise the
laws. This committee consisi ed of Messrs WyIbe
Pendleion, George Mason, Jefferson, and Thomas
L.. Lee. In iI79, they reported many revised
biIis Some were Immediately acted upon. and at
each session. the Legislature acted on others until
1883, when something like code was formed
Among those laws, were the disqualifying laws Of
bribery and corruption elections; a.,s disonaifv
ing inspectors OF tobacco, clerks, deputy clerks
sherlits, &c. sc. Not one of these disnnaIi6ra,
uons, says the gentleman from Berkeley were
imposed by the constitutions; and vet we find the
man VINO wrote The constitution, and his coIempo-
rarles III politics, giving construction 10 il which
Jstiiies the Legislature at this day TO con.nne such
construction. ~ conclusion most satisfactory il
founded in truth. But, let me remind YOU arain
sir that this was a Committee of Revisors; and
that, IN fact, every Of these laws imuosipo
disqualitlcatons pre-existed the constitution and
the very dsqual'fica!ions thereby imposed. were
excluded under the words, cor duly qualified ac-
cordIns to law" having retrospective applica-
non All these laws may be found in Ienine'
Statutes al Large Now, sir. this being the fact
does IL not prove most incontestby that thes,
great men, so far from giving the liberal consiIuc-
tlon coniended for, were governed by exactly on
posiie opinions! For they do not even suggest 4
restriction upon the right Of suffrage that was not
previously provided for. But, 10 The contrary, in
the general election law passed in 1885, they ex-
pressly declare that all persons entitled TO vote al
elections, shall be entitled to be elected members oil
either House OF Delegates. But sir, admitting
tor \ moment, that these gentlemen had sanction
ed the principle of universal power In The Ieeis-
IatuFe, where or when do you find them sanction
log the entire destruction of the trial by Jury and
tue new and inquisorizl doctrine Of trial by con.
science! Not ia their acts as reinforcement in
their opinions as statesmen Mo- No Mr.
Speaker, {, was not in The days of a Mason or 4
Lee, when Jefferson, Wylhe, and Pendleton as
sisted in their council, that such departures from
pure republican principles was 10 found sanction
The man who had declared that the trial by iur,
should be held sacred, and that no one should be
called upon to give testimony agtn-, himself
was not ono of those who in so few years yyoul,
yield such principles to those of character dia
mericaliy opposite. Let us no longer invoke IN,
spirits OF the llusrious dead in support Of princi
pies which, in life they abhnrr ed and enode,nnol