Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-05-22
WRITTEN CONSTITUTIONS.

WRITTEN CONSTITUTIONS.
i"e following btef article contains interesting
taken from Ae Roll. Office Of the Sat--we had no id
that the Constitution Of Virginia preserved such rous
'ofn-aud 'e.mi strange, that while are n,erb,.
%" PaeAssn the Constitution Itself should written on ma
Oniy ~ the manner lf rough bsrhe reference 10 T.,
Copy ID the Feds,s Coniton, as adopted by Vrs;r;a
'h'" the sense IN which she teek the ou, clause 80 o,
the words provide forthe Common d.f.ne,
and general welfare" convey substantive power but the,
are 10 taken ~ the same they employed in ~
The limited Articles IF the Confederation from which they
lite rally copied W. have Doubt that the copies nf IN.
eo'ti' uon adopted by the ether States, have hi, e,
written 'h ihe same Way as that pfVirsnia is:
FOR THE ENQUIRER.
Having examined the original copy of the Con =
! s'iuiion of Virginia, / am enabled 10 answer The
enquiries of " Friend TO Written Constitutions >,
with regard TO The alteration suppo. ed have beer
made In the 'hireealh section OF that insrurn emit
brutn' - certainly '"isakeD III supposing that The
original IL enrolled or Parchment; this onIx
written copy DOW to be found among the Ar
chves OF the General Assembly il on paper. moi
enrolled as other Ordinances of Conyen,ion we're
and as all laws OF Ordinary Legislatures have al
ways been, examined by Committees and s,,ned
by IN. Speakers but III the manner rough ols. of
the same period, were usually written with era
suTes AMI interimeatIo,s in slnnost every usee
aud some OF these making alterations OF grea;
importance
With regard 10 the particular WORT alluded To
there Gan be no doubt, the appointment OF milnia
officers may be made by the .'Goyernor with the
auVIce OF the Privy Council, or recommendations
nom the respective County Courte;" The word
now stands plainly - orr but uyon a close ex
animation you may discover that il was originally
on' and thar part OF the last letter has been
scratched out with knife This, though a mos,
important alteration, Wi! excite TO sulpr,ze how
ever when you 6nd many other Instances in the
same instrument where both the knife and pen
nave been used with much greater freedom; for in
stance, wherever the " crds " Seuate'' & q. Sem
a'or now occur, the words were originally
" Honse Of Senators" and 81 members of the
Ho"se ~ Senator's" The original words not hay
ing been SO entirely oblIterated 10 make then,
itesibIe In the section creating the Council. ard
pre-crihing their term OF office :,yo entire lines
are marked out with the pen, which, if retained
would nave secured members elected TO sunni,
oacdncies oeedstoned6y resignation, iacapdcity
or deatd In the Council, from the un pleasant Or.
GRAFTON OF the scratch, until they had served three
ye'r-' and where elected short time after the
removal oil the TWO required, would, by the ore
ration OF The clause, have ensured heir continu
auce in Office for nearly six YEAR P.eban. ona
DINER Instance oithe-e changes would mol be amiss
IN me fourteenth sertion, wheIe he persons who arr
dSqaalihed iro1 being elected members OF either
ffouse or Assembly are enumerated, a certain
gentleman OF the last Legislature will perbaps he
surprlz'd 10 hear that he was twice excluded
from that body. i'y the operation Of one of these
lnteTined clauses. Tire words of the Constitution
nov are, g These officers shall have fixed and
adequate salaries. and, together with all Others
holding lucrative offices. aud all Ministers of the
Gospel at eDe1y denomination. be incapable of
being elected member OF eiihe. Hou.e OF Assembly,
or the Privy Council;' the words in Italics az in
teFlned, and constitute most admirable provisnp
OF that section.
The Condition Of the original copy of this in
stfuneht is, to my miHd, conclusive argun ent i'm
coH0ooration OF Mr. J=ffrrson's idea that the
Constitution, as then drawn up, was only intended
TO answer temporary purposes, and hence the res
son II was not fairly enrolled and signed by The Pre-
sident Of the Convention.
have examined also the original copy of he
ratification oil the Constitution OF me II State.
by the Convention of Virginia, il. June, 1888
which has these words written In the hand ,O,;,;,
Of the President OF the onven,ion at the end Of
the instrument: g Done il, Convention this t,ren
ty Strh day Of June one tkousand sepen hun.
dTed and eighty eight. By order of the Con
ueHtiOH, EdD'. PendIefon, President - Aud
find ne 9Th section Of The LIST article TO be in this
form aud In these words, HteratiDi ct punctuusig.,
to wit:
:" The Congress shall have power
10 lay and collect Taxes, Duties Imposts and
Exci4es, 10 pay he Debts end roYiie for the com
mon Getsnce and general welfare of the u States;
but all Duties. Impo-ts end Excses rhall be uni
form Throughout the United Slater - This there
fore, is certainly the reading as adopted by Viz
sinla.