Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-04-24

'N'0u w hiH,, IN Tie House Delegates al
session OF the Virginia Legislature.
DR. Speaker: The intrinsic weight os tho srb;act no.
oe us combined with the ability the gentleman who
naS 'n's moment closed his argument in favour of Ire
amendments under consideration, warn me- of the al
most overwhelming difficulties have I'm a,c,r,,or :;
addressing the house. But, SIR doe.rine. b., y 49,. "a
ranced powers have been claimed for the General As
en'u'y "n'cn cannot conceae they possess and the
eAe'oNe OF "hcn, my duty as 4 man, Citizen and
representative, alike compel me 10 resist
Before proceed TO consider the arguments of IN.
gentleman II IS necessary should notice the rcna, he
aae' 'hat The gentleman iro,n Amelia (NIr. Nasl)
I'D, aro"eu no such sentiments those had atribu
'ea 10 INN in my reply" have but 20 say upop This
SUBJECT, that the gentleman from Amelia and did nm
each oter that lie explained and that tax p
HIS explanation, as what he had said and what had
understood him to say, proceeded il, nv repv ythor
interruption: under these circumstances the gentleman
tir. Cpshur says, that misunderstood the member
from Amelia, (air. n that he had not said the ;.egs
azure cou!u n'' Observation-Disclosures of the
explanation OF the gentleman from A,nea and lis az
Ter concurrence IN my statement OF his argument
nave written notes of the expressions which fell from
him, and which | made the moment
The same Gentleman aIr. \ has said in Jefonco
OF the principles asserted in his amendments the liz
mutations, ''wi!l be considered npused by nsruc
ton; tor the members this House must ALWAYS he
considered as acting under positive implied instruc
ton" Sir agree that 10 reference TO subjects os nv
binary legislation, this position is correct but is this
CT those subject which it was contemplated the
General Assembly might pass aw? Did il ever en-
ter The mind OF any nan IN Virginia. that The people had
instituted Government, which fctered and sac e,l
them, that, without its permission they ccud not -,
ter or abolish II: Sir the amendments are based uDon
TINS luea and The argument of The gent cnlan is in en-
ded 10 support 1t, although he has not been candid G.
nough TO avow IT. But, what is tie fact in rel ton TO
the instructions which the gentleman has ate;nned IN
persuade those opposed to The Bill they are TO act uno
lie does not assert that there are any positive instrrc
TONS but rests ms whole argument the ground that
their Constituents are opposed 10 Conventions and
that therefore, Lacy implicitly instructed TO vote
for his amendments. Here beg leave to state INV he
lief that portion OF the people of this Commonwealth
nave ior an nStan the pectaoD that my
question was 10 be decided NJ the present session but
that for taking the OF the people fsuch he the
act, gentlemen can moi prop themselves upun the doc
tT'ne o. implied instruction; and the especially
as me amendments propose to orgGave Coavenlion
and limit its deliberations and ootrers 4 fe,g specified
o5ests Can it be believed that the Genera; Assam,
bly, Should prescribe bounds and limits their auor-
~: will answer for them-No!! They have never
contemplated that law prescribing rules for the Or
ganization, and defining the of the authority of
Convention, was 10 be passed before il decided vhe
tier they could call one put the caudonr of the
gentleman TO say whether lis constituents expected or
desired it. Sir, If s!c ionse adopt the amendments
they can only do it on the ground Of implied nsruc
ton, the existence OF which is not pretended These
amendments contain principles at war VIII, ;he Main
raj rights OF man, they are TO act upon him, il such
thing be possible, IN that condition in which he was be
fore he into society An ordinary acl of the r.
s!aiure, and tins can be nothing more, cannot extend
in lis operation, and cannot he binding on the members
of society," beyond their mere social state ncorooratc
the amendments with the bill. and you will not ONLY
have said, that you have the power to dictate to the
people what they shat do. but you will be gully of
| high handed usurpation itself
1t has also been observed, that witRort the Ienis
iauTe prescribed the organization of Convention
Warwick would send her SIX hundred and forty inhab
iians and other counties their thousands 10 conven
ton and IN their contests for power there would be
bloody arena" True, there would be bloody arena
the hundred IDha bitauis Of
and attempt TO enforce right to neuiraye the yo;c.
OF twenty five thousand persons from Torloun hacare
under the present constitution, they enjoyed that right
in the House OF Delegates. 1t could NOT be eyDectei
that the people from I-cudoun would weld TO this nm
Just and arbitrary demand, nature never designed
that the people of Warwick should possess more Rover
than their neighbours But the gentleman says that,
unless the Legislature prescribe rules for the
ton CT Convention, blood would be split The amend
ments can have no influence in preventing i.-aH nov
er will be therc-the sovereign authority Will be as
Sembled; and no law bind il, but such as il enacs
or consents to--Nhy then adopt then2 Let US s;,n.
pose that the inhabitants of all The counties shouid meet
in Convention; that the members of this House were
present; that Warwck's six hundred should demand an
equal voice with thirty thousand from other couc
~, and offered IN support of their right This DILL with
these would be tie repl,2 do Won,
believe the concession would DE made could your law
bolster their claim would il be of any force3 I con-
ceiye not sir-Xet ii would be an act of the I~risla-
tute and would be valid in that assembly, as will
be- in Convention Of the representatives of the same
people. The persons WHO made tine law are then in
Convention, the power which was delegated to them
has melted under them, and those who zn9e them are
exercising in person their unlimited and iIlmita-
bic sovereignty. And this in the presence of the SANG
who enacted the law, and who. General Assem-
bly, have precisely the ratio of power which they
have IN Convention, and If thew have more
in The Legislature, whence is ii derived Is there any
grant ~ the Constitution, Let gentlemen point ont
viii the gentleman assert that lie people have confer
red The nonstrous power On The Legislature, to act up
l., 81 Il
ton but in their natural siate for they must be- in
settling aue'yhe fundamental aw?hnd, sir. If they
had granted The power 10 The Legislature to limit their
actions still, when they met in Convention, tie power
granted would be rcinyesed in them; they ,youd be de
liberatiHg for themselves. There bcipg no necessity
for its continuance the agency must cease as matter
of course. Having in my reply 10 be member from
Amelia, (1Ir. NJ unolded large my views on the
powerlof The General Assembly, to limit Convention
will not longer claim the attention Of the House to
this branch Of the gentleman's speech.
t,-A ,o, ! =. 1t