The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1828-06-16

niinisiiY rinp'Vy.,i ~ - fIsisetipns aud ri =
/ CHAMBER Invested with paspsfs Tor making rep
Pa,"tioas she'iid Cease 20 be governed by dc
FUNGI ininislr,
SPEECH or GIN. LAFAYETTE.
| Gen. Lafayette was eallrfi TO the Tribune
] LLsident e'nolioa 10 eli parts ofthe Assembly
aud among the public tibnHes. profound -
lence soon succeeded
Gentlemen, said ihe Hon. General, when I
presented myself in support Of the bill, u was N
/ the firm hope thai your amendments would ren
der u Cooperative | persist N the belief. that
the law ~ Us present STATE may be GUIDED, na'
only by an ill-desienins ministry, but even IN
! der the eNis'Iug ministry. by secondary agents
under the direction Of other Influences. (Slsht
mnrmur IN the party theright.) This question
has been discussed with so much enthusiasm
and intelligence, by my honorable colleagues,
| that II barely remains for me 10 repeat, IN an
Imperfect manner. what they have SAID. vail
then hastily feespifniate few mean. by which
II may be pai into execution, AID will oIer
! few brief observations ON our present system
ofleg IN the fir,i place, however, Cen
tlemen, permit the oldest veteran ofthe Partisan
| National Gna,d (murmufs on the right )-Gen-
/ tienlen resumed the speaker with energy, permit
/ the oldest seiern Of the Partisan National Guard
Of 50 TO rerali with what resolution one gifts
most worthy ehefs has lately avenged and asser.
! ted his rights. G.igely expression Of apprdr
baton on the leff--ptolound silence ON the
flgh)
! conference.-the principal foundation Of re-
preventative governments Is, that citizens shall
be sub'ocied oely to laws and constitutions a.
! greed TO by them or their represe itativrs IN
! deed. the name of representative government
can only be applied in proportion as this nation
al right is exercised. This truth was acLuow-
lodged and in the most solemn Of our national as
! srubes / would he iniudieious to coni0und
/ the doctrines of representation with political
/ tempests, for see them elsewbcr in practice
10 the great benefit of liberty and prosperity, the
! public and private tranquility of the rasi aud
hurry county tctere Meg arr The most completely
esinbiished.-( Different movrments.)
! The French representation, unfortunately vi
| oiated IN different cases, was entirely deStroyed
only by the fantastical constitution oil the year 3
and by The party which knew how to produce
from it the pc ,erful genius of nbsolutism I'm
der the imperial system. France was. in this
respecl reduced to a state of civil degradation
not 10 say sufficiently injured by an extinction of
! her fame the brilliant exten ION Of the glory Of
| the eight preceding vears.--Gcntlemen the
chief glory. the true honor at nation. is liberty
! dive appreciation on The left, low murmurs
the right. We begin TO be relieved from the state
| Of political death by the dispositions Of the
J Chatter, the ROYAL pledge Of RESERVATIONS At
Ter these dispositions gentlemen, seventy thous-
aud electors. exercising with perfect equality OF
! tights the elective franchise, the ministry be-
| fore the las, believe have double rig as =
| legislator aud citizen to saw have not, against
he spirit of the charter, aud ia my opinion con
trary to tbe simplest rules OF reason introduced
! the article yulgary called the double vote, hv
which the fourth part of the electors have the al.
| dilonai privilege of voting twice for the same
chamber, that is 10 say; for the ouly branch
Of the legislative power which is moi hereditary.
! II - that, gentlemen, winch Our constitutional
politicians call the democt attic pant Of our repre.
| sentative government. and iha which to the
others. is bui the excess of Intolerable denia-
| gogy.
Whether it is, gentlemen, as YOU have heard
! { ON our honourabe colleague the first speaker
that Il is the tendency of he public sphJt, To
weld II the voice Of counter re- buttons and Oh
| scruqatiml, the last ministry lound themselves
obliged toempoy the means ofyoence aud fraud
which YOU have Justly stigm lized by the name
ola dtplDrabe system, voice on the let, We
good > II is to prevent the return Of this svs
ten that the present ministry proposes the pro-
jecf o. law OF which have no doubt e TIN
good faith, bur which | can say 18th candor, nm
de- the present organization oil the adminislfa-
ton i is difficult TO carry into execution.
In effect sc 'tlemen. IN sufYa, Ing tbs biera
civ, cunnjngly orgtised, by the mp rial usur-
palion % fbe lights ofthe French people, re
g.ol>y maintained until the present time nv the
restoration. It is IN vain that Ne SEX for = par
/ i'ele of independence. (Murmnrs On the right,
connfe, balanced by marks OF appreciation on
| the lett)
! Projects, subprefecis, councils Of prefecture
OF communps. of circles of departments, mayors
| assessors of contributions, even lusiicesof The
| peace, all the creatures OF power, ieyo-
cable al will-Let US proceed to vote the Jaw
which the principle Of election reclaimed on all
| parts. has rendered the life Of the admiuistra-
tons, communal, departmental. and the magis
trates but has reduced to Just bounds the exar-
bHant powers of these projects. of whom the
name itself had been dug from the runs
of the fallen empire No, without doubf !;
hut il is the means Of execution which we can
vote on the subject.
I proceed to speak of some Of them.
Without arguing with Mons the reporter on
the primitive aad integral propricty Of the le-
gislative power, and on the great taitfu9e allow
| ed according to him, TO citizens exercising this
power, | az with the honoufabie opinions
previous, which reclaim the penalty, a condition
necessary 10 all law; would have the accusation
carried before a jury ask above all. that they
should not want the authorization Of state eoun-
sci. Already II has been recognized in all parts
Of this chamber and on the bench of ministers
that the privilege of counsel of state had want
ed great changes already the excel tion exists
of pccuniary extortion, and why should ii not
exist when the business is 10 name the depui,
who is by his vote to decide on the receipts and
expenses of all France
The discourse Of my honorable colleagues
has left me very few observations to make /; but
II remark in passing, that the privilege given
10 councils Of prefecture, having for lis object
the obtaining nfa further guarantee, win have
in THEN present composition. and IN heir iudg~
ments with closed doors, the miychievous ef-
feet Of diminishing. without great advantages
the responsibility OF the projects
One of the faults oil oar electoral system is in
the manner in which the contributions can he
divided. Gentlemen, il they represent 10 you.
T that in FIJI the electoral quit-rent AT three
hundred francs Of contribution, the charter hns