Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-03-12

N''Hk tar-t -fHNNH ~ y IL 1890, 4
support Of tie passage y re CoGeenLoa BiM.
me question beirG on le passage Of the bin, NJ,
DhDE rose aud sail.
That the bill, freed ftou a.! jbo amendment. vii
"ni1n It's apponentS' have d~ie''n:fL 10 eulhaprsss !
Is no" upon ITS passage. IhS .,ajc, aucw .itatI -
not III the habit OF making louE srcechcs; !! Il. re tbcre
iote, they VIII excuse the toI 5Gi;ag p few rsin,r,xs :
t'Is already protracted debate a doiur this. I law
90 idea, that any thing | raa! : viii have tie ege,
OF changing a s'osIe vote crE a; ing the result of IN
question. My principal < -. i T., -.
The harac,er oFthis mes g =.
and . 5Sser'ycerfS. = -
.nadeFSfood. a Reporter has been admitted upon m;
nooJ; the arguments on both sides will be published
me PEOPLE may profit BY the points OF inquiry whicl
nave been here instituted.
MIR. Speaker-This yo7r Hs1e. mecl1 eve5 lo.o,L.
pe"ce Offering, desig ned Ia quiet d.sseps:on. nv deci.
ding a question which has long agitated the pubjic min,
and which should be hailed by every friend of rood orr
der in society, has been SO diStor,ed. dsf % y,cli md .,n,
nJ!ea oy lis assahants, as scarcely 10 be recopnized b,
lis own trends. Sir, what is the object of tho hill MOI,
under considerations? Tic object is merely TO reoujr,
oherihs and others, to ascertain whether a maio.iiv r
The jTeEtOtGerS are for or against calIing > Conyont;or
TO alter the Constitution Of the State.
II is f~a"Ahgtg asked why is it necessary that H.,
LeSisiatire should ~inte!prse in this matter, when III,
reoPS are co'"ee'e"t 10 Save a Convention and al;e,
ihe Constitution whenever they choose to do sno
The reason is 10 be found in The fact tba, to 49,,
proIeiy OF calling a Convention is a subject which ha,
Tor years occupied ihe attention ~ the People; and ,
large portion fthe community hare repeatedly nett
Toned me Legislature upon this all important rnattar
Had Ills b&i been discussed, merely with ,efaronr.
10 us avowed object, it wuuld got have been nrcessary
10 have entered much at length into its defence. but .s
X mas neen denounced as a Contention merstye-as de-
SISNtH and calculated TO promote The call of a Conyen-
ton and thereby, tie Prorriety of aheriDr the Coosti.
tuition, has been brought into debate, and in that uoio,
or view demands OF ITS friends some notice. The rlAn
Der from bTuslsW'ck lhir Dromgoole) wonld have the
Senate believe, that this bill was a perfect pandora,s box
about 10 introduce into this harry land OIL.
disease, death, desolation.
st another time lie represents it in effect to be a
second LTojNn Horse, 10 stalk through the country, Al
LED with nFRmd men, and that its policy is 10 rear nm =
baHd al political g~ladiltUrs; rather than 10 Cherish states
men, and patriots.
Here mir. naoMHouI.E rUse and EXPLAINED, that he
had spoken ct what IL Jeared would be the efFec, OF The
Mr.. DhDE accepted the explanation, and nroceedci
The 'nctnher tEoin Brunswick chossin~ TO view this bill
whether or not as designed 10 promote a Convention
charges IL as GatI-TePH6hcan: as uioLuiiny the represea.
tai'Ue prtnciPIe, by debating TO the people, echnt 10 Il,
as c0nfFGren7ag the Bill of Rights. which REQUIRES
majority 10 dter, reform or nboiih their Cover ,meot
Let us for a moment see how these things are:
SIR by this bill nothing is meant that does no, NEE
'he eye rs friends cannot be answerable for either Ia
:HS2itls0l misconceptions or miSYe presentations of oh
ers. II IN the fertility of their imagiuaiioBs, danger
spring up, lei them faint nnt,-arD, aud go forth: NJ
cause Of alarm exists in the bill; tue l1N Of Inc PeonJ,
IS its vital principle. We seek moi, we design not. Il
impair IN the slightest degree, one pr,pciple in #,
great Republican Code. Truth and Justice. we scare
for; the Bill of Ri5lis our guide. and these in connexior
with the welfare and glory of Virginia. Is il anti.re
publican to do what our constituents have reaujred n
10 TO, either expressly, or implicitly
Is 1t a violation of the representative urincinIa. an,
dicfatinS 10 the People. 10 provide a mode, ipaicafea b,
them, in which their will on an inJortanf subiect maI
most easily be asCeriaipa!:
IL Mr.. Speaker. these be miraculous q the great char
Ter oil Ci'ii Liberty, there rs more patriotism, ia The
breach than The observance Of them.
The gentleman from Brunswick. obiact s tn tb;s hin
as contraveIIng the bill of rights-wbicb declare
that a naGior'iy OF the community have the rrpht TO AT
Ter, retort1, or abolish their form of governments; ant
sought by his amendment, (which has very properI,
been TeJcctcd.) 70 compel US to show, that a majority q
all the Jreetohsers in the Commonwealth, now enti-
lied By lay 10 vote, were la favour of a convention
AYES and IN what article Of the bill of rights. are FIRE
hoideTS declared TO be the community? In this obiec
ton tie Is surely mistaken; ii ia that princ,rIe. we do
sire to cherish. He and the opponents OF this mea
sure, seem to consider, that (reehOideys are eycLusiycl
the boTmunity,a in which resides this rr,ht TO a1,eI
reform or abolish; ard therefore, we were bound {
show that n majority Of all those in the commonwealth
whether they came 20 ihe polls or not. we're desiro1
OF rciorm-bcfore a move is made to effect it.
Ahe trends OF convention are more than generou.
they cOncede too much, when thew consent 10 SUNNI
this great and inherent principle Of civil liberty nm
Tree government, Ia the jreebrlGerS, a mere fraction;
part Of the co"Fnmiiy; creatures OF ksgisir'ion: broug}
into political cxis'cncs ~ government, preyiouslv %
tabI:sied, a description Of peG@ons unknown in the hi
, - A'3N'e'
I In submitting this all inpor tant question 10 IL
2 avbitTamenl OF Po"tlon Of the community, ]accerdin
2 to the provisions Of the bill, we do il under the conf
dent belief, fhat If a majority OF those in " hose hand
= political powe r is nov vested, are favourable TO reform
8 1t cannot admt Of a doubt, ihat a majority Of the no
treebolders, or those w'ote sower and privileges ar
, SO essentially abridged, will be st.o.
Tue member from brunswick in contendinr for hi
amendment, which required that the whole number O
qualified voters in the State should be aecertaiped, in
umsied that measures might be taken to call A convcn
ton, when there was not an actual majority in Gyou
ofconyention. Sir, beg leave to assure the gentleman
as one OF the friends Of Ghs bill. and of a convention
however much may desire reform in The present con
%stitution; wos!d not consent TO organize a conven
ton, unless a decided majority oFthe community dcsi
! red IT,.
The foundations Of society should not be disturbo
but FOR good cause; and then only when a majority {
such a community a. The bill Of rights contemplate
desire il, viz: "Jhose having sufficient evidence
permanent and common interest 10 and attachment
tic community"
In furnishing the legislative aid, contemplated b
/ fhIS bill, we pursue the lanrlape NJ I,oeo t-bo ro,r,