Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-03-21
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURES.

III. BcrndrdS Speech i7l the Senate Of I-irgi;aia
on the Contention Bill
Mr. Bernard remarked, that very few coneiIa
rations indeed would have induced him to infrinec
the prudent and becoming silence which as y
junior member of that respectable body he had i'm
posed upon himself, and which indeed so well com
ported with the quiet and unoblrusiye habits Of
the profession to which he belonged, nor should
.:e even on the present occasion, have obtruded
himself on the notice of the senate nor trespassed
on an indulgence TO which he felt he had so little
claim, but that he was informed by gentlemen,
whose skill! IN such computation he had no reason
30 doubt, that upon very few votes, POSSIBLY a
single one, might depend the fate of this inDor-
tant measure. Occupying then, as he perhaps
nIght III relation 1t, position of awful and
fl0mentouS responsibility, il was due TO the neo,Ia
OF this commonwealth, to his constituents. 10
that house, and TO HIMSELF that he sbouId
state, as he should endcavor very briefly TO do.
some OF the reasons which would influence his
course irlregard to it. Sir, said Mr. B. disdain
disguise under any circumstances, and If / were
even imbued with chat obliquity ofmoral principle
inregard TO the means by which ends, however
Legitimate, are to be attained, which characterized
the celebrated Nicholas Macheavelli HIMSELF
(whose proper name sir, has, however unustlv
become the proyerbal appellaiion Of knaves whilst
bis christian name Is a SYNONYM for the deyiIA
yet. sir, would at least endeavor 10 initiate ths
BOLD and fearless candor the redeeming sincerity
so conspicuous in the works of that extraordinary
man. Sir, stand forth the open, the avo,yed. the
decided, and yet trust the Just, and even the
generous enemy, not only TO the ultimate object
q this bill, but still more so, 10 the means bv
winch 1t seeks TO attain 1t; and yet let the lists be
but tairly marked out, let the space which divides
Its friends from its foes be surveyed and Invested
OF every thing Ike ambuscade; let the issue be
fully and airy made up between u.s. & then will 4
cxclain an the language ofanticnt judicial com
bar, 9" God shew the right succor the oppressed.',
aud / will add still more fcrvcntly sir. save
this commonwealth. 1nregard to the Ultimate OBJ
jsct OF this BILL IL is perhaps unnecessary as well
as unreasonable that should say any thing: nor
should have done so, but that the uncomvrorni-
sing spirit TO say the least Of IT'D manifested bv
Us friends, added to their example, would seem 10
impose upon its enemies, in some sort the corres-
p1ndlns duty Of opposing it by all fair means
On this branch Of the subject, however, I shall
content myself with very few suggestions which
: Halter mysefeyen at this late stage Of the dis.
cussion OF this much vexed question, may posses
something OF novelty, if not OF force / am not cir
Of the class OF Observation-Disclosures who sickle
ior Tie absolute perfection OF the existing consti.
luton; on the contrary, 1 think that in Common
with others, discern in it some defects not how
ever Of sufficient magnitude TO be compared with
81 , benefits TO be hazarded by a convention. I
would not discard warm and comfortable cloak
merely because il happens 10 have ouflaqted the
fashion Of the present day, because if like the
LceiSlative and Executive branches of our roy
eminent, IL IS little too full ia is drnensnps. nor
would uprOot the tree, which for serics a
years hos yielded fruit full at least as good as those
49,. fsiiDSis anu nus slldueu ana sheltered
pWclhng, merely because Of few withercd Or
'nperiiuous branches. In regard to the two CT.
eltnstances, which b. some are regarded as evil
81 more insuneiabl magnitude, in The inequality
"a the representation, aad the restricted rigbt O.,
freehold suffrage, contend that the former &
purely theoretical, and That The latter If not -fict
lysos at least guards against evils, much greater
thon those It ibflicts ! appeal 10 peptlefoer, re-
presenting those sections fine State, which In
tho fluctuations incident 20 all new counties nov,
have Na' pTenon1srsnce in population. which but