Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-05-02


| On .tiT. Fools amendment to the Rides IF tn
Senate, By tchich il tcds proposed to gire Ia
Pice President the right to call to order Jo
| tcoTds spoken an Debate.
tCoNcLUDED.1
In every point of view said MIR. v. b., in which
this subject had presented itself to his mind it haC
produced but one sentiment and that was unqua
ned opposition to the prerogatiue claimed for tn,
chair. Although this claim of power is now fo
the h-st time made, the principle in which it org
mates IS as old as the government itself. l lool
upon II, Sir, as the Legitimate offspring of scboo
oil politics, which has in times past, agtated and
greatly disturbed this country--of a school, the
tieAding principle Of which may be traced to thai
great source OF the political contentious which have
pervaded every country where the rights OF man
were IN any degree respected. j allude, Sir, 70
that collision which seems 10 be inseparabe from
The nature OF man, between the rights of the fear
and the niany-to those never-ce asng conflicts
between the advocates ofthe enlargement and cO1i-
cslffGt3o of power on the hand, and its liDfi-
ttotlon and distribution the other: Conflicts
winch, IN England, created the distinction between
" hISs and Tories, the latter striving by all the
means. within their reach 10 increase the domin-
ion and influence of the throne, at the expense of
the commons and people; and the former TO coun-
teract the exertions of their adversares by abridg
ing that dominion and influence for the advance
inent OF the rights and the consequent amelioraton
OF the condition of the people.
Collisions OF opinion and of action, of character
similar III principle, have existed, although under
inherent denominations, with different limits and
Tor different ends, in most countries, and in an en-
lhent degree in this. Indeed, the history Of the
struggles, the contests, the alternating victories
ana defeats OF these two restless and rival princi
pies, Is the history of all republican governments
IN TACT, OF all institutions formed for the protection
OF the nberty OF conscience and opinion, and the
freedom OF the citizen. No where can its opera
tion be more distinctly traced than in our own ear
~ history They were the primitive elements,
and anlmaiing causes OF those Wing and Tory par
ties. which, from the first Congress of 1865, down
10 The glorious peace Of 1888, on the hand la
poTed increasingly 10 consolidate all legislative
monty over these provinces in the single British
Parliament and 10 place all patronage power, and
influence IN the hands OF the executive and Judi
clai representative OF the CT0IC; and the other
hand, as boldly and persey eringly, but happily
more successfully, vindicated by reason eloquence
and finally by arms, the rights OF the several Anne
rican States, and the just powers of the imme-
ciate representatives OF the peODie. The estab-
iishinent of our independence put an end to
these conflicts, in the form III which they had
before been sustained; but what its effect was
upon the spirit that produced them, could be
better Judged from an attentive consideration of
our subsequent history. Attempts, said mir. Van
buren,, have frequently been made in later days,
and recently by the highest authority in the gov
ernment,+ TO trace the origin Of the two great
political parties which have divided the country,
from the adoption Of the Constitution TO the pre-
seHi day. They have, Tor motives too obvious
TO require explanation, been attributed 10 causes
which had either become obsolete, or been COM
promised by mutual concessiOn-such the ear
~ dnhculues growing out OF relations with
Great Britain and France, the expcdiency OF a
navy, or similar questions. There was one con
sIderaion he said, that could not fail 10 arrest the
attention OF Tie most superficial observer. Itwas
shis. ii these party divisions have sprung from
10 other cause than the temporary circumstances
TO which they have been attributed why have
they so long survived the causes that produced
them; That they still exist, and exist in full Wig
or IN great portion OF the Union, il would be
an insult to observation and understanding 10
Heny. The explanation OF the mystery was TO
De found, and TO be found only III the falsity Of
the Inscription. They arose from other and very
different causes. They are, in truth, said he
mainly 10 be ascTibed TO the struggle between
the two opposing principles that have been in ac-
tive operation III this country from the closing
scenes OF the revolutionary war to the present
day-the one seeking 10 assorb, as far as practi-
cable, all power from its legitimate sources and
to condense 1t IN single head; The other, an an
iagonIst principle, iabouring assidUously 10 re-
sist the encIoachments, and limit the extent oil
Executive authority. The former has groom out
| az a deep and settled distTusk Of the People and
~ me States 1t consequently regards as gain,
every thing that can be drawn into the ycrte \
OF federal power, and as making that power sill
more safe IN proportion it is withdrawn from
the popular departments OF the federal govern
ment to those that are further removed from the
control OF public sentiment. The antagonist min
I
tYIed 6y all human experience. Ii is founded
on the assumption, that the disposition OF
man to abuse delegated authority is inherent
and incorrigible; it, therefore, seeks lis onlv
security in the Limitation and distribution
oil those trusts which the very existence of 90
yernment requires to be reposcd somewhere.
Hence, the aversion Of its supporters to grant more
power than is indspensibly necessary Tor the OBJ
Jects OF societySand their desire, as an additional
safeguard, to place that which IS conferred in q,
many hands a IS consistent with efficiency The
former Is essentially the HOnGTchicdE and the lat.
Ter the dem0eTGttcdf spirit Of society He wish
ed not to be misunderstood. He used these term,
I as more expressive Of his meaning, than any thai
occurred to him. lie had no idea that all or even
me great body Of those who either now or la time,
past, bad been subject to the influence of the frs
/ principle, wercsn favor of the establishment of
monarchy IN this country, any more than he be
1 lleVed thatthose who had shown their prefere 70,
Ior nemocratical principles were in favor Of the es
ENLISTMENT OF an absolute democracy neithel
SIDE had views thus extensive. The forms of boil
were repudiated, while their respective spiri
were, 10 no inconsiderable extent retaiped. The
EARLIER battles upon this cardinal point wire Tough
upon the question OF the degree OF Cgergyorn othc
words, PoceT that ought TO be given 10 the fedora
| government at the expense of tho States and IN,
! people. They commenced in the Convention O
| 1857, and soon spread through the great body O
! the people upon the question Of ratification. TN,
proceedings Of that Convention were for Ion.
time secret, but are now before the public. n
them, when taken in connection with later events
VIC read the grounds Of our subsequent poliGca
disscnhons in language plain, that none but thos
who are wiliully blind can be deceived. Thcr
were % course, different degrees. as 20 indy duals
but the leading division in the Convention wa
between those who, distrust of the States ssigh
70 abridge their powers, that those Of the new 90