Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-12-31

oi Roman history When we substitute Tor our
own the experience of other nations aud other
ages, we should at least require hat IL should
be well attesied by authentic history But 1
am willing TO allow 40 the argument III the aid
il can derive, and avail myself of all the light
that can flow from the example referred to
Inc en- uries and tribes of Rome are the ex-
amplcs 10 which our attention has been called
- he former a. for making precedent of the
representation OF properly IN republic. The
centuries. it is true, in which the richest class Of
society vas represented. fnrnlsh ~ my ,ni d -
SO far as the dim light Of my Information ena.
bles me to judge, fair ilustr alton OF the repre-
seu,alion of property and ask whether this
example IN the Roman government is seriously
reconmenued % our Irritation
(Here Nj Barbour, IN explanation, said that
he hid referred 10 ,iie Roman republic az fur
nishing an example a one time ot the rep esen.
t6tion Of property don by cen urles AND n
ano hei time. OF the repre senlaton oil numbers
alone, by nlhes. He Rad sall that he did not
approve euh'r Of tnes~ ~ renles,- he you'd
prefer 10 combine hem, as IN III proposition
of The geutltman irom Calpeper)
Tin esplanstion Mr.. Chairman, does not
vary the view have taken Of the subject. nor
c,n il add force I" the example which has been
guued. The {, INJURIES, and thr RIDES of Rome
were nj xtremes oil atIsiocracy and de nocra'
CIV OF which, the Roman peope made expert
ment Al differ .,t times md separa ly Thy
rested together aud tor ages. They were at
the foundation OF tnc pai'isIan aud plsbian or
dels-originaied dur5g HE monarch aud
were continued III the time of tho republic. They
were the ms aiming caise If the angry dissen.
IONS beIwe the differ mt orders ol The PEG
Pile, -oi he hiding expressions oil The poor,
and the awless mroads upon the propeitt of
the rich The power Of the monarch was II
cessary 10 balance the ContenImg factions, aud
restrain the dangerous excuses of dch ;--add
IL few short years, less than twentt alter III,
expulsion OF the IatquIns, and the destruction
Of the monarch, these excuses led TO the aP-
pointment oil the htst dictator, the recess ION OF
III people 10 the sacred mount and the fiji
serious petiilon for all agrarean law In The
,ib me people were not represented, but APP
pssred IA proper person to a. their pali IN pub
it affairs. The scheme Of centuries md tribes
~ as des gned 10 balance numbers anu wealth
against each ohe bui The h story oil the repub.
tic affords more ui warning against ITS mls chiefs
than conmenda ion OF its success wa not,
however, claIm the beueht of his example and
urge il hs caution against the danger oil giving
rtpTese ntatIon tn property ~ our r'pnhl c. l
know tina our condition aud thai of the Roman
tiva republic SO rad caIly d iierent from their
mixture If aIisiocIa and democracy, that il
is not safe 10 reason {, ON the other. The
Roman gov, rune II, indeed ia he opinion OF
Cices o, lis areht' 81 admirer, aud abiest yIn5i
Gator, owed lts met excellence 70 lis strong
aristocfatiC character "a merit TO which our
gov ernment surely has no claim.
Is utterly in VAN, Mr.. Chairman that We
appeal 10 eny of he ancient republics for in
formation TO guide rs We know them all
most imporfectiy, aud the nt'e we do know
| teaches US only that they contain no instruction
tor us.
The modern European republics viii supply
- iii e aid IN our deliberations We should
took IN vain 10 Venice nf Saint q oo. to Hol.
Ian or owI2eIiaHd, for tue experience OF
system IKE ours, OPERA u & npon sy, IN IKE
ours --oI for ufo ma ion to Jude rs TO ma best
r,eta. of protesting the pecuia in erests WHICH
arise OF ofhe peculiar population OF Virginia.
How woal3 it avail US for example, 10 kno"
what causes preserved So long The little Italian
,epublic, utih a few thousand inhabitants only
on a noun ain top, conteated and happy though
pour safe amidst surrounding nations, though
without military force. aud perfectly traNqnil
I in the operations Of its government, though
with out Gheto dnary checks aud balances i--hr
what would II profit us 10 inquire, no" II has
happened hat in the small democratic cantons,
The liberty of the people. with all The rights OF
person and property, were preserved Tor cen
! iul les, 'hough every male citizen, above III
teen gears of age was admitted, in proper
person. to share in the egslaion of the codn
Try ?
Just as little useful information or salutary
| wa ming is furnished us on This question by ihs
experience efthe French republlc--a govern
men that was thrown up by a conV1lsIon from
the abyss of despolism, foatei for a few years
on the waves Of a bloody revolution, and sank
again, as they subsidized, into the bortomless
deep Such experience might teach US the utter
unfitness Of any people for a government TO
winch they have been wholly unused,-and ,he
great dangers which attend violent ADD sudden
transitions from one extreme TO another hut
one Of the examples OF the European repnb
lies can assist us in decldin2, wiener II Is
wissst in Virginia TO base the repre- la'ion
upon numbers, OF properly, or combination oil
both.
The British House of Common, has been re-
ferred 10, for the purpose OF show ne the ihu-
mate connection between taxation aud repre-
sentation aud of proving that in Eng land, "htfe
our system OF representation had lis urn
its foundations were laid III the power OF Imps
sing taxes.
To the experience OF Eng ah", VI e'a'' man
the American atesmen may III general Saiely
re(er-they are better acquainted with IFS his
tory more familiar with IFS Institutions, than
with those Of any other foreign country. Prom
her common law, her jury trial, heJeds corpus
and magma charia, we learn the most valuable
LESSONS Of Jurisprudence, and from these our
ancestors Untitled their love of civil liberty,
their respect for the rights OF persons AMI the
rights Of property In her government we
see well adjusted balance of power; and with
all it. imperfec,ious On Us head 1t is probably
bpuer suited than any other to her own prcu,
liar coalition. can readily understand row
lis hing, lords and commons, with all the me
aJon,ed to the government Of England, and yet
neither OF them be a model for our imitation
| A mixed monarchy for the government OF an
insular people, surrounded BY powerful nations
md unier the Necessity of msinla aiming expen'
,;ye laval and military establishments, may
il hnEp