Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-12-21

I
mistaken, the eorrse ion is is the power ola
majority lyon, Who may alter. reform ~ abo-
iish, as You may Judge most conducive to the
pubaic. veal ;--it Is Teterfed 10 your wisdom ~
accept or reject" This submitted. II was ae.
cepted by thu freeholdeis. The qualified voiers,
without opposition mad then act. by which
they elected the members Of the FIST General
AS mbly, was rs effeotual. II no. Ms so emn an
adoption ofthe Cons tuition aud Declaration Of
Rights, as ia unanimous vote III appreciation
had been given on n forum cal Of the ayes and
noes never entertained any doubt OF the
validity of our constitution, for The want of n
iorma ra idcaiion ;-or Il any doubts on ihnt
subject we've ever impressed on my youthful
mind, such MS my friend ffom Chesterfield once
fall bot he ana n,nst have hssn d,sa,,nsed of
then, think, by the TEXTURES of the distinguish
ed master under whom we studied Our prafes
sions, and whose memory We both revere The
constitution heing thus accepted by the quail.
fled voters, they became the parties 10 the soe.
nj compact; they shared the sovereignty. they
constituted the community. 10 The minority of
whom the right OF reform belonss.
II docs no, necessarily follow, rom the right
otihe majority 10 reiorn, the consitu ION that
tn powers oforoinary legislation should be YES
ted In the maj This, lagree, is n ques-
ton esprdency. which il belongs 10 .he
mnio iy 10 decide, and Ia deciding II thew
ar bound Ia look 10 the great object Of govern.
meni. the common benrhi aud 10 enquire by
what organization. II will h. capable ~ produ
cling he greatest degree oJhappiHea and ,oj.iy
aud be mog tDecaoiiV secartd against The dan.
ger of NAL adninusiraiioa. u, "a the rsui o.
this ~, rsesiing enquiry II depends. whether the
minority should hold IN ihrir own hands tho
power Of legislation, o. confde II To the niianr
iy. Blu lhls doctrine OF e1pedienc,, MIR.
bntru,n nptx pl nm ti,r - ala
tendency, and calculated grossly 10 fnisle d US.
IN adopting II as the guide Of our dcibe, II, ,ons
here, h tnny become Us 10 bestow "A moments
| attention on lis character. Eniighten,d and
liberal rxprditncy, which .ooks 10 cunseanrn.
oek; Immediate and remote, Calculates Ell. cts
temporary aud encurng, and regards All otter
| "sts partial and general which n hort Lns The
lasting pnhlic good lof ia nbjeci. aud truth and
just,cr To- IT. guides, lbs a. The ioundaii u oi
| moral md political law. aud ~ the true T. 81 of
moral aud political prop,,eiy while lhnt
| blind aud nnfrnw expedlency which ,egafds
only immediate consequent es, temporary fleets
ard partial IA et"sla, wtieh has 10, its OBJECT
| the present good dlsiegafas the prec.pis OF
is,Ge, md delivers ilsell ~ o. the guidanef oil
sopbi try lis the parent 81 all that fi,lse nd
n,ischieyouS, IN morals aud pohncs, teaches ia
he schooa Of modern philosophy, upholds he
pernlclons tbeorhA # Gomez cri, Roosseau and
Goodwin, JUS iGes usu,pati6n aud tyranny, aud
recommends the mOs visionary aud noodles,
schemes OF reform. The wise man, when he
enjnlls rigid observance CT faith, stfic, per.
iormance Of promises when he enfoIees hllal
duty and parental love, aud conimends You 10
do no murder, H. 40, .mlndful thai par,iaI e
VI might often BE- av,idcd, aud temporary good
obla ne5, by ylo,ailne your faith. disre-
gnfding your promise, tatiisg IN dnty TO youf
pnIrn forgetting your affection for YOU son l..
even by inlhra,ng your hanos in human blood
hui loOklag beyond the marrow circle which
hounds ibr ,sion OF m ndern philosophy, he tells
you hai al these partial coHsidara IONS asasr,
b. joregone, aud Ihs, The lasting peace auu hHl
p,ness ol society impeii ously require ihat thu
moral duties he has laugh should 10 held ~ con
slant reverence. SO the wise Staie.maii, io,,L.
Ing beyond the partial evil, aud tempo, ~, bcn-
eils which guide the eKpedients of pnlii,
quhckery waking IN The iigh's OF experience,
ana governing by principle, will take
all his mrasutes with reference 10 tn great
aud endurng interests Of the community Ii
such light aud sucli guidance shall eonduef US
tn The conclusion, that the great and peimh
nent interests Of this Community regui,. that
TIE power oil the government SHOULD be IDuus-
ted TO the minority, II becomes lbe s4einn duty
OF the ajOrlly 10 Withdraw their claim, 10
yield the power, aud uih II their confidence 10
thousands, or hundreds, df tens, on rvena s,nple
uni, ~ he her iht government shall commune
a republic, or become an oligatcby, aflst0cfacy
OF a monarchy All thai ! require Is, ibai tho
evidence Of his duiy should be clear aud con
clusive,- that IN soyeindieni Instituted To- III.
beuehi oi the peopi.i and "A Know leug,ng heir
will to be sovereign - IN a country wbfre unde,
the most favorable auspicIes ~ the world the
interesting experiment. IS YET ia progress, WINCH
Is 10 solve the problem OF mans cHpaony Of self
goyeinm, NJ, we shund be very careful e., con-
suit 0ui judgment rather than our lra1s--wc
should b. quite sure, that in protecting an obI
vions, tough subordinate interest, We are NOT
enving the paramount Interests Of society uu.
guarded IN snrrenderiug the power 10
the minority, we are not abandoning the prin-
cipe, that the wall Of tn people is soyefe,gh.and
acknow lodging that the question of seif-go-
verunen must be decided against the lIbernes
OF mankind.
With these views Of the rights OF the mainrty,
and OF the lesf OF expectancy TO which every
measure of reform ist be sub ectrd. let as prU-
coed 10 the question before the COMMITTEE The
people Who adopt tue present Constitution.
WITH declaration on ITS lace Of tbeir tight 10
reform II. having lived uud,r II Tor more L. ga
fifty years, have thought ~ required alteration.
and haFe depnlrd us 10 enquire anu report TO
them, what hDendm' ats, u any, ought 10 be
nade. The select ComnmIttee have reported
u resolution. declarigs., that IN The appo,i,on.
ment OF representa- i0n IN the House OF Del
ega,es, regard should be had 10 he whue pop
ulsiion exclusively .'-rne gsnbeman /, ON Cal-
p, per las proposed SO TO am, nj this resolution,
as 10 place the basis OF representation, no, on
Oh The whine population SIMPLY, but on
The wlre population and akatiUn combined -
add the question IS upon the adoption of the
proposed amendment. In Considering this
question, We must not be deceived by ihe lit
eral import of the two propositions, anu beg
permission 10 explain my understanding OF
each.tish n S n s4bt5a IS -
snWhen the resolution of the select Committee
teters US to the whise population erctusipely,f
do not understand tina, in the practical appli
cation OF This rule, there is 10 be rigid adberA
ence 10 US terms 81 do MOI understand tina,