Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-11-02


hcm hut government which is best adapted TO their
haracter and condition The charact of the pco-
lie OF Virginia for virtue and intelligence, He would
SIX every gentleman this body 10 exprcss his op-
OH as to the particular district Of which he is rep
He would answer tor his own district.
fhe people there ate pure, virtuous and intelligent
He thought he might with equal certainty answer for
Tho Whole State. He did not mean to saw that the
people were free from vco. That would be n state
OF perfection not TO be found in man. What he meant
to say was that they possessed the adequate alot-
ment Of virtue and intelligence to cnthc them to de-
mand Ut us that free representative system which he
had described. Were they not virtuous in I776?-
AT that period which infected on human virtue it's
severest trials. were they not virtuous, Then when
every man not restrained by vrtuous principles and
feelings, was tempted to fly for security tho arms
OF VICE. when our ancestors stood In the presence of
q powerful foe, struggling with ropes round their
necks, all the feelings and laws Of nature operating
spon them, To make them swcrvc from their high and
vigorous purposes we found them breastinp the
storm, resisting the painful tide of temptation, as
well as physical power, and shedding their blood to
attest their integrity. Were they viriuous then,
And 1t eirtuous then, have they deerioracd, They
have not. In the path of intelligence they have
since that tmle made rapid and great progress. They
are now much more intelligent, than they were at
that time, and IN virtue, they arc ut least equal II
there be any evidence of the dctcrIoration Of the
people ether IN virtue or intelligence he would be
glad to hear 1t. IL has been said that they have
been strongly agItated by questions of party; and
that IN the moment of agitation, they have sweryed
from those principles which the best sanctioned
| III 80, what has been the RESULT These bursts erc
ent as the cectrc egitations of the natural world
The storm which desolated for n moment mas p,ss.d
| away, and with it has disappeared the rayaues Of
It's progress whilo the element rendered more pure
and the atmosphere is regeneratcd. So il is with
tho people of Virginia. The Agiiations of nn,,v
nave not left SOLITARY track on the moral sense
ana conduct of The community. This is proved hy
very recent circumstances. After the agiatons
whch CONFUSED the people on the subject of this
convention they are now rapidly returning TO st ate
ot good feeling and tranquility. The pcouIe nrc
now beginning for themselves, and at proper time
thcy viii oegin to act. Can we desire any STRONGER
proof that there has boon deterioration "a the pop
alar body By whom this Convention elected,
BY the community OF Virginia. They have clothed
US WIN the powers "e are now exercising. We see
mere, the mos distinguished, the enlightened
the most vir,uous citizens of the Common as
sembied in this body. What motives opcrn,ed on
Tie people To send hither such men AZ these, Could
they be- ANY other, than virtuous mo'ivcS, Could
they be any other, than desire TO promote their
own happiness aud TO the public welfare, Viz
gna could not have given greater evidence OF abdnc
virtue than IN these elections. He was therefore |
warranted in saying that the people Of Virginia ar @
vrtuous and intelligent after they have given this
most conclusive evidence of the foct
, Perhaps 1t may BE- said that We are exompt from
mat great de'erIoration of morals, which lis visible
n some other states, bccausc we have escaped The
presence among US of the dcmOralizng principle
rhch has existed, and been active in it's innovation
n other States. II may be snd that in New York
nero Is much greater immortality and a much more
onsldht tendency To VICIOUS cxCeS>cs The reason
) obvious THAT is the great commercial emporium.
he refuge of the citizens OF every country in tho
World, the reservoir Of ell the vice and immortality
'hlch runs off from other nations We have onI;.
o look az the constant and numerous arrivals there
u foreigners many of them the ex{Ies of crime hv-
ng from the punishment which they merit and fcor.
md to It's vicinity 10 Canada, to be satisfied TINT
here exist many causes for the OVERWHELMING imn,o
AMY OF New YORK, which arc not operative arnonp
nnn nf L..
o well adapted for tho generation and conceaInon.
u wee: and he must confess that he was so betero
ox IN his feelings as never to wish 10 see such oroy
ne up IN this Commonwealth.
Are We then not warranted in giv;po to ,ho .., -
" Virginia, tho best form of goyernment g tho
ossess these essentials? And was he not warranted ~
laying that they possess the adequate virtue and ntc
nc nc 10 sustain such form of government The
lacts nc had stated supported his assertion
Lest 1t should be said that his arc,lmcnt uss .d
dressed 10 me popular feeling that it was not intend
cd Tor tins body, but tor those who sent him hithcr
he would afirm that he had ncyey courtod ngrir;.
HIS course had been uniform and Of valy Ssa.y
character. If tho people had clothed him ,v, th
power ne now had, it not that no had soI;c;,oJ
ther favor lie felt himself entirely independent of
the people. He asked nothing Mt their GnnJS. h.,
at the same time he would not dsdsin to rcco;yo
they might choose to bcsfoy ~
nePrcsentauon Is the true basis Of all representa-
tive republics; IT Is the true elementary pr1,cinlc On
which alone republic can be founded lie ,,o,II
n
elementary writers to shew that people, when their
character IS ascertaiEed of right the fountains M
power; that they have right to exercise their now
or IN their proper persons; and if so that tho co-
ny have right to decide who shall represent them
IN the Legislature, and that this decision can only he
Inaue on the principle OF majority. But he would
resort to the Inaxms which originated here IN a mo-
nrent OF eminent peril, and from these would sbcw
that inc true principle In representation should no
US aPporuOntneDt among the people; ib,t IL the
power was IN the people and they declined IN or
eTclse ~ themselves, but by deputaion that deputn
non oe"g the voice OF the people, must bear rntio
~ inherent III the people 10 transact the business P
legislation, TO transact Legislation themselves
In the Bill OF Hights, it sold that "a powers oye
vested IN, and derived FROM the people Is not this
rue, without the sanction OF that Instrument
10 IL Tor the first time announcoI On ,ys
1eny that the power is i'll the people, How oome
we here' Through that power. Then, sII no,yc,
. IN tue people and they exercise it not in person
DuI oy representation, how is the principle sustained
~hen u IL alleged that the power is in propertv and
lot IN the people! ii must be clear tba o.,