Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-12-12


poses never 10 have existed, cnGeavuurrd to ascer-
tain its laws, and finding even lwht enough
respecting them, 10 guide him IN q simple enume
ration Oi whole numbers, III counting ma
;orlty, has at lest arrived the bold conclusion
bold he himself seemed to consider it-tia, there
were no principles i'll government. We cannot Mr.
Chairman, understand the gentleman from North
ainpon according to the literal irirort of his phrase
lis own principles are too well set,ea-b,s rbar,c
ter and talents are too well known aud too hiubly
esteemed to allow us tor moment 10 believe thai
ne would oeny 70 the science of govcrnmen: those
elementary truths, which constitute its principles
without which all reasoning concerning il is d.st,-
tute OF foundation, and incapable of conducting us
TO any conclusions. He BETRAYED into the Ian
guaSe he mas used. by an anxiety to Withdraw
from hts adverspres the aid of those settled doc
trines, on which they have rested their ARGUMENT
10 persuade us that those doctrines are m re
tions and to bring the in discussion to the
lest OF cXfcdiency. Indeed he has told us that eve
ny question OF government, is question of exprdi
england that every government should be con-
strucied, not with reference to original prucines
but with soc view to the character and circrn
stances OF the people. for whom il is orlaincd Ad-
nit this doctrine of eXpcdency, admit the proprirtv
| OF conforming the government to the character and
circumstances OF the pcople,--and one admits it
more readily than do,-yet it does not follow that
there principles by which to decide the cues
ton OF eNpediency to aid i'm CONSTRUCTING the
goVernmeut-so as to make 1t desirable to the peo-
pic-Ihe plan of every building for the use OF man
! presents question of eXpcdiencv, On which the
purposes for which it is destined, aud the crcum
stances of the tenant, to be duly considered:-
bu no WISE man would disregard in lis structure
those principles of architecture, which bponn to the
numblost cottage, well as to the Hottest tempe
Is 1t more wisc by representing the principles of our
government as metaphysical distractions firrnishiD
no MD TO the deliberations of the statesman no safe
guards to his conduct, to disparaoe those principles
in our estimation cndanger disloyay TO the govern
ment which rers upon them, and confound ali our
political reasoning? TINS has not bea the wisdom of
ancient or OF modern times Frui the days Of Plato,
no nd Of ln-t
men nave iabored 10 establish the PRINCIPLES of gov
eminent, to inculcute political truths TO recom1n nd
them to the respect of mankind, and place them
IN the hands OF statesmen guides to direct their
MEASURES. and weapons defend them The author
OF Pubcus, who had profoundly studied III PRINCIPLES
and understood these truths, his 3lst num-
Der with the postulaes that SIN dsouisons of every
KIND there are certain primary truths or first princi-
pies, on which all subsequent reasonngs mus, de-
pend"
Eor the primary truths, which b. long to this Olsen
sion VIC can look where with 81, much propr;ety
as 10 that solemn act, which announces the doc
trnes OF our reroluontat declaration of rights
winch proeianis the principles Pertaining to the gov
eminent OF free people, and is made tie sbass and
foundation of our own--Ths declaration Mr. Chairman
faithfully emoodles the doctrines, which gave to AL
gernon Sydney his of martrydurn and TO John
Locke imperishabc fame. These DISTINGUISHED mon
inspired by the spirit of freedom, which the history of
the English Government had infused into the people
ana emOoidened by the acccssions which the rights
OF the people had gradually gained from the mower
OF the crown openly assaiied the ssy;sh doctrines
by which the parasites of power had cndeavoured 10
defend he tyrrany Of the S.uaris dscerned and con-
futed the dogma of Sir Robert Timer which asser.
ted the divine right OF Kings and traced the origin
OF government To its Legitimate foundations the will
OF Inc people, guided bv the experience of their own
government, enlightened by the history of all others
and above all, examining, with the sagacity of wise
men, the natural and uivaryng relations between
the Governors nnd the governed-they maintained
those doctrines, which the Wings in England par
italy recognised in their constitutions at the reyolu
no
made the basis of heir Government at the rcvolu
ton OF 1776.-Ought these doctrines to be treated
as VAN distractions, mel aphyscal subtletes vision
airy theorles?-Ought they not to be acknouledoed :
solemn truths, confessed as the articles of our Dot
zeal taith-Inadc the standard of our political con.
| duct-Ought we not as we regard the pprrnanencv
Vi gu! inStituiions' to recommend them The res
pfct and Difference of the present generations TO the
love and veneration of posterv, ITO recall men tn
original Inaxims IS generally recalling them to viz
tue;-thl Is the language ola distinguished poli;-
cal orator. and Is the language of truth, which does
not require the support ofauhority The advocates
tor liberty the friends of good government in all
time, have endeavored to Inculcate respect and rev.
erence forprncpes and have thought it wise to hold
up high standards of excellence for the emulation of
the pcopc.-Pato's republic was not written with the
VAN nope TINT It's perfection would be realiseG but
with view to inspire love of excellence and Gre
ate emulation. Cicero's work De Repu5hca was
written for the purpose of recalling the Roman peo
pc to the fundamental principles of their govern
ment, and of recommending them to their affections
and their reverence But it came late to reform
the degeneracy of the age preserve the freedom
or the glory Of Rome. The celebrated E mund
Burke, who dreaded the contagon of French prin
cpes and the leveng hand of French equality quite
as much as any good publican here can dc,--wh n
with so much eloquence and ability and prophetic
talent, ne traced the causes of the French rpvolu-
ton, dePoredits unnecessary exceses pointed out its
errors, and indicated its dangerous tendencies when
he endeavored to lay the evil spirit of reform which
was rising in England, and warn IFS country-mcn
| CXamDIe Ub IL fbcy die
posed TO lmitatc,-what did he appeal 10, as most
dear to Engllshmen'-hc appealed TO 'the word and
spirit OF that immortal law the Engl sh declaration
OF right II is to the word and spirit of our dec
iaration OF rights, to that law, which we should
desire to make immortal thai in my humble judgment
we should at all times not only appeal not only to
guide us against the danger ofheedess REFORM but to
guard us IN making VI oesome amendments.
] We have Lssa ..L. -.