Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-11-03

7 ".
! dns'epfesened This is the princi,!c OF the Repor
! tfoni The Legislative Corminsc
10 connect t..s rriucipie via the amendment il
stated IN the Ba OF Rights, that under certain cir
cainstoAces, when msru'e shall have reached cor
tam point, The aJorty nave an indetcasihl rinht :,
absugate, alter or almond the fundamental lnw. 4
nelor,ty of what? People and proper,y5 Tho nrin,
s,pe Is mat the people have the right. When we
nave ascertalned who are the people we are bound
Ii tue declaration be true. TO l., the pronlc con
troll by minority. 4 majority of lvil~.uc OF the
people we are not 10 give the control II, n mi
nortv, which must be the case if we co,nhne ,no
pie and property. By this Instrument rnniori:y of
The people have detei'nlhed 10 govern The MINORITY
He dId not pretend that il WIS Dot catnnst.p ,r f
people i.ij minority STALL govcra.- II gentlemen
cad cot ;e Convention To a.,fee an fl, i,aint this
principle may be ipsredin ne Cunst:; ir;iof B,it
they VIII tiiSs change the whole principle on Which
1't'rs III he STATE have been Carried ON for so many
years. ana WfGch has been thus permanent, because
IL constitutes almost an into -rai part OF the character
OF the people lie did Say that the Convention
might not engratt this principle in The Constu
'ion but however ingenously they might disguise il
whether ey insert 1t IN the form Of combination or
any other process, ne was satisfied tint it would be
contrary to right, a,l in conic. with al thas.. ,rreat
principles wicii We have been Taught t,i reverence
from earliest youth.
lie would say then, that although the Cnryan,icri
nave 'isit to i'"ert sucla provision, 0y la;ng so
they would Voiute the great maxim Of political truth
aud introicce into institutions icursil ;nnoya-
l!on lie had no fears that even il this were dane
we E'Ou1u rise IN tlHIF uIpflty demand
their rights lie declared that he ahorr.r and rep;,
dated such course hut he feared that il this nlo-
Vatlnn WIS introduced, il woad give -. y cause tor
"tscohtclt, and produce ncWsSctenen, III The public
ht'i' lnstfah OF manipulating jne people, BY givnn
them what they want, you would tlri crcnte new,
sources OF dissatisfaction. Do this said Siy. PoyF
and one year Will not elulxc before that table viii
groah beneath the weight petitions iltn the peo-
PIE niSlructiS you that the majority have the power
and demanding Of you TO call Il new Convention To
repair the injury which this will have committed
II VIA DC refused, because ilcy who have the pow
er VIII not consent 10 rctraca their stcls The de-
mand Will then be rccratct-uew dissatisfaction will
arise, and the community will be kent in strte of
ceasclcs5 co1nnotions for years 10 como So far as
he was personally concerned, he would preach I'm
patience ami endurance. He would hold up his ham
IN snpp!ica;lon the God Of mercy TO avert evils
Of ilore aci:ve c!Gracier. And ifsOch should arise
lie believed whatever ulgiltbc lis ie1lings thas ne
should rance himself on the side of the mno-
r!ty III order 10 restore the reimn of order and tran
guilty bat ne iH)i larcd gentlemen unless .hsv nct
ed under the force OF soqe Irresistible feel.,r of he
oeasitv not TO attempt the introduction of this nrifci
pie irl's i'trodIc;ioD were necessary 10 solf.rrc
rsfrvatlnn, 1T would inGced be i,al!iatinn oil me
act. Let gentlemen satisfy him that 1t is So Lei
Them o*0 - his conviction that u Is ne1csssryf
the security pid tranquility Of tie Commonwealth,
and tie would give ms assent 10 il bit not iltlen. lie
would do so, becauss he considered the object of NIL
government 10 secarc hfc Liberty ana property and
1t Were necessary iortle protection either OF these
that this I'novflnn shoadbe introduced, lie would
give = his sanction
y fey words noW in reference to tha Amendment
He had already announced that il the principle coz
ta!ned lii this amendment an essentiel irrc5ient
! in the articles Of compact. he would assent To Us in.
Production. He had listened viii; pleasure to the clio
queut attempt CT the gentleman from NurthanlptoI
IL order to discover either thCt its introduction wa
necessary or eXPcGi'nt. But he had listened witlou
| being convinced. lie would nss;rn tin: reasons vl,
tue remarks Ct the gentleman had not carried convic
ton to his mind. What was tie object and effect o
the Amendment! 1t vas TO give representation &
slave property IL was not as he had believed
topiace the slave through lis side by side with
the white citizen, but il was to gain linn Influence in
the Legislative department. Not that The slave be-
cause he was buIpan and intelligent beinr, was to
be made part Of the constituent body, nor with anv
reference TO his viii, but the only principle which
he %as TO be introduced, was because he IL property
| Why was IT said, that government was established
Tor the protection Of property we'll as life and IL
hcrty? The objects OF It's protection threcfoid
life. liberty and property True and hoy is this pro.
lection Of propcryo re obtained? is 20 be obtain
! cd By introducing a provision into the parchment
that property shall become part OF the representa-
| tive SYSTEM The argument o.! the gentleman from
Northampton on the subject OF guarantee must here
! iorciby supply. If you give 10 the minority power
you must of necessity, place the majority in the OBJ.
! position. The gentlemen the other side, had en-
qulrcd what guarantee could give to tben-if il Is
one merely on paper it VIII be violated as soon as the
spirit OF rauine shall be reused. lie would ash, i
this is not guarantee Of the same description: IT. il
the parchment of the constitution, we give power {,
ltC ''piIhJ1 vince tluL spirit OF ldp3le comes &c
sweep away paper guarantees, this guarantee vii
share the fate of the rest, and will be swept away
with thom But you kaye guarantee more strong
th1n any which can be written parchment. 1t j.
the guarantee which is furnished in the vjtuc un(
honesty Of the people. That is the only guarautc,
under a free government which property can have
So loug as that guarantee lasts, no rapnc will insli
gate the bUsoms Of party Of men against anothe
IN the same commonwealth If this be not an ade-
quate and the only guarantee, then has our rcpub-
! can experiment entirely failed Then viii tic pre-
dictons Of the enemies Of all free institutions be rca
fit for rspnbrsn f tbr " tb% are no
of The advocates of free institutions DESTROYED since
portion IF the world is fit for It. Then wiil TIM
enemies Of the representative system say--there il
can system can be established with any prospect o
I its continuance.
| lie wo,ld ask again. If thorc is in republican 90
yemments any guarantee out that which is to Jc
/ found in the virtue and intelligence If the people
Whom that nna lat rnnni,lics