Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-11-14

Northampton used for this purpose Of Fiimers ca.
ses Ascending TO the creation OF man, he historically
proved that FIRST parents formed the earliest hu
man society OF which there is any record, aud hs ask
emphacay, If the doctrine OF the natural equality
OF man be true, when Cain became equal TO Adam. h,
father! IL It was at 10, AT Is, 80 years Of age.
use the very words OF the inter- og alton. In the Ian
g"age OF Locke. reply to it; when Cain. having arr
~" at maturity, no longer depended his father TO-
subsistence and projections; and III. children also, OF
Abel when they sustained the wants and soo.hed the
inhrmity OF their aged grsnd.ire.
The gentleman ON Chsste ricld, following the 4.
ample oil the gentleman from Northampton, whose ar.
gumen he applauded. has cast away Cocker as well
Locke and taken up with Robnson Crusoe and De Foe,
as his authorities "Rosn an Crusoe, it seems '.sa.
we'd Fridays life and bound his heart TO hn:" she
gave Friday bread, and bound TO him hi. body" l
have heard of slavery arising from the rights Of con-
quest and if my memory does not err, Groius think
infers its legality from the power of the victor to .lay
his enemy But never before heard this doctrine de
of gratitude.
"Robnson Crusoe gave Friday bread" They lived
alone, Out mad commerce introduced and money on
Their Island, Friday might justly have claimed for hi,
labor more than his bread: and if he preferred any
other MASTER or to cease from labor, know not the
lazy, human or divine, which would have held him in
IT, along with these two FLANDERS ninety nine other
men had settled and formed socety, Friday would
have been as free, as Robinson Crusoe himself
moi one oil these settlers would have been bound by
any will bat his own, TO form, or when formed bv
Others TO remain In this society; but having made it,
The majority OF its members until some other rulo ~
provided, would of necessity govern it, as our majority
does the proceedings OF this body. So is governed
ry other body constituted like 1t, that is, without having
adierent rule prescribed for its government by higher
authority We know none, except that of Caod higher
imam ii'e pvms OF Convention Of the people which /.
the power OF the people themse elves.
We have adopted the rules Of tho House OF Dele.
gates 10 regulate our proceedings; but not
bound 10 choose these any than the rules of the
House of Representatives of the United States or OF
the Legislature of any of the individual States We
might have taken those Of Massachusetts or of Geor
gia We might have required majority Of two. thirds
President, or OF Select Committee. But even the
rule Of ,wo-hirdsr absurd it would be regarded.
would derive its sanction from the will of majority of
This body This doctrine is interviewer in all our
thoughts, habits Of political action and modes of Judy
Ing, that TO deny it, is to wound the common sense OF
every portion OF the American people. Let us return
for moment, to the Island Of De Foe and the ne wy
formed society we left there Suppose they desire 10
establish political government. To aaze its egis.
lallve Judicial and executive deparm Would they
adopt any other rule OF proceeding than by maiortyl
lthas been contended that, in Bill Of Rights the
power OF majority 10 change the Constitution is lin.
tied to cases wherein the public good requires
change. But, who is Judge when the case occurs,
The public good is made of the good of all the indi.
vdnals who compose the public. Each man Judges for
himself and the community, what is best, and the ma
Jorty must consequently prevail, il being the majority
oil all the Judgments so formed, and having the sane.
!on Of majority Tor its execuon. This sanction is,
therefore, moral as well as ply sica Suppose the set
tiers on the Island De Foe to have broug their re-
specive families with them, consisting of women and
children. Count these or not, in the division by
changed. For it, from any two members bavin ~" =
given proportion to each other, there be taken other
numbers bearing TO each other the same ratio the
former remains unaered. And will il be- IT, in like
proportion, you augment those numbers. Women un.
souotedIy add to the physical force OF society and 10 do
Infants have voted in New Jersey, under a Cops,i.
tuition OF Government which does not exclude females
from the Right of Suffrage. The Constitution ba.
undergone no change in this State but the society has
NO woman votes at present, because no lady will 90
TO the polls b
Casuistry and sophi'try may pcrpex the doctrine Of
the natural freedom and equality Of man, and of the
consequent right of the majority Of society aJready
formed, TO govern it, where positive agreement has
Otherwise ordered; but the common sense of mankind
WIZ Indicate their essential and natural rights
The disorders Of that Partisan mob, which overaw
ed the deliberations of the constituted authorities nj
France, C the early stage OF her late revolution were
the abuses oil liberty, by mere brutal force, exered
against The prnc by which its leaders proiessed tc
be guided.
The abuse of truth is argument against its e1is
tence What has not been abused?-A cloud is now
passing over the but is that glorious uninary
tngnshed' The Gospel of peace has been buried in
superstition after being sbrouded in blood But s our
religion false The most precious things are abu ed.
and for the very reason, that they They inter.
esthe passions OF man in the same proportion, that they
are essential TO his happiness.
Rejecting tho authorities relied upon by the mem.
oers from Northampton and from Che .tereld turn to
DINERS IN favor oil human liberty, which deem more
pertinent 10 my subject Since the Bill Rights pre.
hxed 10 our own Constitution is deemed equIvoca in
It's language by some OF our opponent and denied the
validity oil law, by Others, ask the indulgence OF the
committee while look for authorities, less ous s,ion
able in the Constitutions of sister States to sustain
the natural equality of man and the rights of major
NY, or, IN the language OF my friend from Fre,erck
Clr CookeO MILO ably opened this Debate the j,l,
nidjOyis J
Before consult the Consu ions OF tho New Eng.
land States, must be allowed express to the gens
man IRON Orange, (Mr p. p. Barbour) TO whose lucid
style oil reasoning always attend with pleasure nv
SURPRISE as well as regret That he should have go
y complmented the political institutions OF Massacbu
set', ana have. at the time, denounce 80
ingy' those which have been planted in the vds of
the west by the emigrants descendants of this same
hardy race Of freemen.
Ohio Indiana and Illinois, are but swarm. from the
fruitful northern hive, Kentucky Tennessee AIsba
ma and Mississippi descended from our own south
ern STOCK Ashoy have receded farther from our row.
al charters and framed their institutions at greater
sure, with the advantages Of the same experisnc, and
nntammel'cd by pre.cxisng d,abiii,ies so thew have
carried out, our princPe', with equal truth and greater
simplicity S''''
But will not offend the taste of anv gentleman
VINO may, however hstdiousy prefer the institutions
oil New England to those Of the West.
Massachusetts fornedher Contribution az our G,,hes
ud ours IN period OF but after expelinp the
my from her bo.om and the leisure with which she pro.
ceshed manifested by ths time which she consumed
~ co,npeu"g her labor which was egun in Septem-
Der l7I9, aud ended in March 1880.
Her Declaration of Rights is expressly male = coo
suuen' part OF her CoDstution-snd tho first article M
IL sifirms that ~ a'"N'' VI
y All men are born free and equal, and have GER
tam natural, essential aud unalienable rights amnn.
"h'cn's that Of seeking aud obtaining their happi
ness" '' "'PP-
The preamble sets forth The end Of the n.,itu,io,
maintenance aud administration of govern mt 10 he