Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-02-14
VOL. XXV...NO.92.

more IL enables them directly 10 Cypress the pooC
III richsS enable man to cypress his poor neigh
bour, then this fictitious capital set afioat enables
the rich to extend that oppression in tbreeEod
proportion have seen these effects, and theretor
speak al no risk And permit me ,oask &C ntlemen,
u with all these tendencies in government 10 oprr
preJudicial'y to the poor, they can find it in t!eir
eonscience as Democrats still 10 increase The evil
by going into Convention upon such principles as
are proposed IN the mendnent offered by the gen
ueinan' from Allegheny! Jusie, policy AMI
common sense all cry out against such a course
Or, whats are we doing; we not lie gisiating as
II the poor had no rights'No natural RIG hts r mean;
LOT they nave but few acquired rights under tho
present state. OF things; and win they submit 10 all
The iDsult,the scoru and the contuiney cast upon
them here! No, sir, they viii, not; they have the
power ana they viii throw from them the odium
winch your course here attaches 10 them. Jus
nce, SIT, may sleep for awhile, but when IL a
wakes, Its effects will be powerful and mo,e espe-
ciaiiy when backed by the ply steal force of tho
community. Gentlemen seem 20 dislike this tern;
above all things the word force or physical force
sounds strong and frightJul! Aye, Sir and il does
not belle its sound; and they may recollect whae
now Tell them, that ii they rouse the Lion hn
VIII shake himself, and rush onward to the con-
.es,. You can call this menace, or you can cali
1t by whatever name you please Sir mean !,
moi as such; but this VIII say, that the peop,e
VIII not have county representation; no, sir they
WIZ spurn 1t from them with contempt! They
WIZ not submit tamely TO the yoke il is Calling
AND they VIII finch. What sir, is the nature ca
the arguments in favour of county representation.
ihese must now look into; for, if there is one
single reasonable argument in its favour, then
confess mat am mistaken 10 its real character
gentlemen have endeavOured to dress il in its hess
garb, and yet il is a rough thing for which am
al loss to ind name. Sir, ! am bold 10 saw thar
mere Is not one single correct feature in IT, But
no" 90 gentlemen justify themselves, as to the
disproportion, which shows itself in this Sc tmea
They attempt it, Mr.. Speaker, by conpari,,g ,ili,
with another scheme still more odous ii possible
"e are 'oid That they get about the weight
IN Convention on each side Of the mountain, tina,
they wonld get by adopting the federal basis Sir
dislike TO hear so much said about the mountain
as dividing line. want 10 know If the Gentle.
men intend to tell US, whether the W es;ern por-
non oil The stale, will have the same weight tha;
they would have by going into Convention upon
he Dasis Oh white popula ioD' No, they cannot.
tell you this. Why, then, compare il with other
unjust schemes, and so endeavour 10 palm uron Us
a plan, by The adoption of which we shall cor
cede 'he point that one man in a certain portion.
OF she state, shall have "a much power az four
or hive IN another pc ton? II is unjust. Yes, ih:
numbering voice OF reason, which 10 nan may
sci at noushi, with irpuniy proclaii.s IL the
grossest injustice.
IN wrong way, Of such thing is possible y J. !o.
one, would not have it. want exact Justice
ana want II IN the righ: way-I want il upo,.
principle; with this and with nothing less, shah
De sdtlshed. But, county representation will i,
is sad better guard the different sectional inter
ests lib IN any ether plan. Sir, | wish 10 know
what particular sectional interests are 10 be con
tended iof IN Convention? There ought to he 20
such Thing as sectional interests there. a man WHO
would go there 10 be governed by local feelings
would disgrace the name of conyenlionise-
HE great principles involved in The sci nee oS
goVeinmfn nj, should be The concern of that tody;
and local interests will be sure 10 find comlS,te
security, in the form Of go, ernmen, which is to be
adopted under the auspices Of pure democrats
principles. If, however, gentlemen can think
that amy particular interest will be endangered,
" ynIl t,,sp
principles, does it not follow that if it should he
endangered by falling into the hands Of majority
or the representatives, OF a majority that il would
be either repugnaDt TO thei' feelings or preiuJi-
cidi TO their interest?-Sur.Iy yes And is there
ID ms House, one so arbitrary in his nature, as
10 wish 10 pursue course, which would be 10 his
interest, but prejudical to the rest Of the peopIe9
r or the honor OF the republican cause, / hope
there Is not. Permit me, Sir, to set this matter
III its true light by supposing q case. The slave
population is the cause OF all the suspicious and
hear,-burnings OF gentlemen. Now, suppose a
majority OF the good people OF this Commonwealth,
shoeid iBt up their voices against savcry-sup-
pose they should declare that il was no, onIy re-
pugnan 10 teir feelings, and prejudicial to their
interests, but likewise contrary TO the PRINCIPLES
which se profess TO hold; and, Sir, believe that
all three OF these positions tenable What
would be done under ihese crcunis ances?--wha-
could be done? Sir, there is but one answer ac
cordng TO the republic doctrines and that the
majority must rue--nay, more--shail rulel But
ih JusHSc 10 the cOHHentlOnlsts, j VIII that 4
am sure they have nothing of that kind in view
wish they had, and could effect it. Sir il would
be the brightest day that Virginia ever saw, ana
brighter, fear, han she will ever see--but
will hope against fear Permit me, now, Sir, to
say what have before said that the amendments
offered by the gentleman from AIIeghapy is
not in accordance with those PRINCIPLES which,
we have so often professed with honorable pride
NO, Sir, II Is an attempt 10 establish an abtra-
ry rule, by which to keep the uower in tha
hands OF minority. IL has been shewn by
the worthy gentleman from Frederick, MI
Mason,) and by ny friend fom FAirfax (Mr
fitzhugh,) HAT Il power is in the ands of a yerv
small minority, and their assertion is indisput5
Die; II Is incontroyertible. II is true that gentle
men have tried to destroy the force of This asser
ton, by showing hat the wealth is with III ninor.
hy; but This Is not at all tIange; 10, wealth il very
sp' TO be where power is. Some think that itis he
iorerunner OF power; but, sir i'll is not SO; hit was
man I'D state oil nature, in other words wi bOt
'he pale oil society, might BE The owner Of pro-
pefty; whereas we know he could only occupy H.
X man III such state might construct any piec,
OF machinery, and il would only be his whilst he
continued with IL; but on his departure anoiif-
er might seize upon il with imranity; for, without
law, there can be such tiing as property -
wealth, then, de ponds upon, and succeeds power.
and, therefore, power cannot be really depenr.ant
! upon wealth-snd, ath0' the greater portion Of
wealth might be in the bands of minority (Which
is but seldom the case, unless they have uniuet
powers) yet the majority couId a any time cr,,sh
the attempts Of that minority t. rule: for if ,hsv
should be without capital, we know that it would
not be diibcult to create Fictitious capital ia,
which to suppress every thing like faction: and
MI speaker, wish gentlemen 10 remember, that
ne minority are always Considefed the f,ctiouista