Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-02-06
DEBATE ON TIE CONVENTION.
~ Tie House Of Delegates, Jg1uo,,y -.
SPEECH or Mr.. MOORE OFSNCKBRIDGE

(coNcLUDED.)
| Our own government was founded upon the great
fundamental principles declared in our bill of RIGHTS
ana was established by force, and by the cneral con-
sent OF our ancestors. Compromise had nothing 10
do with Its establishment because no difference had
arisen between the people who created it and there
was nothing about wh;ch u compromise could take
place They had all acted together IN asserting and
maintaining their natural rights, and they intended Ia
establish n government purely upon principle. The
defects IN our constitution 20 be ascrbcd entely
to accident, and the situation Of the country ut the
time offs adoption. These defects were seen and &C
knowledged by our ancestors, and thew intended 70
correct them, convenient time should ar
rive proof ofthis assertion, refer the Notes on
Virginia written by Mr.. Jefferson before the close
o: the revolution. If fraud had any thing to do in
creating the existing territorial divisions Of the state
It must have been before the revolution, for am very
sure, II could not have had any influence ,iDon the
government ut that day, or Gt any time since / am
disposed TO believe, that the small counties in the
East, laid of, TO suit the convenience of he peo-
pie NJ the time, and with view TO what then the
size aaI situation OF the colony without ookinr for
ward 20 the existence OF great commonwealth such
as Virginia IS al the present day. IF the small coun-
ties shall now attempt to take advantage ofthe large
ones by retaining III their hands, power which they
have attained purely by accident then sir fox the first
time, will one portion of this community be found
attempting to practice gross and detcsable fraud,
upon another: fraud sir, which trust the large
counties will never submit TO, unless compelled TO do
it b. actual force.
We have been asked, Mr. Chairman, by'thc gentle
M III from Westmorcland, how il is ascCrtaincd that
there Is majority of the people in favor Of calling
convention, | answer, by the vote which thew lave
given upon tie subject. But the gentleman tcllsus
that there were great number of voters, Who did not
go to the polls, who to be presumed be against
the call OF convention. Sir, tell the gcncinan he
has no right 10 presume any such thing, aad that
t101c, that he kn1cs. and every other member in the
House kaO,rs, that all those WHO dill not vote were
not opposed to convention. And / viii moreover
tell the gentleman that il I'll those who had q rirht
~ hat Lao
ersl had been permitted to vote. The majority would
nave been ten times greater than II was. Sir, the
gentleman attempted at tie last session 10 Introduce
clause into the bill directing the sense OF the DeoDlc
90 be taken upon tb subject OF a convention proy.
ding that ali those who did woke should be cour-
ted as gainFt convention, which clause was very
properly rejected BY the House, Is Being wholly un
We have been asked cir, how j /, known on what
principles the people wish the convention Organized
| can only answer for my own constituents and say
that they wish organized upon the great republican
principles for which I'm contendlng, and that the
gill not have tupon any other.-An1 If every other
gentleman vii answer cand3ly fer lis constituents
have no fear o. The result; the people always mean
20 do what is right.
The Gentleman from Pu,ynatan Mir Old hes al
firmcd, that thc MA ory las no I.Dt 10 govern the
mno.I'y, except by the Of t'c uinori,r: md
has supposed ~ which majority Of tho pcople
Of this commonwealth living upon tho west and n
minority on the east Of the Blue Ridge; in which he
insists, that the majority would haze no rirh' 10 com.
pei the minority to live under any power OF govern
ncnt, which they (the majority might think proper to
adopt, contrary 90 the wishes Of such minority: and
go Gar ~ the example goc3 tho gcnicn1u is correct
II the state Of Georgia had no: thought propor to
/ accedo 10 tic General Government whom u was c.
tabshed, the other states would have had no rigit
% compel her 20 do But the case - different
when The majority and the minority inhnb;i the same
territory and arc interpreted throughout ;hc conn
try as Us now the case with the friends and oppo-
ncus Of o convention in this Commonwealth; in such
ca9c, tho minority must submit to any government
which the majority choose 20 establish. Or uuit the
country. There j. other alternative In. r. sir,
the tories m ,ny Of the states at the close Of the re-.
vouonory war had refused 10 acc'pt Of The govern.
nnnt whichtc majority chose 30 establish, thcyourht
and certainly would, have been forced into submis-
| sion. or 20 iy the country.
viii now sir. reply to such Of the remarks OF the
gentleman from Northampton, (mr. Parker as can
lccoilcct. That gentleman dwclt much upou the gc-
narosty Of tho eastern people, 20 tho people Of The
west and las mentioned several instances, IN which
lhcF hbcraity had boon very conspicuous. lie told
u.s. Of the Lunatic Hospital at StaunOn, M n great
honor bestowed upou the west. Permit me sir to re-
mind the gentleman that the funds ont Of which
that Hospital was built were furnished by the whole
state and not by The eastern people alonc and that
th'rc isa Bunotic Hospital at Williamsburg support
81 a. the expense of the state, Of which the eastern
people reap The whole Of tho benefits which appear
/ {, be- estimated so highly by the gentleman.
Tho gentleman has told uB Of an Arsenal which has
been erected at Lexington, which 90 be sure was
very great honor done 20 the western people. The
mr. ID . g ID. 81 -. 81