Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-01-16
DEBATE ON 14rE CONVENTION.


Mr.. DODDRIDGE took the floor in favor of the
amendment. He said,
Mr.. Chairman: The able debates of the gentleman
from Frederick, and of my honorable colleague to-
day. leave ME but little ground to occupy; but the
reply of the gentleman from Westmoreland has in
deed, opened u wide field. That gentleman has in
vertej the very truths established by human expert
cnce. He has declared that human government
IN the world, isor has been, either founded upheld
by physical force, not that ofthc Emperor of all
the if he had said, that every 60
verlinent known to us, ancieut ,r modern, except,
perhaps, that OF England and our own Institutions,
were the creatures of force fraud, he would have
been Justified by the experience of mankind. That
gentleman has set at thought thetrths asserted in the
Bill OF Rights. and even in the Declaration of hide
pcndence Like another dcbatcr of OUR own country
he hus declared that the assertion, ''fa all men are
by nature born equally free; and have certain rights,
&c IS an abstract error not made true, because us
serted by such high authority; and in reply to the
gnitcinan from Frederick, that the only sanction Oh
tine right OF the minority to rule, is TO be found il,
pyscal torce lie asserts that governments particu-
larry ours, are altogether fsuied in compromise
and to that test will endearor hereafter, TO put the
present question:
The bill reported proposes, by assuming the ratio oil
the Congressional Districts, to organize Conven-
ton viii, elements, tending the establishment of
perpetual arstocrucy of shareholders, in Which a
minority OF eenlcn to be invested with perpeti
al rule over the majority OF tItcir conlpcers an oil
garchy founded distinctions of merit of are O,
OF public services hut simply the possession of
particular species of property. The fran .rs of the
Ball, had not, when they reported IT, cd to pre-
sent to the view OF this people, olIgarcv founded
on wealth generally. q'hat distinction had become
ooious III the eyes Of all. no voice has as vet tolc
rated it i'll Virginia; but IN claiming representation
OF 3-5ths OF their slaves they contrary to their own
doctrines In time of war, affect to consider negro
slaves, as equal to 3 white men in political view
and thus, to Introduce element into tile State
Government. In supporting this new and alarming
clam they arc at every step, condemned by thcil
J c1ct., II
save-hodng States considered slaves go entirely as
| property, that they demanded an indemnity when
this Property was lost il the defauce of their cortrv
but now, this property is considered as mongre
mixture containing i'll part, the qualities of chattc
and III part the attributes of freeman. 70 be con-
slsten with themselves like parcenors HAVING too small
freehold each, to entitle him to- VOTE five negroes
ought to be permitted, by common consent to give
three votes and alter exercising this particular politi
cal right return to their masters service
10 the principle ofslave Representations the friends
OF reform can never assent. Thcy know fill we
that majority of the reenrn of Virginia couId moi
Their impose, nor wear this yoke. By the friends OF
REFORM mean to designate those, who voluntarIv
and from their convictions, SOUGHT veg re
and to contra distinguish them from such as have be-
come the friends OF Il Convention since April last
The former have soug for REFORM the great pr
clple of an equal distribution Of power amongst the
white population.
Mucll lsht may be tlnown on the subject by brie
recurrence 10 out own political history. Before the
Revolution, the government of the Colony was a re-
gal one As SUCH, the Charter creating il existed be-
fore the existence Of slavery. Slave property there
iorc conferred no political distinctions on its posses
sors PMS property acquired and lost under the
Colonial, Us 1t has been under the Commonwealth
Government. So completely was this the case that
slaves, so far Us this government is concerned were
never attempted to be placed in the political scales.
BY the Colonial Ciarter, the Legislative power was
poaaea2d by three Coordinate branches an House OF
Burgessea, Council and the King 4'he frs. nj
these, and the first only, was elected by the feehol-
dcrs, ana the members far representatives of
the people Their property qualifications were do,I
pie what they now arc by law. f'hc Governors wore
the Kings Deputies Vice Rows and had power to
convoke ard dissolve legislative Assemblies. When
dissolved by royal authority, the Burgess vas redn
ced to tile condition of private freeholdor He was
no more Burgess. Accordingly, when the mantle
of royal authority fell from the hands of the Earl of
Dnnmore-wnen lie dissolved the General Assembly
and fled from our shores. all will agree that Society
vas resolved intoits original clements. There was
neither GOVERNOR Council, nor House OF BIrressa-
1ha state OF Society, IN 49, precisely What TIN,
legal Charter was calculated to make il. The ROY
ernhleIt tended TO an arstocracv and had prod1cod
It, fhe King was master of the Executive Power
and of the Legislative Council. The House of Rrr
Gessas was to be managed like tie House of Com
mons The way to do this was perfectly easy. Each
county was entitled TO two Bur1esses without reoard
to population. To keep the Representative Rody
Under the influence of the Executives it was only NO
Glossary to have majority of Burcesses elected FINN
the vicinity of the Palace, and within t., circle Of
Common
wealth shews now this was done II was done Ii,
dividing and sub dividing Counties into small pre.
cincts oas to outnumbcr tie votes of more distant
and less favored settlements BY giving separate rep
resentation to small villages, and to the Coago ror
William. and Mary. BY these means an aristocsati.
cal class of families sprung up i'll the East, and prin
cipay between the head oftido-watcr and the sea.
Phis aristocracy was further promoted and strength
ened by large and prouse grants OF Crown LANDS TO
particular tavortes. This practice produced inn,
mcnse inequalities in wealth. while the policy of gov
ernnnont placed the of public Instruction be-
yo1d the reach oftao conImonaity. The tendency of
racy fweath and of learning and the period of the
Revolution found that arisocracy i'll full vigour. or
this arstocracy, the dissolved House of Bureesses
was the Representative. That body found it's mem,
oers reduced to the condition of private citizens and
they resolved of the bol1est usurpations ever
effected by handful of men, without arms in their
hands The great object of this usurpation was to
save tue country, and for this hazardous STEP we owe
them nf if,Jo IT ~