Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-11-12
: Constitutional gWbtu.
lRErosyEp ron THE RIcHMoND WIG
VIRGINIA. COW ENTION.
MIR. MERGERS 'spEECH.coxr,s,,

sons or property authority confidently urged by
the gentleman from Chesterfield remains to be consi-
aercd-the 54th number of the Federast, or the
letters OF Publicus addressed the American people
Constitution. ~ Wv
While ne should ever entertain mt only tbe mos,
profound, but the most grateful respect for the very
eminent authors OF that work, end regard the wor,
ise as rich depository of political SCIENCE and an
honor to American literature, it is proper remark
'that IL was, IN It's character, controversial
de who studies it with ention will perceive thai
!, is not only argumantatiye, but that addresses
different arguments to different classes Of the Au1eri-
cen public. IN the spirit of able and slE,l eiispn
lanf addressing mixed assembly. Thus, from differ
ent numbers of this work, and sometimes from the
came number, may be derived authorities for onposte
principles and opinions For example, nothing is ca
ser than to demonstrate by the numbers of Publius
That the government, which it was written not to ey
pound merely, but to recommend 10 the people, is or
Is not National Government; thai the sever al State
Legislatures may arran at their Respective bar tho
conduct ofthe Federal Government or that n, St,te
has any such power. have in dobate used this work
lot some one OF these and other purposes While my
adversary has met me with passages from, alike gen
hine, which overturned my positions
The authors undertook TO defend cyerv pori. of 8
constitution, to which two of them ut least had in
the Convention offered amendments which were re.
yected q the whole of the numerous articles of which
no man IN America, ofindependent judgm mt then an
proved 1t was the offspring of mutual conce ,eion
of compromise.
with these preliminary reflections on this very able
WITH the veneration and gratitude cherish for its
authors beg leave to turn the attention ofthe Com
nnttee to the particular number, quoted as authority
py Inc alenber from Chesterfield, TO prove that
three fths of the slaves of the several States are com
puted as part Of the basis of representation in the
House OF Representatives, but That, of right, they
should be so computed.
zine next VIEW says the outhor of this number
who appears in the volume have TO have been Mr.
Hamilton, (which shall take f:hc House OF Reprc
sentatlves relates to the aPportioument Gifts
'Dcrs among the several State, which is to be deter
mined by the same rule with that of direct rXes In
the succeeding clause the author, who had both IN
the old Congress voted against this rule and in the
convention submitted different one, qualities the
appreciation OF the rule which his present purpose re-
qnires him to sastain, by peculiar form of expression
1t rs not contended he says, shat thenunlber of PEG
pie 10 each State ought not To be The standard fur re
gnlang the proportion of those who TO represent
The people of each State" He does not therefore
lmpugn the identical principle for which we at nre-
sent contend; and which, another OCCASION he had
maintained He proceeds as follows The esta-
enlistment of tho sasae rule that of the onstit;,
lion, for the apportionnent of taxes will be as little
fcontested though the rule itself in this case" that
us to taxes. ''is 6y no nrerns Jonacd The same
sPrinciplcs In the former case, the rule is under-
stood to refer to the personal rigS of the people,
s'wh which it has natural and uniUersal connection
I'm the latter, it has reference the proportion Of
'vealth, of which 1t is, TN cesc precise measure
sand in ordinary gerry unfit one But not
f'whstanding the inpe1ection of the rule as applied
@to the relative wealth and contributions of the States
sit is evidently the least ercesionn6e among those thai
''ore Praccabte and he adds, what the journals Of
the Convention, published as well as the ante
ceden conduct of Rhode Island, New York and Vir-
ginia must be allowed at least qualify to some ex-
tent, thrt it had too recently obtained the general
sanction of America, not to have found ready pre-.
"fcrence with the Convention
In another part of the same essay-sIt is agreed"
says the author, on nU sides: that numbers are the
"bcst scale of wealth and taxation, they are the
"oRly proper scale Of representation" The last is
adv soft ar
contend against the doctrine the amendment, which
you'd found representation Numbers and TAXATION
combined.
hTr LEiGH rose and said the gentleman would
much oblge him by stating who as the author.
Mr.. MERcER said the paper which he had read had
pre6xed to it the name of Mr.. Hamilton.
iIr DoDDRIDaE and said that the paper from
which the extract had been read was attributed in
some Of the editions of the Federalist to Mr.. Jay.
Mr. MADISON then rose and said that although he
was not DESTROYS to take part in this discussion yet
under all the circumstances he was perhaps called
TO STAT that the paper in question not written
by Mr.. Hamilton or Mr.. Jay, but by the third person
connected with that work
Mr.. MERcER said this volume, the third ofan edition
ef"fIamiitons Works" The editor of which he sup
posed had derived his key the names of the authors
nfPubIicus from manuscript OF Mr. Hl,alton which
he saw many yearsago, in the possession OF the late
}sciard Stockton, an eminent 81 atesman OF New-JeT
sgy would constitute, he hoped, apology for the
error into which, in common with many editions of
this work he had been betrayed rs he now perceived
that the number of Publicu-, which he had quoted,
vas the work Of distinguished member offs Con-
yen!ion.
Although not able to avail himself Of this paper for
the precise purpose which he had proposed he was
glad it came from such source; from the venerable
Choirman ofthe Legislative Committee, who had al
ready yielded his support to the resolution in debate.
For the opinions EXPRESSED by Mr.. Hamilton
the author Of more than moiety Of these very
able essays in relation to the present topic of inquiry
Mr.. M. said he would refer this Committee, not only
TO his votes in the Congress which preceded, as well
the Convention which made the Constitution but
to prior number of those admirable essays written
i'll favor Gifts adoption, and which bears his name.
"T'he right of equal sufFrogs among the States
Mr.. Hamilton says in the 22nd number, ais another
Sexceptionabe pa Of the confederation Every idea
of proportion and every rule of fair representation
"conspire to condemn principle, which gives tn
ebodo nd