The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1829-01-15


asserted the Fundamental nriocirie, tina all men
xcrr by aatnrc equal. ii you act upon tins
Sri,eiple yol n,rst allow iull representation
from all tue slaves. THIS far I've vas not pre-
pared to 60 IL s.emedte him. thai gentlemen
fj,d not act M Ia III, H. own elementary princi
rles What did they propose TO do WIN the
Tree eoored people There WIS, he ssid' a ne
cr,sny lor Soma medium ground oi rumrf"'
muse. No government va r'"r founded upon
nt.tfsc, elementary principles tie INSISTED
,,nai the bill offered tar comprohii-e be
,,.ean the coofi ting interests Of tue state. lie
did ,,ot ce.,.ns that slaves should he represent
cd "a men. hut ins,sied That representation
ought 10 be based upon both persons and pr
pert, thai tas st.a aud representation oughi
So bear some inst relation TO each other. In
,.,.o,ta,,iog tb,. r,tia il was found THAT Con,
Pressipnai distrieis osme aearer Ia n, than n
NV Other plsn mud bad therefore been adopted
by the counnsftne. Tie question of a slave re-
tue-enta,,an was not made because u was mi
~ an pccessafy o be made AMI should
NO, be Involved IN tse aHessslon No
g ,sernmcnt he Thought could be good
one unlc,s.uned 90 the arissi osadlt,on
mad wants of the people sDgHs. he ssld.
ms remarkable for the variety NJ her cl'a,ste,
sna the diversity ~ her .oil and snrisce Of
she eountry. What sould suit one section
would not another. Heae. the conflicting IN
i~ress Of her people aud hrnce tlie Necessity
sisaaie principle OF compromise, which should
l,e iasi aud coacdaior,. No government. he
;HsisieJ, would seH the peape OF lo1er Frem-
a, ~ soa,e regard was nnt paid 20 tia success
~ %, operiy. 20 Which sllasioa mad been sd len
sInde. Genienaa talked ahoui Mug new
government ~ II II was the easiest matter lima
ginsble. Pcpenl upon II, goseromcn' of fl
~ years standing, 10 which the people bad he
come accustomed could mol BE- put aside like M
old a,ach,nc lie thought the bill was Hccepta-
ble 10 the people and that here was ma danger
ot their npi ra4 fying a constitution which might
$40. out Of u.
lie was sur, to hear Mr. Mason Contend
iltt property eonld mol be represented, because
u had no Inherent power. no physisA force
1osernuenis we're not hnsed on fdsfe and he
SAID Ina, even d,noag the desso'ieH4 of the old
aaild. example could be found where force
Was alone the foundation Of the government.
Phy seal force could oiiy bo the law of barba-
Tans aud freeb1pters. The people oi VII Z inia
Uould never subnin to snch u law. he did not
'hini, such an appeal could ever be made ior
thcic were too many kindred ties bnding rs 10.
sther MS one p,ope.--ihe honor, the glory,
the prosperity ofPTginin was the common pro
psyty OF her people they aoull look To u aud
erc,ish them, u own Imagination could he.e
draw a picture like that ~ which Mr. Mason
had taken u d slant glimpse
Mr. Dadhridge took the door in favor, Of the
Anendmtn'. he said
NJ. CuliEwtN: The nble debates of the gen.
tlcmon f'ooi L ederlck, aud of my honorable
colleague 10 da, lcav' me les ground to oc
Cupy The reply ri the gentleman from We I.
suureland. has, tndecd opened , vide field. |
fhai gentleman has inverted the very truths rs
tabl,sbsd by human experience. He mas
declared, that no human government IN |
the void IS oI hrs been, either founded OF up |
held by ply seai fnrrr, not even thai II thp La
peror OF ali the Rui,i.S -lfhnea,, II he had sand !
that every govcrnmrn, kno Va to Us, anue'i OF |
IN idrrn, except. perhaps, that of England aud !
6nr Own Institutions, were the creature, Of fore,
Or faul he would have been Justified by the ex
lIrrienee Of all ,naoSind That gentleman has
-.ts, al nongh the truths asserted IN the Bill of
lfg iat and even ia the Declaration OF lndepen- |
dcnce. Like another dchMer OF our own csun. !
4. v he tu declared, than ,he assertion. That
aIlmraare h. nnhur born quad y lree, aud
have certain rights, &c Is an nhstract !
error. no, made ter because asserted liy 'ncb |
n q, aaiho,t, aad, IA repiy to the gentleman
from fredorich, that The only ,lncion of 'he
Il IN Of the majority 60 lule. is 10 he found IN |
g1hy zeal orce, he a'se.is that gosefn1snts5 |
pm ienluly ours. are altogether fonnded IN |
romprnmisr-- and tn thai trst will endca voui, |
hereafter, to put the prcsent que ton.
Ihr bill roppitsd proposes. ng Assuming the |
Y1tfo n the Coagrcs iUda iJisuictg, 10 nrguuiIe |
a Couv.ution with clements tending To the 60 |
sablishtn,H of perpetual ass,ocfacy of slave
holdrrs in ~nAch a minority nf free pn &c To |
ne Invested With rerrenal rnle nrer the n1ainri-
~ oi fheir cnmpeers--nn 81 sarchy founded on
10 dsunc'iors ~ merit, al age, or al public ser |
vice; hui simply On the possession of u partlcu.
La. >
Dill had not when they reported il, yenturcd to
presen, IN the view OF this p'ople an ollgatch, |
founded on wealth generally. That dptrcrion
had BECOME odIsus ~ the eyes ofatl No voice
has as ye, tolerated II in Virginia but IN claiming
representation of 3.bths ~ their slaves, fhct
contrary To theis own doctrines 10 time Of wai,
affect To consider b negro slaves rs equal To 2
white men IN a political view, ard thus. to in
irnduco ncw element into the State Govern
,nrnt. Ia Supporting this new aud alarming
claim they are, at every step,c ndemnedhy their
own Inconsistencies, When at war, politicians
,n the shave holding States con'idered slaves,
So rnirF'y as property. thar they demanded an
sipdrma3ts, whenghs property was lost in the
Sstrs>o al their country, bur now this property
& considered as meugrcl mixture, combining
~ part. 'be qualities Of a chatc, aud in part the
attributes of n freeman To he consistent with
themselves, like rarccnors having tho small
freehold each 10 entitle him TO vote 8 negroes
"ugln Ia he prriaticd 10 epme Ia the polls aud
~ common co,scW give their vltes. aud elter
exercising this particular political right, rrturi
10 their MASTER ST! vice,
To The prirciple OF Slnve Representation tho
friends OF Reform never cnn asscnt They
know full well thai majority ofthe ireemen Of
Virginia could neither impose. nor wear this
yoke. Nv the friends OF Reform, | mean TO
Al H..
own convictions. have Sought il Tor years and to
conra-listingnish them from such as have come
the friends OF ConvcItibn ance April last The
former have sought for Reform on the great
principle Of an equal distribution of power u.
nonga the white population,
Much light may br thrown on the suhjcc, by
a hrnf recurrence tn oar own political history
fore the revolution, the gove,nu ent Of III.
Colony was Il legal one. As such, the Charter
creating IL existed hrfOre she existence Of sla.e
~. slave. property. therefore. conferred no
H. l.Aa..