Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-11-05
THE VIRGINEAN.
LYNCHBURG. NOV. S, 1929.

Gov. CHESS Speech before the Erse4iire Com
yaiuss.-Wheneyer we see any thing on Ma
,onal Politics, from the pen of Gov. Giles, we
instinctively throw it by, without perusing il !;
not because he is no, capable of handling al
mos, any subject with ability. and of impsrt
;ng IN il interest bat be causs he is certain 10
view il through the medium of al-absorbing
preiudice, and (when in the discussion II is
necessary TO allude o individuals, to treat his
political opponents as though they were his
nersonsi enemies. So completely, indeed, is
he under the influence of his feelings, in such
discussions, that we verify believe his opinions
might always be truly corjeCtured, without
reading syllable OF his essays, by one VINO
nigh, be acquainted with the sentiments OF
individuals in any way connected with their sub
;.cl for whom he happens to entertain cordial
Il decided hatred. Presenting, however, that, as
amember of the Virginia Convention, he would
Law aside his passions and his prejudces, and
confning his remarks to the topics of discus.
sion. that be would treat them with the gravity
and die nifty which his association with so much
of The talent and worth ofVirgina, on so august
an occasion, was calculated TO incite, we took
nm his Speech before the Executive Committee,
with the wish aud expectation of deriving plea
sure anu instruction from its perusal. In
fhE bowey.r, we were completely disap'
ooioted as we a, ,ould be, were we to expect to
81 .,ov ,bi,u ,,t,., liberality of sentiment IN
one who l,as held up tn ms'or'"nes o' WON
,oe 10 ridicule, or patriotism of feeling u" HI"
advocated a, solution oil the
Union. We do nos intend to wr> u"
on the subject, bui to point ont yer, o''es'
such PORTIONS OF the speech as we consiaa'f ~
be absurd and Objectionable
lst It's absurd, TO ascribe 10 George Mason
Che merit of orig inaiiiy in framing the outlines
ef our present constitution for, in all its es
sential features, although not an exact copy, it
is a striking resemblance of the English const-
demonstrating the government into three
great departments: assimilatins the Governor
and Executive Council Except in the magnitude
of their powers) TO the King and his Privy
COUNCIL, titc CeHdtG ~ tht Ahoueo VI hu'N7' INV
the House of Delegates TO the Commons-in-
deed, strictly following all its great features,
the responsibility Of the Judciary,the freehold
system, the division OF the State into counties,
borough representation, county magstracy,
&c. &c. with such notifications as were ne
cessary to adapt ii TO the feelings of a commu.
nlty VINO had solemnly abjured monarchical
form of government. and adopted, in It's s,ead,
the representative republican system.
2ily. is absurd to rely On the letter of Mr.
Jefferson to the late Judge Woodward, to prove
that the present constitution was formed with
proper deberaton -becanse, tits known, IN
the first place, that Mr., Jefferson has frequent
~ and uneqIivocally said that il was the work
oftoo much haste and precipitation and be.
cause, in the second place, in that very letter,
MIR. Jefferson, abiding to the fact that the draft
OF a constitution, which he had prepared and
sent to the Convention, was not examined at
oil, says, that he was informed by MIR. Pende
ton, the President of the Convention, that the
Committee were /" worried with the contentious
the subject had produced, and could not, from
mere assitude, have been induced 10 open the
instrument again. Judge Wythe's celebrated
letter to Mr.. Jefferson. fully confirms the fact
that it was the work of great haste.
3dly. 1t is absurd TO say that the present con
stitution was not formed Sin the midst o. peril
for the enemy was not only at our gates, but
ino and IoIa
about to be declared by the Continental Con-
gress, and in this State as in every other, there
were two paries-Whigs and Tories. The hal
ter was, indeed. around the necks of the mem
bsrs of the Convention--for they were engaged
in the commial of an act which no afer-sub-
mission to the Crown could have atoned for, if
they had not ultimately trumphed. The coun-
try was in state Of great excitement and a.
iarm. and these leading spirits were required al
Their respective homes TO control aud direct the
energies Of one party, whilst they repressed and
connteracted the exertions of the other. Indeed
we could not have supposed that the Governor,
m his anxiety for the continuation of the pre-
sent order of things, would have ventured on
Inc denial OF fact which we believe has here
tofore been universally Admitted. So bold,
indeed was this ground, that His Excelency
was quickly compelled to relinquish it, and to
involve himself in the "open and apparent
Shame' Of a broad and unequivocal conlradic-
"on' For eIample-Tbe Governor says" E.
faa'y un'ounded is the degrading imputation
'hat this Constitution was made in the midst of
penn Now, without stopping to enquire in
"ua' way man becomes degraded" by being
'"'o"n INTO perilous circumstances, "a dscove-
y lot winch we are indebted to the ingenuity
MS ESce'lency) it is only necessary. for our
purpose, TO quote sentence little farther on
III 'he speech =" II /, true, (says the Governor)