Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-12-31

the happiesi efforts OF human wisdom. pru
deuce and foresight. Considering the lntrinsi
difficulty of the subject--lhe decacy and i'm
portanee ofthe Interests 10 be nd usled, the
jea.ouses 10 he soothed, the diversny of oper.
atoms To be consulted and harmonised the
opposing pow rs To he balanced ii is reall,
wonderful how adniira ly the work has been per.
formed, wlth how much dsucs the means have
been adapted 10 the end. y how much practical
good has been attained. These errors Il abuses IN
< ivernmeni, which eerlainl, have MOI been few
or trivial, aud which deserve not 10 be excused
or paliiaicd, arc nevertheless incidaot TO IN
imperfecilon oil human institutions and the
Incurable iraiiiy OF human nature, aud ought
not perhaps 10 be asciibed TO any particular
fault IN the constitution. 10 the example of
TINS constitution then. am willing TO pay
great difference aud respect, that We NUT be
/ careful MOI % mlsapply the example. We must
! recnlleot that we IRE not the deputies al THU.
teen Independent savereignties, endcavofing
10 form conlrderacy, and establish a gov
ernmen, charged Nth its foreign relations,
cnmmerclal aud diplomatic, with the conduci
Of It's efrof,, with the common defence, aud
I with tue preservation of peace and ha emony
among It's several M MIXERS, that e are moi
chat ged wife the duty OF surrenderns par,
and retaining IL part OF the sovereignty OF inde-
pendenl States that We are the delegates oi
a SINGLE people. members the same political
So ieiy, owing an undh idea allegiance TO The
tame government living under IA constitution
which acknowledges the Iigl of he majority
10 relOrm--and nua Charged with the duty oi
making such reform, as II best serve in,r
jnsI and wise expression Of the public win, on
those measures of ntinal dome tic leg isIatloo
which intended 10 secure the property, lib
eriy, and lie OF every ciIl2 u, aud promote the
| prosperity aud happiness of all.
II IS obvious, then, that rs th" districts which
We represent have no separate independent So
y"reignty, none OF them Caa impose vote on
our measures, none prescribe indispensable
conditions OF our action white IN the Foue.
raj Convention, Zach State, evsn the sma lest
could dictate The terms on which alone Il woud
he bound b, the measures agreed spon.-
! Whatever therefore WI tan laliiy trace IL
that splrit Of compromise anu concession,
which was indispensable 10 TIN success oi the
! Federal Convention, \ III ioit It's anthofil,
here IA "A discussion of What Is tght IA prlhet
pe,--mhat " III be- uSl aud whit nsOn" III prac.
nee what the ma 9rltY ought Ia prudence Il
ADOPT. A little affection 10 the hi ory II The
constitution OF the tnifrd states viii shcw,
think, that he Rppoitlonmeui OF representation
among th, several atatss, was The result Oi that
spirit OF compromise aud concession.
When the a,licles Of confederation were re-.
| ppIfeu 10 the blu I Oti.5itSs oi July I'ao MY
proposed thai tnirlbntions to the Grna'al Go
vernment should b., apporI'o"ed among the de.
yeral states, ia proportion TO The "uole numb
! oil IN abiiauis IN each, and IhaI each state
should have N tqaal vote IN the councils OF
! the natIon.-Botn these propo- mons "cfe
strenuou-ly ebnled.--li was agreed by all
that Contr buttons should ba IN pfopof'on 10
| the wealth oithe respective siaies,-m piop"i
! ton to their AGILITY To pay but iher" was
great difference OF oplnion rs 10 the measure Of
! that wealth. The Southern members srlions
/ " Intended thai the most accurate measure
wa. Inc nnmber of fleemen--that slaves were
! propeJy puly, and no more standard Of
wealth ~ cattle or other property ,-whIle
! the NerherH members Gontentend that the
whole number OF IdhabuaHts was the better
| Observation-Disclosures although slaves were pro
perry, they were Productive labOrors, and the
! labor Of n country, was The suTest measure oi
/ IFS weaih.-A member nun Virginia suggested
! thai the abouI of two slaves were not more
| than equivalent 10 the labouI OF Que white man,
aud proposed lhat two slaves should he conteh
ted "a. one. in the appoftIonmeni oil taxes -
! And a member ram Pounsy yana, DR.. Wither-
! spoon, was Of opinion that the best measure u
! the wealth of a natlon, was the value oih' lands
and houses-On thr question OF Suffrage, the
smaller states Insisted II was due 10 Their inde
pendence and essential 10 tier preserVanon,
! that they should each have an equal vote with
/ The larger siates,-whle the IHIgef cohlehded
that the vote OF each should be- pfopof'i0ned To
| Tue nnmbrr represented IN each, or 1t not, to
! the amount Of their contributions -Mf. wilson
uf Pcnnsy lvanla thought" that taGation snould
" he in proposition Ia, wealth. but that fePa'
:" talion should accord with the number OF Tree
" men These Articles of confederation tsV-
J ing been debated from time to lime Tor two
a, It'd ItIIy
value of The lands aud persons, the standard
OF contribution fro,n tho several states, ana CIV
Ing 10 each State AN equal vote ia Congress, the
larger states thus sutTendetfIng their Clam 10
! power AS the price of That UNION which was an
dispersal " 10 success 10 the common cause,
IN which Ihr interests of all were embarked
! Expericnce soon demonstrated that however
iusl the standard nf contribution which had been
adopted il WIS zoo expensive and inconvenicni
for practical purposes. Renonslfances were
presented against it, which resulted ia a resolu-
ton OF Congress To propose as a substitute i"'
il. the .pporionment of contributions, accor-
ding to the federal number, ID which the iabour
If five slaves is regarded as equal 10. the labor
! OF three fTepmen, 1HIs - Holutlon was adopt
| ed IN April 1853, D. a committee consisting OF
Mr.. Madison, Mr.. HI swnrh aud Mr.. Hamllton
. were appon, Ell 10 address d communication to
the several states recommending 1t with other
amendments TO their adoption In theH al
dress 10 the Stairs, the committee thus speak
of il: =" Tins rule although not free from
- objections. IS liable TO ever than any other
mat could be devised. The only material
" difficulty which st'end,d H. IN the dehb.ra
tioos Of Congress, teaS 10 fr Me sroPer d.Ber.
renee bef,oefn he tnbOr aud industry Of free
inhabitants, aud Of NIL Other Inhabitants The
RATIO ultimately agreed on, was the effect OF
mutual concesson."
This substitute had been approved by eleven
out oil TIE thirteen States, but the concurrence
OF the other two not having been signlhed,
+ and unanimlty being necessary, il does not APP
pear 10 have been adopted as an article OF the
confederation.
When the federal Convention assembled IN
17H7, L. had agreed to transfer TO Congress the
exclusive powei over ilnpuslS aud duties almost
II...u..