Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-10-28
frrpdsrko roR rHE WHO
THE COMVEN TON.
Pnoenrnses or MONDAY, Oct. 90, CONCLUDED

PUBLICAN uOCuncS vi our country To allow 81 per-
sous to elect against A who has 250-if it Is
trary tho principles of equal rights. among qualified
which it is the object of our institution
confirm, 1t not palpably unjust to int oduce the
ffmaion of di tricts process destructive OF these
Trinciplcs,-What is this. but giving to wealth that
ialuenee la districts which you refuse to il III coun
ties! You go beyond the line Of the county To give
Il effect. he deprecated this system ntroducto-
ry of Precocious vigor which must prove dcstruc-
two tile country.
lie prayed not to be misunderstood. d,,claimug Ms
hc did any idea OF offering offence or disresPec. to
any He only deS,rous 10 show the danger
which might result from the introduction of this oil
girchial principle which gives to wealthy minority
4 control over the majorlty-And II tins oigarchi-
al tendency ~ hkoy 10 exhibit itself, he desi-
rous to induce gentlemen while they exerted them
solves against il counties, to permit that evil
TO creep into practice by the aid MASSES of popnu
tl"n, which they would refuse To admit WITHIN their
own counties. III the principle wrong It was the
more dangerous for approaching us VA a concealed
f'rm. The danger we know. courage may brave and
skill suhdue, but the mischief which appruac hes
us unseen, destroys more certainly than that which
we foresee. Again, II fact that mischief i'm
masses, is tar more dangerous than in elCments-
Masses act not exactly in proportion to clerr.ent
Agrain Of powder viii explode IN iady's bou,ioir.
without disturbing the waive of piume-but when
eXpludes the aggregate cast les totter and towers
fall 1t was not therefore, less wrong, because the
evil was exhibited III masses, unless we shut our
eyes against he truth, that you aggregate mass
es, you encfeaSe the power of mischief. There is
another obiection--oy giving power to the few YOU
yltIate aud corrupt those you p.oppse to benefit -
he safety OF free institutions is auniy entirely to
be found IN the profound conviction of their Justice
and right, which exists IN the public mind Destroy
that convection, leave the public n prey to doubt on
these points. and what follows The frs, step IS
taken IN that downward road which leads first to marty
then to commissions tn the sword end 6naII,- 70
appeal to MonarC h for protection Let no consul
Grafton. then, impel us 10 impair the firndamen N
principle Of institutions, BY the system of dis
trictlng, which he had described YOU hrbe and tempt
the honest and simple tIeeholders TO defraud their
brethren of their rights. Y0u make them insryu
ments wiling II you peaSe, whereby the influence of
property is brought 10 bear upon elections and whom
you have aHllia-iZed them to this system of fraud
wIilyou not then have prepared them more readily IN
YIELD when the same influence is made to operate
upon their counties, and their wealth advance.
IT'S claim to the influence the representation,
Inc men Of property in the country are deeply inter
ested IN the proposition. He would remind them
That the ChIc8Ins who border war temp;cd thor
followers To pass the border frey with the promise
oi plumber have undermined their integrity and do
stIOyed the principle of loyalty bv which they have
been sustained until they have ultimately been com
PEELED TO pay blackHaIl to their own yasssIs All +
interested IN the propostiOn-nen of propertv n
less than othcrs-AD rned in sustaining the
free institutions OF the country and in mainfa aiming
lnoSe Prhcples OF equal right TO which We owe our
belog, our preservation and our happinnss
Having offered these remarks he ym,Id ask one
Question:. Representation, what it.-An effect
produced by suhrage-Sufrage is the cause repre-
sent tlou the result. Sutfra Is the pa rent
sentation, the offspring produces, What ouch, tn
be the effect produced by the cause, What relation
should the effect bear 70 rhr what smIIurIr
should there be between The parent suffrage and its
sole offspring represent alton? IL there 10 be no
family likeness between tbem--no correspondence he
tween him who represents and him VINO confers |
representations In deie1aiIon--fr represcnta,,op 10
Dut delegation is there 10 he no OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
tue delegate and him VINO confrrs the federated
power'-Represeutation is but tic mirror. If good
throwing back the true image of the suTra gan-he
begged % correct the expression as incorrect-he
meant the voters: end representation must tbro,v
back the image Of the voters in all their proportions
aud featuYes To his judgment it was inconceIva
BILE how there could be a representative, without n
constituent, and how tn re could be a constituent
without the power to delegaie-und how a repre-.
sentative can look TO any Other than the man Who
creates his power by the delegation Of it. and who
must he considered the principal when speak Of
representation.
He hoped the Committee had perceived in bi4
course no other than desire Of explaining the OBJ
Ject and effect of his resolutions, Offering bnt little
nreum snt TO support thcm but relying on their in
trlnsc truth, and avoiding rcm9rk which IooLcd
IKE answering any objections which he mobt anti
cipa'e. He had been led to adopt this course for
two reasOns--lst--iIis object was 70 exDIain Tho
principles themselves, which the resolutions rest
That the undivided attention Of the members tnipbt
he drawn 10 the propTlcty Of the principles and the
accuracy with which he had stated them But ne W Nc
influenced by another considerations He had tbouybt
~ dccorous, fair. and hOnora BILE to gentlemen ,bo
differed from hun III hs ycws, to ALLOW them the nd
vintage OF presenting their own views i'm their 6u
IOrIl, w oider mat they might have the means To
produce the effect to which they were entitled n
IN the progress Of the discussion il should become
necessary. he might claim Of the House, in its
goodness to Pernt him to revise the objections and
10 fortlfy ms original PropositOn If he could. At
present Inc would go no farther IN ANTICIPATING OBJ
jrctiohs than he could possibly avoid. There was
one exception only, in the necessity imposed upon
INN OF explaining and lusiiiying his fnh Resolution
That Resolution refers % TAXATION; md h.. ,,.,.,
y was nt'"duo"d >" oo""-vtiuu with those other
propositions respecting the elective franchise not
only to determine what the true priuciple of
taxation was, but VI order 10 view IL in counec-
ton with Representations Both arc distinct ono
LOOKS TO property-as the qualification Of voters
without any Connection with the principle of ,axa,ton liz
principle assumed ~ the report 49, tat regard must he Rad ~
tle ability Ut the individual 20 contribute the pc ssrv-
Iefe proposition is offered, all men sry IN hc -
20 pay, fact Is contained ~ the sentence tha the sb
20 paw unequal, and the last proposition con,a ms c
though not 10 sylogsc orm be- drawn ton ,bo
premises Even n the premises false there could bo no
difference Of opinion tie conclusion thar 80, vr,
be unjust and oppe'ye TO require eh eileen pay On egua
Of publ taxes" What would be INC effect Of guc6 a
oppTrsstpn' Under no circunstspces yhetber e.