Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-11-12

preasion KtenNID|
will further explain, my opinion at that time, was not
made up-l found cause TO hesitate, but 1t merely
that the subject might bs thoroughly analized and in
vestig .ied 10 the bottom in a view OF the conduct
Of men, in such circumstances through all ages
When trace the popular movements in France TO
their t'sill be that these 10 nos ex
t here. The people oil France had been rul4d by des-
posm and held in an Affect and dsplorabe situation
for ages. They were educated and reared under dcs
po,isin The idea of liberty cheri.hed snoag them
They devoted to uhut rising out Of slavery they
we're Incompetent TO govern themselves Tue Ell CT
which de spotic governnr" has the intelligent and
nsuners ii the people under it, Il supported by all
history The great mass Ignorant aud trained 10
obedience. Those OF France, had caught the spirit oil
liberty, aud would longer submit the power OF the
crown and n'bi'y They rose in a body suddenly.
aud with violence, AMI overwhelming the existing
vernnent. they took the whole power into tn ,ir own
hands, but were incompetent 10 proper use OF it,
These remarks the condition OF France will apply to
all Europe, but less To England than to other European
nations Ii WAS the ef1ri oi the people OF Eng
land which repealed tho desposm with which they
meusced and laid the basis Of ,ht Constitution
which, as ithas been stated by my friend from Chester
field, all our institutions have taken their ign But
ere Is no part OF Europe, not England ITSELF ie ,r that
could support such government as we enjoy here
The power vested essentially in the popular branch,
d.ug our Colonial State, in all the Colonies. There
WAS little to oppose II, but the veto OF the crown
Al America was arrayed against the Crown We
assembled in our revolution, and crushed L., AMI the
power OF the crown then s-d the body OF the peo-
pie. The people OF these Colonies slaves:
they enlig htened people who had He'd from op
preston n England, and here in search OF liberty
The love of charicterL al in colonial state, aud
continued To do the period OF our Independence
Look at Asia, AT Africa and even al Europe, AMI what
IL their condition.! IT there IL portion ot ths earth
where self governm, be mainaiuei, it j. in these
United States: and say again that virsiniais US com
pctcn, to II, as any other part oil the Union
a. 10 the slave ppulaion IL exists here, anu whether
we shall get rid oil il or not. is Tor those who own 1t to
decide for themselves The .taes where 1t does no,
exist, interfere unless authorized and invit
ell to do it. But il the decision shall be- th they can
not be emancipa,ed, (and coud never consent that
they should be. unles. you send them away is equa
y the interest of the nonlave holding as OF the slave
holding States, support the latter in their authority
over their slaves Where they they never eau en-
Joy .qu Il rights with the white popu' atom and IL enan-
cipated, inerminabie war would ensue. III say il
shall be the sentiment Of the Southern States that si.
very must coninus forever then what has passed will
induce the other ates 10 support u'.
| would never by any act of mprulence, raise up
the non-slave oling States into hostility against the
others. IL you marshal them against each o!er what
then, mus be the consequence! ACKNOWLEDGMENT will
be inevitable The European powers all fight agains,
each other, and we should go the same way: The
slaveholng States would ncie instructions among
our slave population done by the republics OF
Ancient Greece, and desolate the Country. am for
moving with great caution AMI crcr:aspecon in this
matter.
Mr.. MERCER then addressed the Committee
In casting himself on The indulgence Of the Commit
tee, IN the present of the interesting debate by
which its attention II vi bsen long occupied Mr..
Mercer said he labourci und the influence of fee
Ing whirh he had not lAnsuag, TO CONVEX and the
preston OF which he feared would G;Sqnhy hun tor
~
The sentiment first at his heart was, ;hst the depending
question IN gt terminate in result. proiou, TO tht
union, and happiness of the whole Commonwealth. -
While DESTROYS o! extending TO the people Of the Yves
just parcip ,tion in hs political of the govern
men power proDo~iion-d TO thri- relative numbers
he entered uaDn IN preseu, i, with no IN
friendly feeling towards tn. East. Such leelins
would be eGnaliy at with all lis ollie coas an,
all his hops. His cradle was rocked by the margin .
the placid tide, though providence had placed his dwell
ling by The side Of the mountain torrent. H. had not
drop OF kindred blood ,wng ia the veins Of any iivn
being that did not warm the heart of SOM lowiaud man
or iowland woman He came n:o this Cow eniion
to assert the power OF portion of the State
the other hut with a fixed determination uphold tn
rights and interests of ALL the broad and solid bsis
those great principles oil pscal Liberty which our fore
fathers had a, all times, struggled to maintain. En-,
phatcaliy might he say This and vouch this assHmii
did the resolution Of the Legislative Committee,
discus ion, reach this Conyeuiiol' BY wha, hand wa
The report OF that Committee presented in dis Hal
by that hand, which, more ,hAa any oihsr in b.
ing, had contibu,ei to trace the outline and lay th
foundation of The great structure of our free institutions
y whom hal the principles OF hi. report been just
tanned: By hs nusriouS col patriot who, alone, oil h
assembly, had enjoyed the high honor Of consecrain
those principles by his blood.
We charged with asserting na,v anil Impractical
Die doctrines. Behold the proof of this all .ga'o,. Ar
they not founded on the principles. thr term may no
be allowed him, Of every bill or declaration OF rights
every State in this Uuon. which has framed Const
tuition sincc glorious revolutions? Are they
toned by the vote: of the wises satesne,
ana The pnres patriots, on 10 sides Of the A!an;ic?
taphyscs, and champion Of Britiih iiber,ythe i.nuor
e al Locke! Are they not the principles for whic
Milton successfully cont'ndrd against the united powe
OF political and ecclesiastical tyranny; AMI for which,
1 sill earlier age, the nshe Sydney hled?
r Could this question be tried, without prejudice, i
issue would no; long be doIb ili. The very process
by which our assaii,nts seek TO ovcr-pnwrr ~, al
ord' sufficient evidence Of the strength OF
cipes must he true, which he succcs.lIy COT
roverted only by such acknowledgement Dven
ell AMI most ably enforced, by gentlemen Injured TO IN
habits OF professions which, above all Others teacl
c. its professors how TO discover, touch and
aN the secret springs of the human heart What tn
prejudccs which seek TO obstruct better udgme,
r on the present occasion? Some obyi ous
i e!ude our perception, and must be d.sipated whc
approached. The eloquent member from Chester
held, procllim', with seeming regret, that, betwec
: the district, which have the honor in part
represent, and the western counties of Virginia. tier
e are no longer any Pyrenuces. From Ashby's Gap,
the Potomac, the Blue Ridge, he tells has dsappcare
The illusion OF his Imagination, the honorable
Der nlcrs from the sympathy. subssng, in the prcsci
contest between the people of Loudoun, and their fe
citizens OF the west. To the other districts OH Oh
eastern lace OF the Blue Ridge, which espousc the sam
side OF this cause with my constituents, and obvous
II for the reason, he literally awards the praise
g nagnahimity, which he denies TO them.
! Might he not have more impariaIiy accounted for ii
! zeal OF Loudoun for Convention. from the notoriol
fact that while she pays into the Public Treasury
ty times the amount of taxes paid by the county of Wa
Wick, and has than six aud twenty times the
white population of Warwick-she has but the same p
litcal weight in the House of Delegates under the co,
s;itution OF government which this Convention has bee
: dopuicd TO amenl That tweny-six frecmen OF Lo,
DOM have, in this branch Of the Legislature, the Ncg