Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-12-01

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'ecty, how from government, and " hch every good
and wise government ought to aim at producing The
CoH'u'uon OF Virginia, is The re,ul oil all the discove
r,es aud Improvements OF nearly six thousand ypsr.
fes, .F the present Constitution the result of MI,
NE improvements in the science of government, in tic
history o' the worid-pe3eet imperfect il was the
oes' me world svss saw Till the year 1916 But how
nu.h more hxht nave we attained in tbs science of no.
MUGS Nncs 30 MUCH at least, az TO authorize vs. 20
say, mar 'ha' instrument Is by no means perfect.
But sir, ne great error OF mabkini, and III. com.
mon error OF all age. has BEEN 10 suppose that all re-
formations are perfect or nearly, A. to ad, of lit
Tie o. no Ame'aneh'; it' oq'a!ly h religion and
poiiics. We have had both sorts ct r>fnrms Altar
many ,ge, Of darkness and supcrsion two .ross
called Reformsr'; and they achieved villa, has b.s
called agreatref'rma'ion Blu, while Luther and Cal
vim effected much, and laid the foundation of re Al "a,
successors and admirers their
work perfect, and pushed their enquiries no farther
smcs uen, SIR. during IN 'atervai OF three hundred
Neart tner adherents have not advanced an inch So
IN rolacs 'one fifty or sixty years ago, many disn,
Ku,hed men, seeyyedly called reormi.ts arose in tb
poucM world They carried their views of reform 10
very considerable extent and not only laid the 6un
dalton, hut actually accomplished very great reorm,.
hon IN government Those illustrious father. Of tho
American ReyClution and founders OF thes1 Ro,uhJ;c.
are entitled 10 the admiration aud srati;,. of an ,h
friends oil the rights of Blu, Il was no, 10 be sx
Pec'ed thst these cages, great and wse and good az
ney were could have perfectly emerged ont Of the no
iical darkness and by the
tons OF the m0narchie. Of the old world for thousands.
OF years;
We are wont TO admire antionitv, and to
long established ussges We tbink m. a.. , .e".iH"
tie wscst and bsst of men. Msnv Of he ,nc;n' ~
gs. attained reputation merely because they advanced
I've osyonn inc ordinary stature OF their tines
i'a'', hris'oue, and Socrates, cum mus aliis were
men OF only ordinary stature, but thew lived ,mopgs,
Yet these men, famous they were, and
ter times. But, SIR, " "
hSa psr nSa: l ss'ss9 s Of sa gsniY @
DO moi say that amongst the an,ients there ,v.r.
not great men, but do say tina, light and scic "o
progressing, and that many Of those reunited qraa, -
n"' worthy a the admiration be,towe upon IN.
lhey owe their tn,e 10 the ago in which thev IvaJ
The greatest of these .sses statesmen a,I or,;. -
sen lar surpassed by the moderns. IL wa,weIl for h
reputation OF oemosh.nes and Cicero that thew lived
80 lorg before the days Of Sheridan and Burke
The science OF politics and government i. =, ,you
uhsrsooh IN tn's age as in any former age of the
world: would say better under stood. Yes sir and
would say more, better understood in thase II STAT,
man in any other country upon the face OF tn. ear,h
but though our present Constitution was the hes,
duction OF nearl, 5000 years. experience ami he ne
eress or politicai light have discovered some deec in
did expect, and did promise myself. that yir,inf,
wouin a. .his UNI present 10 tie world model tho
neN mouei OF government the world ever saw Wb.,
beard OF The .aent which wa. 10 be assembled -
anu which now see convened around me, ! tlought
ys9 warran'es in expecting that such would De hT
result OF our deliberations. All eyes have been t,rns
TO Virginia: all these United ass are Iooking viii i
tense interest 10 Virginia She owes il IN herself :,
the general expectation Will the Ancient Donii; ,
rs'Pectherself, and realize tbs hopes Of her (riena,
am sir, beginning to despair aud fear that We ARD
again 70 prove Mat retrogresson rather than ,roa,
sion Is the common Characteristic of man S''
some call every attempt at reformation an. v,
new sug ges'ion nec theory With them the feformist
Is hcorst, and his amendments are mere tb,ori..
am no friend TO mere theories but all rcforma,i5
and all Improvements are frat theories I eannot ~,
every em' 10 ameiiora'e the political condition of man
me'e heory' visionary theory. And vet sir 7 an
no friend 10 nswI heorcs; but rcmemberjnS ss J ,s
we owe ai our improvements which have raised IN,
Pee. aoove al past ages. TO mere theories as some
to call ham, 4
Dries In the gross.-Yes sir, printing jtietf III; ~,
which has revou'ionzed, and is reyolu,ioni,i,r a.
meni, were once but mere theories e'
have no theory now to offer: o,lv ;L .
sec e principles ''eedy d"hned, undcrsood and can
nonZsu carried out to their proper extent. think we
are prepared Tor nothing more; can rsasonahIv AL
Tor no more at present. But am very far from fJnL
ing That the social compact has yet been perfected Or
nI so,ie,y yer prepared for the est possible polit
'cai institutions That government is be 5, for anv nae
pie that Il best adapted 10 their views wants ,s;h
and oven prejudice'. Not that bcb /. hes, ad mini
tered, hut that which best suits itself To tb.
OF society. This seems not 10 have hes, ' rs,
the trainers OF the Bill of Rights and the tonSd ar =,
this government. They declared the princinl.s tho
Just and righteous principles Of the social co,nn,c,. al
progressed 20 tar in the application a. ihey suppo,eJ
the then exi''ing state of society required and
tea. But foreseeing that changes woulI rske nI,.s
and that 'hs human mini progrc s,ing and ,yott
progress, they revised, and most pruj.ntJv ,J,i.J
frequent recurrence 10 fundamental principles Not ~
change those principles as one gentleman (Mr CilcC
h,,
bringing them up near to the Interchangeable princjple
by continual approximation TO the cardinal nrnci,
winch they propoun'ed. Amongst ALI the grss,' No
neal truths which these sages declared not one 1. me-
just or evident than this That no fr.s oova.a..
or inc blessing OF liberty. he preserved to anv pe
pie' but by hrm adherencoto ju,ice mole ,iion
temperance irug"iry and virtue, and by frequent re-
currence to iundaine al principles"
Mr. Chairman, have based the resolution, ,ybi.t Z
have had the honor 10 submit, uron the doc,ine
aine in the 9th article Of the Bill Of Rights And civ
permit me tn say tina, ain attached 10 the BIi
OF Rights, Than was before the ato discussion com
senced have seen that this instrum emit bas been
our palladium, and The only buIwark against tn demo
on OF our republican citadel and the destruction Of
,ne republican character Of our government, Nothing
has now saved We from the establishments the canoni.
cation OF the most prominent features Of an aris,ocrac
out TINS same BU OF Rights Have not The efTo,,s -
an the gsntrmen "nti-ref)rmss been drected in so,.
way or other against The letter of ns ins,ru,o,,5
some have opPugned 1t way, and some sno,-
bui I'll VINO have plead the mixed basis and tJ,s e.
"o'u qlalHcanon nave IDund IL in their yAy and J,an,
,nu a !. ~ whols' or 10 part dead letter Wbeiher
ney intended u or not, such has been the effect ~ ~,
ntr crlucisms upon it, And sir, give me Irovs - 80
" ,nose gentlemen had succeeded in their e9,-,s a
'hf 'iine carried the taxation basis unon tJeir
sIuc'ons Of The Bill of Rights, wouj /, M, 10 ."
s,"e sohe hity wears hence upon more liberal co..,
"ucuoh' and with The precedent of these proresd;o
"'O'e euothcr Convention, TO originate leqaizcd a.
w. "cy ~ me Imie,' sense OF the erml Yes cir il
IN The short period Of Gfy.four wears so ore,i - "
parinre from INC principles developed and presc,cI
ny Inc aneTs OF the existing Consritution sbouI -
been completed as The basing Of this qoye.ncaan, ~
"edh' ON wFaiib, SIR repest disgui.e IL as eenrr
men may nifty -four years more, and another Copven.
uon o"o"lhg such examples and such int taiions
and we would have an oligarchy ia pyopria 6oy,,a'