Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-02-06
DEBATE ON THE coNyENTlQN \,
IL tie iIos4se Of Dele. afeS, Je3suar,

IL tte House oF Delecates, Jl3sunry IL.
SPEECH OF MIR. MOORE OF RCCKERIDGr.
Mir. MooGE oil Rochbridsc addressed ike Committee
as fellows:
few remarks upon the bill, and the subs ttet nov
before this coninittee. that THIS subject
which has been long before US has been nearly
hauSted5y gentlemen who have preceded me in ,chat
and the patience OF the committee with ii. But sir
when reject upon the vast importance of the aucs-
tons Upon which to decide, and the CORES
pondng obligation under, hot to act without
the utmost CAUTION, and the most dciiberti o
and hen recoilcct that have very rarely troubled
the House with any observations, upon aiv subject
which has been before it, cdnnot doubt the DISPOSE
! tion oi the committee TO hear me with PATIENCE
do not intend to 90 into investigation OF all the
various topics which have been presented To our
views, by gentlemen who have addressed the comnit-
! tee; most OF ticm have bocn already sufficiently
scrutHllzed by gentleman older and ADLER than .yyse
shall endeavour to point out sropg objections
both tn the bill and the substitute, which lie are now
conslierng and to show, that the proposition give
to each county representation proportion 10 the
number OF Tree white inhabitants it confirms, which
the gentleman from Brooke informs U.s. he intends to-
make in the House, deserves the preference over
either saii also endcaTorr 20 reply to ofthe
| remarks, which have fallen from gentlemen who
differ from me in opinion, and which am informed it
VIII not be III order to reply 10 in the IL, isc. snail
not follow the example which Is been set OF enu,!ir-
ing into the past political COURSE opinions Of rcn-
t!enen, who now differ with me as to the true princ-
4
be based. 1t IS only with the sentiments which they
now advance, that |, tho committee, have auy
thing to do Ii the principles which they profess
ana the sentiments they utter meet nv apprubatiOD
II shall not feel solicous to learn, whether they have
heretofore been regarded, tra-ederalist or as
uitra-democrats, or have sometimes been found upon
one slde ana sometimes upon the other, TO suit the
occasion. have ever been Of tie opinion that the
hne moral sentiments, which were put into the
mouth OF lago by the Poet, deserving of our ap
probation and adinraon, if they had been express
sed by the most pure and virtIio,Is indivilua and
that the golden rule of human action, which COM
lnands that we should do unto others as we would
nave others to do unto would have been as lust
and excellent III Itself, Il it had ciuanated from Il
less sacred source. shall therefore, direct my at
teDton to the observations OF gentlemen before this
committee, regardless of what may have been the
political doctrines which they NAV heretofore have
protested. do not make these observations because
have any wish TO avoid examination into NV po-
itical courses do now, and ever have procsscd to be
republican, and trust that shall be able by he
principles Tor which shall contend, ana which have
always avowcd to satisfy this committee Of nv claims
to be considered. | represent upon this floor
republican people, whose opinions and views I have
every reason to believe, are in accordance viii, my
own, upon the sub jcct OF q convention.
Before proceed to enquire into the true basis upon
which, as conceive the representation in the coIten
plated convention ought to be fixed, permit me to
direct the attention OF the committee to few facts
winch may serve TO shew, that there is advantage
which my constituents can expect to derive from the
call OF convention from the particular mode in
winch 1t shall be organized, which will not be equally
enjoyed by every other portion of the commonwealth
by reference to tue map, it will be perceived that
the county of Rockbridge, which have the honor
IN part to represent. situated the very centre of
the State, upon large navigable stream running
es>Stwardly, down which al Ler produce is sent to
market, and that so far they lnJy be supposed to
he under the influence of Interested motives their at
tachments may be presumed to be as strong for the
people living on the east, for those residing on the
west of the Blue Ridge ofmountairs.
1,n IL
tabular statements furnished US by the first audit Or
that the population of the county of Rockbridge al
though something above the average population Of
the whole number ofcouni"s i'll the state is not SO
great rs to induce any welitounded expectations that
we shall under the provisions of new constitution
obtain larger representation hereafter in the Leps-
Iature, than we nave heretofore cnovcd. On the
other hand entertain no fears tina, the number of
representatives will be reduced AS to the nav
mcnt OF taxes. about which, we have heard SD much
during this discussion, gratifcd TO have it in nv
power to sdy, that we pay fully average proper
ton of all the taxes paid by the state. And will
remark, to population, that Notwithstanding there
is large mG ority of whites in the county there is
such number of slaves, that any unjust or oppres-
size tax, which might be laid upon that species of
property, would be most sensiby felt by NV coust;t
! uGnts.
! Such sir, being the fortunate relation in which
my constituents stand to the proposed convention
and the questions which have grown out Of it, it must
readily be perceived that they arc in that situatio
which will best enable them to come to correct con-
illusions, unbiassed by selfish interested considera
tons, and uniniluenccd by local prcjudices They
have voted through purely patriotic motives, for the
cali of a convention, for the purpose of amending
constitution, acknowledged to be defective, SD as to
render if possible, conducive to the welfare of
| the State.
| They ask sir, that the convention shall be organi-
zcd upon those pure republican principles for the es-
Enlistment and maintenance of which, their fathers
fought and bed in the great struggle Of the Revolu-
ton In order to ascertain what those principles are,
we must look to Bill of Rights, which hold in
my hand The first great principle therein asserted
lis, "tbacall men by nature equally free and ndc-
pendent, and have certain inherent rights Of which
when they enter into state Of society," they cannot
by any compact deprive divest their posterity.''
Another ofthose great principles expressed in these
words call power is vested in and derived fron the
nenne-n In The third secfinn tho hill nf rir,ht