Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-02-10
DEBATE ON THE CONVENTION

Is TIE SESArE Friday, Feb. G.
fhe motion OF Mr. Taylor 20 strike ont the sec
non OF Mr.. Dades amendment extending TO non free
holders the right Of suffrucc for members Of Conven
tion being under copsdc- afion,
Mr.. BERNARD remarked, that rarely II ever in
MS life, had he felt himself placed in a situation of
more painful responsibility, OF more perplexinr en-
6arrassment than by the alternatives preseY,ed to
ms choice in the amendment ofthe gentleman from
Chesterfield. On the one hand, was the violation,
the apprchended violation at least, Of principle,
which no less than that gentleman in his rcpro-
sentative character, he had ever held sacrcd that of
faithfully representing the views and wishes Of his
constituents, however ascertained; on the other WIS
an obligation of equal If not paramount snnctitv 70
MAINTAIN nviolac the rights liberties Of the people
OF this commonwealth, a. secured TO tbe in fber hill
otrlghts, which he did not like that ocnfIop,nu CON
sIder mere IDLE abstraction, hut asthc true and sub
stantIal exponent of the constitution of which or1n
the most sacred portion. grne Il vas that tboee.
views and wishes, had net reoched BIN in the solemn
and imposing form Of instruction lin that event if
might have been matter Of serious deliberations whe
thcr lls sense OF duty wouid not have required the
resignation Of his scat that noor;) .hey were pres
med merely, but so strongly presumed rs TO lea re b1t
little doubt. that on this subject his onnions were nj
variance with those OF majority of his constituents.
Nevertheless with full knowledge fins sentiments
they had returned him unrebuEcd and uninetrurfed
to That house The rule therefore which in all mat
ters oil expectancy merely would i7drcc tho unauali-
lied sacrifice OF his individual opinions to them, did
not apply to question ofthc paramount inicfeasible
right Of others equally entitled Nv tho terms of tho
original compact to protection. Sir said he tho
Whole OF TINS discussion, IN my Judgment unneces.
sarly and deliberately expanded turns upon the fair
ana Just Interpretation Of single word. The COM
miin'y for whose benefit alone Tho cxfsiur oovern-
mont was instituted, and who alone have the acknowl-
caged Hght as they certainly have the power to
change, alter amend, or utterly abolish t. whenever
they shall deem il inadcquqio e. The purposes for
which 1t whs mstitutcd and to institute new roy
eminent, cannot without porverSicn Of every sem
DIance OF truth and justice aud an utter confusion q
oil proper distinction between primary md derivatrc
ugDt, between right the power which upholds H. be
tvr ono moment deemed 70 reside IN the freehoders n
loHc IHcy nro tho mere creatures mud not the cren
tors OF government and cannot without tho most fa-
grant usurpaiOn, change title Ofa conlpact "a
which they arc cocqua parties merely bat not the con-
stutod arblters Tho negatiou oftlis princplcIeads
10 the consequence, that government acts ofiiscf by
itself md for itself g. TINT al CHANGES must proceed
tiom alone. Ifthcn tho non freclfolders were cyor
70 be regarded original constituents clements Of the
oody polite asl; how can they be deprived OF this
character by this legislature IN lem IN persist in
treating this NJ on cztention ofthc right ofgufffare
IL IS no such thing. II is merely tho RECOGNITION Of
a right - etcrinl truth and as immufallo
as lus'ico herself Whit I laie said Chs
much however, in vindcation Of principle, frcpt
EimcH Wien asserted 81 was impossible that coulu
Ml,n,.0u my assent b. con not be necessary that
should remind tic Senate, tbat havccver been aroug
the mott 2eao,s advocotes OF st.rare Iegifinstel,
1nn properly restricted BY The constitutions IN the for
T|'loh "' "h.ch } hope II viii not be lost sjobt of.
nave ever regarded jHs feature flion0h not nor
az ue most valuable in conscientious and tho
nu@uTd 10 which y might be put has ever been With
w sVIougest argument against Tho pcdicncv Of
49, COM milton. snow that gem lc'ncu f'ink
''' ti ~ much Eiercas"I ~ Tho 1r'i-