Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-11-19

the gentleman from Frederick come out When
he would with hls allegations, he h"nsen
,.a,ad nrove thai the whole course Of the Lee
e,islation ef this State would repei H.
Mr. Powell expressed his wish to present
h;s own view. 10 the Committee, but u beng
late IN the day, he would prefer addressing
the Committee at some other ume, and ulere- |
fore hoped they would rise. "a,
The motion was adopted. and on MT
I.oigh's further motion, the Convention an-
'0''"e' -" FS1dayJOei. 50.
The Convention assembled al II o'clock
and was opened with prayer ny ue heN' UT
sykes OF the Methodist Church.
THE Convention then resolved itseii into
ComuYittec OF the hhole-Mr Stanara an
the Chair. -.
Mr. Powell rose to address tb Committee.
lie beoan by stating. that h. had never risen
under such embarrassment; that he was a.
fra;J thaf he had neither the physical nor
| The moral strength 10 90 through the task he
| had undertaken: ihat he saws around hun me
couercgated wisdom OF the STATE men, VINO
! had grown grey in The service OF thcir e"uh
| try: men, profoundly yersed 81 The depuis vi
political science, and that he hal no ireas
ures of wisdom nor power OF elocnuoh 70
| grace his speech.
Il ~ I'll.
the people of Virginia to form Constitution
! for thcm-that in performing this woik. ttcs
| had to appeal 10 tle great principles oil o"t
| Government: and To- be guided hN the great
Drccepls of Justice; that IN forming thus socia'
| compsct. they had to be regulated by tins
| great rule of action; that they had not been
| sent here to higgle for any particular advan-
| tages 10 be gained by any one section over
another. He declared, that no such principle
had been adopt & 1t the polls; that there was
not an honorable man, who would have ac-
copied the trust upon any such coholuoh'
| aud that they had come here to form go
| vcnlment for the good of the whole lie
| said. that of all the forms of government
ever devised by the wit of man for the good
| of society, a pure representative republic was
the best calculated TO effect the object IN
view. and to hedge in the interests OF the peo-
plc-that no wise man would ever THINK oil
giving a Republican government TO turkey
mo wise man would think of such govern
II ment for Russla--nor even france, Whefe
the experiment had been tried, under every
variety of phasis, but had been defeated by
the ignorance and bad habits of the people.
| He was assured, that the people OF thus State
were qualified for such system; while he
admitted, that il would be unjust to give
them pure Bef ican government, II they
Virginia virtue and intelligence for 1T? II
they have such qualifications, would IT not be
unjust 10 deny them such a form OF govern
mento He would answer for his own people
, that they were pure aud intcligent-and he
had no doubt that such was the character o
| the rest OF the State. Not usatthey were ab
solusely free from yice-but that they pos
sessed an adequate degree of virtue to sustain
. such a government. Were they not veto
rious in 10, when they breasted every storm
: encountered every danger, and spilled lheI
| blood for aae liberties ofthelr country Then
= they were yirtu0ns enough; ami now, the.
are moge intelligent and by no means deter
u irorated an THAR habits. Ii is true, that Their
have been asstascns of party spirit, but hk
> storms in the pi,ys,cal world, they have lei
: ! the political atmosphere purcr than ever
. | These storms have passed on without lcavm
one vicious track behind. But what othc
= evidence do YOU require that TO such deterio
ration has taken place, than the character c
the men who fill this assembly? The peopi
70 of Virginia could not have gwen more |
y lusarsoas proof OF virtue and iateihgence, tina
. the dcputation we see here. N have escai
- ed the detefiorating influeace which has .
tected some of the other States Why IS
- said, for instance, that New York exmbi
It such a character OF inpusaty? 1t is becaus
of her great city-which is the refuge of 10
" cigners from every clime-and from the col
= tiguity OF the State to Canada.
;" MIR p contended. that the report OF II
u Legislative Committee contained the only e
'n ements of which this Republican system ";
80 founded. 20 prove this position, he wou
~ not 20 TO the elementary writers, to show tn
- the people are the foundation OF all powe
a that they cannot act III person, but by del
~ gates; and that the ma ior1ty ought to COVER
,,e that il the power be in the people, they ms
'h exercise ii themselves; but that If for the sal
of convenience they dcpute their powers
~ Others, the deputahon ought to be regulate
III on the same principles, which would rcgula
~ the power among themselves; that is by d
-, majority.
y" He referred to the Bill of Rights to she
~ that, all power resides in the people OF ii
I. Commonwealth. Can any man deny ii
~ position? How do we get here but by dep
Oh Oh tation from the people2 When then y
:. come TO ascertain who the people are, 1t
- clear that all power is vested in them, al
III consequently derived from them; not IN pr
% perry, but in themselves. If then it resid
IVA in them, it is for them to say how they "
-, give il to others. They may give it to 10
90 or 900, but is it correct for them to give 4
= same power to 900, that they give to 80
~ would it not be rather misrepresentng, tn
:. ~ truly representing them? This appears ST
- more clearly, when you connect IT with a
"a other article in the Bill of Rights, which {
80 clares that the majority of the people m
ad alter their form of governmental majorl
he but not minority, selected from regard