Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-11-14
~, p, FRIDAY, Nov. q.
MIR. FITZHUGH rose and said.

this discussion bus TO rive s, ~ 80, no part
tio pr4ITe yGu and 10 rest my justification III ,Jn,
~, VI. Tie ciiafaclef Of tins body. Circu,nstance
however, nave recently occurred which bova cLao
!et' N" de;erinnation NV sentiments M nil ti,,,n
iuy, larry, and freely expressed and IN ma sn,;o
0tC LILY or more ali - expressed than Oh This INV,
- seems become matter OF speculation a,nonrs,
those whom have tie honor Z, re,rssa,, H., ~ ~
"@sl - thi5 has been effected, have not vel i,r
ape To iarA, Ior Is il nla;cfiaI know varv ,,nu
HQ"9Ver the means b. which ;l Lan,r,LIs ,,! L;i
n'nuca people may be disuhused in relation fn :,
!a"hiW representatives; ana if in seeking to eu,,lov
81: o!l INC present occasion, should seem to be of
,hn Instruction 10 The venerable around re-
- gre 50 iiuci better fitted by their ace their
"iIno!h ana Their experience, give thnn 10 receive
IT, trust snail find sufficen; apology with them
IL ISast' IN the pacullarIty of my situation
am an advocate, sir, for the resolution of the
Sis!ht'Ve Committee. | am So because believe il :
ueign TO be, what am lis effect must be- so TO
psdiIe tie government OF The Siate that its fuur-
lWs shall enaDatr from majority of i,=.re ,or,o
Eoters IL declaring my preference for tlie r,r;,;i
nope to relieve myself from the ilnpu,atioIs -, 7ro
Se!y cast upon lis advoca'cs. BY disciuuipg all au
w -L IT, as derived from the laws o! nlture, and
az support Tor It founded metaphysical abstrac-
lions. view il on tho contrary as one Of 1jlo.e
pam and practical principles, which the co,n,non
sense, and eXPc; fence of mankind have almost CON-
stltuted INTO a political axiom.
Lei NE not D. understood, wishing 20 iu7pa;r in
SIle smallest degree, the character Of the Bin OF
flights No sir, recognize almost all It's PRINCIPLES
"heh practically construed, sacred il men for
instance, are by nature equally free aud indeuen
dent" But God forbid that l should so far DIRE
garo tne lights OF reason and Of common eeDse as to
iN!er IRON hence, political equality that must nc
cinPany man through al the various modes and
changes OF political society Politica! rpt sir or
more properly political power, is the Creature cf
convention and the very same instrument that as
croeS 10 all men perfect equality In the formation
OF inns Convention, recognizes in Tie Community of
ts creation, perfect right only TO establish that
government, Wiich it deems capable OF PRODUCING
NE greatest ocGrve OF happiness aud safety"
nut To charmH It whenever found inadan,,ota
or contrary 10 tile purposes for which it was Intended
~ hen, then we speak of the natural equality of
man. we mean only that one, III the ORIGINAL or
Sah!zatioh oI government, can Claim natural eupe
fi"rlty to another; that all may enter or rf,e. 70
enter ante the compact proposed them .y seem
nest ana That they may in the language OF the Bill of
flights; select that government, which they deem
caPaD!c OF producing the greatest degree OF happi-
ness and safety Tie relative power of each is of
course TO be determined by the compact itself; and all
that can be asked this subject is that il should he
! regulated by reason and Just
l. pH the gentleman from Grunge, OR. Barbourl
agree IN regarding as the wisest political r:,aXia
ever uttered. the declaration Of Scion, That he had
given to the Athenans, not the best government he
could have framed, bet the best they were capable Of
receiving IN opposition TO the gentleman from
southampton (Mr. CpshGr,) it admits the existence
government as well morals, and in taste; and it
recognizes also, the pr"prety of varying from that
S'a mgas as cirGpm'tances may require.
With these admissions my part sir, L only claim
from gentlemen opposed to me, the Acknowledgement
tha OF all forms Of government, the republican form
is best; TINT IN the exercise of it's powers all Other
IlgS oeing equal the supreme authority should be
vested IN the majority, rather than in the minority
and hat as all departures from this principle are evils
they should 30 farther than NAV be REQUIRED by
inc actual necessity OF the and this brings me
TO that point in my argument, where, in the language
OF the gentleman from Fauquier, (ATr. Scott1 must
proceed TO feel The pulse of inv patient before pre-
scribe Tor him, Or to borrow his homely meta
phor must take measure of luv subject bejDre nay
Sheers are opened on The cloth
Inc resolution ofthc gentleman from Culpepcr (Alr.
HFeen proposes so to amend the report of the Lee
gisiatiFe Committee, as 20 base representation on
PoPuiation and taxation combined. For the present
It is true, 1t embraces but branch of the Tecis-
ature; but feel myself justified in nferrnn from the
! arguments urged in its support both here and else
where, that the real design is TO organize the whole
Legislative Department on this principle; and of
course, TO transfer to a minority of the recorniZed
voters OF the State the exclusive power of enactng
i ii the laws of the State.
! When proposition Of this extraordinary charac-
ter, is totally at with the principles have here
toorc suggested is made must be pardonod for OK
aiming both Its extent and The reasons by which it
is supported before Weld il nv assent. 7 lament
that in doing shall be compelled TO resort to any
thing In the shape Of statistical exhibits I know
very WE'LL that in debate statistics are always disrs-
ting and seldom cficicn but feel, that the pre-
sent OCCASION cannot more clearly illustrate the
propositions mean sustain, than BY few short
and simple Details extracted from the reports Of the
Auditor.
l II a line be drawn from the waters ofthc Chan
Pawamsc, Ia stream insignificant in itself, but rem
dered classic, by the eloquent illusions so often made
8 TO 1t clsewnere to the southwestern corner of the
county OF Patrick, he STATE will be thrown into two
divisions, each embracing eleven Congressional Dis
trics; and if as understand from others who have
made the calculation a representation based on fed
erai numbers, be but little different from represcn-
tation based on population and taxation combined,
each OF these divisions will be entitled, the prn-
clple the amendment, TO equal number Of repre-
5enatives IN the future Legislature But the docu-
ments supplied US 10y the Auditor show that while
the Western division embracing among others, the
district | have the honor to represent, contains
349 100 white inhabitants. the lower, eastern d.
vision, contains only 253,3Gf, leaving a balance in
favor of the former, Of % 1863.
i Think proper to remark in relation to this state
ment. That IL Is derived from the ceDsUs Of 1920, as
presentIng the most authentic source If infnrmatlnn