Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-10-31
ySsrts eegosgD ajSa as6W~
Reported for the Richmond lyais
T.sEU Com vENTIoN.
ruuRsnAY. Der. 90.

,cfiicld (Hr LEica) entitled, according to Par
htnantary usage to the floor, he thought it was pro-
Ter tor nan to state, that lie about occupy the
attention Of the Committee short tune with the
consent of that Genticnaa He feared that he
should oif but poor equivalent for the rich rcpast
WITH winch that grnte:iln you'd have delighted
the COMMITTEES. But the Committee would fee,
c'as 'ia ION in the c.,nvic ion, That this treat would
not he LOST, but merely dcayv.l. The arrangement
mad given TO him (aTr. b opp rtunty Of disehar-
gong ''ty which be owed TO himself, and to lis
constituents and to exhibit tie respect which bc on
'rrained FOR the opinions oft.c people OF this Com
i!innwcalth, Ill relation to lis views; and 10 ynd;
cate the course which liz felt il to be his duty 10
pursue. la 50 doing, tie would promise to occupy
as short time Us lie could. consistently with ma
iJnl himself understood. Yha, indeed he should at
nli times, do; but now, NOSE especially us the gcu-
tieman from northampton. who had preceded him.
maj III his most able and elaborate DISCUSSION of the
subject, assumed the greater part of the labor which
nipt otherwise have fallen upon him
lie should be graticd i'm any thin-r lie was about
10 offer, lie could, in any form, aid or illustrate anv
OF Tie points which had been strongly occupied
Ey the gcntlcnrn from Norhanlpt on Never had
ne fct 50 dccpa sense OF responsibility as he did at
this moment. YFlis he said, not in the l,no-,n,. m
ahac ation but from the sincerity of his hart. On
ordinary occasions, and he had some little exiJerie,1c
IN Legislation, when called on to aid in discussions
under existing Constitutions, he, and those with
whom had been his fortune TO ACT, if thc fell into
error, felt That such would find it's corrnctio,
by The Ordinary process of legislation But now
he occupied different groundS he was now called
Oil to contribute his little share il! the t,1n;or of
government IN the erection OF constitution
II error should occur, although not irr4neI.bo
rlnst exist for long time, since it could not he r,,
red Ill the progress Of legislation, but ONLY hv the
power OF the people, acting in Their primary ciaract
II the same mode which Is designated for aiucr,nr,
the constitution.
Tie task which was assigned to this BODY. he f
70 be of the most solemn cIarac or, and ;h. obis7
tons 10 petorm 1t faithfully most i!nDnri,jvn e.,
the representatives Of great ccn1nl.nitv ae.n,
blel to minyle counscs for the common ucni
and to lay the foundations Of new government IN
such manner as - contribute the las inr nros
perry of our common Commonwealth 1t vas th,.
fortune of monarchics, and OF MOS, other notinns
OF the old world, to have their governments famed
without any participation of the public will T, -
our good fortune, not merely as an individual {, o,o
bit as one OF constellation of states to meet and
deliberate, free as air, and unawed BY any ter,bIy
power, save the power fthe people, who gave us
Poltica! existence and before whom US ulfe-i,r mr.
biters, orr work must pass for approval He conl1
not but feel the Importance and solcnni! of tho no.
chSon ana the proceedings and it equally i'm
possible Tor INN not to ee more than usual de orence
To- a body selected throughout the State for thu
confidence which the pc ple reGsci in their sn,
ANA virtue ana some OF whom had assisted half n
century ago, To establish that Constitution which
called together to examine; and some ~
whom in the highest departments of the Executive
and Judicial offices Of the Federal Union had nre
sided over the wcifarc OF our common Country
Under these circumstances, if he should find h,o
sh|fWith less command Of the few views which he
had proposed to offer, than he otherwise shonId !
these circumstances you'd sufficiently plead bis upol-
ogy.
I'ic most important question which can arise j.,
orr proceedings Is the organization of the eg;sIoio
department In that, as the concentration of the
public Will, and from that, III the fora, O: laws isc
those general rules of action which rive couduct m
and protect the lives and property Of the people Il
was one OF the most important functions of the 90
vermont. ii was the subsrgun on which the lyhoIa
system rests Winch lies at the foundations aud if we
would build well, we mast be careful and digc5sef IN
the manner in which We lay that foundation
The Report of the Legislative Committee raro,
basis of wi
Of the gentlemen from Cuipepcr (JIige Grennl is to
LlUGy that report so as TO compound the white Depu
at!on and taxation The precise question before the
committee Is which OF the two modes we shall elect
His part would DC in brief and candid view of the
subject to shew that the proposition of the rentic
man from CuiPcpper ought TO be adopted
Tie would enter mo a review of the sr,, or
the argumcnt which had been brought forward in
support Of the Report of the Committee; aud here
hc met at the threshold, with the principle laid
down in the Bill OF Rights Chat all nnn arn cnuo1I.
free aHd independent lie could not E,rLcar 20 re-
mark although hc did not mean to enter into the
controversy this point shat it struck him as some
what singular that the gentleman from Brooke (OIc
DoddrldEn) IN his rein .rk3 upon fiIs ConsfIf utjon
seemed n question the in which il was ado,-
toA not considering hlt the Bill of Rights in the
language OF which he placed much rcliInGc rested
precisely on the same foundation. n
IL woil not occupy the time OF the committee 7
Dy gong INTO enquiry whether thiS is an abstract
question hot One remark he mast be allowed tn
maize Inc Prncipie here, as in the Bill Of Rights
having reference to the time Circu- tances and syi
Icct5 which IL Is intended 20 operate. Otherwise
it you give io most important construction to The Ian
Rpagc that al III u are equally free and INDEPENDENT
17hli would be- 1T subject to no restriction or mod
ticatlrn bat declaration Of universal euuucpa,ion
80 portion OF OR p'pu-a'lOn equal almost to u q
III ety OF the WuOIe population of tins common F.,
wealth, who in very different situa,ion; +
Were we to rirc practical effect to tins Language ,
without this limitation or restriction. We might ox-
poet to So il corE.ry scenes cqucly pcal VIII:
IA ..fs T. lf.r IL. " 81. g.. T."
Io'ngo, IN c"azcll f declaration s,lncai,l,
81 MAR which e;AAnagd from ,1e a.iDnal Ccnyca- ,
Ii ~ Of France. II
IL has 10 - u tllt g',tiat1sH wno rcsortcd 10 ,
this argument Intended So 20 tins length re bad
Only referred Is Po.ut O shuH ,Lat waaH can
ning n-LDas Win .c@ - l.Lr urnn-r constrme-