Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-11-06


6oth together, leave them without CONTROL aud he o,
she, of the strongest mnd--thc male, or female, VIII
he master, or mistress, OF the society. Gentlemen
may have whatever theory 10 the natural rights OF
man, they please. But grant 10 nio, said Mr. Ia tat
by the law of nature, of nations or by The NUM-
pal lsw--or laws Conventional, or otherwise
.4uigu5. c,,a7Ws ais z0s;iae racnf7,
that am entitled 10 the products of the labor of my
hands To whatever property have received from my
father or mother. transmitted by nhertancelt they
grant me that mine should not be given TO another
10 dispose OF according To his pleasure caprice, 1t
they grant these two propositions, then shall de-
duce from thcm, the principle continued IN the
amendment offered by the gentleman from Cupeper,
Is certain rs shall the condemnation and roproba
ton of the report of the Legislative Committee
Leaving the broad field OF the rights of man, which,
after the speech of the gentleman from Northampton,
have been rendered barren and dcsolate wastes,
and from which nothing can bc gathered, they come
nearer home. and touch the liiil of @hS of Nir
GINA aud to the amazcmcnr of seine, and the amaze
mcnt of others of the Committee the gentlemen
who build thcir whole argument -, questioning the
competency of the Convention of 20, 10 establish
any form Of government You take tie Bill of Rights
and draw from il your conclusion, aud afterwards
doubt is competency Mr. jefferson in his nolcs of
Virginia IN 1898, called in question. the competency
OF the Convention Of 10. IN ms handS, the
gumen was matter rathcrot cur Gus speculation han
OF practical utility But since that time nothing has
been said 20 that effect, Yet Notwithstanding has
been quoted 10 shew the Incompetence OF that Con-
vcutiOn. 1t pracl Illustration of the amount
ecNIt al source, will produce He first heard the
incomPetcncy Of that Convention while ho was a stu
dent at the Cole - o! WIZ am x NARY. he then in
picitly believed IT, Dt when lie arrived at maturity
ci mind-hc could not state tho precise period Of that
oCcurr eHcc-but When he arrived II maturity, he
laughed AT It. Il was said, tho Convention OF 1t
had no authority TO establish "a form Of Governments
~ what time Jefferson d covered this, Is mat or
Of curious sp Cualion. lie wonld not tel them any
thing lie IGNORANT Of btu. ne would tell them wla;
he know. MIR. Jefferson sent 10 Mr.. IA
pcet of Constitution before The adoption Of the
present one. The preamble which was Nlr Ictier-
sons, only retained, and the Constitution, OF
which George Mason was the author. was annexed
TO It He saw that projcl in Mr.. JcGcrsou's haud
writing, some years ago IN the Council Chamtcr.
II has since been taken and lie had often since
had occasion his folly Tor not copying itsn
as - sheV how mpractiCGbc that Constitution was
when compared with the practical one of Mr.. Mason.
W hoover would read that preamble, would be salts
hcC mat y was ~" production OF tho Individual
who was th- author OF the Declaration Of lndepen-
dencr and that il cnanated from The same E!ind.
1."' Us moot IN" arrVnlc,t and put 1t rest. Our
sons may '"1y chr competency TO act definitely in
TINS Couvfuicn. heCuuSc II IS established truth in
politics. that the sen by being son, Is wiser than the
'ather %. COM etc-Cy may be 4-.ss.Jncu. The
colonial -orerr1cHt Of Virginia was superseded bv
one ami the ct, and at one and the same time
thht the present Constitution was passoI If then
our competency be denies! by gcu5,lAe4. jh,v must
aGi' mat We are SiNi iAc subjects az GEORGE ~.
Every Constitution III the Union was established in
-
was an cNccptior,l and they all liable TO the
same objection. The Convention was formcG in The
Sumo manner as tic present one It was voted for nv
ireoioldcrS and The members were delegated 10 MATE
Constitution which would provide tor ihc - 81
the rights ard property of tGe people 80 far then
rs this STATE Is concerned, If that Convention was
not competent this Is colonial government still
aud We must either admit that that Convention ms
sessed full and complete authority to act or We Who
rcFoNed are stu owe our allegiance ID the British
h.i'g-subj cts of he present Majesty George ~
aud To his successors in the Hdnoveran line forever
Bot that Constitution was not q hnGnr pownr bc
cause It only referred To the freohoIders and :,
must be submitted to others. There must be lar
ger extension Of the right Of suffrage Our sons
WA hereafter rise and say. Why have you imposed
limit 20 this right, You couiiue il TO houseboInr.
and tax payers alone. Where or by whom were Won
authorised 20 contne 1t to these men? Put man
IN savage state, and must submit it tn|
t"eif votes Some would say that man arrives in
inns cooAry maturity long before the people OF any
other country or earth. a boy here is a man At 7
not as IN other countries at 81 years OF arc XYbv
not allow these men the right TO vote: Why not TO
the NH TIA; Our sons will say that this coly
was elected by no competent authority because II was
effected exclusively by freeholdcrs, Why not allow
inc prNic.e to paUpcTs too, They also have their
?iSa's lie expected to see before his death Isuppo-
siiT mat TINS vantage ground will be Yielded 10
all these scheme=) that by an act Of the LEGISLATURE
Il VII be imposed as duty the keeper Of the Pc
neniary 10 bring out 10 vote OF the polls on overy
election day, the people who are under his care.
nents which wore deduccd egaIn tho Bill Of RIGHTS
The first arJlce Of that instrument is in tho fooynp
Worcs-"Al men arc by natsrc equally free and IN
dependent, and have certain inherent ri0bfs Of which
when they enter into state Of society. they cannot
oy any compact, deprive dives their post ery name-
~ the enjoyment OF life and liberty, with the means
OF acquiring and possessing property. and uurs,lipo
and obtaining happiness and safety"
Ihe article oftuc BlOfRi4hls vas expressed In the
words winch Locke uses IN ms work on thc Theory d
tic 'nHcli Com. act-a book which 'hensn faIni-
Tier usc-s;ud,d b. all politicians and by cTcrv one
who ever considered the subject From thu lanouare
taken from tie lips Of Locke by George Mason de-
dncio" was made and Transferred 10 the Bh Of Riulg
tHot was an O. cniiul Ingredient ~ all free govern
oc1t7 that as al. men were born equally fee they
were therefore entitled 10 equal power ~ The con-
munity TO which they be- onged.
Mr. Locke was an E1gllshm1n, and he knew Of M
greater odyoclts than he was OF q mixed monarchy,
and the object ofhls writings TO sustain the throne
of William The H.
Alh from this Ias Occn dccucod tic principle ofmerc
democracy and John locke, the advoca tc Of n mixed