Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-11-12
InunspAY. Nov. 5

The Convention assembled ~ ! o'clock, and
was opened with prayer by HE Rev. ME- Lee
Of the Episcopal Church.
The House rcsuirel itsefinto n Committee
ofthe Whole. Mr., oianard IN the Chair.
Ihe arguments Il the grntlfm l. who al
dressed the ConDi tae on his day are 50 tu
OF 81 atistica statements of exlcnpyr calculations
aud Of such variety Of points, TIA, We cannot
go into iuc delhis Il is a very gruGl al sketch
only, lint We lay br.otG or readers
Nh Mercer rose % proceed with his argn
meni. lie began with Iccapiualng the points
which he had attempted 10 establish On Wed
n,sdny. lie thcn corrected an eironeo ns slate
uenl IL ha mad as to The representation of
the State OF Massachusetts Add proceed d 10
enquire what would be lhs gen IA, effect of
apportonng representation by AVIATION. He
showed how much taxation IA III states IL a
iected by the acis Of the tnItnd 5 Rtes an he
asked ihe Convention Of VIrglnli, whether they
were willing 10 adopt basis which WAS so much
under the control OF the government of The u
States.
lie ngRin referred 10 the argumeat drawn
| from The provsio Of the Federal Constitution,
and the 61th M. OF Publius, and he quoted he
| Journals OF the Old Congress, TO show with
what care the provision about the 3-5tbs slave
| reprcpresentalpn VI, adopted and that VI.
| gina was 'nd,pnsed TO have al her slaves
| counted. But, he n zkrd whether we should eu
to Washington or Massachusetts 10 ascei tam the
character OF our slaves Was il here thai We
were TO he told thai they were not property
| lie commended thai W. are not 10 go 10 the Con.
situation of the u s. to understand this subject
! for, IN tolmlug mat ms rument, the question
was determined by various considerations and
| compromises
| Ia lad Al. Il.
there any thing peculiar TO tho species of pro
perty which entitled it TO the privilege of rep
resentatinn II we compute 1t as property, VIII,
not go North Carolina, aud estimate he repre-
sentative qualifications OF the gold mines %
CabarroS VIII You 60 to the mineral treasure
of our owh mountains, and give them Tepresen
| iRiion Away thu with thls argument, which
| sometimes estimates the slaves as property, anC
sometimes considers them as persons. II woul,
do AT Washington, but not here.
He commended that there was no danger frou
| any deCi~IJn which the Convention mi . ht max
upon thi, subject, IN re- ard To the setting asd
OF our own save representa- ion IN TIE Congress
of the United States-that there were alrrad
II Slave States, which we're equally represent
ed 10 the Senate OF the United states and VIII
have 90 members in the House of Representa-
tives-that 1t required 2-3is uf Congress TO re
commend, and 3 ilns OF the States 10 adopt a
amendment of the Constitution ofihe u state
which might take away the slave rep esentaIIo
in the House OF Representatives even i
Florida, Arkansas and Michigan, we're to b
admitted into the Unlon the slave States wonI
stand a' IA TO l3-and with every possible var
alton ~ the number of States from Cape Flor
da 10 Canada, 40 state of things could possibl
exist. which would endanger t1at clause in tn
Cons,tu'ion-that thus being safe from an
change IN the Federal Government, we might
without any preteAt Of danger, do Justice n
home.
Tie commended that the present state of tran
guilty, which We enjoyed, wa, peculiarly ia
vorahle TO the amendment OF our own lnstitI
tons.
| He then proceeded To Justify al some length
the basis proposed by the Resolution OF the Lt
islative Communicable stated ina il wa
substantially the same with the Resolutions q
| the gentleman from Norfolk. Mr., Tay Tor, al
though they presented more precise standar
than his.
he then examined the great depo.il res a
! natural la" Tor the purpose of supporting Ia
hrs' CONCLUSION. 10 winch he expected 10 arrvr
lie commended. that man. IN n STATE of nature, s.
? called, had rights. and was subject 10 obliga
tons that wherever he was born, he had III,
relations Of husband and father that al
the virtues wtrr de,iyed from the circle OF do
m's1c duhes-thst even The wandering iartaT
respect the ashes of their tRthers-and pxien,
the watmeS affection 10 their ofspring-tbal !
was out OF these affections that all our socia
anu nuhlc virtues spring He eXpatIated up
on ms principle AT some iength-and moreover
con enheh, maj the right OF property was essen
TALLY personal right; and that even il a stat,
oil nature was no where to be found in the world