Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-12-24

value as the like number, Indicated hg summing up
separate aud detached integers n these guides
will fat, him, and he will find himself betrayed into
The most desperate and fatal errors, by subm..nr
e himsrlfto ;her absolute sway. Proceeding ON his
strait line, he will go on linking consequence TO con-
gequence and induction 10 induction 10 an almost
interminable extent; like Jacobs ladder which led
from carr To llcavcn--only, that this l fear takes
tho opposite direction.
said that III CONSTRUCTING moral and politicsl
thco-ens espe7inlly when providing an organic law
for Society, already mature, whose interests have
been growing up for Two centuries. numerou prin-
ciPes are necessarily required, i'll order to give form
To a government, which will secure to each the en-
loynrnt Of life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of
happiness, andto produce the greatest of public
good.
Lot me now attempt to furnish some Illustrations
aud to correct some paralogsns, by which gentlemen
attempt TO fix onus that which we condemn in them
viz: tho following out of one principle To cX,reIn, s.
disrcgardng all others
Look to Engand,-grown as she is 10 a NAOMI
tude of opulence and ACKNOWLEDGMENT with interests
distinct in their nature, enormous in their amount
and diverse as to the parties possessing them. Is
there fanatic IN The land who would take up q
p'tori principles if he were called to make Consti
tuition for that People g. be governed by hem nlone2
Is there one who has so entirely surrendered his mind
10 certain SIMPLE distractions that he would undcr
take at one blow, to level all tlrsa interests and
give free and equal representative government 10
that peope'--Yet the general principle of Republi-
can Government is no less true, and without it, no
Tree government does or exist Ii is found m
the British Constitution modified, indeed and MAIN.
ed----and far below what it is in this country----bu.
et4l enough to make that a free government, so far
as mere civil rights concerned.
But, supposing him to get rid Of the most obvious
appointments to the practical application ofths famous
political theorem, tvz; tue equal rights of man and
tne equal enjoyment of political power) suppose
say That he gets rid of the Nobilty-thc Cierry--thc
CorpoFaliOns-Gnd the Monarcl-and then has onIv
the People themselves to provide for and he is called
70 apply his principles; Is there here who respects
the rights OF man, as a means TO the end of pubIc
ftn min, :,ln
give, IN the language of the propositions of he zen
tIeman from Norfolk, to every man an eounl norton
OF political power and make the sole measure of that
equality, equal numbers, however they NAV be stu.
atcd or combined? Sir, equal numbers are in tins
matter, not always of equal value. Their value de.
ponds on their localities, their circumstances AMI the
interests which bind them together Would any rive
TOR example, to the county Of Mddlesqy and civ of
London power IN proportion TO the number of pols
within the bills OF mortality, Far less accc-lino IN
che property within those limits The man who ,ynIi
do tins, would prove himself to be a mere drlverer-
poor closet Spectator, who knew nothnr of man
bis interests or his passions. have selected This m
ample IN order To shew the limits set To nv own
principle 80 lar would be from givnr 10 Linn Ion
and MiddlcseX, average of poWer nrcorlir,r 10
their numbers, that would look TO the lessons nfo,
perlence taught US, and the wisdom brouphi info
practical operation in sister States of NIasso chm,
setts and New Hampshire. The former gives term
70 tue number OF representatives of the town Of r -
ton, whatever may be the number of iDhob;,on,s nv
tnelr wealth and both require the numbers of non
- Z Lar
ger number, III order ain another ntarcr r no
htlcal representation. They could not in consisten
cy with the preservation of the darling principc of
political equality darling il is me as TO aryl let
out to large masses of population combined in onr in
terest and directed by viii, representation oonI
To That enjoyed by population of equal number, di.
pcrscd III numerous smaller townshibs. Lot rs Ike
Lessons not from theory but from pracce--ani thai
Of these descendants of the pill 5ins reads US lesson
which we may proitably consider.
What, then, becomes of the reproacL atenlD; cd to
he agtp IOut pft
their object Is to give superiority TO wealth? So far
from giving wealth the prevailing influence would
in the to which have resorted for illustration
strike 1t out altogether and to comterpoise the con-
solidated force of numbers in the City would look
10 the wealth and numbers combined in the country
or apply the principle that has been adop;cd IN
Massachusetts and New Hainp7hirc, of requiring lar
ger and larger Numbers to entito the growing masses
ofthe population combined by one interest TO an adj
drional representative iii the Legislature.
For further illustration let take our position not
ON foreign ground, not in country where the Coy
eminent ana the community are the growth OF so
many centuries, but in own land. Let us look at
the State of New York. Were called unon 10 frame
system of organic law which sho ud protect all the
interests OF society and preserve them i'm their propcr
orbits, certainly would not give to their great com
Dcrcia emporium representation according TO its
numbers; far less would add IFS two hundred mill
lions OF property still farther to enhance ITS over
grown power. Gentlemen may not porhaps in orr
day. witness any very evil effects from such feature
inthc Constitution of that State-but whenthnt orcat
city shall have extended itself the whole Island
OIL which it is seated and shall have enrulfed all the
ncIgh6orng villages, then those who shall have boon
iBis!ed by the pragmaticGl idea of measuring moral
qualities by rules which apply to physical Quantities
only, may rue the day when they Gd ptcdu principle
which will have given the city of New York pract-
cal domi Mon over The whole State.
Mr.. Chairman, | sensible that have occupied
COO much time IL these illustrations: but was anx
Gus at the threshold Of the discussion TO Withdraw
from gentlemen on the other side the authority TO
turn upon Is TIC reasoning condemn in them.
know i would be easy to Fhew that u the principle
contained IN the amendment, were TO be applied at
~ times aud in MI circumstances, such an application
oft would sacrifice the main principle TO an antago
mist and subordinate
We ronouncc such course. Whcnwc arc called,
not to sum up figures, but TO ascertain he existing
state of society; to take tho measure OF is various in
toTosts; to colutc IFS divers tles to louk It's pbys
cal apttudcs Of other dverslties in future;
never will consent that am bound carry cut ono
single principle beYond tho nnccssily which Is lmnn.-