Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-11-17

has not power to do justice himself in state of ma
ture, because he will be necessarily brough, in cen
ict with others, and he would 6e compelled TO ahan
don that power, merely from his incapacitv 10 ex,
cute 1t. Hence portion of power must be oiven I,
The gorerninent to enable ii do what the in,vd.
ual cannot do Hence the necessity for any conces.
sion OF power and he conceived that no concession
ought to extend beyond the right of doinp Justice
and the surrender of that portion of property which
is found Indispensable for detraying the expenses of
government: In that case, government. would be a
passive machine. ensuring the liberty and safety nj
the people, rendering justice to all.
MIR. q. could not help Expressing his surDrisn
tina. several gentlemen, and aypongst the rcst. he
gentleman from Brooke, Mr.. Doddridr, y who seem.
ca to he most DESTROYS of great changes in the Con-
stitution. after throwing the serious i'm
against 1t, had resoried to the Bill OF Rights as the
consumnntion of human wis lom and insisted upon
the observance OF the rules there laid down. bv The
present Convention. particularly the first three ar
tces and some Of them have also called to their aid
the 5th article, together with practical commentary
up'n them. in the Constitution itself The pen:lc
man from Brooke, Mr.. Doldridge,) had gone so far
Us to assert that In demanding free white basis of
representation, he dcmtnded nothing new under the
sun 1t was the slave holding minority, who were
demanding new thing under the sun.
'Ihs following are the gcn,lemau's own words:
LAe' (Mr. Doidridge,i therefore coacu led, thet in
demanding free white basis of representation he,
and those who acted with him, We're asking no new
thing under the sun, but were forwarding principle
already existing and recognized principles deeply
Tie anu necessities
was The slave holding minority VIII were demandn,r
q new thing
Here the gentleman admits. that lie is dcman,ner
something, and that thing. cha1ge-he We, deries
that this change, Is new thing under the sun, and
proceeds to charge the slave holders with man
ding new thing under the sun, whilst they demand
nothing at all under the sun, neither now nor old
but are perfectly content with the Constitution in
that respect, as it stands.
Mr.. &. snid, he was willing to Sc governed bv the
Bh of Rights according to his interpretaions of il,
The Bill of Rights detracted nothing from the Con-
sftution by preceding it, and he deemed i. an es-
s-utial part Of the observation-disclosures me sand
Mr. G. to turn To the SECTIONS TO which gentlemen
invited our attention The first article is that All
men are by 'lui1o'c eqan{iy free and i:.Gepae,,cs and
have certain inherent rights, OF which, when i:cv ell
pact, deprive or dlrest their postegty nam CIV the
enjoyment CT life and liberty, with ttc means of
acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing ard
obtain ing happiness and safety. y
The eloquent and learned gentleman from Inn
don, read to US number Of Constitutions and Ir,r
tcula:y tn tt of Massachusetts, in the formation o
which, he told us. the Convention sat in dcIberato,
for months. II" OR. GU had already read thu. isl
article the Virginia Bill of Rights. Lit Us loyk
at the comparative merits of the Bill of Rights OF
Virginia of MassRchuscIts. The first ariel, OF the
Massachusetts Bill of Rights, says that ..a! men
are oo';n free and equal" He denied this he true,
either in law or IN fact, while he agreai that all men
are by nature equally free and intlepeneatn The
condition of man from free to bond or bond TO free
is changed by municipal or conventional and rco.-
nlsed by international law. Slaves are born slaves
before us every day, which directly disproycs the
as :rtlon, that sail men born free ana equal
Ye; the Constitution of chusetts uneauvocallv
asserts, that call men are born equally free" Are
slaves born free'-No. And, if an enquiry be made
as to the means by which their condition is chanod
the answer is-by municipal law,-hy convention
al law, by force or by conquest. Upon what author
ity do we hold Africans in bondage? Surely BY the
municipal laws of the country recognised by intrr
II #
national law, but 1t vas acknowledged BY tic Law
OF God, if the Scriptures may be deemed suffice M
evidence of that law. AS to matter of fact and OF
law directly the reverse Of this declaration in the
massachusetts Bill Of Rights, is the universai lew
axiom,
'sflrtcs sequifur rsSfyena"
The offspring follows the condition of mother This
our mauon which declares that thet not born bond
ttlh ''that all men are by rcn And This strange
preeence has been strangely attributed TO greater degree Of
that this clause of the Bin of Rights contained another impor
tan declaration that man possesses the of acquiring
sancions the existence of such The second CLAUSE
is IN the following words:lh ILL p07cer in and
trustees and servants and al all times anenablc them
rms section contains the great dccaratory 'princ-
pie, in direct hostility the basis upon which all
preexisting governments were founded, that call
power is derived from the people--and that mapis-
rates are the servants of the people-and affords the
first great example Of reducing that principle 10 use
in the affairs of mankind. II meets my most hearty
appreciation and exalted admiration.
The third section is 'thst government is or ought
to be instituted for tie common benefit, protection
and security of tho people nation, or community.
(Of oil he various modes and forms OF government.
that best, which is capable OF producing the grea-
test degree of happiness and saety-aid is most Cf
tcctually secured against the danger of rna-admin-
istralion) and that when any government sholI be
toulid inadequate or contrary to these purp iscs,
majority OF the community hath indubitabc
inali'nablc aud indefeasble right, to reform,
alter. or abolish IL, i'll such manner as shall be iudg-
ed most conducive TO the pablo veal Ills
worthy colleague, (Mr. Lrigh) had 50 fully cx.
particularly the clause omitted by the reurlc-
man who lad introduced this section that lie concei.
we'd all repetition superfluoJs. This section clearly
proves that conditions are imposed upon najoritiCs
His colleague had Vointe] ont one; he would point
out another. Whilst tho majority have u right "a
alter reform abolish the Government there is no
right conferred them to d. so. according o the
uumll ed. u,jii. An -