Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-01-08

recurrence
DO had 10 fundamental principles, to sustain the
ProPoeaton that representation ought to be based
alone upon white population. Refer then, said he
TO these principles; adhere to them strictly and
fully, and where would they lead your The
declaration Of Independence was an instrument
surely not less titled TO venerstioh than the
ciple, that all men were by nature equal. If you
act upon this principle, you must allow full re-
presentation from all the slaves This far he was
not prepared 60. 1t seemed to him, that gentle
men did not act up to their eleme ntary prnci-
PIES What did they propose to do with the free CO.
iored people! There was, he said, necessity for
some medium ground OF compromise. No govern
ment was ever foun:ed upon abstract elementary
principles. He insisted that the bill offered fair COM
promise between the conflicting interests of the
state. He did not contend that slaves should be
represented as men; but insisted that representa-
uon ougnt 70 De based upon both persons and pro-
perry; that taxation and representation ought
to hear some just relation to each other
In ascertaining this ratio, il was found that
congressional districts came Arrest to it, than any
osher plan, and had therefore been adopted by
the committee. The question of slave repre-
sentation was not made because il was not. at all,
necessary to he made; and should not be involv ed
in the discussion. No government he thought
could be good one unless suited to the actual
condition and wants of the peoplc. Virginia. bc
eaid, was remarkable for the variety of her eli
mate, and the diversity in her soil and surface of
the country. What would suit one section would
not another. Hence the conflicting interests of
her people; and hence the necessity of some prin.
cipie OF compromise, which should be Just and
conciliatory. No government, he insisted would
suit the people of lower Virginia, if some regard
was not paid to that species OF property to which
alusion had been SO often made. Gentlemen
.aiAeu auou. forming new government if it
was the easiest matter imaginable. Depend upon
&, government OF fifty years standing, to which
the people had become accustomed, could NOT be
put aside like an old machine. Ho thought the
Din was acceptable to the people, ami that there
was no danger Of their not raiying a constitution
Right grow out Of it.
he was sorry to hear Mr.. Mason contend tfa,
property could not be represented, because il had
no inherent power, no physical force-Govern.
ments were not based on force, and he said that
even among the despotisms of the old world, no
example could be found where force was alone
the foundation OF the government. Physical force
could only be the law of barbarians and freeboot
crs. The people of Virginia would never submit,
TO such a law. He did not think such an anne al
could ever be made; for there were too many
kindred ties binding us together as one people.-
he honor, the glory, the prosperity Of Virginia
was the common property OF her people-they
would look to it and cherish them. His own imagi-
nation could here draw picture like that az which
MIR. Mason had taken distant glimpse.
MIR. Wallace rose TO explain WHY he should
vote on that occasion differently from his vote in
the House ON the same subject; since then he had
had some Intercourse with his constituents and
the course that he in part might take on this i'm
lDrtant subject. The question was one of po,rcr
and it ought first to be decided whether we
have the right to enact the first section. The
present Government was formed by the people
In their original capacity, when there was no inc.
quality as to personal rights-all were OH a foot
ing oil personal equality. Could il he proper now
in an attempt to form new Government, to send
INTO the Convention persons with powers which
Godhad never conferred upon them. Would YOU
call to your aid, and for such PURPOSE what was
acknowledged TO be ascurse? Suppose all the Gle.
ments oil government given to the winds, what
would be thought OF the white man who should
claim votes in Cow enton because he was the
owner of five slaves; The principle in the Fede
raj Government was compromise, ii was q con-
cessi0n made by the North to the South.
He contendcd that such feature in thu: bill
would have an unhappy effect on the Convention.
1t was introducing sort Of monied aristocracy
the most odious oil all aristocracies.
The Convention might act on il, and would have
power 10 perpetuate il. 1t might in fact lead to
the re-establishment of estates tdif,) SC. sc.
lie drew distinction between natural and con-
ventionai rights and insisted that the former could
not be restricted.
Mr.. Doddridge then took the floor in favor o
the amendment. He said,
Mr.. CHAIRMAN The able debates of the
gentleman from Frederick, and of nv honorable
colleague to-day, leave me less ground to occupy
The reply OF the gentleman from Westmore land
has, indeed, opened wide field. That gentleman
has inverted the very truths established by human
experience. He has declared, that no human go
yerDment in the world, is or has been, either
founded upheld by physical force, not even that
OF the Emperor OF all the Russas-- Whereas, if he
had said, that every government known to Us, an
cient or modern, except, perhaps, that Of England
force fraud, he would have been justified by the
experience Of all nankind. That gentleman has
get at nought the truths asserted in the Bill of
Rights, and even in tho Declaration Of Indepen-
dence. Like another debaer Of our own country
he has declared, that the assertion, ." That ali men
are by nature born equally free, and have certain
rights, SC. is abstract error, not made true be-
cause asserted by such high authority; and, in re-
ply to the gentleman from Frederick, that the on
Iy sanction Of the right of the majority to rule is 10
be found in physical force, he asserts that govern
ments, particularly ours, altogether founded in
compromise TO that test, / will endeayour.
hereafter, to put the present question.
Ehe bill reported proposes, by assuming the ra-
ito OF the Congressional Districts, to organize a
Convention with elements, tending to the estab.
lishment Of perpetual aristocracy Of slave-bold-
ers, in which . minority OF freenen are 10 be in
vested with perpetual rule over the majority of
their compeers--an oligarchy founded no dis
tinctions Of merit, Of age, Of public service; but
simply on the possession Of particular species of
property. The trainers of the Bill, had not, when
they reported it, ventured TO present to the view Of
this people, an oligarchy founded on wealth gene
rally. That distinction had become odious in the
eyes Of all. No voice has as yet tolerated il in
Virginia; butt i'll claiming representation of 8 .5ths
Of their slaves, they, contrary TO their own doc
trincs in time Of war, affect to consieer negro
slaves, as equalto white men in political view;
and thus, tointroduce new element into the State
Government. In supporting this new and alarm
ing claim they are, at every step, condemned by
their own inconsistencies. When at war, poliii-
clans in the slave holding States considered slaves
so entirely as property, that they demanded an in.
temniy when this property was lost in the defence
Of their country but now, this property is consd-