Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-11-16

%" chu cOIicctcu ny
GiLEs himself.
Mr., GILES said, after all tho s.,hiects Of thi, de-
.ito have been so fully elaborated nnd thoroughly
exhausted i, may be deemed presumption in him to
attempt further cucdation of them repetitious too
might be deemed intrusive on the time. and even
wanting in respect to the Intelligence CT the COM
n.ittec
notwithstanding these Acknowledgements, he FL,
impcllei by an irresistible sense OF duty 10 extend
che debate stin further, not with vain hone of
throwing new interesting lights on the subject nor
with the hope 1'ootl,inng lean majority. A lean
majority on either side would be q poor triumph of
friends over friends, uad still more so on the aYir-
native thnn negative side Of the proposed amend
'acnts TO the Constitution; and would be better cal
cu1ted 10 attract the dslrust than the confidence of
orr constituents. But his principal induccmen, for
Continuing the debate was faint glumcrng hope
y! approaching nearer TO uDanrnity in whatever
measures may be adopted, than we seer. 10 be at
present from any INDICATIONS now before That
would indeed be effect worthy this great OCCASION
end worthy the sacrifice which lie conceived every
Individual member called upon to make to obtain
Gle object of tho Convention. Without some an
proach 10 unanimity he feared all our labours might
be worse thun unovaing. Why should we no, an
p'oach this uaanirnly' Al see TINT there are sun-
Client inlac ancits to make the best cf5ri, ana frtu
natey not without the authority of great example on
this occasion.
The existing Constitution. which wc are called
upon to examine modify. ab"li1!,. productivity
cAan!nNy. Our iorctathots magnani.ots
enough, after labnrious Investigations conducecd
with the most ardent zeal agree tn il by on unani
nous vote: And why should not wc follow their c>-
ample? II said that this unanini;v an, this very
Constitution was produce by sense OF dancer, ami
was On effect OF haste anu alarm. He was sorry To
hclr THIS suggestion repeated. because it was uu
tounded IL Is true TINT furciAlcrs did act in
imminent peril and under il sense Of tn peril but
!, is uot true that the Instrument thcy pro rced was
Tue effect OF haste or alarm. Thougi, they were
highly sensible of the danger, It disturbed the
cquanniiy OF their minds during their VIII proceed
inSs They went on cooy and dispas .ioua;cly not.
outstanding the dangers that surrounded them, and
the hnal result was the production Of this Coasitu-
tom
This danger far from bcing appalling. was viewed
ty them with sport. contcmpt and even dcrson He
had been frequently told la, norhil:r was more COM
mon than that the m b'rs should por,ivciy
other saying, 1--WE mast lang all together o. Dc hunr
one by one" L it possible that any sta., OF mind
could produce stronger incentive 20 exert their hes,
eHoTts Tor arriving at the best rcsuts?Did this
e,ate OF mind afford tho strongest incentives for cal
ing into acton every feeling Of Tic heart und every
dictate OF the head TO the perfection OF their crent
WORK, With one united voice, They accordingly
presented to Us the best Constitution that was ever
presented to any people under the sun. uccompa.
MED too, with perfect UnaniInty. The history of
their proceedings will show that although in the com.
menccment OF their discussion there was as much
difference ofopinion amongst them as ourscl,s--anJ
tlose Opinions maintained with as rrelt arlor md
yeaI, yet they nob!y compromised all their differ
cnces and came to IN unanimous result,
we arc IN n different situation. Ue are in 4 state
OF perfect security. No dangers thrclten us. We
are loft entirely free. Yes Sir, perfectly free 10 in.
dugc the widest speculative visions of our inapi.
nations IN search Of philosophical abstraoons to in
uoducc into our fundamental laws f,r practical
purposes Whence arises this state of s.cIrity:-
From the patriotic and heroic labors which orr
venerable ancestors performed under such differ
cnf circumstances We are so secure from the
moral tendency of those fundamental laws with
winch We were blessed 81 years ago, that there
Is 10 fear that we shall hang by one, even
u we should refuse 10 han. all together. Although
We are perfectly flee from The npprchcasCns of per-
sonal injuries we ar" not without Inducements To
make us combined TO use our best efforts in producing
unanimty in Our p ocecdngs. Should we fail in the
objects for which called together-we would
lose the confidence OF our constituents, and whacver
political fame and standing we have acquired; and
shoald disappoint the expectations of our fellow.
citizens and Of the world He mentioned these Cir
cunSsnccs to shcw the necessity of banishing all
preudlces passions and prcpossessons, andfpossibe
10 be unanimous in our results, whatever they may
be-. tic begged to be permitted 10 remark that he
had been delighted with all the arguments presented
to the Committee, not only account of their ella
borate researches, and their splendid display of ia
lentS eloquence and instruction, but on account of
their honorable frankness and candour. This re-
mark was intended to apply equally to both sides of
the question. The whole appeared to him TO have
afforded new and suspicious example of the just
celebrity which Virginia has obtained for morals and
for principles The arguments both sides were
presented front TO front, and with so little dis
guisc, cquivocatlon or evasion, that TO form just
comparison Of their respective merits, il only
necessary to review them in their state of cononta
Of the argument, nc could avoid expressing the
deepest regret, that difference of local interests
should have ntcrPOsed 10 interrupt this happy spirit
in conducting this discussion. But such local inter
csts do exist, and they too important either to be
overlooked or disrcgarded To obterate them would
seem to be impossible. Phis difference of interests
consists in the unequal position of The slave prop rty
IN this saic and this interest is important that the
production Of the lab Of The slaves forms the foun-
daon OF third Of the Whole taxes of The stutc--
But although confronted az the Threshold by this W.
fortunate stumbling block. i, was tho dIy Of all TO
noot and subdue the difficulty, to apply such rene
Gy 40 would be acceptable TO all.
The venerable gentleman from LoudoVn (Mr
Munroc) thinks emancipation impossbla without thu
aid Of the federal government and perhaps IT would
boimpossJlp even with that all-an aid, which, could
Il be had, could not be desirable To any lie hoped
the venerable gentleman would excuse him Tor say
ing that he did not the precise applicability Of lis
remark to the precise subject under consideration,
he could not avoid saying his feelings were much OK
cltedatthe mere suggestion ofcallng upon the Fede-
raj Government for uid, delicate question:
What would be the effect nf calling in the federal