Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-12-15


The Chairman then read the following resolution
upon which the Committee agreed:
hesoioeG, That In the opinion of this Committed
the Bill or Declaration OF Rights requires no amend
On the motion of Mr.. DoDpRIpGE the Bill or De.
cinraton OF Rights was read by the Clerk.
Inc second rrport of the same Committee was
next taken up for consideration.
Tue first resolution Of the second report was read
ana Is as follows
"Resotred Us the opinion Of this Committee that the
Cons tuition OF this State ought to be So amended as
to provide mode in which future amendments shall
be made therein =
Mr.. Johnson was opposed to ts,e indefinite Ian.
Suage OF TINS proposition After rejecting whit
plan, any should be- adopted of this nature he was
now OF opinion that 1t was better leave tie amend
ing power to the creating power. He therefore
moved to strike out the word received.
MIR. DoDpfIpoE said he could only speak the opin-
IONS OF ms own constituents and lie would saw they
would be disappointed Unless some provision for fi-
ture Convention retained He was aware of the
difficulty TO devise such secure plan as was re-
CURED
Mr. NICHOLAS said, with tho gentleman from An
gHsta, he had great doubts on this question He
tho"g't there was no necessity for taking this Gues-
ton now. 1t would be better to permit it to remain
ns It Is, until VIC what kind of Convention we
shall have established. He said he would not vote
against striking out this resolution at present.
Mr. JOHNSON said it was competent Tor any gentle
man To move to insert another provision for future a.
mendment IT this resolution be stricken out
MIR. POWELL agreed with Mr. Nicholas that the
plan providing for future amendment depended on the
KIND OF Constitution which would be established In
resolution.
Mr.. CAMPBELL moved to pass by the resolution
for the present.
Mr.. MERcEa suggested to the gentleman from Au-
gusta to Withdraw his amendment.
Mr. JOHNSON consented.
;bluws:
"Resolrcd, That the first aud second sections of
present IN bp rirl-an ant
anu that an Introductory clause adapted TO tie amend
ed Constitution be substituted in lieu thereof"
MT LEIGH said his detc animation this question
would depend on tho form of Constitution proposed
md whether we would establish q new Constitution
from the foundation. If So the preamble would have
avery odd lncongruons appearance. He proposed to
pass by that resolution.
On the motion of MIR. POWELL the first and second
sections oihe present Constitution were read by the
Clerk.
The second resolution was passed by.
lhe third resolution taken up, which is In
these words;
"teSotoed, That the 18TH oist and 22nd sections
OF the present Constitution ought to be stricken ont
as no longer necessary"
Mr. TAYLOR. after few remarks which we could
not hear said, that as it uncertain Whetbar new
Constitution amendments to The old Constitutes,
would be submitted to the people, he would move
that this resolution be also passed over The motion
was agreed TO.
The fourth resolution. which is as follows, was a.
greed to:
"Resotrcti That the freedom of speech and Of the
Press. ought TO be held sacred and guaranteed by the
Constitution.
The fifth resolution next read, and is in these
words:
"ReSofred, That no title Of nobility shall be crea-
ted or granted and no person holding any Office of
profit trust under the United States or under env
KING, Prince or prcgn State, shall hold any Office
under this Stdte.1
Mr.. LEIGH sait he concurred in the policy of that
resolution, to the exclusion of any person holdny
any office Of profit trust under any King Prince or
foreign state, but as to the exclusion of the United
States officers, he opposed to it to that extern,
The resolution affected all Justices of the Peace and
Militia oiercs. That was, he said, most unreason-
able jealousy He moved TO strike out the word ere
solved, and he you'd leave the rest to the LeGiss
laure.
He modified his motion, to strike out TIE words ono
person holding any Office Of profit or trust under tho
United States" He Indifferent as to titles of
nobility, and said he did not much apprehend them.
MIR. DoDDRrDGE suggested to Mr.. Leigh to strike
out the words-'under the United States or''-onlv
Mr.. LrIGnS was contentcd to leave it SO, he with
drew his motion.
The resolution then read thus: Resolved that no
title OF nobility shall be created or guaranteed and
no person holding any 6ee Of profit or trust under
any king, &c. &c
Mr.. TAYLOR wished TO amend the resolution as a.
eded, so as to incorporate the proviso contained in
the act of the General Assembly The proyso isin
these words:
Provided, that nothing herein contained shall be
SO construed, 10 prevent Members Of Congress from
sitting as countycourt Magistrates, or from holding
Offices IN the militia, or to exclude any person
receiving pension from the United States in conse-
quence OF any wound received war; from unv Office
under this Commonwealth, on account of such pen
sion; so as to creote any exclusion whatsoever of
militia officers or soldiers account Of the recon-
pcnse they may receive from the United States when
called out into actual duty,
MIR. POWELL concurred With Mr.. Leigh that all
might safely be left to the discretion of the Lcgsla
ture, he moved therefore to strike out the word
"Resolvcd."
Tr. MERCER said there were very few constitu-
tons of these States which referred to the United
States Although he was as little apprehensive of a
dissolution of the Union, and abhorred it as much as
any one yet he would so form our Constitution that
it could exist in the events of the destruction of the
Federal Government. Io referred TO Massachusetts
which gives the command of its army and navy TO
the Governor of the State. He referred also to the
constitutional difficulties which would arise by refer
ence to the L $. Constitution.
IA bof1 IL