Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-10-13

tn. scheme contained 10 the report propose
That instead Of taking up the government
clause by clause, and section by section-ior
calm aud deliberate examination aud discus
sion, by one " fell s~oop" we should tear the
body asandvr, and scatter the limbs 10 heaven,
in order that, by the assis' ance OF the wise men
assembled here, we may again bring them To-
peiher, and unite them either by doVe-'ai'ng
or some o'her approved mode. Is u not i,Ney
THAI, BY sending the various subjects 10 ''om'
mi,,ee., an impressi will he made. that the
Convention is determined TO EXPLODE every
thing which now exists in virginia, anu W
build up q government which there VIII DC
found but few 10 believe will ever act So wen as
tina, which we have blown up! is 1t no. que
to this general affectio 10 the existing govern
ment that we should deal ,enderiy with II, and
that we should be found as ready 10 rx'o' us
virtues, as to eradicate its vices! The people
would .hen Dr. graiihed. and the proceedings
Of the Convention would receive their sanction.
To accomplish this, his plan ought 20 be adopt
ed. as il obviares all the inconvenienc noes oil the
other.
Was il no, due to other considerations that
the Convention should deal thus delicate WIN
| The Consti u,ion-,hat they should nssail II with
no fell and reckless biow-,ha' they shoulG moi
apply the knife before they had discovered
where the gangrene lies? Aud were there not
other considerations which should induce The
| adoption of another course? by whom was
the government, reformed! He cared not what
| was The character Of the reformers OF the pre-
sen, day. They combined as much virtue as
ever was concentrated 10 an ASSEMBLY III Vlr-
ginia. Was /, no, due 10 them, that The Con-
,en,ion should pause oeiore they sent that
Constitution which was heir work, 20 Com-
miiiee OF thirteen men, 10 take 10 pieces: -
VS. due to hem 10 look al their whole work at
once, and 10 examine il with an eye to the pub
lie interest. If we look al the whole together.
we may arrive al good resull-bu' IT we look
at paris, we may fall into error 1t becomes
u, TO look as they looked For upwards Of
fifty years, The existing government has been IL
operation. /, has borne Us thro peace. IL
has carried US rirm?banily amidst the psrlls
Of war. and has SAT ly conducted US amidst the
hign exci'emcn's OF party, as well as IN ihe
| irauquii time when there was no parry feelihg
in exis'enos. Is there member here VINO Can
name one practical evil OF which u has been
oroduc, live? A Government, Of ffiy four years.
under which we have experienced no harm.
What more could he said! Could as mucn be
said Of any Q, her Government. Is no, re fac,
that i, has worked thus well, prinan facie .'l'
~
Constitution to pieces, and to sca,ter It abroad,
for he u'pose Of bringing il together again
TO r, model il, and see if, perchance, we can
make it betler?
lit was due to The feelings Of large portion
Of the people (no. indeed, majority who are
,t,scbed TO the whole government as il exis's,
tina, the Convention should refer hat whole 10
all the wisdom Of the Sac. Adopt the other
course, and what must he the consequence! A
COMMITTEE OF thirteen men examine and change
the Legislative Department. Will ne other
5 aes have entire confidence in he wisdom OF
that chang? A Committee Of ,hiteen exa-
mine tn, executive Department. Will the re-
sui, Of their investigation inspire the nation
with confidence? 4 Committee Of thirteen re-
model the judicial depar ment. Will their re-
Cor I'm om:nsnd universal appreciation?
Ii was useless to say that 'hrse reports would
come before this body again How will they
come? They will come aided by all ;he weight
Of Committee, and advocated ny those VINO
are pledged 10 carry the report through Bur
adopt his proposition. and the work will go
on step hy step, in the Committee OF he
whole, and every question will BE- determined
as they proceed But send he suhje' 10 So
lee, Commit tees, and he majorities of he sc
Committees will BE- found pledged 10 support
come into lhe Commit zee Of the whole TO sus-
tain wha, those Committees viii report.
H. considered he ques"on now under dis
cussion as one Il mere 70 m and order He
had con,ide'ed il imprr'an', perhaps in Re fer
ence to future discussions. to say SUM thing on
the suhiec, he he'd felt il TO be his duty to
give an sxpnsi' ION of his motives, bot as the
subjec; invoked nothing beyond the form Of
heir proceedings, il would ne treating he Con
ven,ion improperly. were he 10 consume more
Of their time.
Mr. MERCER rose 10 repy, and stated that
hs was .ware when ,hf gentleman from Nor
folk rose, f the inge'uiy and ability with
which he would sus ain bis substitute. and he
also knew WI hos generou, feelings OF that
gen leman's b,ess: from which, should he be
found in error, ;ha siror had proc. ehrd. Bu',
h. thought he could show by reference TO his
own arguments that he pad IN the course OF
them de2ari ed ir IN he 81 ou d where he first