Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-11-02

und ofthc Constitution were correctly understood
rue meaning gwen to the Bill OF Rights would b,
found TO be different from that which thcv iutcnJ n
ake the INSTRUMENTS together, and YOU bav. th.;,
iul effect lie referred the gentlemen 10 the .rtcI.
III each as to the right of suffrage in order TINT they
might subject these articles this test and try b,,
tar they sustained the conclusions of tl.
Phe Hill at Rights extends the right of suffrage 20 i
who can ahord sufficient evidence of a pernancn,
copmo" interest and attachment. Whit specifc
meaning does this convex Some reoord h;r,h =;
tue commonwealth sufficient evidence; o,h,rs
CONSIDER that residence of two wears il sufficient.
~ , eiS ugaih require i've years residence. Take
uo language OF the Constitution in connection with
at OF the Blu of Rights and you will find that The
ue"erS Oh these Instruments say they do not mean
,his; out that the right of suffrage is with the free.
noo' rake the general idea in the Bill of r lyh,s
WITHOUT tsis restriction, and you may saw sf IRE ex
tends TO residence: but take the articles tog.ther.
and you ind that the right is in the frceholder and
nave the true Interpretation of the Cupvention The
declaration in the Bill Of Rights is In. abstract min
cipie; the restriction in the Cons tu on kcs effect
when you come To the depostc OF tho power Thus
10 the case with oil the articles.
lie would look at the third article in the R,u oc
flights Gentlemen say IL means that the whole of
the community, all white population (tbe Hin of
n,gn's aos not say thi') shall be- numbered an the
MaIorty oi th"-e whites may abrogate alter or amend
the government. They are not To- have tn, ord,na
ny law making power only bm, tho power alter or
aorogate the fundamental laws or any OF her kind of
iaws The trainers of the Constitution have left il
on record that they do not look any such prncle
When they mean To confde to the white population
.ne law making power at ai they specify the cases
put they never meant To give the power into the
hands OF majority, except manrt; or fire. ebolters
VINO are capable OF giving the necessary PLEDGES tu
prevent any abuse of power. This is the kind of na
Jority to which the Convention looked. The inter
probation OF gentlemen on the other side the true
ohe-it Is not that which was, which ought TO b.
put upon the language of the Constitution
had been SAID by the gentleman from Brooke
that the Constitution did not recognize the princulr
by which the shareholder to be protected. He a,
Hst thougIh tho gentleman had SAID Propcrfy but hc
nad since found his mistake, because the gentleman
Ead SAID afterwards, the reeholdcr He did under
stand him 10 say that there WAS nothing IN the Con
sttu'ion authorizing the guarantee which we require
Mr. DODDRlDGE here explained that he had
said they had sufficient guarantee IN sona,ion
IN propo ton To Numbers.
Mr. NORRIS said, that he had then understood
the gentleman correctly. Slaves were not mention
co. out the genllemn thought the guarantee sufi
ceh. w hen the Convention, IN 776 gave tho
power INTO the hands o the r"chodrrs they rave il IN
tue Shareholders. And more effective gnarantce to
the STAKEHOLDER could Not be given than by giving II
- the fTechodcr who was the sIavcbuI,l.f W. IL
necessary then 10 say that this power was e,neci,
gwen Tor Inc protC con OF tina slave? The object was
10 he inferred from the act itself The power wa,
granted tn the who were in possessjou of
that property which To he protected.
IL had been said that this this proposition 10 place
representation on the basis of the numbers OF tho
white population only, is In This he con
CURED. lie denied that in the Constitutions this
principle was recognized. He knew that some ab,r
ivc Efforts had been made before the Convention was
called, aud that tIn principle had been agitated in
the Legislature, and at the Stauuton Meeting su,nc
IL or Is years ago. But il could not he pietcnded
That amy OF these had given any principle TO the
ConstitutIon other than that which was riven To il
by the trainers IN ZIG There could be no differ
chce oi opinion on the point, that the Constitution
looked at personal rights and properly combined
NOT only was numbers not the basis which the
Consltu'ion stands according 10 our views, but il
had been expressly dccla ed, since its foundation OH
many and sOicnl occasions 20 be unsafe aud dangs-
rous tn fix the basis exclusively numbers. 1t had
not only been declared, bat insisted on, that this
should not be the buis Of representation in the Pe-
deral Government. I:e then referred to the course
taken by Virginia at the formation OF the Federal |
tlution, shew that shc had been finn aud coll
ssten va her determination to have ber property
sluereu tn representation, with view TO retain in
her hands nn adequate guarantee for it's proec. !
ton. Al that time he stated It not gdinst en-
Gmes, that COntended for u guarantee it |
was not against whom even si. uectcd /
Of improper views. bn. it against men who
had shed their blood IN the great struggle |
winch took place scarcely ten years before that |
time, and who were therefore above suspicion: WHY
WAS i; then demanded, Because guarantee was
considered necessary for the protection OF our prop
crty-nOt from feeling that dealing with |
men of wicked dispositions but because 1t involved
principle which could not surrender without |
exposing ourselves To imminent danger. Our CON |
lict was then with the union, il is now with oar |
brethren OF the West. Will not the West exhibit |
as much hberality to US, "a wns displayed by the
other states of the uniOnl VIII they say The guar
antee rs not now necessary yet coDtend that 1t was
proper that our ancestors should demand 1t from the
mon slave holding satcs? There many induce
mcnts which would have led to yield had
il been possible to do so, without danger The nccrs
sity of un.on object for which almost any other
would Dnve been sacrificed, would have induced them
70 concedo arIost any thing. Yet, notwithstanding
they had that object much at heart, they insisted
Oh the guoru sine pm nDn without which
t,ilt union would not have taken place. Are we
now, IN like circumstances 20 give up this point,
Uhcn there iewer motives for abandonment
lfu like circumstances, surrender what AM
cesQrs thought necessary TO Insist what apology
can we offer To ourselves our pOstciiyl Let NIr-
ninia give ND now, what she successfully commended
for in 78o aud where will the principle slsul1 IT,
the great Southern slave holding State shall give up
her princpo can tho smaller states south other long
resistl lie viewed the effect this abandonment on
the representation of the states in the federal govern
men. At tho time when this principle was insisted
on ia 1859, il was evident that the revenue from
commerce being surrender cd to the Federal gotc'n-
ment, the state of Virginia to have no source
Of revenue but her landa slaves. That which