Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-12-24

u,an mind. IL has been though, ill now, that an a.
bic statesman the product Of labor of sagacious
and widely extended observation, Of deep research.
OF clear induction from tho treasures OF experience
If power TO bring within its grasp the whole horizon
of human affairs, and aborious exercise of that now
or. But this il seems has been q mere prejudice; il
must have been so, If the gentlemen are correct IN
mautaining that the whole business of a statesman
is to understand and apply their propositions and
that If he devates in the slightest degree from it, he
sacrifices that without which he must lose NIL Lis
force, mean the name Of q republicans a cubalistic
word brandisled by the dcmagonuc nj the histnrs
and made to work with magic force in the columns OF
the public prints Without this, whatever his wis
dom his virtue, he is cised from public trust
The channels of public service arc closed painst him
Sir, this is a patent mode of m king statesman:
a sort of labour saving machinery in which they are
made with the celebrity that nails struck in a fac
tory and requiring intellect of higher order 10 con-
struct governments than that which computes the
weight of the iron the number of mails into which
1t Is fabricated. This IS the first consequence which
follows from attempting to give simplicity to political
science, and this alone Is enough insure its CON
deinnnon. To attempt to provide for all the diver
shcd interests ola mature people by such PROPOSE
ton is the height of political madness.
There Is another value in this political thrornr,, IA,
which all republican governments arc made and
without which was not made any that was made A
thcorem adapted TO all purposes il requires only tho
form OF rules 81 arithmetic to put into complete one
ration addition and satisfaction, ACCORDING to ,he
pretensOns OF some gentlemen, as we have seen snf
flee TO fix the principles that should govern this body
The OTHER two rules multiplication and division. SUE
fec 20 reduce them to practise it,
il has another value. Ii is the Grand cotboIcor
the political specific to make new and repair inru
constitutions. 1t also serves amulet for the
Physician TO keep off all harms frog, former political
transgressions AMI those who profess fuil faith in II
shall have reckoning TO make for acts ard o,ni-
ons of passed times In these remarks must he
permitted TO say, that have no individual r view
ann them not. They are The suggestions OF the mo-
ment. without particular reference to any one
ma han ILL.,
your statesmen goes 10 work: and the moment he
tres to put IN practice, the categorical be
CONES case hypothetical. All men are possessed
by nature of equal rights. ergo all men in gate ~
society, should have equal portions of pcticnl now,
or; they are not women, y they are not u4Gcr 81
years of age; u they not paupers they are no,
insane; they are not convicted of crime limit atoms
which believe arc conceded by the most thorou oh
going supporter efthis new patent for Renublicn1
Ism on the simple specification before slated THOUGH
ne may have no other title to that designation,
As ne advances, his case categorical becomes more
hypaihrocai. Yes sir much more so. Look at tic
report ot the Legislative Committee and look at the
oner nypo'hes' by which limits this grand heorem
Tor making Republican, Government. You find they
nave IN abundance; IF he land If it is so ma.
ny acres IT IS ut such value; if he is house keepcr
y he has paid taxes; # he resides i'm the State If he
mas resided 10 tue county so many years; # he owns
an estate IN reHerson; and before he gets go work
he Will have stricken from the numbers Of the peoDe
mass equal to two thirds of the whoe-and then these
gentlemen bring their doctrines this; all men in Il
and what that predicamcnt is we tb. patentees9 r..
l" prescrbe-all beyond the line lay down is dam
n'o'e nfreSy- within the line is Catholic aud ortho
COX hn' why exclude anyl Reason, say they, in
S'Fucts US that children, who have minds not matured
caonot vote understaudngy; and the law declares that
all under twenty viewed as children and
oar feelings tell us that the sex ought not TO
nate Its purity, by the poutions of political canvass
very Wen TINS IS all fair. But, why make your opin
IONS The Standard why is republcansn to be emilia
zoned on your cscutchcon notwithstanding vour adj
MISSION ot these notifications, and denied TO Others
who, equally sound considerations wonId maxi. -,
admit ether notifications
The gentleman from Brooke, Ohe Rcy'd gentle
man from Brooke tells that those who do not choo
10 pass al e way ON his straight line UhouSh they
may hnS II leads to the he'll of anarchy, not TO the
heaven on peace are wholly unphilosophical and Ic
acting IN direct opposition 20 all the established rrn.
c'Pies CT political gravity. fear this analogy from
'he doctrine ct gravity, is close than tina, from his
mathematics. fear that the downward tendency of
ms Scheme is so strong as TO put in requsition all the
WISDOM prudence, and firmness here assembled to
arrest us career, and even that may be unavalne.
he other gentleman from Brooke sets his pine TO
uierent KEY, and his tune is that the Government IS
oh6archIcal-a plain arstocracy anti-rcpublcan and,
he says, to us OF the east you are insisting on YOUR
right to make us your political slaves in order that YOU
may keep your black slaves in subsection.
would not take advantage OF warm expression
uttered IN the heat OF debate, and hold the gentleman
down to the eral meaning of the terms he emnloved
but will refer 1t TO himself whether lac has not sacr
hced business ct sentiment TO antithesis of cx.
pressIoni whether his statement is not an exorbitart
BSeraton, and his charge unwarranted Whether
ne IS not confronted by his own doctrine and if So
whether candor and self respect do not demand that
nc Sha retrac his words? Does tina; gentleman mean
I" say 1" paupers and minors and the other persons he
proposes To exclude from suffrage, for he Ibceyc IS
not ono OF the patenteesr you are slaVes2 You arc
bondsmem And II not, wII!he predicate slavery of all
those VINO are not precisely equal in power, numer.
chy divided when he does not predicate It Of those
who have none at alp
Let US, then, have the argument dsarned of this re.
pfoAcn' thlt our present government antirepubcan
and oligarchical.
Lei us come to the issue made up by those on the
Other side who have fOrbone press this argument Of
cthrt tor most Of thase of the other side have them
selves renounced It. The question: is not what is
me principle which every true republican requires in
constituting republican government but first, are there
no principles which limit III On this point an agree
most OF the gentlemen the other side admit that the
perfect consistency with republican principles tho
very limitation proposed by the amendment may be
made and that whether It should be made in this par
ucular case IS question Of expediency to be decided
by Justly weighing all the considerations which such
question involves II So then secondly il Is mere
question OF degree: II IS not the enquiry what are