The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1829-01-22
DEBATE on TIE CONVENTION.
Gzf...g.. - n

DEBATE on TIE CONVENTION.
Saturday. Jan 10.
1. Cnainit,ee Of he Whole. On the Conyen.
ton bill the debate WIS continued bs
hit Mason ui Frederick. who SAID. Having
.penrd the ,iebstr o. the snh a ~ our present
deliberations ~ Committee nf the Whole. shall
by arrangement with the gentleman from
brooke (Mr D,ld,idge) open the reply.
v nich the coarse II remarks OF gentlemen on
The aiher side, will demand from both Of us-l
n,n,t ask .thp patience ofihe committee for this
second resps,s on ttr,f indulgence aud can on.
" promise, that uid be ID brief as my theme
will ad,nu
Nh.n lat had the honor 81 addressing this
teonn,tep, ! offered an amendment 10 the biil
which proposed TO distribute representation in
The Conyeniio, equally amongst the free whiie
population OF the commonwealth. | attempted
To sustain the scheme Of this amendment ~ the
prin cipes announced AS fundamental in our
Bill OF Rights and from It's eonsonance With
The best theory ofour ins'ii itions. A. th. CON
leniion sax 10 he oalledfof the purpose Of nj.
leration and reform IN The government, ! vt
tempted 10 show 20 you. that none bu, the peq
pie, IN whom all power is declared 10 be vested,
could properly be repre-. ented ihere-And that
any siie npi 10 give Ia property representation
| tbrre. was in conpavention oil fban - ncipeal
and ia dcrog alton Of the rights Of the People 81
was not unaware. sir. thai IN opposition 60 these
views. the propositions n isancrd would he DE-
! apuneed ou the one HAL, ~ mare distractions,
| Of would be rvadrd on ihe other TOO refined
| and critical f'r purposes Of con- non Ise II bhve
nj bern dsapp oinied OF all lhose who have
spoken IN epy, hm one the gentleman from
! powhnlan Nh Old) has bern und ,rstood broad.
| ~ IN deny them.
| Us. sii the doct inc thai all power Is vested
| IN the people 50 far a. il has baep soug ht to up
ply II Ia the organization Of fins conventions has
| hnrn Denounced as mrre nseess abstraction, and
! by onr gentleman from Powhaies { r. VI laf)
| as he rawlings OF filming democracy In con
dncring the nrgume NJ adverted 10, after reading
10 Won the principe Il ON the Bill Of Rghs. !
sought further TO show thai this doeti iue 50 far
from being mere abs raeiion. was founded IN
tne n,si solid professions. sz- SAID III, that the
| right al the g. op'e TO rule ihro' their M ORTIZ ,
| tsn uli ma spes II popular government, dad nj
! resi- atone - parchment authority that thr
! vii Of he jorily had its sanction IN ply seal
| force"
l. fhr gentl' man frnm Wcstmnrelaud (Mr.
| Sesian) IN hi answer To iris had modified the
ptopusiiion FIRST, aud ~ mortified his pc hnps
sue esird IA reiutng IL. he n-e,ibcs 10 me ,hr
assertion " that all government was founded IN
| physical force Now, al, TINT gentlemen vii
excuse ne, II fhbeaf hum entering the lists
| With m ~ support ola proposition ihs, is MOI
| mlnr--hui leave h,in 10 combat II ne he may
| a., prepared su, 10 sustain - the eS'enr Of
| NV poor ability every proposition that have
heretofore advanced in TN, discussion - fot |
nav" moi announced hrh without some rofec-
| ton And here NJ ain rs-apseit, tnat the right
81 the MAJORITY Ia rule, rests slohe in physical
! firce thai To their vii nic j. confessed sn.
! prone, can see no Other otion II there he
any oth'r, AR ignoran ol IL snh beg gentle.
| n-n Ia tell me where II " II he found.
''n"crnW"nt, sir, NAV or may not he 5oundsd
- nis 'uIcc. u | appr.hrnd right n broad al
| h mbn'r, or nreairye III this would br un-
| enable some certainly have been founded
! Il fectly IN force, and would ms auce to III,
| gentleman from Wrsimorra Il. the protctto.
rate uf Cromwell, AID III. late D,nast, OF Ma
| polenu
| Bul sir, the bare nrntn. of physical force i.
understood BY gentlemen Ia con ., tureat and
menace. Aud althon h VIZ have expressly dis
claimed SUCH lntni, again and agsn. we are
denounced ior the imputed disposition 20 resott
| - .Iolence and 10 resnlnllon. ! rrgre, Nh
Chairman, II tins palase, physical iorce, /,
- unacceptable, o Is esteemed 10 Savoui r.
slong OF rev pulmonary sioence--thst, we had
| moi und som lang iage of iDlider aspect, SOM
nice holid term, q, Ken thought, that inigh'
have been less unglateinlip whal cannot bu
| esteem rather a astdious iaste. Sin. Ae ma
10 make no threat ol yio ence II ever such shout
| atl.e unt oi this unto inuaie controversy he
! tween the people and their Government, RES
assured il viii come from the people them
s'!'es aud not from their representatives -
| Oncr then, sir. for AL make no threnl-I
am noi authorised TO do so--and | utterly dis.
| ola,m H.
| In conducting my argument on II former da Y
| used this term physical force, 10 prove thu
sonn,iness OF the position thai the ma oIitv had
| the FIGHT 10 rule. Aud I cannot a.ree, that my
conclusions shall he nnpugn Shy wrestling thu
meaning my propositions. II the iiSh, al
| the p'lnieal commnnifp 10 rule GndsA il. sane
! lion ~ hNslcal fore; certainly there can ~
| no port n NJ that community, where there doe
not rrs'dc some portion of this force Ia prop
ertyi naked as sach, there is none--you cannot
| therefore property ascribe 20 IL, amy of lose
! tights which pertain TO poliIica power neither
can on invest J. owners by VIRTUE OF its posse
| sion. With any decreased right as members OF
| that community,
! Sir. this p,in pe that the psopls have the in
| herent po"tr, aud the mnIoriiy Of that penple
the exclusive right 10 model or 10 rr-model
| thor govcrnrIcnt, is 90 important IN my esii
maiion, % he passed lightly over, when. rs ap.
prehcnd. it has MT a round denial in the gen
| tleman from Po"ha,an (Alr. 0ld.)
| Let me ask that gentleman To trace with mt
| the recognition oi this principle, which he de
| mes by every State ~ tn Onion. Following
| the example Of onr Virginia Bill Of Rights. thu
| Piuneer IN popular government 49, shall hno
! the doctrines tn re proinulged, ca eiuliy nea
snred up by almost every State rs II cane int
political being, with an adherence both IN sl6f
aud in the lettc", evmcvp OF its confdrrre IN
their solidny aud strength. A Bill OF Rights !,
intended TO aunouhce the great aud leading
principles OF go'ernmrni--the constitution,
| comes after, 20 fiN AID To secure them Boil
are the work Of the people IN their hi- .esl
sovereignty, who would not trust any bod,
I elmen, however constituted, 10 be the arbtei>
o. sale guardians Of tiesr Fundamental rights
Our ancestors have declared" that all power
is vested Ia, aud consequently derived from the
/ plopic"--aud that when government, Is found
made inadequate to the,end OF its Institution, :" a
/ matoyig o|.he community hath an induhitable