Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-11-17

init that the social compact wns made by men-by
numbers ofmen Man therefore must have preceded
tie social compact. Ii so, in what state was he?
Surely in that state which has generally been dcsp.
mated state of nature. lie believed there was an
IN Urn ,tiate state between the 1t might be ca
~" the domestic or family state of man. Ifso both
INC natural and family state Of man must have pre-
ccaci lie social.
A.iio.rya the honorable gentleman from North.
ap.on had partially denied the existence of state
at nature, and had referred to Bible History on that
P'i, he had however admitted that the sucinl com
iVlct WAS grounded On feeling of property This is
ednted as on" ground, but il is denied that il is the
principal or The stronge ground Whence was this
aecLns OF property derived It could oaly be from
tight OF property and sense of that right. He in
sisted that the social compact founded more upon
feeling OF weakness and of want This feeling
was so strong rs to amount to abs dilute necessity
ioF entering into the SOCIAL compact In his refer
encc 10 the Riba History, the gentleman had given
SAM account Of ih' subection of Eve to Adam n nd
Of the condition. OF that family at the early period of
thcir cItirn.
The gentleman should have extended lis historical
res arches somewhat further, and he would have
Uun 1lat they ahundantly proved only the right
and possession of property in state of nature hut
ala' the exist of domestic or family condition
al man. He would have found that Cain and Abel
bth male "t:tin.y to the Lord-the one, the first
fruits OF his land and labnrthe other, tie fsrlings
az his tocks Tic'e offerings were accepted BY the
LORD, and the right Of property not denied by any
uil:--th right ing derived rom occupancy and Ia.
epr and sanctioned by the innate ,ral sense of
lr. Nf.
We were apt t. fall into errors for the want of due
ret:cions upnn the longevity Of the Anti Del,Iyans
compared With the little span Of life permitted to the
present of man. IT, avoid such errors he had
nude enquiries IA To the az" OF Cain the time he
ciG.Inltted the bloody rder upon his brother-and
he had found that Cain was at that time mere lad
approaching to puberty, but hadnot then once thought
OF matrmony Though he had reached l28 wears Of
age, and his brother Abel 1877. Here thin is com
pete evidence Of state of nature The rpht of
property being unqre't'oned in each of hem, and
there being no one to punish Cain for his bloody
CRIME; Adam having relnquished all antho.
EIty over him. God. however, took Cain into hand
putt mark upon him, and sent him into the land OF
Nod, where it is sad he married wife and built
CITY Shpu!dthn b, any scap' ic5, bold enough tn
Doubt the given by the sacred Historian from
suspicion that there other families existing at
the time of Adam, ofwiich the sacred Historian was
up pprized, lie would reply that presusnr tia: to be
the case, the account given Of the family of Adam
would form the natural History of any other family
Tho might b.: Ill cxis ence, previous the social
cotnpact-Eor Gains age ut the time of tho death OF
Abel--sce Recs' Cycopcdia, corresponding upon
tins point Wi h LamprcIs Classical Dictionary
hlr. q. said, he Of the opinion that there had
Nen such state. as stat, of Daturc; and that man
ad been driven frum TINT state by the wants of ma
'1Fe. Indeed that all creation founded upon
principle OF relative dependence; ard man rendered
more dependent than any other annal-clearly mani.
testing thereby proYidental intention to drive him
from solitary to n social state. The same princpl,.
III relative dependence Is observable amongst ma
tons as We'll individuals, and is the true foundation
OF Commerce The mSchicfs arising from the mis-
tASen barbarous notion of the positive Independence
at nations, introduced into the practical government
by our base miserable and incQmpetant politicians
frave been Observation-Disclosures sir, greater than could
be compensa cd tor IN all time, BY the deluded,
unfortunate POLITICAL economists, It their lives were
prolonged to the age Of Methusaieh, and were spen,
n The performance of good instead of evil deeds -
Liner miserable CONTINGENCIES of mlsnomfrs MICH
names National indus; ry'-'s Domes tic indstrv'-
"Home market'-''Prutecslon of Munuf,
and above all he American system he verify be-
lcved had each o! them the state of VIRGINIA
1000 600 of dollars tile year 18l6--and he was
confident that every gentleman would come to tho,
SIN result, who would take the trouble to make the
calculation from correct premises. Whilst he admit
ted stale OF nature, he denied that naiorties had
any influence Ill such state. Whence the derivation
Of the term so=ereisn People, Surely from man i'm
state of nature where he is his own sovereign III
he were not sovereign there he were sovereign no
where 1.-The were sovereign there, there we have the
arsis OF his subsequent sovereignty. This seemed TO
him to be self-evIdent proposition.
Yhis enquiry leads TO another more important one
Ito ASCERTAIN what the duties of government
aud what is the object OF the social compact. lie
would correct the expression. What is the object of
Che social compact? and what the object m the for
nation OF every free legitimate government? Ex-
elusive OF the public saety-one object is, the pro-
lection OF persons: the other, the protection of pro-
perty. Government was intended for the protection
" human rights: adequate powers ought therefore
TO be given to the government, to the protcc
ton OF both persons and property A question then
arises, how much power ought TO be given2 Is it to
Ire unlimlte; power over all the rights of NAM Ifso
NJ his natural rights must be taken from him. If only
portion OF his rights to be taken what portion?
How can the government be organized as to make
distribution of rights between the individual in his
native character and the government its corporate
character? Here question arises, ought government
TO be ap active or passive machine! Ifgovernment
De an active machine, You mus: give ull the requisite
powers and properties which belong TO unllmi, cd
government Fit he passive machhe, less power
Is necessary and the only difficulties will he found in
the proper distribution of rights between the COVER
nors and governed. Upon this important point, DIFF
tgrenccs OF opinion exist. There are some rem
tieblop who claim for the General Government, the
whole proceeds OF the labor the nation as the great
daSldcrailln OF its political economy. If So in VAN
90 We sit here III vain are We here the proceeds Of
all labor 10 he given up tho General Govern
Incnt, without leaving oven modicum for ourselves
as The basis Of or Constitution.