Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-11-10

would soon blossom like the rose and that in the course
OF somc forty years we should have population Of ten
or twelve millions, and then be entitled to an equal
representation. Such language would hardly have pre-
vailed with ns But fellow citizens OF the West
reverse the popositionthey tell that thirty
the msi'rv will surely be found West of the An ,hs.
ny, AMI ,.ely ask 10 assent to principI. which
will pace u.s. and all we have in their power their
mercy-our slaves our lands household goods our
but stop, sir The beauty Of is they tell ~. all the
while, to qu'et our rehensions no doubt-" R,m.m
Der the weight OF ick Wool, yo, s-eomp, with Al,
our desires, reasonable or able hope
more" Remember the weight Of Back. Gods vote
that force. which moves in solid phaanx, always ad
vaDcing. never reeniing, never breaking.
The Commons Of Great Britain claimed power over
our property, aud we insisted that the control over it
belonged, oil right and exclusively, TO the owners
our fellow citizens OF the West ask US to give them
the absolute power OF taxation us aud insist
on retaining that power in our hands. The Com.
mons OF Great Britain claimed to exact at pepper.
corn from us voting millions Of their own our bre H.
rem oil the West only ask to take three dollars Of
our money for every dollar they contribute Of theirs,
Let fair comparison he mad, and then determine
which claim Is the more reasonable, the abhor
rent from justice, safety and liberty Our fathers stood
us'ihed before the nations and before high heaven too
in resisting The elensions OF Great Britain. by all the
means that God aud nature put into their hands.
And now, sir, let me be distinctly understood. At
tachment TO this, native state every of her
SOIL TO every interest Of all her citizens, has been my
ruling passion from youh-so strong that IL is now
(what all attachments to be useful its objects mu 4
hey prejrdcel hardly recoect the reasons on which
it,vas founded. None that know me- will doub, This
foresaw, tore;o, this fearful, disracting conflict
looked to il with terror from the first, aud looked to
its consequences with horror have trembied-I
have burned. PRAISED my Cdssdvidrd voice, TO warn
and to deprecate-ii had ths strength to make il
heard wanted weight Of character to make il needed
Never till thcn had felt ~ want OF political Influence
or lamened that had dis.ined the ordinary methods of
acquiring II in my earlier years, though probably no
efforts would have been successful. My feelings, my
reason my prejudices my principles, all assure me,
that the Acknowledgement Of the State must he fraught
with cruel evils TO Of the East, ami still more cruel
evils 10 brethren Of the West. Yet, strand In.
blood cures in my veins while make the avowal-T
shall avow that the preservation Of the Commonwc
i'm its int gritty, is only the second wish Of my heart
the first is, that may be preserved entire under fair
equal regular, republican government, founded in the
great interests that common 10 ALL and on lust
balance OF those interests that are conflicting.
Sir, the resolution reported By the Legislative Com
miitce in effect, proposes TO divorce power from prop
erty-o base representation numbers alone though
numbers do not quairae with property-'hough noun
tain' rise between them-o transfer in the course of
very few years. the weight Of power over alton and
property to the west though be admitted on all hands
that The Tar greater OF property is now and must
still he, held in the east Power AMI property may he
separated for time, by force or raud-but divorced.
never For, so soon the pang Of separation is felt
there be truth in history, il there he any certainty in
the experience Of ages il all pretensions to knowledge
oil the human heart be not vanity and iollyproperty
will purchase power, or power will take property. Aud
either way there must be end Of free f
property buy power, the very process. is corruption II
power ravish property, the sword must b. drswn-so
essential IL property the very being of civilized
ty. and so certain that civilized will con sent
to return TO a savage state Corruption and violence
alike terminate in military despot. All the Republics
in the world have died this death In the pursuit of
Wild impractc liberty the people have first become
d'gusted with all regular government then violated
the security OF property which regular government a.
lone defend, and been glad at last lind a master
License Is notl liberty. but the bane of liberty There
Is book-but the author was torv an English tory,
ana he wrote before the American Revolution, that
am almost afraid to refer to i'-yet w-there is an
Essay Of Swift, the disscnons of Athens and Rome
in which the downfall of those Republics, i. clearly
n fife flta
property in dferen, hands from those that held the
property. The manner Of doing the mischief there
was The vestng OF all the powers of juiica,ure in the
people; but mo mater how the may he varied,
the principle is the There has been no
change in the natural feelings, passions asd appetite. OF
men any more than in their outward form, from the
days Of Soon to those OF George Washn gton. Like
political or moral put in action have pro-
dnced and must forever produce every where like eff
fects--in Athens, in Rome, in France, in America.
The resolution OF the Legislative Committee propo-
res 10 give 10 ihos who have comparatively little pro-
Perty, power over those who have great deal-to
give To those who contribute the least, the power OF
taxation over those who contribute the most, to tho
public treasury (what most strange and in
congruous) TO give the power property to num-
bers aone in that branch OF the Legislature which
should be The especi al guardian of property-in the
revenue giving branch To my mind, sir, the scheme
irreconcilcable with the fundamental principle of re-
preventative government, and initiates against its pc
cuar mode of operation, in producing liberty first,
and then nurturng, fostering, defending and prcserv
ing II, for a thousand years. MY friend from Hano-
mt,ec, how the Institution ofhe House Of Commons in
England, out Of the necessities of the Crown 10
ask aids from the people. The free spirit Of the Saxon
laws minglng with the sterner spirit OF the eudal sys
TEN, had decreed that property sacred. Theiaw-
iul prerogative oil the al time extended O
taxation; and II violence sometimes resorted to- the
supplies IL collected and temporary. Oign.
ally, the whole function OF the House Of Common.
was to give money; but the money being theirs be-
Iongcd to them TO say, when how much for what pur.
pose, they would give it, From the first and nyaria-
bly, TO this dav, the Commons hive been the sole repre-
sentative OF property-the Lords have been re-
gsrded in that light And from this power Of the Com
mons 10 give withhold money, have sprung all the
liberties OF Ensland-sl that has distinguished that
nation from the other nations of Europe They used
their power over the purse TO extort freedom from the
necessities ofthe King,-and then to and end
t-they made his ambition. his vast, his very vices
work in favor Of liberty. Every spark Of English liner
~ was kinded at tina, golden lamp. 81 ask money!
sail the Crown-"money TO resist to conquer your
enemies and mine"-Give privileges them twas the
constant answer) acknowledge and rights;
and in order 10 them. put them into our own
keeping. Sir, know IL is the fashion decry every
thing that is English supposed to be so; know that
in the opinion OF many, il is enough 10 condemn any
proposition, in morals in politics. 10 denounce as
English doctrine; but that IL neither opinion nor M
feeling ! know well enough, that the sentiment i.
unPopular-but laid it down as a law 10 myself when
entered this Convention, 10 conceal feeling and no
thought entertain, and vary in the least from
exact exhibition Of my opinions, far ii il in the
power OF words 10 paint the mind-and have he,.
tajon in saying in the face Of the hole world that
the English Governmentiss free government and the
English people free people. pray gentlemen 10 cast
their eyes the habiabe globe survey every form of
civil government examine the condition Of every socie