Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-01-20

turb that equality, by giving to the few who are
rich, power TO govern the many who poor!
er, the General Assembly cannot possess such
power, because possess it, the people must have
parted with it-'a thing impossible--tle right of
s.seifgoyeirimcn. being una!iensbIe and iniefeas-
bic. II wealth, 1t ,us not in what species of
tpropcr'y IL ,onsS's''s to constitute an element Of
personal ro'ver IN convention, then an aristocra-
cy OF r0;,lcal rights founded in an oristocracy of
.aoncY. " al be y. opcc established md ass,rcJlv
ipefpctuute0 " lille such a foundation OF indivi-
ouai power WIZ be the most osiious, tie connection
OF the power with the most efficient means Of its
preservation will ensure the Durability Of their
union. The principles Of free government cannot
SANCTION the existence of aristocracv-this 10
.res Coverninenf; l! the Fret section Of the bill he
passed into law, an aristceTacy will be creatcd,
aud Tor this reaSon s!so tho Legislature cannot
enact the brst section. II individuals can derive
ro'iiica' consequence from the o,vnershpof slaves
they vii csist:Si, such institutions rs will guar
antee ats supremacy. Or al! Foundation Of po!iti-
cal right thcTe Is uooc IN its character sad ten
aenses, so alarming. az that which rests on pro-
perry IN persons; the master OF hundred slaves IL
tShg','h the go~ernmcnt which he dictates
70 them, lic IS supreme. Desire to command i,
t'le strongest passion Of the human bosom erS
,sne once the power Is posse ssed Il never nesrz
a'iy surrendered; every raeans will be rcsor,edj
20 na'n'ain 1t. The eagerncss with which il 10
! sought depends onits extent when acquired anil
se 10 authority so gratifying 10 mankind as that
over persons, 50 nothing will be more cfec.uaIIy
s''sfded, or certainly handed down TO posteritv
Ia
very Negotiations which direct the descent Of
.ir'pcTty through thousand generations and
'r',ic'' have been bot recently cxpunged from our
! r'N." vii be fe-esfabiishcd. The kingsiiip which
nos Mse'' oased IN property will be entailed with
the property, for It is natural that the child should
inherit the parents gold, and it is but natural for
me parent 10 provide Tor the continuance of his
gTandeurin the persons Of his descendants. The
throne OF tic father rested on the number Of his
slaves, and his slaves will he e1tailed that his
throne may follow them. Is we take the history
oil man os chr guide there is TO doubt that
! II we prescribe representation of slaves i'm the
tonveution. that fle principle will, be infused
; into the new constitution. and into all legislation |
Under IT, But gentlemen may say that the repre- 1
settation oil slaves Will be political right not To
be conferred on individuals. 1 think will shcw |
r'ied 10 individuals. In the first place. there ia
no political community in this State, but that os
The whole people. In establishing the federal
government. II IL true that the North conceded TO
inc South right TO represent in the House OIL
Representatives, three-flts of the slaves II is |
not necessary Tor TIA to know the consdera ton |
which passed from the South to the North for this
concessIon-itis enough to know that there was !
consideration. In making this concession, those
states had not the same interests at stake that the
people oi'Firgina have. Congress cannot pass
laws in;ertcFing with the personal rights OF the
people. The objects Of the government Of the
oni'cd States, were, emphaticay, to establish |
more perfcc. Union, &C. so that the princinIc of
slave representation could not be welded 10 the
'nj1ry oil the personal rights Of the northern peo-
me. 4he federal government originated in
league otsoycreigties. and ts constitution may he
SAID to be treaty between them in which the
pouca' interests OF the different states were intend
ed 10 DE preserved. But in Virginia. between our
own CITIZENS, the case is wholly different: the ci-
uzen cannot ne the states did, carry their poIiti-
cdi rights into conventon:-poIiticai rights re- |
S'iil to'n Poilicai compac;s and convention of
the people precluces rle idea os the existence of
surti rielts.>
AL nfais, r.. II. 1
StsieS Government, as States-the people of Vir-
gina mus vote as members OF the same communi-
~ possessing co-equal rights. Ii only one man
IN 'reinh votes against the new constitution, his
vote VIII not prevent lis ratification to him
he az member OF the community and as SUCH
WIZ tie bound by it. But if one state, the least
OF them, had refused TO send deputies TO the con-
uehuon o! 'ea. and to enter into the confeIeyacy
me constitution would not have been binding on
such states there sir, is the difference between
tie relation OF state TO state and OF person to per
son. were there in Virginia different political
soiI'.nunilies' as there are in tho Union they
nshi demand similar adjustment Of their politi-
cal rights: hut The state Of Virginia is formed bv
an ASSOCIATION oipersons individually eonal TO each
olheS.-if The ratio OF power given 10 Virginia bv
e i.ns OF Ter slares is TO be preserved in
uie PROPOSED convention, then, we have no DO.
hucA communities, the same RICH. which those K,
communities would have. to give three votes for
every hye slaves, must be- If the principle of the
ni IS lohaYe iSs iuii effect an individual right in
possessed i've slaves, would, in convention he r
euted 10 give ioir votes. and the political rights
OF ctcis person wonid be scaled according TO his
wealth. Can tits committee OF en- ignter ed renre
sentaliYes sanction principle, so monstrous in lis
character, and which must prove go tremendous
IN ia consequence The master of a bundled | {
slaves wond give sixty votes.
Mr. Chairman, property cannot confer pe-sonaI ! &
rights on ats ownera, piior 10 the formation of a 40
cia compac, end such rights as are now founded a
IN property, derived their existence from the pre
sent government and cannot be egerted but for +
PURPOSES Of The government. "
il.!S section o! the bill ought not 10 he retained
NJ. CAarman' because its effects will be unequal c
here are hJfeeR districts East Of the Blue R;Joa
and serl1a West, laid Off OF the basis Of the White
and hree-iilths CT tie black population; the sena
toTia districts laid OF exclusively in reference TO
the white population, are divided into fifteen East f
ana ";He W est OF the Blue Ridge. Thus ut sim o
sie gtance, u VIII be perceived that H we retain u
,.is feature IN the bill, VIC shall deprive the peopi 5
est ot The Blue Ridge Of representation In two c
Senatorial Districts. The Acknowledgement Of fifiv
thousand persons. for the purpose of substituting
IN 'heir STEAD representation Of tlree-ffths OIL
we slaves oil tie Eastern people, cannot be iue- ?
tHeu and ought not TO be attempted There can ! a
De 10 oanSeE that If the representatives. 10 n | =
Convention be elected from Senatorial Districts. n
'iIi' any evil touching the right Of property In il
saves WIZ aTse--ihe preposdoraace ia favor of O
sue people OF the Eastern quarter OF the State 4
decisive. N''' 'uD
The Chairman Of the Comiuiltee here informed
HIr' mat. although the motion of the member :
from OHIO (Nir. Doddridge.) was only 70 strike ou
NE hrs section Of tie bill, yet dat The merits of
we wn9lc b!ii were open for discussion: upon 4
winch klr. Wallace csntinucd:l J
h.'nn wi; Chairman, az rneasase Of expedi- a
=. IN NM ao.z g, 2