Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-11-05

one mao upon 4 jury NAY balance eleven 9th
} efs-end mos, wisely. Here then 10 n ysrie,y
Of cases, where The rule OF majority b aItogs'h.
er overlooked.
The voice of,hr majority Of the peopIe of d
State cannos 10 fact prevail. without = general
ticket. On that system. only, can 40 election
go by a majority Of the people. But according
70 our usual practical system, minorities NAV
generally carry elections and many mea sures
are sanctioned in this Hall, which do not
have tho ~sanction Of the majority Of the peos
pie.
Tie commended. therefore, that there 10 no In
variable rule on this snLjscf-thai, in this, as
IN morals, men must determine BY the expedi
oncy of things by practical utility. II 10 this
test, which determin how far general princiJ
pies ought TO he departed from.
u, therefore. the test be practical uiliiiy--if
We are 10 enquire with Scion, not what Ia the
oeS possible, but The best practicable form Of
Rovernmsnt--tben the only q.ssiiaa hero .soald
De, " ha, " the best form suitable 10 our state
OF society n when you enter into society,
you have to surrender not only your personal
rights but a portion Of properly ought such a
surrender 10 be made without an equivalent, :
But, gentlemen my, that The more property
you have, the more protection you have and
that this additional protection Is the equivalent
which tho individual receives. This mighf be
True, government eracts only ~ much reyen.
ne Ne VIII be necessary 10 the adminisirn ton Of
The government, and 10 the profession ofpro.
perry. But IL is known, that thossands ana
millions are exacled for the Improvement of the
state, in which many indif ,d0nl. nre moi con.
cerDed. lie attempted 10 show tint the analo.
Ky drawn The other da, by the gentle nan from
Norfolk, @as incorrett, that N. eosrrpmpDt
was the underwater, Had . people the assur.
ed that The analogy ccsfes. because The pre
MUM Is hYpH In The rake nf fIa ,o.u.-
whereas IN The case OF the government the Instr
ror Che go~vernmeni) IN noi withheld by nny
contract from taking what YER premium il
pleased
He alluded 10 the examples of North Carroll
ma. Georg In aud MnBsa c~hnsetis. 10 show tho
proprieiy of taxation provision. So far rs
efperitnfe goes II IL in our favor as far os
experiment, II IS against ~. The former Is like
the inli steady lightof,h The sun, the latter like a
meteor. transient IA lis light aud deceptive in itx
direction. The exam ie Of Massacnaseiis fer
forty years is Of more account than the exne.
riments of all the latter States, which are vet
IN a state OF pupilaec.
Mr. IS WIS commenting upon a position 10.
ken by Mr.. Taylor, when
MIR, i. ross 10 explain, He stated. thsi Nh
tho principle of equal power rests republican
government that his position was equal fiebt
among all qualified persons. after tho q%ualilca-
ton ishxcd.aH you permit 90 wealthy persons
10 have ~ much influence nv $50 poorer peI
sons, you destroy the true principles of free snd
equal government aud disguise il ~ you will
nm oris.ocraey Of wealth is produced utterly
Inconsistent with the principles Of free govern,
inent.
Mr.. u. replied-lbat upon The doctrine OF
these gentlemen, representatives. In different
sections Of tho State might impose taxes upon
a people IN another section, TO whom they
owe M responsibility. lie disciaimed all I'M
yRIy',s2qssiam 'a29 fSSr 8RFpy "a. n e5fbIlIgw. silissw0aPa
allow to others. While faith was the founda
lion OF religion, the very reverse of was a.,
the bottom Of poli,ics--Tbai even The PROPOSE.
ton before the Honse was n proof OF it-Tha
people themselves are prohibited from elecling
as n delegate a man who Is not 25 years old,
nor TO tho Senate under 80 years of age.
He commended ibat gentlemen had c%onfoun-
ded civil rights with political power--ihat in
ciyii'Tights, all person were PITT on equal foot.
ing thn, no regard is paid 10 ssz or condition.
that even aliens are admitted into a large par
t,cipnt,on Of civil righis-but uis when you
come 10 organize political ppwer, you have
to make a distinction between sercs and per
sons.
lie asked what would be thought. II be were
to require that property alone was TO be- tire
sole basis Of represen' ation -Yet such had
been the cas-. in one of the Com,iia of ancient
Rome, aud in one OF The branches Of he Mas.
sachuseits Legisla ture. - Blu, for his own part.
he acquired no such provision in this Consiitu-
iion.--AI that he asked was, chat IL might rest
upon both the pillars-of peryons aud Of pro-
perty. His object W as. not 10 produce a COLI
sion and dIscord among The principles of the
governmeni-but harmony In their operations
lie concluded with offering his thanks for
the attention he had met with from the Com
mittee.
Mr.. Baldwin then rose 10 addro So The Com
mitiee-Hnd TO explain his own views in Il
brief manner. He con'ehded, that the argu-.
meBts Of gentlemen founded on cohlrariefy of
interests were incorrect.-They admit, that
with an identity ofinterests, the white popula.
ton ougbt to be the basis OF the Constitution. lie
presumed no gentleman would admit iba, This
was a string gle for power, between the different,
sections OF the Slate because such a discus.
sion would be worse than useless. II would on
" scatter the frebrands Of discord through the
Commonwealth. He commended, that there
were general principles In poliiics-for, what
were they but rules, deduerd from The experi.
ence and observation OF nations, for the govern
ment OF society ? But he remarked that We
ought 20 look TO our own system for the rules
which are 10 govern US. lie had MOI, therefore,
thought il necessary 10 consult The writings of
DtntI HulnoF5 upUn tutD huiJFD' cif W re-
gard Our own system. consecrated by the blood
of our own citizens aud the labors Of our states.
men.
lie commended, that the law OF necessity must
prcysi in such a case aud that consequently
the general will mus be expressed by the
majority. But even this rule has not beed
controyerted. gentlemen do not deny IL, but
they only differ, as to is application They
say. that a majority OF numbers Is not the pro.
per result of such a proposition-and they con-
tend, that the western citizens ought TO yield
our principles to them. Aud ifthey do, they
deserve to be hewsrs Of wood and drawers OF
water.
He admitted, that in adjusting the Elective
Franchise, exceptions ought to be made ofthose
who have not independence enough to eier.
else this righ,--but he commended, that when
the rule is osce fixed, the majority ought TO
prevail.