Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-07-07


cluively, justice chosen by themselves in EACH con
stable, military company. parole, school, the car
oil their poor their portion OF the public roads
the choice OF one or more jurors to in
and the delivery within their wards OF their vote
for all elective officers of higher sphere will reliev
the county administration Of nearly all its business will
have Il better done, and by making every citizen ar
acting member Of the government and in the Office
and interesting him. will attach him b,
his strongest feelings TO the independence OF his coun
try, and its republican constitution. The justices thu:
chosen by every ward, would constitute the county
would do its judiciary business, direct roads and
,ridges levy county and rates, and administer all
the matters Of common interest to the whole county
These wards called townships, in New Engl land are
the vital principle OF their goverDments and have prov
ed themselves the wisest Invention devised by the
wit Of man. for the perfect exercise OF self
government nto--i. The General Federal Republic,
for all foreign and federal 2. Thatsf the
State for what relates TO citizens excusively g.
The county republics for the duties and concern. of
the county; and, 4. The Ward Republics, for the
small, and yet numerous and interesting concerns
the neghb- Wood: and in government well as in
every other business OF life il Is by division ard subi
vision OF duties alone, that all matters great and
can be managed toperfection and t,e whole is
ed by giving to every citizen personally part in the adj
minis,ration Of the public affairs.
The sum of these mendments are--l. General Sui
frage q Equal representation In the legislature. g.
An Executive chosen by the people. a. Judges cleo
tive removable. @. Justices, jurors, and sherifs
elective 6. Ward divisions; and, a. Periodical amend
ments Of the Constitution have thrown these as
loose heads Of amendment, for consideration and cor.
rcction and their object is TO self government
by the republcanism OF constitution, well nv
the spirit OF the people and il is nourish and per-
petua,e hatsprt l am not among those who fear the
people. They, and not the rich, our dependence
FOR continued freedom; and 10 preserve their indcpen
de nee, must not let rulers load with perpetual
debt: we must make our election between economy
and liberty. profsion and serDitude n we in
TO such debts az we must be taxed in and in
drink, in our necessares and comforts; In our
abors and amusemen.s; for callngs and our
crceds, the people OF England are like them, must
come to lall)ur l6 hours in pa give the earnings OF Is
OF these 10 the government for their debts and daily
penses; and the 10th being nS cient afford bread
we must live. a. they now do on oatmeal and potatoes
have time TO think, means OF calling the misnan
ayers accounts bit ne glad obtain subsistence by
hiring ourselves TO rivc their chains the necks Of our
feIow-sutTerers. Our landholders too, like theirs,
tanning indeed The tito and stewardship of estates call
ed theirs bu, really held in for the treasury must
wander, like thers, In foreign countries and be con-
tented with perjury ohscurity exile and the glory OF
the nation. This example reads the sauary les
son, that private fortunes destroyed by public.
well as private extravaganza. And this is The ,enden-
ey OF all human governments departure from prin.
ciple In one instance, becomes precedent for I'd that
"a for 3d. and on, til, the bulk of the society is RI
duoed 10 be the automatons Of ri cry have no
sensbility left but for SHINING and suffering. Then be
gins indeed, the bellum omnium tn omria, which
philosophers observing 20 be general in this world
have mistaken il for the natural instead of the abusive
state of man, and the forehorse of this irighfn team
Public Debt Taxation follows that, and in s train
wrechedness and oppre ssion.
Some men look at constitutions with sanciimonious
reverence, and deem them, like the ark OF the Cove
nant, too sacred TO be touched They ascrbc TO tho
men of preceding age. wisdom than human,
and suppose what they did 10 be beyond amendment
knew that age well; belonged 20 it and sbored with
itit deserved well OF its country. II was very like
the present. but without the experience Of the present;
and 40 years experience in government worth cen
fury OF boos-readng; and this they would say them
selves were they to rise from the dead certain
~ not an advocate for frequent and untred changes
laws and constitutions think moderate iinperecons
had better be borne with; because. when once known
we accommodate ourselves to them and find practical
means Of correcting their i'll effect; but | know also
that laws and institutions go hand in hand with the
progress of the human mind. AS that becomes more
developed, moro enlightened, and discoveries are
made, new truths disclosed, and manners and opinions
change with the change Of circumstances institutions
must advance ALSO and keep pace with the times We
might as well require man 10 stillthe which
fitted him when boy, civilized society to remain
ever under the regimen of their barbarous ANCESTOR
1t Is this preposteros idea which has lately dcl,qed
Europe in blood Their rnonarchs instead of wisely
yielding to the gradual changes OF circumstances OF ia
vourng progressive accommodation TO progressive i'm
provemcnt, have chung 10 old abuses nrenched them
selves behind steady habits, and obliged their subjects to
seek through blood and Violence rash and runous limo
vaon which, had they been referred the peaceful de-
iberations and collected wisdom Of the nation would
have been put into acceptable and sautary formsIet
MS follow no such example. weakly believe tina,
one generation is not capable another of taking
care OF ITSELF and Of ordering its Affairs. Let us
as our sister states have DONE avail ourselves Of
son and experience TO correct the crude OF
frat and Inexperienced, altbo wise virucus and we'll
meaning councils And lastly, let provide in our
constitution for lie revision stated periods What csc
periods should be, nature herself indicates. by the
European tables Of mortality, OF the adults living
any one moment Of fine, a majority will be dead in
about nineteen years; at the end Of that period a
new majority IS CONF into Place in other words,
new generation. Each generation is independent Of
the one preceding, as that which had gone before II
has then, like them rgh: choose for itself the form
Of government it believes most promoiive OF is
happiness consequently TO accommodate to the crcu-
stances in which il finds itself that received from its
predecessors and il for tho peace and good OF
kind That solemn opportunity, Of doing this every 10
or 20 years, should be provided by the constitution so
That IL may be handed with periodical repairs from
generation 10 generation TO tho end of time if any
thing human so long endure IL is forty years
since the Constitution of Virginia was formed: the Ia
bles inform us that within that period, two thirds Of the
adults then living dead Have then the re-
manning third. if they had the wis the right IA
hold in obedience TO their will and TO laws heretofore
made by them, the other two thirds who, with them
selves, compose tho present mass Of adus' II thsy
have not, who has' The deadl but tho dead have nc
rights they, are nothing; and nothing cannot
thing. Where there is substance, there can be nC
accidentThis corporeal globe and every thing upon
", belongs to IFS present corporal inhabitants, during
their generation. They alone have a right to direct
what is The of themselves alone and TO declare
The law OF that direction, and this declaration only
he made by their majority; that majority then has a
reht 10 depute representatives. Convention, and 10
make tho Constitution what they think will be best Tor
themselves But how collect their voice? This is The
real difficulty II invited by private authority 10 coun-
" or district meetings, these divisions large that
few will attend and their voice viii be nperectly, or
advantages Of the ward divisions have proposed The
mayor OF every ward on A question like the present