Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-11-03

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MT also the other, But il true that the gen tie
men Who Trained the Constitution, nnd wrote 1t out,
wee s. nr3i consequence Of. the vicinity OF the
enemy rs ~ b. unable to build 1T structure the
foundation laid III the Bin ofEghts? lie vas certain
bat tie ~cntlcnen who told US this, believed that
what Sicy stii was true. But he less certain
tina; ,l.y were mistaken. There are ,,len now liv
yy.hr iind almost said prcscnt-,pho assisted
IN the formation Of that Constitution, and who could
tci! the gant!"plen tna 1t was considered aud debated
ana It's provisions disputed. ncl by inch and that 1t
was weighed with all elaboration and care. But
lie needed NOT TO appeal To the living. lie might
re.er TO distinguished statesman, now no uOrc,
whose name had already been mentioned in the
course of this ,scnsion not to bring him toward as
authority in any ;natter OF opinion, bnt as TO
iilrs. Nj. Jetrscp had left behind him the evidence
that 80 such hurry existed as has been attributed 10
those who framed this Constitution. He has in
tofHlcd L. that every item taken up aud discuss
Cd, that the ground disputed, inch by inch, and
that The wcarness OF the Convention ufter tleir
duo.s labor prevented proJet of the whole III Its
TIA boy.
The gentlemen on the other side who have aIetrrd
that the Bill OF Rights is perfect, while the Consti
trt 81 owes its nper!ccticns to the haste with
Wnt" u vas framed, viii therefore, perceive that
they hoye been niis,ulen; and their argument or
lnat basls 'nnst en'l hero. They must be conyDc-
cd u tie consult history, that this instrument wa.
lormtI with 81 due debt ration aud care The two
lhAtt rinehs Must be considered as they ought to be
as The work at the body, The results of The
same care, and ns perfected ,.e same time, ane
""eF inc Sohie circumstances exhibiting that form
NJ government under which the members of TINT
Convention thought that we should thereafter live
iiere then Is the rule which ought To be appl
oi We n7ust not take one of the Instruments by
nSci!, and put oar construction on lis sep
afats meaning; but we must take both ,ogeth
or, anal compute them, let all the strings sound
iogeihEr, ana the meaning IF all. IF thew
you'd take TINS view OF the subject, he believed the
gentlemen on the other side would come to different
conclusions. if the francrs OF the Bill of Rights
ana o. ihe Constitution were correctly understood
The meaning given to the Bill OF Rights would be
i"ind to be different from that which they intended
Take the Instruments together, and YOU have Their
fu effect He referred gentlemen to the article,
III each rs 10 the right of suffrage in order that ,hcv
grt suelect these articles to hls test and try how
iaf the sustained thc conclusions of The genttnaeu
ie 81! o flights extends the right Of suGrarc to all
who can afford sufficient evidence OF permanent
co'oinou interest and attachment. What specific
meaning does this convey? Some reghrd birth in
the Commonwealth sufficient evidence; o;hcrs
cnnSl'crthat residence 1.-TWO years is sufficient
and others again require five years residence. Take
the language of the Constitution in connection wifi
thai 81 the Bill of Rights and YOU viii find that tho
trainers OF these Instruments say they do nat mean
tins but that he right of sutfr ge with the free
nod lake The general idea in the Bill! of tights
'ii"" ttlS restriction, and you may say ;urane eX-
tends to residence but take tue articles together,
aud you hnd that the right is in the frceholder and
nave The true Interpretation OF the Convention. The
declaration IN the Bill OF Rights is he abstract prn
c?ie: tie restriction in the Constitution takes effect
when you come to the deposte Of the powcr Th;;
Istfe case With all the articles.
He would look at tie E,ird article in the Ri!l OF
i1ISMs' Gentlemen say 1t means that the whole Of
the community, all white population ftbe Bill Of
Rights docs nct say this} shall be nunbcfcd AMI the
majority OF h"se whites may abrogate alter or amend
tie government. They are not to have the ordina
~ lazy making power only, out the power TIC alter or
abrUgate the fundamental laws or any other kind Of
laws The trainers uf the Constitution hare left il
~ record that they do not look 10 any such principle
Wien they mean 10 conide 10 be White popylat-
TIE la" making power at all, they specify The CAGE.
Bat tiey never IQeant to ssive TIC power into The
hands or majority except majority Of fTec!Iodare
who arp capable of giving the necessary PLEDGES Il
prcFebt ANY abuse ofpower. This is the Kind Of ma
iOrty 10 which the Convention looked. The inter
probation Of gentlemen other SIDE IS NJ; thu. true
uac- is not that which was, or which ot,nIt 10 be
PIT upon the ianguage OF the Constitution.
Il had been sand by the gentleman from DFookp,
,Hat The Constitution did not recognize The principle
hy which The Shareholder is to be protected. lie at
irst thought the gentleman had SAID property, but he
had since found las mistake because the gentleman
laA said afterwards, the freehoder. He did under
AaAd aim 10 say, that there nothing in the Con-
ai'sIion annnrzing the guarantee which we REQUIRE
Mr.: DODDRIDGE here explained that he had
s1d they had sufficient guarantee IN representation
III propo; dom 10 numbers
Nif MORRIS said, that he had then understood
the gentleman correctly. Slaves were not mention.
ed, out The gcnlIeroau thought the Guarantee sniff
cent When the Convention, in 1916 cave the
POKER INTO TIE hands otle frecholdcrs they rave il 10
''e staV'hoiaeTS' And more eGectiyc guarantee to
TIE shyeh"ier could not be given than BY pivinp Il
II the ffeehoder whO was the STAKEHOLDER Was if
necessary then TO say that this power was especollv
given ortIe protection Of the slave, The object was
TO be inferred from the act itself. The power was
2f@n'cf To the men VINO were in possession OF
t'at property which was TO be protected.
1t had been said that this this proposition to place
representation on the basis Of the numbers OF the
white population only, is new In this he con-
cur1ej. lie DENIED that in the Constitution This
prncip!e was recognized He knew thot some abor-
tive efforts bad been made before the Convention was
called, and tiat the principle had been agitated in
me Legislature and ut the stanton Meeting some
that any ofthcse had given any now principle 70 the
tonstltnIon other ;han that which was given 70 it
b tie trainers IN 1916 There could be no differ
once OF option or the point, that the Constitution
looked at personal rights and property combined.
Not onlT was numbers not the basis on which the
CONSTITUTION stands, according 20 orr views but II