Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-10-30


So il was With Scotland before the Union, una 80
with the subjects of different realms. On this pn-
ciplc the colonies here not subject to taxaion
without being heard in Parliament. 1t had never
been pretended TINT the dscontcnts arose because
representation and toxaon were correlativc, but he
cause the Colonies were not represented at uil lie
might appeal to every gentleman hore, some If
whom knew these facts by observation, aud others
from history, to sustain his statement. So far the
argument was answered.
Representation is net the correiB,ve of taxation.
The question is, by whom arc we to be taxed? Here
comes the third and fourth pnstulatce of the gentle
men. That he who brought most property into So
ciety and had most TO prutcct entitled TO most
powcr--and that in entering into society nature aud
oil her principles arc swept away and no rights exist
except such rs conventional. Hero the gentle
man from Northampton adopted the explanation Of
the gen,lcmln from Cupepper, that there exists no
natrai right to control minority, because III socic
ty there is natural right BY which man can hold
power over another. The right must be convention
al or il does not exist at all Iicrc their discussion
about rights, naturur and conventional, gentlemen
seemed to have forgotten that this is controversy
about the distribution Of power. We are now ma
Ioty claiming to have political rights according to
our numbers. We claim powers which are denied
to because told they do not result from any
| natural or conventional source-bccause although
that power might exist as law Of force in an nn-
social state, all that power swept away when we
came into society; and we must tho reforc look
conventional compact 90 find it's source q'his shows
how ingcniousiy the gentlemen can change their
views ofthc document which all our political rights
are - inded. Once il was treated full of IN ere alb
s;raetions, gch,lcmnn of the highest legal
tainm-ns said tle other day, part Of the cen
stituon at oil. We Ia re been told. IL only contain
! ed distractions from oh authority high any in
the land The adrorness OF these gentlemen a. de-
bators she~ in this. This very right to govern
the minority is secured To the majority in express
terms. II was wfiRcu IN TINT very Bill of Rights
that where the government shall degenerate into ms
rue and become unit for the purposes Tor which /,
was created the majority shGil have the rgh, Al
ter, abosh or amend it. Here the right Is given
tine majority IN express terms IL Is always present
and abiding with the majority here aud is cony,,,-
tional right conferred by that instrument which caa-
mated from those whom they called the greatest scI
wisest tho country produced. Here we have
clue to the reluctance OF gentlemen r,ctdc with
the preface before the book written. But before
the book written, evil hour Tor those who hold
that opinion it was declared by unanimous vote Of his
Convention, that this very Bib of Rights ought no,
to be amended although that ore bad been a:lcr
wards rcscndcd to make wey for this debate -
That instrument has been considered az one of the
subjects committed to us by constituents to en-
9uirc whether 1t needed any amendment. u had
been treated with the same respect Us all the dc
partments had been by consent the Bill Of
Rights is decided to be State paper of abiding au-
thority. We called by the people 10 revise md
amend that instrument. We say IL needs no amend
ment; and shall we nov be told that it ubouds only
in distractions which unfit for use? Tho re-
port OF The COMMITTEE IL yet upon table and is
vet profasscdly 90 be disposed of by YOU In this
huve trodden exactly in tic footsteps
of those who have bult up the present Constitution
They were builders, not. The first thing they
did after they had declared that the sovereignty oil
the King of England was at end, was to appoint
Committee TO prepare report and declaration OIL
Rights 10 basis Of Gouernu,ent. THAT re-
port was the first made 10 the Convention, and the
first acted upon by that body. They reported the
Bill of Rights as the basis, and the Constitution to
rest uponit They built the foundation first, and
then raised upon il the superstructive.
In the course Of his very eloquent argument the
lpnnn Frrtxt fhot,n
the safest rule that majority of units should gov
crn. bnt only when properly equal--unless pro.
Perty vas equal, he did not admit tho principle at
all.
Mr. UPsIIUR rose TO explain-vhc gentleman
from Brook had mistaken his meaning. He had
not said that the rule saf. when the property of
ono individual was equal TO that of another lie dis
claimed alike that proposition and the effect which
might be dcluccd from it.
But he meant where distinct interests embracing nrne
classes of individuals exist in society Not between
individuals but classes embracing portions large,
as to have influence the community.
Mr.. DoDDRIDGE said, he had misunderstood tho
grntleman yesterday, but he understood him to-day
While there wns no natural right in the majority to
rule over tho minority, and such right derived
TO them from a constitutional or conventional source
whence did he deducc the right Of the minority 20
govern the Inajori'y'-for government there must be-
either by the majority or the minority II results
not 70 the minority from any form Of government
l. tito be traced To any conventional sanction, The
idea is too monstrous. There such right
resulting from nature, and other could exist, but
by conventional origin. Where is TO be fonnd1
Not in the bill Of rights in the constitution for ev.
cry thing there is III favor of majority. II is admitted
by the gentlemen the other side, ha, but for the
possession Of slaves, the rule of majority would be
tafc ut present. The majority in this case. had la
bored in vain to furnish guarantee satisfactory TO
the minority, but every guarantee which the in
gennity OF the majority could suggest, WAS called
paper work, and to shew their neificency, it was af-
frmcd by the gentleman from Culpcpcr-that there
were no principles in government, that where il was
the interest Of the majority, to Cypress Inc minority
they will do it, and to demonstrate against the op-
precision, would be to appeal from Ca.snr % CTsar
vs. there was no principle To restrain bu power
So told, TINT majority Of tho people Of this
free land not TO be trusted. We arc informed
that tho minority never will be satisfied, and that
their discomfort may break out with something dan
gerous unloss tho minority rule the majority be-
causo there is no guarantee but in representation
only, or in political power. This the language
of both gentlemen. Take away the gliding which
surrounds the Argument nnd what il IL IL snouns 10
ths--t is tosay, You who hold the slnves cnn no.