Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-11-16

ulueTcnce OF Scclsondf Interests, ne Woul
induIgc tho most fattering hope that tie Conycn
ton would DO enabled - improve the condition oI
man, by adding 10 the political lights sh III th.
State aud the whole world, by our veneTni ed fore e;
theirs he considered the science OF politics in a
state Of infancy. While he observed the march Of
the human intellect in bringing 10 perfection all the
other arts and scicDcies, viewing with wonder
the vast improvements which have been made
in the last century, and perhaps still more in the
last half century, he could not but observe
that tho science OF politics had kept pace in i'm
provcnents with any of tue ether arts and sciences
The only effort at improvement was the one orir-
naliy adopted by tho trainers Of our Constitution
This was only fifty four years ago. mere spec nthc
progress Of timc-and had introduced new and prcat
principle in the science of politics. enc in direct hos
tIty to the prccXisng basis OF which oil other no.
vcrntncnts were founded II opcneda new era in the
science of pOtcsaud he hoped sincerely hoped TIM
our American statesmen would abandon that system
which had so long prevailed, and had proved so des-
trucvc to the rights and liberties of he human race
ma found new science upon the great discoveries OF
our Dr2-iathcrs. We have not done so--vn have "a
Their rctrogradcd to those principles which ou fore
fathers had abandoned. We have rome hack % I'M
tate he British system fur cards practical po-
ica economy atc having established the most hap
ny and beautiful fundamental system ct' our own
--and this Is one cause why have no; added a new
science TO The existing political economy, suited 10 our
g7olt Developments in fundamental principles.
lhere IS another cause. All other governments
WERE as he conceived, founded on frnul and backed
by force. fhc few, who had by combinations usu.p-
cu The rights Oft the many, and pcs essed themselves oi
Cd! the proceeds of their productive labor have en-
p'oyel a.! their means to prevent further improve
ncut0 in the science OF pol,tics to avojd Tho dsrc
ton aud exposure of the fraud which was the fonda
toh oi Their systems. We know i. Was their great
oRJect To prevent on examination OF these subjects.
anu - such Ill eXt"n, did They carry their rigorous
vigilance that The first pa riots Ua,lpdeu unI Syt
heY He'll E!clnS TO their patriotic enquiries into the
science OF politics. These causes contributed to throw
lie sceilcc OF politics back, ari 70 prcycn il from
mixing It's way under the influence Of tina, march Of
intt!lcct which pressed forward al the o.hcr scien-
Co.'S.
lie should suppose i was he duty of this Colron-
non 70 extend their researches into political SCIENCE
great discovery had been made in opposition TO for
ncr systems; that all the rights of goyernrnrn: .ra
founded on tho consent OF man; and that consent is
la3certaincd through The social com,ac, or N other
words the written Constitution. There :; differ
cncc OF opnion however, IN regard the true cha
relation TO the parties TO it,
In the origin and progress Of the social compact
every member Is party 10 II, each rcpr senng his
own individual in his own sovereign un,n.
iucnccd by the ma o!ty.
At is completion the parties beconl, rcd Nv
the consent o: all its members. Thc coapac. Is then
ma lie 10 consist Of only two parties: the governors
and the governed. And whether the majority shall
exercise the government or not rto what extent mus
depend solely on the written compact. Gentlemen
had imputed 20 he Hon. Gentleman from Oranrc TO
whom he listened with great pleasure the saS7iio
mat minority ought to govern well as rla;a7.tr
ms impu alton !Gd been extended too far 4 he lad
tightly understood the gentleman from Cramrc IL,
did not understand that gentleman as Gcclayinr that
minority ought III any to exercise active afr
native legislation, but that minority was sometimes
invested with authority to logs!uie IL 4 negative ca
pgcity.
a minority cannot righ;fully govern in any ca @ but
1t IS often used as fit Instrument prevent major
| ty from doing what 1t ought to do The rights
! OF the majority depend solely upon the compact w,
10 mr.
vern and where j, may be checked
Here we have local interest, which is admitted b.
an to be applicable {" peculiar sections of the State
but not to the whole oft This local interest must
be secured by provision; the fundamental laws; j,
not upon general principles. the majority would 90
vern 1t If 1t be improper that the majority should CO.
vcrn where there is particular Ioca! interest the
minority should have q power Of conroulnp the ma
IJorty to afford protection TO such particular To-
cal interest. Such was the case in the federal 70.
v"rnment, illustrated by the gentleman from
Orange, from whose lucid remarks no derived both
pleasure and instruction He took it for rrantcI thai
the majority had rights but these that were ycstc
in them by Inc compact.
Under our written Constitution or social cclonac.
the science Of politics divided into two parts-
One great branch of the science is that which rcutc4
to the organization of he fundamental Ia ws; and the
other branch is that which relgtc 10 the rocy TO be
observed by the practical government as established
by those laws. No effort has heen vet made TO en-
qulre into these subjects distinct branches of poll
from the contemplation OF these subjects bv imitation.
Imitation is one of strongest passions of the hu-
man mind; and instead OF celebrating new system.
suited TO own discoveries we have been led into
the limitations OF British systems practical political
economy. Hero then is new field opened before
US for the extension OF political science.
An example OF his spirit of imitation may bc seen
IN the organization OF the E..1culiyc of tile United
States. There we have exhibited an anomaly Of an
Executive, attached TO Republican Legislature
having more nouarccll than republican tendencies.
We hay thrown so lauch power and patronage into
the hands OF the Federal Exccu;iyc, tnat We must
see the danger which threatens from is Urguniz1
ton; yet that Executive IS held Up 10 U.s. o. liz
tation. How this happened he could not perceive
II gentlemen had Tic same views Of Tic organ a:i
Of tue Executive OF tic Federal Government that he
bad, and the same views Of tho peculiar fitness the
Executive govcrnm ut Of Virginia as il is now ostab
lIshed to a Republican, firm OF Government. So far
we arc Abandoning the old system aud falling into the
gull OF imitation an which is among tho strong
c.. OF the nat1ral propcnsitcs Of man. We shoulc
call on those who may hcreli,cr aid in amcndino
the Federal Constitution to f,iloW the cSlmpc ci
Virginia. II the Virginia System were transfer.
red the United States, it wocld be the best i'm
proycment that could BE- adopted. The events Of thc
last four wears. bn eulrtsnt IN c,f.fs c,,v,