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

ner "a WHICH 10 hau ao1Fesseo mem.
Mr.. Morris rose to address the Char-he
said he could scarcely datler bnnself WIN say
ing any thing new---bui he would state 10
brief manner the reasoas which ould decide
his vote. The gentleman lai up, see'ned To
mistake the question. lie seemed 20 consider
the question 10 be, whether the apporiionment
ofpower shoud be among those TO whom we
might give the right Of voting, among Inc hgh'-
ing men Of the State. These questions wonia
be decided on herssftcr--but the question nov
before the Committee, WIS whether we shousa
apporion representation among the white pop
ulatlon alone. or by population and taxation
combined. The gentlemen seem not 10 under
stand the ground which they wish 10 occupy
If they claim this power for the defence oil Their
personal right, II would seem 10 show either.
that We should have two Constitutions, or some
mode of protecting the rights Of both IL such
an lncompatiblity exists, he thought that we
ought TO report Two Constitutons-how
much we might regret such a necessity. Bul he
sincerely hoped, IL will not be necessary 10 run
ans new line Ihrangl, TINS good old dominion.
II gentlemen ON tue other side of the mountain
Cam such an incorporating power, II
might indeed be lime to consider such an alter
ma i've.
lie agreed with The gentleman from freder
lex (N1 Posell.) He entertained no appre.
tensions llnt The people OF Virginia were mol
qualified for a Republican form OF government,
they will accept oil no other and We can make
M other. But the gu slion -, how such a form
IS 10 be constituted. Gentlemen had said at the
opening Of the debate. that there Vas natural
righi TO govern by nnmbers-but since the able
Argument ofthe gen lnman from Northampton,
(hr Upshur) they Stem 10 have abandoned
thai rule and resort only To conventional
rttgaI h.. Al tuhf f.,r
their principles aud il the instrument consis
ted only ofthat Bill. the argument might be
correct. But, we are bound TO lake the whole
insirumeHt together, 10 look into the Constiiu-
lion Itself as well a. 10 the Bill Of Rights. But
gentlemen contend, thai II was the roar OF the
cannon, and the peiIl oi the times which pre-
vented our iOrcfithers from carry ing their prn-
cipes out mo practice. Yet does IL not
occur 10 gentlemen, that If our foreiath
rs were IN too great hurry To form
ia" Constitution upon the principles of tue
Bill of Rights they might have been 10
too gfesi hurry 10 firm tue Bill o Rights up
on proper prinCip piles. How comes ~ about
maj so much hurry should have operated upon
one. and not the oiher7 There are men now
living, aud he was almost about 10 say, now
present. who could prove thal there was no
hurry IN the formation ofthai instrument thai
he would not appeal ,rtbe living. but TO the
distinguished dead (Mr Jef,rsoD that ever,
article wns disputed inch 10y inch. He says,
that The evidence oi such hurry aad precipi.
iation did nolesisi There Is a rule oil inter
pretalion, familiar 10 every gentleman in this
House, thai you ought TO take the whole in.
struineni together. and let all the strings sound
10 see whnt II means. IL the tIamer, of the
Constitution took due time 10 deliberate on
lis provisions, NAV we not inler hat they for
med its provisions according TO the Bill OF
Rights WHAT shall we understand by the
expression in the Bill OF Rights, ofthe evidence o.
permanent, common interest and auac hmen / TO
the community Some men NAV sa, one thing
and some another. Bat what SAYS the Constitu
ton ilself' They lmi, to the frcehoId-and
does this not prove, what the founders Of the
Constitution meant by this article in their Bill OF
Rights What j. meant by the other article in
Bill The majority are 10 rule--but wha,
does the Convention say by their own prov.
sons that il is the mgority who possess the
feehold He understood The gentIemaL from
Brooke to say, that the present Constitution
does not afford my protection to the slave pro-
perry VIZ. D0ddrdge expaned-.he had
SAID b, means Of TeprrSeniaton.D
Mr.. NJ replied thai, the trainers Of the Con
sti,ul'on had given the power 10 the freehold
ers. Aud they could not furnish a more suE
hci'nt guarantee w'ru they gave the power TO
the ireeholder, who was also the slave holder
They granted the protection TO that species
of property, by granting il TO those who held
that species of property.
MIR. NJ commended tha, numbers we're not The
basis on which the representation, in the Feds
raj Constitution, wns apportiOned, We our
selves insisted, that in arportioning the powers
Of he Federal Government, numbers should
not regulate tho representation. The very
men who assisted in framing the Bill OF Rights
the 'hree-bths, asa protection 10
The whole Southern country Tor this species vl
Our ancestors dsman nd j il of men,
who had shed their blood but 10 years before,
aud stood side by SIDE with each other. We
were then pretty much in the same relation 90
other States, as we are now in regard 10 our
brethren of the East Shall we he told that
they are our friends, when il was ON
friends then, from whom we deman ed this
protectinn And did they graut il aud will
these gentlemen refuse II He admitted, that |
other principles entered into the Federal Union
YET this was great leading consideration
What apology could we make to our conslilu
enis, and 10 our posteriiy, Tor giving up such
principle II We give il up il this great South
"rn country gives il up how shall we stand |
i II gives up one-eieyenh OF The representation
IN Congress, what apology shall we make for
the surrender
M. M. commended that where tue rule OF
numbers was calculated TO jeop.rdize any etea,
interest The rule Is never adhered 10 He ii
Illustrated The idea, by reference 10 h Federal
constitution. In that instrument, a. equality
IN the Senate was intended TO guard the sove
reiGnty OF the small Stairs--we consented T.
place Rhode Island and Delaware on the SAM
ioo'lng with ourselves Numbers th,n were
not IN 7o--numbrrs we're not in 81, the ratio
which The people OF Virginia pursued either in
mp ihonIhs power among our own people, or
among the separate States.
Mr. NJ. entered into comparative view OF
the extent Of tre slave population on both sides
OF the Ridge. and the amount OF taxes paid by
both yet while the East has so many more
slaves than the West, and pays so much more
OF the taxes, the East is asked 10 surrender the
power OF taxing its own slaves TO the West. But
ne he'd 1t to be ofthe very essence of republican
goSernment, that those who pay the money,
shall consent 20 nav. But u hat ali ouid "a say