Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-01-01
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VIRGINIA CONVENTIONS
DEBATE ON BASIS OF REPRESENTATIONS.
In fommittee 9fSthe bhoieo5, me CeNsttp!ionN

:! In Comnltsce IF ne Hhois.o, me Co,st;tu.ionN
! SATURDAY., Nov. II
/ Mr.. RANDOLPHfose aud addressed the Com
mittee fo!lows:--s - sft2G So ~
| Mr.. Chairman: l., has hcen with great disappoint.
'uent, and yet deeper fegret, that have perceived
ln invncibe repuTna.e on the. part of .., .,ne,
representing here large portion of tue Con,Iar.-
wealth. extending FROM Cape Henry 10 tho Noun
tains, along the whole lcpnth OF The y. Carolina
line that portion Of ii mtiie my qwD district is
situated tn take share IN this Debate-a rpugnance
not resuitingI say 81, from my personal knowledge
of many of them---not resulting from any o.
ability, FROM the want ut ,,ist modest AND man
~ Confidence in the abilities They possess. | have
looked tn Norfolk; | have looked to Southampton; /
have looked to ID pwiddie ! have. ioked to Bruins
wick fur the display of talent which knew to exist
/ but SIR, have looked in vain. :
! And 1t Is THIS circumstances orh: speak it with
sincerity have too much self respect youch for
which has induced me to overcotne the i,isuparahet
acknowledgements IN II that have fih 70
attract towards myself the attention vi the Commit
itee.
| As long as have had any fixed opinions. 1 have
been III The b hii o considering The Constitution, OF
Virginia, under which have lived for more thar,
halfa century, with all its faults and fangs, and
with all tie objections WHICH pracca! Irn mot theN
orsts and visionary speciiia' or>-have urged
urge aggain- II" as the very best Consil,ution-not
ior japan;-not for Chinn;--no, for New Engand-.
ar for old England;-but for this, ancient Com
ulonwcaitli of Virginia.
But | not such bigot IN be unwilling, I'M
der any circumstances, however iri,,eous to change.
tire C..,ieli,,,linn u''ttr which was born, l may
der which, + iat' hoped to- be carried to my grave.
My principles that subject these: the grcv
must first be clearly specl.i. d. and fully proved.
| it must be vital, rat her, deadly It's effect
magnitude must be such will justify prudent and
reasonable III IN aking the always delicate, often
dangerous step of making limo, ions i'll their fun
dalIel.t al law; and the remedy proposed must be-
rcus,na HE and adequate l., le end in view. When
the grievances shall have been thus made out hold
hiil BE loyal subject, bat polifltal bof
VIII would refuse to apply Tie suitable remedy. "
J l,,tfI ,,iln m limit ii nh
sician,--co!ne his diploma from whence it may
who would at once prescribe all the medicines
I'm the Piarn 'copuia oniy for tt.e disease now
have. but tor all the diseases o every possible kind
ever night have in til These my principles,
| and am willing to cptrv tiieul ,,,r Viii
pli any principles which may not fairly carry oft
lIpractice
| Judge, then. with what surprise and pain, found
that n,t one Department OF this GnNernment--no,
not onc--i.rgelatve. Executive or !pMcial---:i"r
one branch pf erhcr.-wi,S lett Untouched ~ ti"!
spirit OF i,,nor.,fi0n; ior cannot call 1t REFORM
| w nen evcntie Senate yes, sir. the Senate--wh,ci
tliad so lat ely been swept blythe b som OF innovation
f--eyrn the Senate hadn gene untouched or unsca-
fteJ Many innovations are proposed 10 he mad
fWithojli any practical grieyaii*< having been
! even =, rmcst"d. rnuc! less sil':wn.
Talk, that bIauc Of the Government WhJri wa
81 ti,rrou G.lv reior,i 1916, aed even that Is j..
untouched. Sir, whoever iiee', Wtispcr.-,f;
.rJe co,,ibt Ia this siav. tt!; the Sc,,ors u Virgin
la were too po,ihjaR lnev,r aafdsuoil Il sentiment
( in my life And III tho House of Delegates, What
heard that the mem ers--I speak of them,
Iof course. IN the aggrcgate----tlat the 4aembcrs
,yre too v.iu,ge Yet, even tlcr.--it is TO he d.
clareh, thar fmeI who might be elected 10 thai
body bct the ages of and - to be dlsifaI
clsed----and regards tic Senate al letween tie
! ages of2l and 30. Yes, Sir-Iot o.iy the spf,,
and seed iut, but the summer and harvest OF life
that delightful -'ason which neither you. sir, nor
ever rt'rai-;ic dearest and the best portion +
our lives during TINS period 81 years, the very
priIn" of human ite---zincn To be DISTINGUISHED.
And for whai? For poftql uleagriu: a freak
| No evil is suggested. The case is certainly yefv
rare that man under thirty Is elected member Of
the Senate. 1t will then be said there is no o,iva
iion uI.d therefore, injury. BIT, Sir, there Is a
wide difference between.a mans being not elected
and Fundamental law stamping st gina tpon h n,
by which he Is excluded from tie noblest privilege
TO which no merit or eX"rinn his part restore.
lIim hut all this, suppose is i'm obedience to the
all prevailing principle that pspuH nor del; ave
sr---the Mi prevailing principles that Numbers ald
Numbers alone ale 10 rcgtIntn all things in potc.
society, in.th very teeth Of those abstract natural
rights OF man, which cens.iu The only shadow Of
claim to exercise this u'o''stfous 'yrnnriy. ~
With these general remarks permit Inc to Mt
| Tempt am afraid it will prove an al,oriive NJ,
tempt to say something the observations Of oti
! CT geniltnen To which have gwen tile most pro
found itentlon am capable of. Sir have uo
other preparation for this task Than most ~ ,.:.t
attention to what has been SID here a.; IA tI.
Committee. OF which was d member and dec,
Intense and almost minimizing thought tie sub
l1ects before u.s. This is oil the preparation that
! have Ii"',es Cannot follow Tic example winci,
has been set me eaI',ot 20 into the history Of
my past lie, or offend my political CONSISTENCY here
or elsewhere. wtll not do tbs for bis reasons 7
have always heidi unwise 10 plead till am arragn-
ed--and arraigned before tribunal having compc-
tent and ample jurisclic' Ny political cor,.,s6,
| cy requires such oicnce My claim TO rclub,1
canisin rests on patent taken yesterday or TO
be taken out tomorrow. Ny li; itself is my only
voucher life spcn; for thirty years in the ,rvice Of
! the most grateful of constituents.
The gentleman from Augusta, who occupies SO
large space, both in the time aud III the eye the
House has told us that lie fought rallantly NV ire
side of his noble freud from CheslGrrld SO long rs
| victory was possible, and that it was not until I've
1 was conquered that he grounded his arms. The
geutlcinai farther told tIst. finding his native
country and his early friends this side the noun
tain, whose behalf he had waged that gallant war
! hc found he lIe>atcd what part TO take nOic, until
4 he found his constituents, ave. -aud more than
that, his property were OIL the other sid ,-.--and nc