Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-02-12


that was unable to sn'tain itself for any length of
timc-tha, its tendency TO anar chy and disor-
gnnizaton-and the oxa mplcs of Greece and Rome
bave been qu'tgl perpc uay, in proof Ofthe assump
ton. fet M assumption was ever more unfounded
Nothing il more certain than that none Of the Re-
pubics IF Grccce, that of Rome, fell from any in
herent vice in theis Constitution from the Peo-
pies having grn,tcr or less share in the govern
meut-out from another canse totally distinct, and
the same in both cascs This was tho removal Of
al apprehension offorcgn hostility As long Us the nh.
Gent Republics continued 20 DO surrounded by foreign
enemies, their dempcratc institutions hourished m
the Creates: purity md vigor. When that cause
ceased, and tho Pcrsans submitted tn the arms Of
Greece n relaxation in all the manly virtues which
ssnsc OF danger had uvig, a'od ensund Greece
unnerred ny security md corrun' ed by tho gold Of
Asia, fell pray to Macedonia frs, ani Rome as
terwards-and Rome in her turn the adm alton - f
all future titn', for the stern simplicity OF her
pnnners, and unconqlrrable love of liberty, while
exposed 10 tho Of Pyrrhus aud Hannibal thos,
aud all other foreign enemies baioy subdued, ftn
sclssubdard, BY tho Importation o. oriental luxury
Vicrs and clanlin ICY. Such were the true causes
of tho decline aad fall of those celebrated Suites
and mt the eueruiss o. Democracy have n thon-
sand times insidously and ln,ruy asserted f ON the
Peoples possessing ton much power. Storms there
We're, uf frequent occurrence ~ Rome between The
Plcbcians and Patricians but unfortunately for the
theory of oar correspondents they were most fire.
qnent and violent, eyactly at the period when tic
Roman Republic pnrest, frecesl and most vico.
within. and formidable without. that is from tha
retreat to the Mons Sacer, to the death of the
Graechi Storms there must and ought be- in every
Republic, in two or three years. at least. AT
Ger ali, the Grccian and Roman S,a.cs iu Republican
form, were the longest lived States ofantiuuiiy-nor
IS the ncessaut TO their DURATION for ar
gnments against too strong cffusinn OF the demo
cratic principle in representative II cpublics at all
accurate or philosophical Except in The name of
Republic, there is analogy between them and the
Governments of North America.
we beg leave too, 10 dissent from orr friends
definition of Rational liberty. II is part no doubt
oil rdtionui liberty it Of its privileges "to do
whatevcr the law permits, without hindrancc Bat
is the privilege OF doing whatever the law permits
without hindrancc, MI thai is le9i,ma,ey embraced
by the term Liberty II 1T is. tic cizcn of Russia
or OF Turkcy-.or he has RICH. to do what
his master, whose word is the law, permis-is jast
as free the citizen of the u. Siatos. This dclini
ton annus the dearest and noblcst of all he priv
icgns OF free goycrnmcn.-the right of resisting
lrgalizcd tyranny and approximation il rational
Liberty IS no more ha1. doing without hndrancc
what the law permits, it cannot embrace the night of
resisting what the law cnforces. w cannot yioid
e definition which strips liberty Of all active agen-
" and represents It's as passive obedience
not 20 Princes but to Laws.
We believe ii is true, that every Convention in
every State, has terminated il cnI8rgjng the NAM
hers OF those admitted to participation in the
Government. Far from viewing this with alarm
although our principles stop much shor, Of universal
sifffage-we look upon it with pride, as the most
decisive proof of ihe existence o. practical liberty
and that, let the relations Of The States towards
zach other chnnge tn-y may, the people arc every
where, thoroughly Republican, tramplirg aris' oc-nrv
more and moro uNdcr foot, and must continue Re.
publican for ages to cone. We rejoice in il too, ae
refining the SANDERS of arstocracy-whch eyer
maintained that good order was iinpraccabc.
where whole people was the Governmcn,-for
looking at those States where suffrage is universal
VIC do not find that, property, life. the pursuit of
happiness in ones own way, is less protected than
IN freehold Virginia. Our theories ou the fact arc
exactly opposite, and time must decide betw ecn our
friends aud ours.
"fom express wish that should support the crnsu
t'on This may and probably wi! d. political consd
claltm hut surely not from lOve animation ~ be- flank
with Won, as hopo 10 God shall always have Grnncsy
enough IN lie To all men, admire Of those features in
the old constitution which have been depreca and
cver hear them assaulted by of Standing influence
without the most serous approximations for the pepa1cr
our free institutions Whrn the annals Of antiquity
and trace the causes which lei the destruction Roman
aud Grecian liberty find n have resulted countries
ron false and mistaken opinion nature of I'd
o"a' IeTiy Rom an idea that IL consisted onscnug all
honns o. soc,ey, aud suffering individual his
lt NnefrY Inf uf..Y III. ..
OF oong without hfironce, 'rtruer me inn permits There
are certain inherent aud nuacnalc rights of whlch
sauon ~ ne hn protection Of property aud the pursuit
h'ppne Let The laws be- ~ accordance inherent
fights, and the people the power of dom, whatever
y prned by insc liws aud You have the only perfect
"al government thar the nature of will admit OF IL
IS PLAIN onVcDn u the truth thrsc Orurrs nlakes
nr hnddef when reflect that every change that has taken
place ~ the constitutions Oi the several American republics
has direct tendency csnioue democracy The con,ro
T., r @peralons OF the government has, in instance,
ben taken from those who hold PRINCIPAL stake in tie
country, aud pired tho hands Of those vino have conran.