Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-02-10

Prom the Winchester Republican.
j. r. Cooke 10 has late Conssiiuerais.-.Nb. .


~ letter whivh l lately addressed In
you, ] reserved to myself the priyiI.r.
valuable tn one who il uncertain VIII,
Their he will have leisure Ia discus. ali
the topics before him. and anxious TO
make sure Of the most important.) OF
treating my subject in desultory
manner. ! shall make liberal use Of
the privilege in this. and in nv future
communications, -if, indeed, there
shall be any future.
IL - my present purpose, after dis
posing of some preliminary matters.
to discuss the important question, how
lar your rights arc respected, and YOUR
interests secured, by the apportionment
OF representation made ia the new con
stitutions
What your rights are. in regard to
representation. is, on this side Of the
mountain. and between you and me,
question which needs no discussion -
! say To you, as said on the floor OF
the convention, in the very act Of ex.
pressing my determination 10 support
the plan OF representation since adopt
ed. that j entertain lin common with
you a political creed, which all the
eloquence Of its opponents has not
shaken. and which will continue to be
my creed SO long as life and con
seriousness remain. IL 10, that free
men are the sole elements out of " hich
a republic should be formed, and that
equality is the only just rule for tue
distribution of power among them
This, | say, Is your creed, and II is
mine, IN regard To our political rights.
But, had IL been your fortune, as 10
was mine, TO listen, for weeks tose-
Their, TO the splendid illusions Of cas-
tern cloquence. you might perhaps
have been led TO doubt whether YOU
had any rights at all. You might have
been half persuaded to believe that the
noble and elevating theory of the ma
tural rights Of men, promulgated in the
18th century by Locke and his enlight-
cned contemporaries, adopted in Virgin
IA at the era ct the revolution, and con
secratcd by the blood uf our iathSts
poured out in its defence, was, after
all, gorgeous fabric Of the imagina-
'ion, splendid illusion, which. hs=;7w
lived to its fsted day, was destined
now to be dispellcd by the eifalgence
OF the new lights OF the 10Th century.
In convention Of Virginia Statesmen,
were found men Of undoubted patriot.
ism and distinguished ability. who,
dazzlrd and mis!ed by the briIlianey
OF their own thoughts, and bew lldcred
IN the mazes Of their own ingenuity,
called IN question all the principles
which have been considered. Tor a cen
tury and a half, the very axioms of po-
Iitlcal science. Making rasa toJuia
Of the political chart by which We steer
ed through. and ~rathered, the storm
Of the revolution. they conteudcf that
There are no original principles Of
government whatever;
Thar the original aud natural free
dom and equality Of men j. mere all
sttsction;
That the doctrine Of the right &c the
majority To govern is vulgar iallacy;
That government controlled by
% mere numbers" or. ~ other words.
by the people, IS system ct legallzed
rapine; and,
That every question about the dis.
triburIon Of political power. ia the or
game iaw at a country, must be decid-
eel by ian enlarged expediency." and
without any reference to principles "
supposed natural rights
Where, or IA whom the power figkt.
fully existed any where, Of deciding
how m,eh power u was eJpeiifnf To- be.
sfotc on this or that section of the com.
monwsalth, or how many classes Of The
community ~ was crpedie7d 20 aimii
to share in the government. they did
not undertake 70 infOrm ". By fail.
ing TO DO which, they Iaeitly admitted.
as humbly conceive, the necessity 90
resOFting to some original principle
without which the new patent engine.
" expediency." could DOT be act m mo
ton And II ! Dight be permitted.
with al Difference. e. hazard Else ilea.
] would ssy that their argument i.rli-
bly, reminded re 81 the supposed or
entail ihrory that tie world rests on tho
back Of a huge turtle; ihe said theory
bring sileat as 90 the question, OF what
DOGS The turtle restS
And here will take occasion 20 say,
that whatever doubt, ! may have here
t0fOfe entertained about the expedieu-
~ Of Aunexing = declaration If rights
70 every organic law. Geoudcd on iho
idea that tse expression 81 some Tizhta
might be miseOBssrYed iHie The rega.
ton ~ others not expressed, J sfn nOw
thor ooghly convinced u the great pgee.
teal atiluy ~ such solemn declare
tons. For nov ksow by experience,
that soch IS lhe aal4cliy % tie lunar