Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-01-13

was no, obvou. that they alluded to the Haoeas cor
p~ granted by Charles II, and which laid the ouuds
uon OF British liberty. The meaning OF those words
wa, settled by uage.-The trainers OF the Consti-
lotion alluded to that principle adjudicated and
although the words were the means.t Ia the whole
rapge Of law Latin. they adopted them most
p'sn'y expressing tho right conferred. But here IL
wa. cont MED. that the same words which had been
used for half century with certain ixe1 me gaming.
lad been adopted in the New Cons u,iou for the puT
pose oil conveying a diHsre me ng. Usage, and
the sni'o Interpretation, were set aside and dier.
that usage cannot make law! Ancient err, ,bak-
Tot thy hoary locks at me Usage cannot m Ike law
put usage can make lausuage-ior what 10 language
but usage? whais language but the cans of convey.
Ing the thors hts OF the mind to Others! How /. IL that
Ism,na In Latin femme in French, aud ,con,on 10
ansh'n, sonyey the idea Of thu same otjecu II was
CTnsrss on. which usage had made apply to matters
reiauos TO the Congress Of the United States. 10.
Issner might think applicable 10 the proc ediugs OF
Consress oil Ambassadors. He asked how any thing
esuid De DECIDED, unless usage Fixed the inc auns Of
Toe language made use Of! How wa. il TO be suppos-
INC Convention eat here to frame constitution,
Iu, accepting the language OF former constitution,
uenssu TO give to 1t new meaning II such an idea
PrvMi', ethe vote Of uuih and rea'on' Gas Julius
ssyeJ must be sient"-lt was libel The Conven-
nn, 70 suppose IT, VIII never these II alters were
eipAinsd IN tbs Convention, il declared that the
nfaning was TO be the zane. And If they had
shoud be their int Dion could on
~ nave been expressed by proviso. For instance
provided that in any case where town is entitled
member in the II. Of Delegates; .uch citizen. ga
sbail be eligible to seat in the H. OF Deiagaes
repre- en'aves OF said county."-Ths was as short
,noueh of-aDd was II ever heard oil, that q Judge
d~sd make such an Interpolation in a statute And
wn ibis tfouse to make ruch an inter poation in the
Constitution Of the Commonwe ai,h Were thew % To
interpret the constitution 10 introduce into Il views
which its language did rot express He should be
Why the contrary OF The provi,o 10, ntodue-
90; because the trainers Of the C, institution did no,
Ell client; and to the provso il was alwayr
40 exception TO something Previous and there wa, no.
lug AZ all upon the sn'ject in the previous clause
TO" We're these words interpreted!-"Any person
may be electeda member OF tn. House Of Delegates
~he shall be actually resident and eebolder within
e eDun'y' CITY, town. borough, election ds,ric
scan tue clause, Il was necessary to read l.
d'trioutvely. On these quaifcati, ms tho question
presented it'slf-wheiher a citizen residing in Rich
a"sS Nv s. ehen OF the county Of Henreo and that
d' IN osPshded upon anoher-wheher Rich rnoud
was Iar' Of the county ot II enrco.-A County Court
gwen to the county Of Henrico, situated in this city
me State revenue in the city OF Rchmond was col,
~ The Sheriff OF Hsnrico. And vet the gentlemen On
ms ot' or side argued, that ause the county wa,
pHsea OF the right OF making levy the people OF
cy' AND the corpora len had the right to tax IN.
esop,e-ihat the town and tie county were separated
Jur. H. had some little knowledge of he s,a,ute. and
III sne ne tound that from the year 1882 to 1880
i; ouy ala levy upon the pc ople II the town-tbst
10 the latter year, Richmond W az exempt, rnm ,h L.
Wy OF 'he county for the support OF poor and Other
Purpose' But he believedi never entered tn mina
OF any man. that for this q citizen of Rjcbmond
was not eligible TO represent thu county. Iodeed n.
Ioonsht u gentleman was alone in his opinion MIR
| hat
""o he psssons were engaged, Ii was not difficult n
oecohe convinced. This e niet an took nm IN uh;s.
roura, al period, and 80 :renuously had h, endea
10 convince oherso he CORRECTNESS. Of bs view
,hst ne had succt eded in convincing himself Mr. I
naa ever considered the subject az ALLIE was in
e'en "nether he was sent here. And the seton
was not bis own work.
gentleman, Tor when he had III, gre,,.st r..no.,
mao that there might lie difference ketwee
ne '.rms " shat reside" and " an actual rodent"
"hicn might an ct tho ton of tn, Con,ti,,
ION lie might, at once, have answered III. ,uy.e,
on; out at the time, his tongue was hound n In =;
snee Oh me whole subject. The words "ac,oaly a
,osHent and face holder, were inserted to stew bs
distinct nature OF the rs-dence For instance: an
Vd"ai owning house and land in the Civ of Rich
mSnd, who had his servants here, and kept up en- IS,
aoishment, might spend his winters in Nev WI
ms sun meIs at the Sweet Springs and the fall in In,
no. OF Ning william, 10 order to indulge in the
sport oil shoo ing the Blue Wing and a. Soreeand b
mish' be here during the month If April ONLY 10 pre
sent himself Tor election. That would not be- ac,u.I
residence The meaning Of tho words was that a
pe''on storid actually reside in the district Another
gentleman had referred to the statements in the Con
tuon, In the enumeration of counries towns &c
n hs Echn ond 81 all be one one dis
uic.' &C., and asked whether IL Richmond wa.a dis.
hic' could be in the County Of Henricol Blu, tber.
was gre ~ difference between the Senatorial
di'tricis. and those entitled 10 send members "a tbs
House OF Deiekaes The OH ct OF the Cons,;,u,;n
WIS not what the gentleman supposed Let gentIe
man, faid Mr.. be assured that far as carried in
10 enect the Will OF the Convention, weighed every
word that cropped from my pen. There weIe tyo roo.
sons Tor this part OF the instrument-In IN
poPuon oil the different districts, was n,
'quze them go as 10 axe the representation pronor
Hohae 10 Jhe population. Another reason with ,losa
VINO proposed This plan, was, THAI when u peonI. NJ
tue towns enumerated gave their votes thew ,bouid
give them al th' ir own town Court House ard M, a,
ne Conny Court House. Mr.. J.. here illustrated hi.
point oy references 10 several divions made by the
Son'"uuon, 20 equalize the representation. But he
should ne told hat all this verbal criticism and
NAT the House won act some broader princirIa
put he e4rI"Dation Of The language was essential Hal
nere ever oeen any medium Of thought but language,
have you any IDEA of whsta man has said in vonr sb
eehce out by The words he has written DOWN IT.. L.d
Deard great Zeal OF atudnarian construc,ion T ,bs
Cohsutuon OF the United States and he rad se.n b,,
700 nuch oil y. But they had heard on this or ,s;oo
construction OF the Constitution Of this State which
were Judge TO dare utter IL, would call down a., ri,
mead the anathemes Of the whole country Civ ,,cb
construction 10 The Constitution of the Unit.d S,,isr
anu WouId be but mere blank sheet of parchment
ernmblng into ashes. They were told M ,vord.
"hch mad been In use for fifty years under ONE unito m
" a'"g' sho mao been adjndcaed over and over had
o'"treht meaning in the Now Constitution H.re
ciause declaring that freebooter in the eouoy
snou'doe egible TO seat in this House yett wssn,
ed u Mr. L. who framed h. very clause tbat Aid -
und' rs'snd nj. mother tongue. How long m, u,o,bs,
tongue would last, he did mol know for he Witnessed
SpaussS I'D u tVfy day, coming mostly from the
worm, whence oil our importa,ions come-H.
had often had words addressed TO him which to he
expressed ideas entirely different fro,
nose intended to be conveyed. But he had not adopt
ed modern innovations. He pretended IN unders,na
the tongue az our fore fathers aueht itous,be ,on
IN winch the works Of Shakespeare Addison S,esto
anu Johnson are written. He pretended IN
that anguage-and he drew the section under cons;d
e'don Nhr Leigh here read the section alluded N
great number OF propositions were introduced 10
Isu3 70 'ns clause Convention DESTROYS of
am fI.a. Al.