Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-02-09

suaded IL properly belonged to them. Be the decision
however important not, the following extract from the
first long speech made by the inspired prophet, Patrick
Henry In the Virginia Convention, will show, that that
body at least did believe they surrcndering the
right of secession by becoming members of the present
Union. The speech Of :" the honorable gentleman" Il
believe MIR. Lee of wesmorcland alluded to- expect,
may he found in the Debates OF the Virginia Conven
,ion IA work which the writer OF this has not hand
refer to) aud will the matter in still clearer Light:
The honorable gentleman has told u.s. that in order to
preyent abuses in our Government may assent in
recall our delegated powers and punish our
servants for abusing the trust reposed in them Oh sir,
we should have ne times indeed il 10 punish tyrants
were only necessary (suicen 10 assemble the people.
But that's not nor ever was nor ever VIII be the case
Your arms with which you could have defended
gone and you have no longer an astoerac no lon
ger democratic spirit Din you hear, read OF any
revolution in any nation brought about by the punishment
of those power, inflicted by those who had power
alt You have read Of riot act in country which is
called one Of the frees the world, where neigh
bors cannot assemble without the risk OF being shot by
hired sodiey the engines OF despotsm We may yet
such in America standing army we shall have
ALSO 70 carry into execution the execrabe commands of
tyranny. Aud how you punish them! Will you
order them - punished! Who shall obey those orders!
Will your macebearer be match for disciplined reg
menil See the situation in which are TO be placed
The clause before you gives away power of direct
taxation, unqualified aud unlimited; exclusive power
of legislation in all whatever, tor ten miles square,
aud over places purchased for the erection OF
magazine arsenals, dockyards, &C. What resistance
could he made 10 power so fortified? The attempt 10
resist would be madness You will find all the strength
of the country in the hands OF your enemies; for,
the country. B sirvered In 10 f,n,.na Is by
Their part OF the planesy ACT Congress and there
fore will uuquesonabN power will be in 'k pro-
ro, c,nnot TO-. 49, ,ir', ,ner punishment n
sides. OF wha, -sntheV nusket in RI S %hen IN all
probability you will not bay CONGRESS- 4, ,,aie =: For,
A., .,.,s -. 10 hs u will DO eneIv
al Their non;whether they vsuitabIe corr, OF
.N'o 'e.ire to make'o do This and 4, pr mary on
time tell vs. whethe, he sovetss IN nau' IN is not OF
such hlgh unaienablcv 6tidenl reh; solemn,
nation of il that posse. ~ noC"'SlBER
Granville, February 4. Deb,
conyenton and End ,ha, The mn per TO who - NJ t
nv Is replying, is Mr.. Loo of ouni; but Mr.
Pendicton. President OF the Con 80 y I-fr P.'s ex-
pressions these, Where is a. sc OF 81 aarm We
the People, possessing all power, "a governments
such think will happiness; and suppose that
In adopting this plan we should be mistaken In the end
where is the of alarm in that Quarter' In the same
plan point out an easy and quiet method Of reforming
what may be- found aniss. No. but say getuemen, we
have put the Introduction of that method sthe hands of
servants who will interrupt il from1 Waves of self
interest. What then? We will resist, by Hey friend saw
conveying an iiea q force Who me by Hio esist the
people No, we viii assemble Brmmer son, wholly
recall our delegated powers, or ri dam by Sha pre-
vent such .suse and punish thu o. e. e e ovho have
perverted powers designed for he old jan their
own emoluTn emit We ought TO be ext. o. o cautious
not TO he drawn ia dispute with regular0O rernment
by faction and turbulence, its natural enenies Here
then, sir, there is of alarm this side but
on the other sde rejecting OF government and dissoving
OF the Union, produce confusion aud depoisrn.
those who framed the Constitution. We do not hesitate
TO give IL for much az il is worth Ii this: That VIXEN
the Constitution was for;ed the Statesmen of Yrgnia
would never nave signed It, II they had not supposed that
for strong and sufficient reasons, she could have e.
suned the powers granted by her, "whensocver the
same shall be perverted to their injury OPPRESSION
We aware, that her formula of ratification has been
varously consrued q" We the Delegates OF the people
OF Virginia, &c. sc. Do in the and in behalf of
the people OF Virginia, declare and make known that
the PooerS granted under the Constitution being deriU.
ed from The people Of the United States may be
suned 6y them oheHs0eper the shall be perverted
10 their INJURY or oppression, and that every power
granted thereby remains with them and at their ,uH SC
Some have contended with much force and ingenuity that
these words give only TO the people Of The IT, States in the
aggregate aud not to the people IF each State of the u
States the right OF resumng the powers that been
perverted aud abused But let us look into the Debates
what says Mr. George Nicholas friend to the adoption
of the Constitution?
Mr. MehOsas commended language proposed ratif
Sa aSa n the powers vested IN the Constitution derived
f%a & s no an" %naS Ss SS
s he ro says ne these expressions will become
but with these conditions about to make
Gsa one agrees 70 q but at the time declares
lords Of the contract plainly and obviously denotes to
and That he !. to be any opos
which it, ooa Be- SiadSg on he o,s s
exercise not expressly granted them" '
True IT b that resort shonli be had to such nea.
sure, but IN the Of extreme neccssty-as Judge
Fucker says in his notes. long train of abuses and
u'urpaons, pursuing invariably the object is COM
mited ny zone oil The concdeTatcs" by 'stlose who
are entrusted TO administer the government" SC Sucb
course should never be rcaored to- when we have to
choose between IT, and between ga government without H.
imitation OF powers-not in the midst of war whore 90
rons danger threatens the whole until
every available and constitutional expe,licnt may have
See not until full consultation has been
had with the other aggeved States-and not az in ,he
case OF > u at fhis tmeor, she has been hasty in her
course and rash in her meanS.-EDIToRs.
TO the EDITORS OF THE ENQUIRER.
Green Bay, HonOUer, January 25h, 1888.
Judging from the number OF and contested