Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1834-11-06
COMMUNE NTVDN.
TO THE STATE RIGHTS PARTY OF
VIR iINIA

-
TO THE STATE RIGHTS PARTY OF
VIRGINIA.
Inc ultimate tendency ofal representative dem.
ocratca' governments 10 such state of anarchy
and dsorganlzat,on az 10 cnmne Shc pcoplc ,o seek
refuge from its evils in a monarchy, or even an
unmlxed desrotlsm has been theme upon which
the enemies Of of constitutional liberty have exna
'iaied from tim" immcmors', and has constituted
tho prolific source of innumrrable lue,brou,
pro2heoies with which certain political illuminate
have edited the world. Whether these spccula-
tons upon hc science of government are destined to
DC conhfmed.or forever exploded, is problem which
time and experience can only solve. Indeed the
history Of The ancient republics, 10 which in some
Of their mos, important textures, that under which
we now live is closely assmnted, would seen, con-
clusivey to demonstrate the impossibl,y of so or.
ganIz'ng government of this character as TO pre-.
serve It alike from the danger of anarchy and dis
order on tho one hand and the concentration of its
power under the control of fa individuals with
interests at variance with those of the community,
on the other. But upon minuter examination Of
the structure Of those governments, il will be por
ce,ved that both their in,dequacy to subservc the
purposes for which they were framed and ,hoir A.
nal destruction, arc directly rcfcrable TO many rad
chc errors, as well IN their fundamental principles
rs IN the distribution of their powers. They had
not only not been adapted to the circumstances of
the people over whom ter authority nominay
extended, but were utterly Inefficient in restraining
and regulating their subjects, who, IN many
instances having just emerged from state OF
barbarIsm IN winch war, rapinc and awless v,o
lencc had increased the natural feroeiy of their dis
position, were entirely urfucd to appreciate prop
erly the extent Of heir cial and political obliga-
tons But the most stupendous and important,
hama Inv no., .I,,I,..
ncrs, habits and feelings of mankind since the era
at which those republics existed and IN the prrsrcs-
slve course OF these changes, MANY novel principles
in political phoTophv have been discovered which
have entirely exploded all those crude and erronc-
Gus maxims of civil government, devoIved from the
fcudal ngos, and hitherto implicitly acqlcsccd IN,
because their antiquity has preserved them from
that scrutiny, which was alone necessary TO detect
their absurduy.
Among those political principles of recent origin,
which have recommended themselves with pccuar
force to the reason and experience of mankind tho
sovereignty Of the people, with the consequent re-
sponslbilty of their agents. and tho separation of
political power, with Its distribution among the Va
rous departments of tho government, so regulated
as to p ovlde each with an adequate am efficient
check upon the usurpal,on Of The others nre rte-em
ncnuy conspicuous for the beneficial effects, which
~
ton among the primary principles of republica ns,n
Their practical application to the hitherto complex
science of government reserved for our rcvoIu.
uonary ancestors who, sensItvcly slive to the
dangers of which history iorciby admonish-
ed them, endeav CURED 10 frame a government
which shou'db' "xcmp"d from the operation of
the causes which had produced the downfall of the
ancient republics, by constituting i, as to make
It dcpenIen, upon the people, only for It's exis.
tcnce in the first place, bat also for It's subsequent
continuance, All The powers with which this 90
vernment was clothed, were derived either med,-
ately or directly, from the people These powers
were distinctly classified, and distributed among
those departments of The govornncn. to which they
were believed the most appropriately to belong i;
and were specifically enumerated and defined by a
written constitution which Prescribed the mode in
which they should be exercised pointed out the
purposes 10 which they should be applied impo-
sed certain lutaioas and restrictions upon tho go
vcrnment so ordained for the purpose of combining
It within the scope of its delegated powers and
mado an express reservation 10 the respective pc.
iit'ea bodies, which formed that government, of ev
cry power, jurisdiction and right, winch, by that
instrument, ma not been delegated
This written constitution thus defining and linn
ting the powers Of that government to which il
was intended t be rule Of lon and prescribing
tfle HlOuo IN winch nose powers were 10 be admin
isteral, Is tn evidence Of a compact between sepa-
rate and distinct sovcreignties, whereby they D.
greed TO dcnudc and diyest themselves Respectively
or rather 10 r5tr' IN from tho exercise Of certain
powers, having reference chiefly TO their external
| concerns, and to confer those powers upon the go
vernment TO be exercised conformity for he benrf
| of the contracting pnrtcs From this fact, confirm
ed ny the history fine country, il is obvious that
as all the powers of the government thus constiu-
ted, are derlvat'vo, and not inherent So when II
exercises any other powers than those expressly
delegated by the constitution incidentally per-
ta'ning 10 them, us acts, being unauthorized, arc
consequently VOID, ard Of no force. This propos-
ton IS selfevidcn', and is so necessary
an inference from the premises, that any ar
gument IN ITS support would be idle and su
perhunus. But all the restrictions upon the author
iy OF this government arc nusat1ry and vain If the
right TO construc its own powers DC conceded to IT,.
Hence il mas always been regarded, by the a.
bles, commentators upon this instrument as pri-
mordial & settled principle Of The gov eminent, fair
ly ded1cbie from all the circumst ances attending
its organ cation, that it is mere agent, endued
with suficient degree Of power only to enable 1t
TO fulfil the purposes of its creation, and liable at