Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-05-18

in few appropriate remarks by Mr.: Jackson OF wal
ton, he amidst the applause Of tne convention,
and delivered address which rvetted the attention oil
every one present. and which, for eloquence and Pc
cular appropriateness was beyond description impress
svc.
The Committee of twenty -one appointed 10 draft
Preamble and Resolution expressive OF Inc views and
principles of the Convention, made the following he-
port, which was unanimously adopted:
REPORT.
The fundamental principles OF Democracy IS equali-
" between citizen and citizen 10 give erect 10 ths
principle, il found necessary IN the establishment
of Government 10 secure by organic law, called
Constitution, the individual rights OF every member OF
the community. The history oil all governments,
shews that the exercise of an absolute and uncon-
rolled power by an irresponsible majority must sooner
or later terminate in arstocracy or despot'sm. Inc
only guarantee in the stability of Democratic insutu
tons found in the moral restraints which the funda-
mental law directed by the paramount sovereignty OF
the people, supposed TO be placed in the majority OF
the Legislature 1t will be perceived at once that no
Government can he organized under Constitution,
without creating two separate and distinct interests
the interest of the governng-to increase us power,
and the interest Of the governedto hold to the terms
of the compact The slightest accession OF power 10
the governing beyond those conceded BY the compact
for the defence and protection of ALL destroyed at once
that equality of right between citizen and c'izen,
which constitutes said the essential difference
between Democracy and a other systems OF Govern .
ment. The conclusion is inevitable, that the aura
blty of Democracy emnentiy depends upon street
and rigid construction of the Constitution, and the
principle well applies to the State as Federal Con-
stiiution 1t would be supererogaon to declare doc
.rines SO long acquesced in-doctrnes which have
been sanctioned by time and confirmed BY experience
But departure from those principles in many oil The
leading of the Government, under the press
ure of circumstances in cases, and pnrdonaole
confidence in the mugnanmity of the majority OF the
representa- of the American people in others, by
their unforeseen effects have brought doubt and dscre
dit on the practical soundness of these cardinal
principles The charter of the Bank of the u 81 and
the Tariff of 1916, furnish in their history sad COM
mentay upon the dangers of the slightest departures
from the letter of the Constitution. While We read
the lessons it teaches, let profit by the melancholy
warning. Every man who pretends 10 the least con-
for the public welfare, must heartily deprecate
these honest Of many of the best and wisest of
statesmen, and deplore their consequences For
them we honor the motive, while we pardon the wrong
But it has ceased to be subject of magnan'mous
forbearance to the true and trusted and it is high time
TO rebuke the selfish ambition that seeks TO perPetrate
those dangerous innovations upon the spirit OF our IN
s,tutons which threaten nothing less than The subver
sion of our Government. To the mischievous niu-
ences of the first chartered monopoly may perhaps be
traced most of the Aagant and confessed evils Of the