Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-12-18
Wao ARg ,rug People,

| .
In oil the political dsqukions which have been ~ri,
side OF tho Atlantic the last seventy years
and more IT'S regarded axiom in the science Gov
eminent that the sovereignty dsells in 'the people,
Whenever political grievances occasion, ia any OF GU
States, general fermentation in the puble mind and dis
contents rpanng iato dsfeeuou. and tho cry Tor Con
'snton and reform becomes louder and louder the sn
storm ia uled Tor time, To reposs by proposition mad
and conquered IN, 10 take the OF he people " Th,
saunehssi supporter OF things they are. will often
cur with the most radical VI rcforms. admit
that after ALL great evil from taking the
of"ihc peopc"
But under th. apparent harmony OF opinion there IL
concealed great dverrlty popular mby, exam
has tremendously received that law ought pass
ed tor taking the sensc Of the people. the question
Convention Convention. But after the resolution
has been adopted, IL one to ask. "whc
them are "the pscP'o'" The prevailing Impression n
hst, ia that this a, Idle snd SILLY question The more
Intelligent, however, will queSy perceive THAT qucs
,on which involves this first principles OF political science
These will ponder deeply and for mature
consideration But the orators OF the meeting who are
never at fault on sny political question: will iLis
without hesitation difficulty; each one, however will
differ from all the rest.
One will inform the inquirer, that politically speaking
hey only are fAs Pcep! 10 whom the bsougs
namely, the owners Of the soil sni that oil he modern
extensions OF the prsiisse o voting have sprung from
nlIIa-Democtsuc and dangerous theories.
Another vii! Insist, that this limitation Of
the pTiveges and that only the land holders but all
who contribute 10 the support OF the Government by the
payment OF taxes ought to be regarded meInbss vi
body polite.
third will give hi, opinion that all those who are
held by the Law 10 mitry service aud thus bound
pay TAX 40 blood, aud To lay down their hves needu
IN defence OF the country, have also right To voice IN
| Its Government.
| Ponderiug rs he wcnJs his way homewsri on ,hcs.
various denionS u! the bOiy polite, aud peceng that
they all exclude large men born and living IN the
e0any our 'nqni'i''o politician hnds himself involved
series OF inquiries Whence dad these privileged classes
receive the right n eScludsihe other classes all part
c'psuon IN the Government III, county, Did they usurp
II with suons uaad-or was thrown CA them by fnrtu-
ous c.reumsi which they neither exercised nor
had any c-clc! hataNerl And, in either case, ought
they not NOletsI their follow the
enjoyment OF t'eir original snd natural rights, If indeed
they ever had any right - voice in public aiairsf
Some OF these questions at least. propose consider
Bot It seems to ne ihaIa preliminary nquiFy the p-
miNe state and condition oi man. is essential right
understanding OF the SUBJECT.
The frst age Of Nan
About have e. apsed since the political wr
tiers OF our mothe' county began to speculate freely
primitive stale sne condition OF And IL one Of
their iaSoTe notions that man, IN the first ages lived ill.,
what they called, "he state OF nAture contra distn
gush,d from the society," social state And this
state 81 nature, which lasted tor indefinite period of
iiue IN which each man, or family enioyed or
suffered, and isolated independence lie was un
irammeed by the duties OF society the social state
cause the social Sate ITSELF had yet sprung
fence.
But since this heOry promus aed the researches of
modern civilization have disclosed the existence South
ern Africa, IN the great island Of New Holland and m &c
recently on our own continent, Of tribes families
OF the human living in of rudeness privation
and barbrism mo detailed OF which Anos, sta
ger creduiiy Itself And yet among these rude and
tuored savages the social feeng-he state OF society
u fully developed. Their ~ret,hed Shelters which scarce
y deserve the Of ha5iiaons cluseIed together
they adhere to each other good and adverse foune-n
times Of plenty and times OF interchange
the aids and comforts OF which are compat
bic with their fororn and destitute condition.
The theory of he isolated Of nature Is dssipa,ed
IN thn air by these modern discoveries. For a theory
OF pTogress, in which IN, Estate Of nature" Is the st
stage, and the state u society tue secondhand who con
conceive. in contemplating the actual condition OF these
wreched savsges living in the society that be
meath this hell lower hell Is found'
But, in default OF these modern discoveries the theory
OF the isolated slte OF nature Will be found reflection
10 De Incompatible with strongly marked traits of charac
Ter exhbi'si by man, in al ages snd countries. rs well a.
with hs pbysical necessities. He is essentially and by
the aY OF his nbture social being and from necessity
addicted 10 the formation OF communities.
IL the doom Of HE race pronounced BY the Creator
that his very enance into tho world should be- the mo-
Their time OF sono" and great peril, calling for tho
der Offices which woman slOus alnstsr % woman.
IL was IN all time. the law Of his nature that he should
endure long and feeble chdhood and a. throughout the
-'~ :. 49,, r>',-& ~ -----i.-e. 49,
were his only projectors, ne would be constant peril
during their occasional aud inevitable from every
wandering beast Of the ores,
Made tue lord OF the creation BY the voice OF God ma
by The GIT OF ressou ae could his supremacy only in
the social satc for only the clustering spears
the mercer and more powerful Of the hruie creation.
BY denying TO him the protection against the inclcmen
cy Of the which had been on the brute
Creation nature imposed him the necessity of providing
habIaton TO shelter him, which could be erected only BY
tie united effoits Of numbers.
The booh oi knowledge lies open before him but so
vast and 'eous are ils details that man. or ten
men, or hundred men, master the whole and yet a
knowledge Vi the whole is essential the webeing Of
the
Finally the voice Of revelation ,.f speaks not to iso
lated m7n, but regards him always Gnd exist
ng 10 the state OF society. II incucatcs the social wor
ship ct the Deity, the performance Of thousand socia
duties and the Practice OF social and addressing
itseli to his innate social feeling holds him. rs tho
most Elurng reward of well spent life final reunion of
the good in one everlasting community.
assume then, that men, in the fret sges OF the world
associated themselves into communities. These may
no supposed consisted at sTs cf Eue cluster of rude
habtatons. But the hamlet in process Of time. grew INTO
village and as population advanced, many villages were
dispersed over territory whose limits continually ex
tending II j. obvious that of the causes which h,d
united these simple people society, and especially
the es OF blood and affinity had natural tendency the
preservation vi oraeT and the prevention OF crime MOI less
80 the authority Of aged men, whom nstuT. had cooled
the hercer passions that they might be m 20 control
the excuses OF tie young. Neither had want the parent
oil CRIME, as yet, existed among Their simple wants
were supplied by the spUB Of the chase by the sponia
neous productions Of the earth or by rude and partial
cultivation Ia such state Of society many Of the
of msn's nature would hs atysy dormant And
lis was the golden which Poets Il antiquity did
not cign but borrowed from the traditions OF the elder
cay In The midst si oil tins abundance and cOnennent
and happiness, however, work unseen nv
man, which iofsshadoH cd great the history Of the
| race. The first nge Of man gas drawing TO a close.
no ~ CONTINUED.
TO THE MEMBERS or THE LEGISLATURE.
The omr mt .avycr, Chapm'n Johnson Esq, who was
appointed s'ycra since, to revise and digest the
criminal a4e o. w nia having resigned the post Il will
| DO Necessary TO ap.oin,a sucee5sGr
The wnor Of tins hiy,y communication takes the iber
y Of bringing to the notice ofh legislature in connection
with tbs office distinguished awyer Of this CITY Io..,
Mayo, Esq M Mayo's habits ofindus,ry and his pe,e,
Familiarity With tho criminal laws Of ibis commonwealth.
'ad indeed Of criminal jurisprudence generally, 6t him
coary Tor the task Of revising and dige.ting our cnn
n'I code the Legislature shall think proper 10 confer
this appointment Mr.. Mayo, they may rely upon hi.
Pfomp'nude aud fidelity LAWYER.
! To the Editors u the wing
TO "a BELIEVER IN MAGNETISM"
"COuciip" would A., lts ttf,opd mo-, ,..t.