The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1845-08-11
OUR CONSTITUTION.

one side or the other, OF the great question Of
holding convention for amending the Constitu-
tion of our great and glorious old Commonwealth
We are glad to see the subject discussed, because
the agitation of it, will, we confidently believe,
lead to the adoption of the right course in rela-
tion to this, well as all other matters. We
most confidently trust to the decision of the peo-
pie, 10 do justice to each other, TO their proud
State, TO the country, and to the great interests
Of humanity everywhere. But in order TO this,
let there be fair presentation of the subject to
the tribunal from whom the final decision is to
come.
On this question have so often decidedly
expressed our views. that it can be hardly neces-
sary to repeat them now. But we do rejoice TO
the good work speeding onward to goodly
termination. We say goodly termination, for
we are not of those who deem the meeting of
convention ga dangerous and Revolutionary
measure This doctrine is held up in terrorem
by some of the opponents, as if it were, indeed,
dangerous matter to place in the hands of the peo-
pies delegates the power to change and modify the
fundamental law of the State. A writer in the
Richmond Times of the 18th instant uses the fol-
lowing language upon the subject of convention
" As 10 the extension of the Right of Suffrage, |
believe there are few that care much on that oues
ton now; the anticipated evils of its extension
have been fully realized, and the little remnant
OF people ,cho are no,0 excluded from uoting,
rery poorly sustain The principle that some PRO
perty-test Of qualification ought to be requir-
ed Of those ,cho are TO cTercse the right of TAG
ing, and an measure Of disposing of the pro.
perty of others" Now if this formidable array
of words means any thing, we suppose they do,
or were intended to convey, exactly the opposite
idea to that really expressed. We presume the
writer intended to say that the little remnant
very poorly sustain the principle that some pro-
pery-test of qualification ought [not1 to be re-
quired,' Sc. Taking this for his meaning let us
proceed: Power draws all things to it, When
we make laws, and rules of law, they are estab-
lished to prevent those who would act unjustly-
to guard against injury and injustice If men
would act honestly and justly, there were no need
for law. Our laws, then, must be framed upon
the hypothesis that man is depraved and requires
restraint-that he is selfsh-and that, unless
something prohibit, there will ever be an exercise
of injury and oppression by the strong towards the
weakly The many towards the .few. Hence
the necessity of written constitutions, that the
Legislature may not be omnipotent, but, being
controlled by these charts of rights and powers,
may be constrained to have regard to the rights
Of mtnorities. Now no system of wise laws can
prevent the industrious and frugal from prospering
and amassng wealth, nor save the wasteful and
idle, from the condition of poverty But the
wealthy have always constituted, and always will
constitute, a minority in every society"
What doctrines are these! and how smoothly
is The hook baited! But, Mr.. Wiseacre, YOU
don't catch gulLs down here in this region of fish,
oysters, common sense and republicanism, by any
such transatlantic doctrines, and we would adj
wise you to use your powers of locomotion if YOU
possess any, to transport yourself beyond the linn
its of country in which the whole system of
Government is based upon the principles that the
yfe'c require The restraint of many +; and not the
reverse of this, as the learned correspondent of
the Times supposes. Bullet us sft this potent a r
ray of opposition to the peoples power. And first
there is danger, so says this notable essayist on
government, " that unless something prohibit
there will be ever an exercise of injury and on.
preston by the strong towards tho weakly the
many towards the few" Who, let us ask are
the strong, and who the weak, "the little rem.
nant, or the rich nabobs of the land "Power
draws all things to it," Does not the correspon.
dent of the Times know that wealth is mower 4
Then whom should the Constitution and Lave
protect most cautiously" the little remna Mt I,
whom no one cares much for,' on the princelv
"Je,C," whose rights alone seem, to the ianndic.
ed eyes Of this apologist for practical despotism
under the garb of republicauism, TO be in dancer
But he would have property govern the Com.
monwealth, because " the wealthy have aIwav,
constituted, and always will constitute miDoritv
in every society" What then is to become o.
the rights and interests of " the little remnant ,,
who have neither political power nor money +,
to sustain them against the crushing power Of the
majority combined with the ,oeallhy nainoyit,,
But there is a political heresy in the doctrine
avowed by that correspondent signing himself
Old Dominion" that should never find place
within " the Old Dominion II is the decIara.
ton " that our laws are framed upon the bvno
thesis that there will ever be an exercise Of inurv
and oppression by the many to,oards The fe,o .
And hence the necessity of written constilu