Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-04-07
VOLUME XLH.-NUMBER 81.

The compact, any portion of their natural rights
such rIehs are merged in, and become part o.,
the social or political rights. And thus. as Is dc.
clared in the first article Of the Bill al Rights
whilst all men, b. nature, are equally free aud
independent, Jet, when they pass from thai sta;h
into the boty polite, different condition fittings
is brought about; and this with The consent Of all
inequality OF rights. arising iiom age, sex and
property, are established
Such being what is understood BY The social
compact, II is obvious in looking into The early
history OF nations, as well as from the ordinary
pursuits oil men, that the origin of government,
Is to be ascrbed, not so much 10 the protection
Of personal rights as 10 secure The means of ac.
curing and possessing property" In every con.
dllon oil life, savage or civilized, in state OF
nature or society, men, more or less seek The ac-
QUESTION OF the latter. The savage roams for
his game The mariner plouehs The iecps fer his
wealth, he asricuilurisi The earth Tor her fruits
And since the fat went forth, "In the sweat OF
Thy face shalt thou eat bread" man, whilst doomed
10 toll, became DESTROYS 10 secure against inya-
sion The earnings OF his labor-to pIu,ec, them
| iiom that danger and that disorder,
! When b. might take whn lad the power
And he might hold who could.
Hence men we've first driven, in The early Stages
OF Inc world, 10 form, iorlhe mutual defence anu
security OF their possessions, political assccia
tons. Rnde as these associations may originally
have been, they give US the frs, glimpse Of The
social compact and were evidently, in the main
erected for The protection OF property The Sc
curly oil the person Of lie and liberty, soon iol
lowed as part OF The object in view. The rule
which was 10 govern, which was 10 restrain one
man from capturing what another had appropr.
aled 10 his own use, and which projected HIM in he
possession OF his hui, became a! once, as naiu-
RI fn No ptaJ *,
against violence and outrage
II such be The origin OF socieIy, and Mr.. S.
said he supposed il would be conceded; and as
man IN his nature is now villa, he has ever been
and as we are now ascerta ming what The lfue ba.
SIS OF society should be, il follows that lis two
great columns are persons and yyopeity. Upon
! such, all civilized society must b. erected They
constitute lie great elements that alone drive men
I from state 0! nature into political associations,
that induce them 10 ccneregaie 10 secure The
| rights of persons and the rights Of things. With
| oul due regard 10 each, perfect security ID
6oth government cannot long exist, or cannot an.
swer The great ends OF lis creation, "lhe enjoy
ment OF life ard liberty, with The means oi ac-
I gnirins and possessing property, ana pursuing
and obtaining happiness and safely" If men in
passing from Stale o! nature into society sur
rendered only hei! persona! natural lighls-ii The
sole object oi government was 10 slirA and
protect the prisons OF lis cizens-is property form
/ ed no element in such government, and was to
be wholly excluded from its control or power,
/ then i might be proper that numbers and mum.
hers alone, shoad constitute i.s basis as well a.
| the basis Of representation. II number OF men
were all wilhou, properly, or all equally possessed
OF it, having nothing bnt personal rights 10 secure.
n" difficulty would exist G accepting The basis
Of government. and representation, commended for
| by The advocates ofthe substitute. But such Is
mol the condition OF things ~ih us-we have per-
sons and propeny-lhe latter most unequally Ii.
vided-dividcd mol so much among the classes, bur
divided, as is our population, aphically-a
majority OF The people being Yves, oflhc Blue
Ridge and large majority of;he property in the
East. Rcmairde7 on Ssc0nd Page.l