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

vote disastrous in lis character and much 10 be
dePlofed. Bat, sir in the face OF this vote 10 be
told BY one Western gentleman that The majority
here practice oppression on the West and by an
other, that they are prescribed race, but chew
ers Of wood and dra wers Of water" for the East is
as nnfounded in tact as this vote is remarkable in
character. Lei The West, then, after this Demon
siraIion, cease 10 talk OF Eastern oppression.
Mr.. Long OF Randolph, (Mr. Soulhall yielding
the hoor,) said he came from the Northwest, and
would explain his position. His predecessors had
generally voted Tor improvement. His people
had preudlces against the management OF lie
James River and kanawha improvement, and
against the President OF the company. He knew
Al 10 be The will oil nine-enlhs OF his constituents,
that railroad should lie substituted Tor canal 10
complete the line.
MIR. Souha resuming, said he knew very
we'll the James river canal did not run into the
genteman's county; hut he would say The .Staa,l-
I'm and ParlcrsJ'trS road did; road made wholly
on STATE account and by whoR.2 By the oppres-
siuci majority OF this House-by direct appro.
priation from the treasury oil seven dollars in the
I East 10 three in The Wesi: and yet said MIR. s.,
while short road he had had partly in charge, in
/ which portion Of his constituents were deeply
interested, and for the success OF which he had felt
an anxious solicitude, asking, as it did, but two
dollars from the public 10 every three paid by in
! divldnals, had the other day been crushed by the
Juggernaut OF the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
! Company, carrying in its train suifciency OF
! Western votes 10 defeat the applicaion-a road,
/ which whenever made whilst il would he was well
assured, return ample profits on its investment,
would serve 10 tie the valley to US, and bring US
/ politically closer together. But, Mr.. SouIhail
said, he did not rise 10 discuss these matters; he
had been somewhat drawn into these preliminary
IL.
llemen, that they were an oppressed and proscrib-
ed people. Believing, as he did, that no iounda-
lion existed for the assertion made in this debate,
/ he was unwilling 10 permit il 10 pass wholly un-
| noticed.
He, Mr.. S. proposed then 10 come directly 10
the main and great issue which The competing
| propositions before The House presented. In lis
examination he should avoid as well local or
geographical considerations as the existing con-
slitutional divisions OF the State, with their par
ticular population and wealth. He should do
this, because he intended 10 look 10 great prlnci-
PIES, forming, as he conceived, the elements o.
all sound or practical government, and which
every where, in every land, when man energies
from 4 stale of nature into that Of society, neces-
sarily ought and must be looked 10 in order 10
secure safety and happiness.
What are the propositions before us1 You
have the bill recommended BY the majority oil the
committee, which proposes, should the people de-
clare in favor OF Convention, thai such ConyeI-
lion should be organized upon The basis Of popu-
, lalion and properly combined. As antagonist 10
this and offered as a substitute Tor il, you have
Ibe bill Of The minority Of the committee, which
declares that line Convention. if called, shall be
based solely on population. Favorns as he did
/ The bill Of the committee, Mr. Sou!hall said he
was willing, humble ~ were his pretentions, 10
/ 10 meet The advocate. Of the substitute upon their
I own authority, and 10 yindicate. he hoped the
/ memory of those who first, in l776, adopted, a
we'll as those who, in 1890, re- adopted, the Bill oi
Rights.
! The gentleman from Wythc assumed that TIE
/ Declaration Of Rights ana tho exis ing Consiip-
/ ton were Inconsistent with each oilier-ihat lie
principles oil the frs, were sacrificed or dsrc-
| gardei in The second-lhat the one was founded
upon the great and immu'able rights Of man,
whist the other departed from them, and was
erected upoa in arbitrary and oppressive rule,
unknown Ia aud repudaci in the first Mr.. ).
said if the gentleman was correct in his position,
then his criticism applied with rs much, if Dot
more. force 10 our hr,t Consti,don-.or in tia,
an arbitrary representation b. counties was
adopted, and tie right oil suffrage was confined
10 freeholcers. Now, said MIR. S., is il not lue
remarkable, il the first or present Constitution be-.
4 obnoxious 10 The objection made, that the men
= ~ 10 WHO duOpltu tue Dill Oh 'tl'nts GDu I've
! Constitution OF that date-men who, il any upon
| earth ever were, were imbued with the true sp
! iii OF Liberty and OF Republican Government,
who in The &C, Of the adoption OF those instru-
/ menls, were breaking asunder The bonds that
! boundthe 10 Inc mother country; who, ANNA
| ted by holy zeal in behalf OF the eternal princ-
| pies that lay al the foundation OF our rights, and
who, 10 secure them against The aggression Of
proud and naughty nation, pledged around The
altar Of their country their lives their property,
and their sacred honor-was il not he repeated,
little remarkable, il the argument We have
heard be true, that such men, under such CIR
cumstances, on the same day, and at The same
time, would proclaim TO the world The great
/ fundamental truths belonging TO onr race
and, in the next moment, adopt and send forth
Constitution OF Government, side BY side
with their declaration oil Rights, Inconsistent
with and in direct opposition 10 i. Surely our
ancestors knew what they were about; and had:
\ Mr.. S. ven!ured 10 say, as perfect and rs clear
I and correct views oil what constituted free 60
4 vernmen, as ve their descendants. And those
who followed in tneirirack-the men who assem-
bled here in 1929, The first and puIest of their
/ day-were they TOO guilty OF The gross inconsis-
lency, the weak political blunder oil adopting the
same Bill of Rights, OF holding out 10 mankind
I the mere theory OF freedom, and repudiating lis
principles in The Constitution they framed Mr..
S. thought not; correct reading Of both made
each consistent, removed any apparent contra
dicii0n, and would redeem their anlhOrs and fra
mers from the charges brought against them =
| The gentleman from Wylhe, whilst refusing 10
! the Constitution any claim 10 the principles OF
The Bill OF Rights, looks 10 the latter as the guide
in the formation Of The body polite, and rests his
! whole argument for the while basis a. the loun-
/ dalton OF government upon It's provisions. BE il
D., L.. ,t,.Il t,tn
issue between Us. The advocates for The propo-
position ought 10 be willing 10 abide the result
We are told that nations or States are bodies
polilc-societes Of men united together by com.
pact, 10 promote their general good. We are
REFEREED 10 the argument here, 10 the first, third
and sixth articles, Of The Bill OF Rights as furnish
ing The true principles OF this compact, and the
only foundation OF thi. Union. VIVA; are these
anicesl The first is shat all men by nature
are equally free and independent, and have GER
lain inherent rights, of which, when they enler
into state of society, ihay cannot, by any COM
pact, deprive or divest their OVERWHELMINGLY,
The Enforcement Of life and liberty, with The means
oiacquiring and possessing property, and pursu-
ing and obtaining happiness and safety"
The third is "That governmen, is, or oushtto
be, Instituted for The common benefit, protection
and security OF The people, nation or community.
Oiall The various modes and forms OF govern.
meni, that is best which is capable Of producing
The greatest degree Of happiness and safely, and
is most clfeclually secured against The danger OF
mal-adninistralion: and that, when any govern
ment shall be found inadequate or contrary to
these purposes, majority Of the community
hath an induhable, unslienable, and ndeieas'ble
right to reform, alter or abolish II, in such man
ner as shall seem most conducive 10 the public
veal"
The sixth article is, "Tha, elections OF mem
bers 10 serve as representatives OF The people, in
assembly, ought 10 be free; and tha! all men ha-
wing sufficient evidence Of permanent common
interest with, and attachment 10, the community,
have the right OF suffrage. and cannot be taxed
or deprived OF their property for public uses with
out their own consent, OF tina. OF their representa-
tives 50 selected, nor bound By any law 10 which
they have not in like manner asssned for The
public good"
As connected with these articles Of the Bill Of
Rights to which reference had been made, as
sustaining The ground of those advocating The
substitute, MIR. Souhall said he wonld refer 10
II 10