Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-01-28
WHO ARE .rHE pEOpI.Et


RATION OF RIeHrs- or vIReiNIA.
The elementary principles which have sought deduee
from the preceding analy,s, however imperfect the
character and primitive condition OF Man. expressed
In the following propositions;
1. That communities. like families, were an institution
OF the Creator OF a things. and existed from the time
that there were two i,m,ies in the world.
y That the law OF Nature conferred the adult males
OF every community, TO the exclusion OF the and
children, control Affairs when and 30 soon as
It was found necessary form Government; that,
politically speaking the adult males the only mem
| bsrs OF the community.
B. That it is seEsvdeni truth-an axiom in polite al
science-,hst the unsoverued communities all tho
members were equal in rights. God had made them.
T. That these communities, being institution Of
ure. and being made up of men, possessed collectively.
each OF the msmbers possessed individually. the right
j OF self-preservation.
s. That process OF time and in the conflict Of human
passions and interests, these communities driven to
the necessity Of exercising this right Of sepresevanon
by forming Government
g. That as tins right and power form a Government,
belonged TO the community, collectively, each member of
the community must have possessed and did possess
shave OF the right and power-and the members be-
fore the formation OF Government were equal in rights.
the share which belonged every member must have
been, and was equal share.
T. That though governments in all ages OF the world,
have been formed. modified, by force fraud fortui
tous cireumstanees combination of all these
principles, the only egt mode which this right os
forming government can be exercised by the great
body OF the members Of the community OF persons cho-
sen to represent hem assembled together deliberate and
decide.
5. That. the FIRST assembly so convened il must
have been discovered and discovered, that unanm
in the nature OF things, impossible; and that to
rive decision result and anarchy and ruin
1t was necessary that tue voices OF the majority should
troll the action Of the body.
g. That such constituent assembly, EXPIRE ssing il,
decisions BY the voices OF the msiority dwss the power
called the sovereignty Of the people.
10. That is the peculiar and appropriate function o
such constituent assembly form government which
shall administer the affairs OF the community.
IL. That, IN adopting constitution form of govern
men such constituent assembly has absolute and un
limited discretion. IL may organic law restrain
ing the powers Of the government within the naowest
limit, 50 as to diminish in very small degree the orig-
nal and natural Liberty Of the people- may grant the
powers Of ordinary legislation the representatives Of the
whole people, or to the representatives only part of the
people, or may vest all the powers Of government in
few families, or in monarch Such and 80 unlimited /,
the power Of the sovereign people.
In nuaon OF the subject proceed to remark tina,
iii obvious truth, that the people, their sovereign
capacity have the right and the power bad or
even desPOc they have also right reserv
IL.
abolish it entirely and substitute another For it
absurd TO that The sovereign power and rights
OF toe people, spent destroyed by being once exer
cised. That generation, pechsnce OF mbarbarans
by rash aud mprovident grant Of absolute power TO
popular soldier patriot statesman. could bind all future
generations to submit Of tyranis That in the
most important Of all sublunary Transactions the formation
Of a government, nation community could deprive
themselves Of al the aids and benefits OF experience and
o Oh AM led Wei and
FORE it bsen said that the sovereignty Of the people
though have never been exercised exercised i'm
Providenty TO have been in allegiance Tor centuries
is yet inherent unaliensble and imprescrpube."
But recurring to the principle of the jus eoris-'whai
there, tmly be asked that this omnpoence
OF the majority ui the Constituent assembly, may not un-
der possible and indeed very probable ccumsances be
grossly abused What assurances for example, has
tt0naI minority, in community which Is unfortunately
made OF uHcongenla elements, and which are
arrEg aud conflicting Interests defined by geogTap hca
limits. that ae sectional majority in the
bly, VII not pepeuie Itself IA the legislative bodies, and
SIiuy neglect oppose constitutional barriers, assnst
the abuse u Its and for the defence pro-
lection Of 'e sectional minonyl And supposng this
nave been done ,han winch nothing probabe) what
security have the sectional minority that TINS unesursned
supremacy the legislative bodie, will be used or
abused by the OF laws sectional and oppressive
IA their Character Suppose In shyri that oil these things
nave been d"re;-Wha remedy provided in the theory Of
free for such abuse VI the supposed Jus
Joris!'
gested through member OF a supposed const-
tuent assembly.
l. That reject the jus majoris because it may be
thus abused, have alternative (f recognize al
ALL the supremacy oi the constituent assembly, other
words the sovereignty OF the people, but to substitute for
the Jus iH's or the supremacy OF the minority the
mBority which IL Just liable be abused
premacy Of the msJurty.
2 That the yranncal Of ei her principe, every
step Of the downward supposed questions
would be opposed by barriers erected by God hmse-
The barriers Of reason, calculation and tear
quences, Coincidence. religion and patriotism.
And to this reasoning Of my supposed son Of the
iains" will add that. for the supposed the
theory Of free government mas provided a
dy. IT, 10 the supposed, be unavaing,
and Peaeeabe separation Of the uneongonia sections be
opposed by the tyrannea majority, the minority
up arms shd appeal 10 the God Of battles.
u such an extreme case should unhappy arise,
some FAR distant day, in our much loved old Common
wealth Of Virginia, the oppressed minority look into
our own annals for the remedy They will there learn that
the Of Revolution a small sectional minority Of
the British people driven to by the tyranny Of the
moI1ry, worked out this problem Of political science by
establishing separate, free and independent COmmo
wealth.
And il worthy Of oil remembrance that while our an
cesIurs had manly spirit enough oppose arms the
abuse Of the JUS majors by the mother country they had
coUiness and wisdom enough recognize use and
necessity, IN every Commonwealth For the ecaTa-
on OF the rgns Of the good people OF vrgna, the
ura and original eqTglity Of political nights aud
the souIsgHfv Of ths People not dsuncuy re-
cognized than the inaienable and
abolish IL government such shall be found
most conducive TO the public veal"
The sUFPosED DANGER TANPERNG WITH ESTABLISHED
| POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS
But these 1t will be said care after ALL extreme prin.
epos suitable enough, may be- to your imaginary
munty which bad, yet, institutions Whatever but
unsuitable, and even dangerous when attempt u made
Ia niuse them into Institutions matUred and consolidated
ny time great practical truth, which the authors If the
declaration Of rights. themselves IN effect admitted and
acted on Tor they did not carry these heo-
retca principles in "the constitution form Of govern
men which they framed and polished only seventeen
days aier they had thus declared their theoretical views
You cannot otter and improve the machine Of govern
mont, you would Seam-engne by applying u ne W.
y discovered principles, old principles whose power
aud efficacy had been overlooked or forgotten. In one
you operate insensibe matter while In the other
have to deal with sensible beings ndued with passions
as well with reason, subject 10 prejudice and controlled
| by habit All these faculties, qualities and weaknesses
have co operated IN ding and consolidating the gov
eminent, aud 10 making IL such as Is. II hiss become
adapted by the sid OF time and habit tho people, and
tho people 20 H. Your attempt then, TO slicr by the
force Of alone that which has been built up by
Ia. 20