Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1847-08-09

because they did not square with the visionary theories
I'EHEMf kEhrHAM. whose works were appealed to a,
nracies oi political Wis lnm. Constitutions Of hoorcte
perfection, admirably Illustrative o the nlce,es Of po
cal science. and lifted for every thing but 10 last were
the product Of each year The experiment has boea f,
tr'd OF lnPosne constitution upon people without
reference 10 their genius. wants aud capabits-and
what has been the RESULT Let the conditions ii McKee,.
anu the anarchy which regns Ia most of the sol ddni
South American Republics furnish the answer
The American eonusts labired under no grievances
They "snuled tyranny in the tainted breeze. and re
sS'ed the first aPreafanccof enenachmcut upon their
rights Their resistance based unm rrineiple and
they bayed the power Of ho mother country weak aud
unsupported they were rather than run the risk Of
being enslaYed In pecuniary point Of ,iew the tax
OF three pence pound on tea was nothing hut taxation
without representation they sderod Of the essence
OF tyranny and 10 be resist al all hazards Ii is this
absence Of oppressloa-ol practical grievances which
as much as the character of the race accounts for the
absence of all in the progress of the contest Had
our people been pressed 10 the earth by the teuda ~,
ranny under which The French long sroane perhaps
our emancipation would have been sgnazed hy those
excesses which. perpetraed by them 50 outrage our sen
sbiltes The commenced for the vindlration ~ An
abstract principle. and 10 avert what were deemed in
pending evils. And this. we think constitutes the pc
cniar glory Of the struggle. Other people slung to
madness by tyranny have taken up arms redress their
wrongs aud avcuge themselves upon their oppressors
II stOy full Of such examples but affords no precedent
for war undertaken for the maintenance of cherished
political axiom. TIL who represent our feIalhors as
breaking the bonds If slavery, besides classifying hsto
y, deprive the Revolution Of lis most distinguishing
and glorious characteristics
Ii is curious to see how little chance the gevalu,ion
wrought III many of the States Take VIRGINIA far in
stance The Constitution framed after she had drcsr
ed her Independence added another chamber f,
the Legislature and provided for the e,oc,ion II, h,1
houses of Governor and curaiIino of his ,rroa,,,,,
and made nrovision far tho exo,is, ,,f ,ls ;,;
power-apd these were ahout all The ;,n,,,,,,a ~
b, an instrument ,,,l,r which cha, ,.,;, ,lon
The institutions Of the CoIonys hoc.m ,,,,a., a..
State and many j, ma, e,co,,, e.; ,h, ~ l,
known. from aurbt ,ba, he expc,e,col ,h,, .a,',,
ton had taken place Rhode Island ch,noed no,lin,,
until within the last five voors
The freeborn patriots Of fine Rcyontio ,h;o.ol L.i
independence-and This is but small sb,ro or ,,
it, Other colonies have thrown off tho vLo ~ ,ho ma
Their country But orr ancestors L.o, L, ,.,e, A..
their ndepenlence-and hi, is their exclusive ha.s ~,
what avail would it have been to The coooes b,
been united under one Federal Governn,on, I,ba C,
venon Of ESQ consummarcd the revonor and wondered
it a blessiny to mankind No one can srsnoo, n, ,f
want of patriotic sensbilty in contemplatns tho bcri
era Of our eountrv-hul our enthusiasm more linlcs
ol1r mind is more filled when we ,nnr,,cI tho f,
non whlch framed the Federal Constitution We be
lie'e us W'fd never Vel saw-and perhaps Will
again see-a body OF men so enlightened, pure and
pa'oc'assembed ior an object grandand far reaching
or The hist time in the history of man. written con
stituton to be prepared moi for a snail city, or
petty territory. but country with its grand diyis
IONS differing in products interests manners and Gus
toms. This constitution wa TO be one of delegated DOW
es from thirteen independent States reluctant to mart
with any portion of their soyereiontv and snsnois .,
eoci, otler A o,yo,n,oo, ,, :. - -.
~, S ' " w lo''ifea WHICH,
NhiSt secured respect 3buad should be cli ll the
least possible dpcfaa At homo .n3 ,,LoL ,l,,,aL ;.
~ ~ ~ '"' "'"Sh 'n'n'e
der the conflicting views and interests bch aetpaed the
members on their first assemblnr-be unreasonable zeal
ousies of the smaller members of the confoloro, h