Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-06-20

i, the gentleman had examined into the true state of
LING here be would have seen that the governmental
majority in the,Snteare soSsnspcions ahd distrnstul
# Tile west, tGatthay have pfeeluded them from that
aaual representatenin this Conyenton that would not
oniy have enabled to present and argue fully the
le.ye merits and claims of the east and west but in
discussion Of great principles to have the numbers
hnre to incorporate into the Constitution that are
obout 20 present to the people those equal rights that
the bill Of rights declares We are entitled to.
MT Mr. Chairman notwithstanding these arguments
md nstions of eastern gentlemen cannot believe thai
- body in mass because they are herein aAiajority
bey do intend to treat-ns of the west asstranger
III alie u in this old commonwealth; TINT part o
~ will Mt least be willing to mete out to US the gold
Wv rle TO do to us as they would that we should do tt
IT, md that thew will consider all as but one peo
nls that the whole State of Virginia constitutes ou
uc neople That in constituting our fundamental laws
GA can and must be known people, one people
eoa freemen possessing equal rights equal power "rt
Inject to equal burdens for general and equal adyanta
qss These mountain barriers and divisions whether
trnnsmontane or cismontaine should no longer be re
cognized in our Constitution. We connected by
trade by intermarrages by the strongest family and so
cia ties BY great highways either made or making by
everything that can make homogeneous peoPie-ai
f,rbIi US to build up constitution that notwithstand
inc these cemenng clements will produce dscord and
npparent least nferiorty of one division of her cit
| liens to another
II has been proposed to insert such guarantees ant
limitations i'll the constitution will preclude the legs
iatiye department of government from passing any
| law that will unnecessarily burthen her citizens, OF
operate secionaby advanaSeously OF lnurously 10 my
division Of the STATE
When in the early part of this debate, protection
rendered to the east in the form of constitutional guar
antics it was replied that guarantees would not anc
could not be aud never were respected. confess al
these assertions my heart sunk within me- and that
despaired of the value of any constitution if all its pro-
visions not to be equally respected and was
lieved Of heavy weight when the gentleman from
Jefferson (Mr. HuSrER,) rose, and in few pertinent
remarks demonstrated that the constitution of the United
was series of guarantees, and that whenever an
opportunity had arisen to test any of them it had
been respected md moved that committee should be
appointed for the purpose of examining into and re-
porting what guarantees should he inserted in the
stitution
felt that if the constitution that fundamental law
which we had been convened here to FORM and present
to the citizens of Virginia, not if adopted by them
to guide and rule and govern in all public action
and intercourse with each other. If that great instru
ment was to be of value use m expression
that WAS uttered and repeated here, than the parch
nlent upon which it is written, might we'll sepe
rate without further attempt at any thing
The notion that written constitutions hive value
arose from the fact that usupers those who claimed
to rule by divine right and were compelled 10 cancede
something to the demands of their rebellios subjects
resumed those grants concessions rs the
cessity over which constrained them hypoi:ically
yield to the dangerous pressure of the times. This
position has been abandoned by its asscrer and the
true Eirginan and American feeling and sentiment
pnrades this committee and it is admitted TINT whit
ever constitution this Convention may present 10 the
people, if adopted by Them will be respected and carried
in good faith in every part by the different depart
ments Of government created by it.
A constitution is nothing than the embodied
will of the sovereign people determining under what
form Of government they will live prescribing the pow
ers and duties of the different ,icers and ministers and
departments Of that government, which they may
lcct to conduct that governmental machinery in which
each and every part is equally sacred and equally bind
ing Is that sacred compact between the people by
which they guaranty to every citizen that all its pro-
visions shall be nvioby observed 1t guarantees
every citizen that there shall be executive, judicial
sd legislative department in that government, pre-
scribng to each its appropriate powers and duties, anil
determining that ench shall exercise those powers and
duties within it, constitutional sphere.
Tie existing constitution, and which We all think
Requires amendment, declares by whom aud where
the Legislature shall I've chosen the same of tile
IexecutYe and Judiciary the powers and dnes Of each
yet Notwithstanding nearly the whole of the people Of
Virginia believe this instrument to be very defective
WeI Gin hHo any of its provisions been violated. We
believe the county court system IS arstocratc in its
features that judiciary is not as effective might
be- aud that the Legislature has been progal and OK
travagant in its expenditures and appropriations OF
money yet none will any that any of them has
respected and acted within its constitutional sphere
Will not the people of Virginia and allits lnctonares
have the respect and yeneration for the costtu
tiun they may now adopt
The people whom | hive the honor to represent IN
part here, wish limitations upon the taxing and appro-
priang power inserted in the constitutions | DO not
believe that any constitution whether based upon
white or mixed representation will with their
appreciation unless it docs contain lim atoms upon the
taxing and appropratins department of the government
Mr. Chairman, feel deep interest in this question OF
limitations on the taxing power. know that the peo-
pie sfmv district take deep interest in it, That al
though they but lately assented to the improve By
roads and canals ut the expense of the State yet they
are willing to sustain the system If conducted ju-
dicousy aud economically and cautiously and that it
shall be confined to some great and important works
which are likely to aid to the interest and value of the
whole State or Of large section thereof and that
ikev in the end 10 return fair dividend for the money
expended in their construction. They wish not to have
their money expended in the opening of neighborhood
ways which benefit but those in their nnedi-
ate vicinity Such should he left to county and ndi-
vidual enterprise They not only look keenly 9TH
crs to their own interest but they likewise take deep
interest in the public faith and honor of the
wealth MS any Of her citizens They believe that if this
system OF extravaganza and almost of wanton appro-
priaon and expenditure is not checked, it must end in
reputation They aware that mn inquiry has been
started by one in Virginia who has done to form
political opinion in Virginia jN1r. Jetfersou) than any
other man dead living that is how far the present
generation is bound discharge tbs debt contracted by
preceding do not propose examining this ques
ton; but the inquiry has been started and when our
taxes are quadruped to what they nov, which must
be done if our debt is increased much more and they
feel this burden Of taxation detracting from the COM
forts and neces=ares OF themselves and their families
and children they may seize upon this opinion IS an
fair fame of this commonwealth is furnished, forever
gone, and then The sentiment of John @ Adams, quoted
by the gentleman, will Mt least in part in instance
DC verified; that reason Justice and equity do not al