Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-18
ctiou had il not been deemed worthy of support By

sar,aas - hmer;co Give laws TO million in tn
Asiaic i.,csi II is answered, that 1t Is moi ma jori
ty Of the whole world that II lhSohes no such apsurdl
Is, nor gives countcnance TO such IL IS majority
ihc sovereign parties attempting w conn us I'm
ts and onera.ion are cAtcr'Tc WIN The teriitor
ocruncJ or under The control Of the h2rteS contract
ing Bu All this is plain enough TO those who desire
to sec.
] q. The difficulties arising from slaves, Infants, wo
men, SC. arc urged as objections. This has alrrad,
bcen answered am prepared to answer il further
when gentlemen shall seriously contend Tor their right
BY demanding for them the eNerslse OF sovereignty, o.
shall have accounted for their exclusion upon their CIV!
basis.
) Il has been argued that the exclusion o.; any por
ton of those who constitute In" maJort. contendet
for from the exercise of sovereignty by restricting thu
right of suffrage is an acknow Judgement Of the mpcr
lection of our principle. The principle that has beer
here advocated is liable 10 no surh onlcctof-ho Scf
absrly if il be one For the intention Is 10 exclude
those and those only from me POSSESSION OF sovereign
mower whom we deem uncnttlcd TO the right Of su.
frage Voter and sovereign being synonymous terms
the former being the shadow of the latter far as the
formation Of government IS concerned and are still SC
after tie government has been formed unless BY then
compact they direct otherwise while suffrage and rep
reseation arc twin brethren, the offspring Of political
sovereignty.
These arc all he objections which have found cyc.
worthy of notice to the right Of majority 10 form THEN
government 10 the original, natural and ixdisruc;ahlc
right oil mankind, Oi 10 choose liIc
mode and manner Of their association: and, however
"lamely and unlashonahly' ! may have embodied
these yieYs whatever of skill ingenuity there may
he found anting in the method of their ,ndicaon. il
is hoped and believed that there is gcnuincnrs, SIM
pcity and mthtnnes> in the principles thcmselyc,
that must commend them to you for adoption. The
opposition are requested to take the principles, discon
neccd if they will from the arguments. fairly urdcr-
stand them as whole, place themselves if possible
the angle of vision from witch they were conceived
and for themselves il they bc not fair and Iu3
can, and less liable 10 objection than amy other Their
suggestions and incentive sense u justice will dc
more than any reasoning oil mine.
| The objections which have thus lar considered are
supposed t. initiate against the ii-i "l the maorit!
10 form their government. Those which have yet t.
answcr apply 10 their rights after is formation. II
will be perceived that these propositions res, on differ
cnt grounds, for while the ono lSnd the right t
choose their form of government Is natural and conla
Sous, il Garnet the other hand he denied that the
rights Of that ma ory under the compact Of govern
cn, $50 far as they are subjects Of government al al!
though originally natural may not improperly be ccn
siGcrcd if the result Of agreement. o. srch hy tn,
G@mpaci, and fair aud Legitimate subjects OF H.
o,iry while contracting. I've .practealty and safe
ty IL government al the greatest state
of ntolligcncc--thc peculiar siin.ion oi the contract
inc partrs-may and should hc well considered thai
all may lie satisfied il possible. Bu, before We Proceed
to Inc consideration Of the prcprcty or improperly d
adopting government oi the majority for Virginia.
beg leave to present 10 the raudor OF Gentlemen Of the
opposition single view OF the subject for their tx
aminatcn.
In Tic last Convention. as well as in this il va. me-,
Enormously argued by the opponents of the white basis
that there such things original principles 81
government, that all was the result of agreement
Many and subtle arguments were adduced TO show rh9
probably unjust Operations Of government "f the
majority in Virginia, while they admitted that proper
ty the great bone Of contention. and the ycr thiae
which they proposed 10 protect bs making il Gle.
mcnt Of government, va, not prior TO- bat The result
aud offs spring of, society. And these arguments, mann
Of them plausible and some true. were suffered md
rcctiv and in effect 10 apply equally 10 the natura
right, Of the ma orty III forming the compact the
right, and interests Of the citizen under the compact
when in fact the few and uncnable arguments Just
swercd all worthy Of notice that were brought it
bear or in terms purported to bear agas: the right o
a ma iority to choose their form Of government. Noa
il is respectfully submitted that the right vi Il ma or
Is TO form their own government once established.
view of the subject al once presents itself which nc
reasoning resist. II is this while ccnract, hc
be the Judge Of the rroPrciy or improperly of tho
surrender of the natural rights of the aaiorit:; Il i
freely admitted that all men must surrender right
upon entering into society. and that among those ma,
be the right of the majority Ia rule gfder Tie compact
vet who is to be- the indgc of The necessity Of this
render: 1t is contcidcd tina; property should he pro
tcccd, aud 10 such protection il should he mad,
IN element Of sovereignty. TO whom does this adore
itself; They contend the minority IS safest We tina
The majority are be- trusted Who IS IL declt,c; l.
il nc apparent that all Ibis Est address itself 10 o,,
having a right TO form the government; The rights o
the majority may be- surrendered. hut they alone
do it, All else is ,s,irpation.
If this view Of the suhcc, lie correct how stand, h'
case with u.s. The people Of Virginia acting in thc
highest and original sovereign capacity individuals
have through their delegates assembled here 10 form io
themselves government and To he considcrc,
as if personally present and acting outside Of ali gov
eminent. Nov, is il not clear that thc . tables ar
turned upon our opponents The west upon ever.
principle Of Justice becomes the iuGging party il
must address their appeal, ard reasons TO u, 70
dcbcration, for il is admitted that IN "yrrwhclm.n
majority Of The sovereign coI acting parties are OF lin
west, and should be if they not in majority TIL
floor and shall regard them and our opponents.
convinced Of nv in this. aud il br their p,r
pose from principle at all ii ti, matter. >hou'
Weld 10 al once government III accordance Will
our deliberate convictions. ard repair their present IN
Justice by voluntarily granting us that which possess
cd of our rights could demand for ourselves To d
otherwise TO 'takc advantage OF Their "wn wrong.
In Tic minds of the western delegates their equitable
rg; 20 control the action Of this body is at rrcscn
settled and determined upon every principle of irs.ic
and rep,bcanisn,. Believing thu, shall in what
have vet 10 say adept the rule of equity and rcear
that as done which should lave been done Be-.
We were now in fact in position commensurate viii
our rights, every suggestion coming from minority
however small, would he entitled to receive ri OF
hand, the most respectful consideration hui when
backed ny 80 large ana res nectaD.c mi"HfI n
the present opposition. " decent respect for the:
opinions is moi sufficient il Is entitled Ia receive from
Us the most dei5cration. The prejudiocs cv.l
Of such minority should he lovingly ulcd into repo>e
rather than rulhc>>i; oyerborn. This i alike the die
tate Of POLICY and kind feeling. shall. therefore, in
cntly and earnestly, and trust mpartiay. examine
the 5;ecioEs TO a government Of ma GRITTY in Nir
ginia
First. then. it is cor;cnded that that government
best wiscst. and safest which is based Upon and i liz
exponent Of enlightened public opinion. consisting
hc deliberate convictions OF a ma orty of the sovereign
contracting parties to the compact Of government ihl
proposition is commended for upon the following genera
ground, tba, governments composed and consttl
led of men tina! the happiness Of the governed j, IL
true object Of all good governments: that mankin
should he considered. and in fact the best Judge
of their own happiness ami tia: Zach equal. arr
the happincs. of each of cgr. lGcra!ion the great
est amount of happiness shoG,d produced. Th, be
inc the nearest possible approximation 10 the conccdr
object And if more be needed, then tina. 'hc >nmdcs
judgement upon principle rests with The majority. am
that they can Justly claim 10 have the greater honest
of p,rpose and greater interest Many Of these consd
era,ions have been sufficiently treated of already III
residue will be considered in answering the objection
10 my rostion with view To avoid repetition.
And first find by way of objection, that one specie
Of arnmcnt or rather assertion. has been avorlt
with our opponents. Il seems that for the purpose
throwing ever, thing and destroying the orl
mean, by which 4 mrongcd party can hope peaccahI
TO secure redress from oppression and wrong il Ia
been conteidcd that there original principle,
qoyerumeut al all. Now. this i not more daring