Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-09
VIRGINIA
REFORM CONVENTION

\lRGINIA
REFORM CONVENTION
NO. 81
,r.;s,.d 10 EosERr H. GALLAHEa Paot'sher to IA
r'"ssnt;o,, by WA G. BIsRoP, Official Reporer:1
Nh. of Mr. HOGE, Of .h""'g"merg, o" ne 00s'
,,,;o. ,.srsa in Committee Of the N"0e 'o"''''
ton, !rrii Isl, 1881.
-, -,;rn,,, it is under deep sense oi tue sel,
O, responsibility am about I" e"i ipto " his 'liscns
.n L,r. been induced to venture ."." ;I;l;. rrnn
,n ana trembe in view oil Una. ~ r, ajanat. ;ms
en-, consciousness of my i'oli Rut necunvino
- subject Of SO mulch nish'luo. ;ro%
tite !" ~ L. A. one OF the representatives. IRON
the poss'.ot ia State soagh III to be proScrioeo D,
that p!t''n :" attempted ~ be incorporates 'n',
"a n; law must crave the hi,'a n'oisc".e "
.s snttsc for little while to IN h"'ole os'e",'
th, rirh,s and principles o. .nss tIo Stato now n
M tEn m, from that portion OF tIe o'ite nv" "
n e be deprived of ts equal political r!Sh's'
~. n,rh this question with local feelings VI
10y 'on +. discussion in sectional spirit Hr III
VIZ p;an and | have the proud satisfaction Oh Nno"
; thaf represent on this floor, those VINO a's .'"
nInlc whole.souled Nrgnlans shall i;
- rho discussion of this deeply noment"'s s"ne.V H.,
70 '"e :. W;r;ni,n 10 view its bearing upon the
,;,n Stale and not upon one section on'y
Ian r-t; ii great question: and Truly ~ :: -
~, -lnr of this debate, the iianehse ao.ts
j.; il, discussion, and the towering o'ns "I
"a ~, !, bear upon it, all attest ITS maSmtuue, All
;d.nc, of the mighty bearing Its hnal settlement
give ,on the ultimate destinies OF this old Com
n1s. l,b We are assembled here to reconstruct the
'; Inv of the State, and IN the discourage oi the
l,;.s assigned us, l consider 1t our imperative
o for fundamental truths, ana SO to adjust the
,nptv w
Ie'a'., ,,ssr amount of good to the greatest mum
ou's ' n, ;,rm of government that most nearly ap
Del his result l consider the best one-ndeed
P, ,,e one. Ii we abandon great principles t.
'He T i,r sectional interests real or imaginary, we
removed from that savage state that claims
are oa' y, ~, victor. If we deny the existence OF
tue ~ ,Ie. in every well-regulated government
s'e"' orca thrown upon the WIDE deSolations Of
h 20 be tossed and tempest-drivcn ny every wave
.; n,.:on and prejudice that can possloiy enter Tue
Inns IL men BIT it seems TO me tnat the very TACT
u.s. ia convention was called, and that we have been
ta' W., r IN rcorranize the government and to pre-
~, honds within which that government Should
- ..s III. declared opinion OF our people that great
and should be brought TO Dear inaii tiit
.,inns We sustain towards each otner Is ee peeps
-, SOVEREIGN State. Its true thar uileieuI huS VI
incle appertain the various governments u car
but in government, as IN Isl h;Is, in III
rinc;ne an, there false ones ana whist ~ .S
P ~ ,his land of ours ii would not be prudent OF
'n.r IN institute an inquiry INTO the correctness VI
rho different principles upon which Tue VARIOUS
,o.nts Of earth repoSe. II Is our Hhpei"INe uu's
n, ho.s fundamental truths that most clearly approx
,, RI, design for which government was 'Stituteu-
49, ,,n,a1;nu TO the wants and necessities OF the conr
i ,l nromotion of the rights and liberties OF the
people. ,,. III; ,,,;or IN, = az
;,c and il was the love oil that principle that nervet
,h strong arms and sustained the patriot hearts OF 0u
r.you,ioar; fathers through ALL the darKheSS OF INA
nyen,fh struggle. And that principle, As they haS'
dar,areI il is that all power is vested H. and conse
o.en;lv derived from the people And uhaer .h'
onra,io, OF that praciple, this American nailon has
svoncrd with sycn unparalleled strides III power enc
greatness that it has now become the mght'es ha'oi
Tnon earth-the wonder aud admiration OF the world
1r,e that principle has not been perfected IN all II
,.,;s in any of the soveregnties OF this Union an(
~ r,aus never will be; for the science OF government
, every other science, Is progressive but that a II
Others must have truth its basis. anu resting upon
tina; foundation it safely defy the winds and th'
waves Then throughout the whole Of this vast con
-insrr the principle received true, that all thu
,,,-srs of government are derived from the people
This i the declared doctrine Of our declaration OF Ill
d,aneuce and bill OF rg hts; and both those sacret
Instruments recognize men As equal ana lree " nat III
,h,.. Instruments mean when they declare that III
men are by nature equally free and independent: D.
,hy nat mean that ali equally entitled to the pro
,,con and Blessings that flow from the government AM
,aa, nil should have an equal voice and be entitled
an equal weight III dealing out the powers vested Il
them. II does to ME that our fathers have iief
declared the fact that man Is al absolute sovereign "
coa,r!cte arbter of his own destiny upon eartn, an
nil beng sovereign are all equal III that sovereign,
Anil ,n,rt from society aud its regulations, he stand
as did the first upon earth the absolute Wohs
of ALL" Men, then. in coming together 10 IN u
fundamental principles of society and 70 determine III
arrange the laws for the government OF tha soc!et
al am a
cach possessed Of plenary powers to act III the premise
Thus coming together, with what SHOW Oh reason,
,nnn what principle of right could portion OF the
dssny 10 the residue the right to come III upon ecu
tsrn,s and to possess equal powers with thenSeiVe
In other words, suppose the whole people assel
L.l Tor the purpose of organizing the SOCIAL cor
acr f,r the defence and good of all; and in that
t.mhare the minority should declare that though u
equal in number, vet possessing greater "toull
;n'.l.ct, intelligence, and moral virtue 1hey %ou
thereby contribute much more to the general we''i
orl bnld consequently have greater amount OF pow
,ha General assembage Of the whole; or that oecau
NAV wer, lnr,cr in stature possessed greater amon
~ -S;c,l mower and were better skilled IN tue use
,r..2rms and could consequently contribute mnea mo
- Tho General defence in time of war or OF an invas'
and should therefore have greater amount % ~"
j. ,ie government Would any one say that such
nro,osiiion was ut all in accordance with the great PR
ripfe of sovereign equality with which 1t Is admtt'
,hcv came together! The answer to SUCH a propo:
lion think would be clear and Overwhelming. III
.s,,.a woul, burst from athousaud tongues-we car:
,gether as 50 many equa:s TO fora the compact OF go
s.re,t for the benefit and protection OF all; and IN
.rnme,; when framed, will not derive its entire su
-. =. ,;rf,nce from any class of which the co:npa
!. c,mrosed but from each in his respective sphere
nssnluess, and from all in the aggregate then saci
.l,;n would be secuted in an assembly OF the peoF
themselves. with what reason and propriety can
,L;r representatives do for them what they would NJ
and could not do themselvest We are the represent
r;vrs Of the people in their primary capacity and W
sbonld We do for them, or they do through US, VIII
,hy would not do directly ifasscmbled 10 their Prlna
ra,;,c,r. That which it would be unjust or lmprop
;T ,hem to do themselves, cannot De justly or WI
pr.pre,y d. ne through their agents And any attem
IN ,ur part to restrict the powers OF suffrage IN
css, by charging in another is as clear .lola.
Of ,e srsa, principle of sovereign equality as .h woI
l.. /, S1vs a greater number OF votes 10 one IMAM
.;h,r in the primary assembly of the whole poop
AMI the fact, as alleged by many, that We are
.,-oii.I under the existing compact does not chan
h, nrincio!e or do away with its injustice Prnspi
ar ,n,riable and eternal. and their binding ooiie
,oa> extend through all time ana to al circumstance
All the exist ng government, under winch We are
s,G}led extends oaly to our assembling Auu We ~
nav. he sam. right of action and are rs mlch hon
by the onaipoience OF eternally imnutao!e truths
the formation of the government, as thoash
government, had ever existed in the State. pom wh
;.iucpe, then, or with what show OF justice snail
fo