Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-22


- J,;. powers aud obligations Then il is, that
inc sovereign bower of the people sinks back into
,;o,cr,e Iccrcs passive, and Is no longer eNcred.
The sovereign then owes allegiance to bis government
and obedience to its laws; lie becomes It's citizen ~ his
voluntary assent and compact iIe mas Suf!eefeH Els
natural rahts for social, civil and poc; Tisa's Con
Ill ;,,a lher, and governmental cl>. lions surpant
na.r r;,bts What those right, civil and political
NAV hr d@pcnl uoan the form OF government anu the
character OF the constitutional compact HE gentleman
ms stated that If they choose, when they eNercist ts
.nvero;,. pnwc. b. single vote, they may establish
;;, ,a,,rcby-thev NAV institute that f.iA OF go"
.rnmcut-l think did not misunderstani hin-hc mods
MT did not | do not agree that we have a right
% choose Il limited monarchy but 10 this extent 40
coocuricy may adopt any form Of government that Is
re,ajEc4 aud Ii lot contrary 10 1hat ciausc VI le sui
,u;o, ii III. United States which guarantees 10 ever
Safe = republican form Of government That Is The
nv Restriction upon Eeir unlimited discretion as TO the
nri or mode of government in Virginia .! That lint
atom ,.pr their pow wa imposed b their ownc 'lisct
chen n.r ~ sovereign State. entered into the federal
Cnon AM. incurred the duties and obl5atlor' spr '!
,rr,, lhr coiiL tuition OF the United States.
lIr SuNMERS Ii the gentleman will pardon Inc
f,r :. momc.,, my remarks intended TO ce suhic.i
70 ,. same restriction lhaveno: supposed that II va:
nretei; for the people OF Virginia to cho'se any tot
of government Incompatible with that clause oil inc
const sutiun.
| Sir, EDMUNDS l know lie was stating an extreme
asc. was only an Illustration Of the ;ticas!Ie right,
I'd the i!!itntailc tra:sccnan power oi tlr great !iia
ority-;hc cor copa';, rot dst principle. bu; he oil
y ,in in hi, very ALI. REMARKS that The que ti" here
y- no. how TO obtain The will uI the majority bEt we
rcr trying hoN fur the patience Vi me M,tofity
night be irespa..cd upcn b. the inort: / the mi
noritv r,slr,., upon the patience OF the majority
e, Whit authority they acting who called iA!s
Cn;y.n,ira: That Very majority, which ne Tells u
aay choose nix"l monarchy i they prefer E:'; lfn'
i Government that "cry MAJORITY, which Ii" SIS have
ia, l,Iltlni
,.u,.r as they think proper The governmental me1-
tv established b. the cxlinS constitution and ny tie
yoi, n the majority of the people in 1880 proposed 10
e sovereign power til" people OF This Stale the que
ol,-Sh Il new Convention be called :--'i scc:lc.!
. .na,;.cr in wic that Cons elliiun .!.a b. elected
II the sever ign power Of h. State, the aggregate
.auritv rt the people their votes Tor tn" call of
this Conyc,"u aud III" mode OF is organization. They
nave accrc IL that dLlribuiion Of rcj,:aea'a iy=-,
@nc III. governmental! Ina ori,v indicated IN the law
PROPOSING tii,- Convention. Here representing
u own districts obedience ;Ile joint action OF the
governmental majority ana the sovereign rr"cr o. The
..oI:c. II the ialor.tv of the people raTy the
orin OF government they surely ratiiy TIE urgan
il ion OF :. Convention They have done ~. We are
,r,,crci to submit constitution TO iAcn. They Can
,E!y :c;s il the; think proper. II they c!uJsr l.,
.t;fy acts, viii the gentleman from hauawha
LAIN oil the decision Of the majority u Is to the de-
Of that majority ali must submit on Lie rt:ilct
ION q tie Constitution We propose II them
iat. gentlemen have expressed loose AMI uncertain
i-;t- Of Obligations - that aggregate majority
raining tc Constitution. u &c here IL; tie p!:5
Il Tie governmental majority, and tn" aggregate maia
IT, .! the pcorc-bul how Representing t!sat ag
fc;.te ma urty representing district naori;i"s
I:cc;cd by general ticket, or elected by Districts lc
:rlyin; authority from the State i large, or from oar
district Responsible for roitS herr u the great
ority o. the pcoDl" or TO the people OF our districts
Icsc iaost important inquiries. Do ne:nbcrS ~
us floor represent the State ut large, does each
II: represent his district, aud must each one render ri
ccoul to the constituent body which elected him:
Il hes been the custom OF western gentlemen upon
tiis floor to bcstow upon the late General iaylor oi
Norfolk the highest c9!"u;E that be av..icd upon
an lnan. They have rs the gentleman from ana"i.
ellis u; placed the substance of the resolutions "2re
b.: him in tie la: Convention in their Props. u
that they msiit be there lasting and enduring mcni
in.ut more durable kan brass, Of the gratitude" w.cI
The west feels for lis eninen: services Other gentle
men here moved By the highest and nobcs emotions ii
the heart have testified in tears their gratitude for hos
services Tie @ent!c:nau from .i;:nawa intirs.=i
tina! this was Tie WAY in which the wcsi Remembered
;hnSe vino had done service Tor them l. to- have Cor
The memory OF Genera! Taylor TIE hi hest respect and
before close these remarks will lii3 M h;i:l
in tributc OF praise to i.. did moi uicrg and what
the gentleman from ka:awi. l:'ca! 80 Intimate, when
hc told us tia. The :a.icr i! "l:c they rewarded
pas: services RI, Remembered pass i:;Te:s
Ii i. il:r;lt The aliu-i.,n std nave Influence apon
any member o this body, ii ":.+ mus: tell him. Il most
cful rvnp,;t;, Ia ig;.ii riI... man Ii is the high
est praise that can IT, bestowed ;.;un any ina. D..
gratefully remembered - aaif OF the cntira Com
..owcailh haze lis lc." cisriiici i'll the public
cords aud 10 have icc5 :.,ci over lis mcmury in all
mc 10 come. appreciate i:.r ceilings which prompt
ed those tears, and 10 emotions which called them
forth; and lt; may r+. l:! sill higher il, their NJ
facsons, will SAY Of General Taylor h., illustrated BIZ
his conduct and proved b: his acts. that n!oiy
bitin no rcaccrv to his nla.iiUcns. sor!d SELLS,
views bottcl his fair escitcl,can. He went 70 that
Convention unsrucicti, unlicdgcd but willis there
received instructions from the district he represented
Il" could not obey those Instructions and lie ;ied his
cat What does he tell III his letter of resi- raat;cn:
The Vest have planted themselves upon his Resolutions
We will take our position upon bis letter of resignation
Yu;, plead hi resolutions reply with III: Letter lie
says:
"llay of NIX constituents have instructed me to sup
port ii.. proposed plan 4" airport uniIy rc<e,l.ao
with REGARD 10 whit" population and taxation cnnbu"tl
a.i have % believe that large majority o! ;hc
people Of my di.irc: cneu: in Tie desire expressed il
THOSE Instructions" Z;
lGavn: always believed and n,at aimed, that the 81
Tue of representative government mainly depends u
the principle that representation is OIL: means where
by ihe deliberate will u: The cons: itlp: hoI- is to /,
expressed and cifret"at ~ &c! of niue shall ever i'm
par the principle
Ono mode only remains reconcile la" dui!a. IN nv
constituents 70 iii" higher and more sacred duties owe
10 myself aud IL my country i 10 rc5i.m the Office
which they conferred upon ma; Their, ~ 10 enable my
colleagues to elect who more Fortunate than
/ am may give effect 10 their wishes without violating
an; sent; nent Of private and public duty
In those views of representative Obligation heartily
CONCUR aud those views carry Oh; upan this
floor Whom do represent ! what Constituent bo-
" docs each member tai; ilJvr represent. Whom
ID General Ia: Tor represent General TAYLOR cane in
10 the .s. Convention! hoy Of % members in which
the East hal majority III t'yc vcur He had some
II.
gate majority Of the white inhabitants Of i!:s Common;
wealth desired the white has!-. lie was instyma; ed lcw
eve: to vote for the niy"i h.- He did not look to the
aggregate majority FOR his instructions He did not pro-
pose to carry OIL, their will He replied iavc reason
10 believe large majority Of the people Of my dia.ic
cacur in the desire expressed ii the instructions To
that lstric. ! TN aacuah,c. Represent ton i only the
Vi, ans of expressing. The deliberate will # the cors:u
emf body. No act Of iic shall ever Impair the prnc
ps can only conc;I uy duty 10 my constituents
nd to myself By rcai:i- h oic they conferred upon
me, thu enabling M colleagues to slcc: u succcs:or
who NAV give c!iecs ;!.er w:,. THIS he reasoned
ana trust eve: member upon this tco: whether from
the East or from The West, pledge, his constituents
or knowing their wishes th. vital question will do
10 General Taylor ,lii-parsur that course which will
rive effect 10 their wishes.
The gentleman from k&icwha (Atr SrxAEas told us
that life an. Hbcr" equally rs Important proper
=