Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-03-18


iewksbury 1t shall plead against you, bringing NOR
terror than thousand Richmonds The ghost of Ban
quo will not down.
We mean TO appeal to you by every principle Of JUS
tce OF interest, and Of raterna feeling and when GU
voices shall become hoarse with pleading in your ear
lie cause of freedom will make free-lnason signs
| liberty, equality, and fraternity
1t has been the constant Of eastern gen tleme
On this ilccr to demand TO know the grievances whc
We have suffered under the rule of the east Now lha
supposed that 10 have committed most barefaced usrr
patton Of our rights, and to have degraded us to tn
position Of interiors, contend they have done
would appear like some cause Of complaint the ear
of ircemen But this is not all. The west by no mean
regards herself rs having been either we'll wisely gov
9rned. Western members have not however come her
10 discuss the legislative nets laws of Virginia but Il
demand and maintain rights. But pledge eastern
gentlemen that if this collateral issue is continued to b.
pressed they will be furnished this floor with cata
i"5ue OF sins Of omission and commission, that
!"nsh their nerves We contend that not only the
but that the whole State has been rinousv aad madl,
governed Eastern gentlemen complain of our desire t.
become their guardians. and that they o
age W plead guilty to the charge We confess then
to he oi age but their acts have pronounced them ir
Their doaSc and We deliberately confess our conviction
that there is no hope but i'll guardians
With the Indulgence of the committee shall in as
concise :; manner rs possible the positions taken
10y the gentleman from Fauqucr (slr ScorT)
l'e 'r>t point Of the gentleman was attempt ia
"'i tiit oiclloh that The western delegates were
iioi equal on tins floor. The gentleman contends that
We are equal and entitled equal vote. and privileges
%" ms il""r This may true and the real difficulty
:" "hcn We complain remains true and unanswered. Ii
i not our own personal inequality but the inequality in
weight "i the voters who sent here. when compared
"i'h eastern v"t"rs. ! respectfully submit that
-W"r can be given to it, it is argument but fact
which Is undcnlabe.
s.. The gentleman contends that the principle of the
mixed basis which Is contained in the organization of
'hI- Convention riglnfuy adopted by the Lcgisa.
;ure calling the Convention and that il has received the
voice aud approval of the voters Of the commonwealth
l"ln>iliy TIE legislature hc contends that majority of
'a bodS representing the eastern minority We're bound
TO obey the will If their constituent. who were in favor
OF 's mixed basis. Suppose all this to be II the
delegates iii obedience 10 the will Of their constituents
committed the wrong Of forcing this principle into the
organization Of this Convention and those delegates are
TO be excused upon the ground Of obedience TO their
sttueut-, IL but transfers the responsibility from the
representative to the constituent which by no means
neid- IN" matter. We do not arragn the delegates
their Gtv their constituents We charge the eastern
people with the injustice.
That the voter. Of Virginia sanctioned this Principle
III the call of this Convention il me, can receive
n cr'rncc whatever. 1t is known to every one that
the we'en feopc who Constitute large majority,
voted ior hi, Convention while uttering their aua.hen-
IN tones OF thunder against this principle Those who
did vote or the call for majority voted against it,
were ac;uaicd by the belief that it the only hope
ri being relieved from this odiou- principle The voice
III majority Of the people Is here by thsr repre-
-ehlavcs demanding ii, abolition The cannot be-
crc hi, position Of the gentleman from Farlquicr
lh"y prccled from it BY their act, for they
expressly refused to permit the people for the
call of convention on the white basis, knowing what
mus; and would be the result.
The gentleman next contends that the sovereign pow
cr right to form the government resides i'll what he
J. pleased 10 term the governmental malorit by which
lac Der he bpius
exercising the powers of government This il indeed
-!art!im, doctrine. What shall have next We
might ,huddcr at the prospect, il We did not know that
daring had done its wnrst-that under this euphoneous
phrase Of governmental majority lurkcd the ultima
ih"'e OF conseryaism-no, conservatism INT retro
rcson-t!a we have already before the galvaniscd
ghost Of the divine right of kings
For the very moment the sovereignty is recognized
residing not IN the people, but in the government
however numerous the parties or voters welding the
government may be. all idea Of republicansm vanishes
m an instant Let examine for one moment the
grounds which this startling proposition rests
From whence does this governmental majority derive
lis power certainly not by compact or agreement with
the true sovcrcns, for no opportunity has been eve,
given II them IL wrench it from their grasp. There j.
nothing in our cGmpacts or constitution heretofore
which gives the least colntcnancc TO this doctrine
ciaim There i provision authorsing any branch
of the government all tie branches combined to form
new governments or call Conventions The gentleman
pact. he has cndeayored 10 show that the people
sanctioned the present constitution take it for granted
they did, what inference ar argument can be drawn
rom the fact Nothing more than that they wer
again compelled to submit to this principle in adj
uinisraion of the new government. II yielded tn
exercise of the government power into the hands Of thi
governmental nlority. while that compact existed bu
gave them no power To form Il new Again if tn
true s"vcrcsns had even granted this power it wou
have been yol, for both from reason and the bill o
t rights thi- power rf altering and forming govern
,.r!lt- is in,lcca>h!c and nalicnabc Again, if thi
power granted by the people. the power which
treated could destroy and power be resumed By tn
people. Then ii is apparent that no argument draw
rom constitution indicating grant from tn
people is he If force. Where then do the,
!,rivc their power: They must got it by divine RICH
, or iSurpatiun. | respectfully opine the latter.
But again. Let Us examine 10 what results this doc
. rinc Of governmental majoriticS must lead As here
ofor, constituted has taken sectional character, hS
ng this governmental majority arbitrary III the eas
Al time this governmental ma ory was wholly Il
he east Suppose that they had declined 10 surreidc
my power representation, to the country west !"
e he mountains; and suppose that Kentucky and tn
northwestern territory had never been surrendered b.
Virginia. There would now be than 100000 o
people under the control Of old Virginia, with no right
iu power 10 change the government You have to <
bu, step father back and upon the samc principle
single county nj the first settlement of the c""ny NIGH
have retained this power. refusing to share or Hrtlti"
i IT, But leaving this sectional view, Let Us exam
inc its result, in relation topcrson-. At the break
ng ont Of the revolution the frccholdcrs of common
wealth seized upon the rcns of government and BY III
argument of the gentleman from Fauquier misht nav
/ retained it through all time, without the possibility
trightul redress this governmental majority havln
the true right to dictate what changes. any shout
:, rake place Now if these frcchnldcrs could clam TN
{ right any other body number of men. might do tn
same who had been placed in such position Suppos
tina, instead OF free holders it had been savchoders-
then no change could have taken place saw" hy the vi
of the shareholders. Suppose that the governments
power had been assumed by one hundred men, ten mel
or five men, one man. the right to form new government
or call Conventions would have rested with these n
.pcctivc governmental sovercgns. 1t leads back as
have said the divine right of kings and makes til
liberties Of people gift OF the government nst'a
of making the powers OF government the gift OF the pee
: PIE. u.;,,,; ..o,e Ill.,.
tleman from Fauquier this governmental M
ory to yet rd of the bill of rights which declares tina
majority of Il community have right to alter the
governments this he contends means governmental IN:
oritv. But the moment this governmental majority HI
nobl.l him however lamelv. to give the ''goby to tn
hill of rights he casts from him and the pr
els, antaconstic ground. The gentleman tells tbs
hi. Convention is bu. suggestive body. that onl
T propo.c that belongs to the people to command
ordan Now this cannot be true, if the government;