Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-05-27

5JAz1A!K1Dl-(1-5Rg i LIN
fconcede) vested in the qualified voters They saw TIM,
was gviag up this question: that it was euuyoIen n
deciding that wherever the majority of these ,tor.
were there the right settle the question which
was 10 control their future destines Now rencat i
- NOT little amusing to the straits of those pen,l
men whosaw these difficulties and wished to avoid them
one gentleman, my friend from pittsyynnn (fr WuT
rLE lakes the ground that the sovereign newer ia
ted IN all living, thinking human beings includp, men
women and children blacks and whites. Now YOU can
~ once PcrctiVe the ingenuity of the gentleman and
~ taxing that position, because if he can
IL, as there ID aority of the whole population
blacks and whites upon the east side of the
blue Ridge 1t would establish the position that the
power was of right on the east slo of tn.
piuc nudge; feel great regret for my friend that he
was so hard feel some modification that an in
tellgent and distinguished gentleman should at this
Jay DC drveil to the necessity of finding in the pool
save OF Virginia. those who have no political will those
VINO are subject to the commands the becks and mods
"t their masters that he should find in them portion
3 9 Inc sovereign power. That the sorcreigns Of
rgnia should DO far Inundated as to be required
70 snare our sovereign power that of which reeen
nueh boast with the poor debased and degraded slave
nut my friend from buckingham, (Mr. FreuA,) was
pretty hard run upon this matter too He could
quite so far Nd this. He could not think Of including
% one Of the sovereigns of Virginia. He therefore
Just bounced to the conclusion once without giving
US The why and the wherefore that the sovereignty
oeon and always will be, the east side of the Blue
hidge This was settling the matter in very short
way and cannot imagine by what process of reason
ing that gentleman brought hs mind to that conclusion
unless it BY confounding the governmental majority
with the sovereignty Of Virginia aud as this sovera-
mental majority has always been upon the east side OF
the Blue Ridge he concluded that the sovereignty had
also always been the east side of the Ridge But
wish to call the attention of the committee to singular
position taken by another Of my friends the intelligent
and learned gentleman from Halifax who last address
ea U.S. and who has always been conceded TO be the Ajax
alamon OF his party. Now, what was the kumiliain
position to which he driven in coutendng for the
great sovereignty of Virginia. lie says:
The very moment people adopt constitution their
isovereignty-."
| lSow, what do you suppose becomes of their soyc-
reignty when they adopta constitutionD
is broken up into little county and local sove-
ireignties."
There ia doctrine Of sovereignty with vengeance
have heard great deal about the strait.lace State
right notions of some of South Carolina politicians
but never heard of any who carried this doctrine Of
sovereignty to the extreme that the gentleman from
Halifax. Mr. EDMuSDs) has carried it. He finds that
levery little county-yes the little county Of Warwick
hope shall be pardoned for speaking of her for do
not intend to do it disparagngly) with population OF
o0O-s of the grand sovereigns of this State But
Yesterday went bow shot ahead Of all these gentlemen
de boldly takes the ground that all gus.
de IS an advocate Of individual ,oTeregnty. Every
man. he asserted roundy, sovereign that each was
an individual sovereign. But think that this question
OF sovereignty has been settled BY orefnhe.s and
most fortunate for is it. that has been settled by
them, by those who knew what they wrote, and who
understood what they said. You will find the doctrine
completely settled in the third clause of the bill OF
rights to which called the attention Of the committee
Tboraf he fl.Ji mil nd
else that majority OF the community shall have
the right to alter amend abolish their form Of govern
lmeut. Who can do this but the sovereign powcrl Who
can have the right to change the fundamental law but
the sovereign and supreme power Hence you lind IN
this clause of the bill of rights very simple, concise
aud clear definition Of what is properly the sovereignty
of the State. Then it follows, AS necessary ccnse-
quence, that if the sovereign power resides in the
ty OF the qualified voters that ority and that MAORI
ty alone, lave right to change alter abolish this
constitution And any constitution which does not re-
cognise this principle, will not be obligatory upon them
But the gentleman from Fauquier Mr ScoTr) expects
to eItrcae himself from this difficulty b. saying that
after adopt the constitution shall submit the
people, and majority of them by rstying it will APP
prove OF this mi 4ed basis principle The gentleman may
reckon without his host. know very we'll that he cal
cuates upon the constitution being adopted by admit
ting large class Of voters who for the sake Of ac
quirng the important prvedged Of the right of suffrage
may be induced to vote for the constitution without in
vestigatny this mixed basis principle He n,,y rcn'izt
" his expectations. but | will tell that gentleman thai
whether majority of the people can ever be induce.
under such circumstances to adopt such costtntio!
that is matter of little consequence for If contain
principle which that majority dsapproves, it will b.
but short time before they have the power abolish
: that constitution and adopt embracing prnc Pile
! which they approve.
But sir, not th, principle of the right of the ma
ority to govern founded in and common
do not intend to claim the right upon the principle
physical power. l think it Gun be placed upon mucl
higher prncple-upon high moral principl" tiIe
altogether with the gentleman from Essex, Mr. N
II. GARNETT) in the assumption that there i. wis
om and larger amount ointeress usually to be fcun.
in the minority than in tho majority think the na.u
raj presumption entirely the The reasonable
presumption is that the majority of interests and t
largest amount Of intelligence will be found in the
ority of numbers
Mr. N. R. II. GARNETT. The gentleman has entirely
mistaken did not say any thing of the kind
only assumed that in the natural working of every gov
ernment there must be difference between the mnori
ty and the MA ority.
Mr. ANDERSON. If the gentleman did not advo
that proposition think the whole tenor of his ar
gunent to proTe the right of the minority to gov
ern aud in the of his argument he undertook f
show that it essential that the minority ahonld gov
ern to enable them to protect property, to protect al
the important rights of the community. large por
ton OF his argument predcated upon the assumption
. that ma ority We're incapable Of sefgovernmcnt
But was proceeding to say, that this principle wa
founded on the reasonable presumption that the major
Ilty OF numbers will contain majority of interests ant
large amount of Intelligence Why what is the great
principle upon which all republican governments are ba
! seda 1t Ia upon the principle that is capable o
governing himself and upon tho principle that We
! yield to the public will. Sir, the popular will lies a
the very foundation Of all republican governments, ant
should like to know how it can be carried out if thu
majority have not the right to control the government
. This principle is acknowl lodged by Judge Upsur in hi
great speech the basis question: rs general rule
lie admits that it is safe general rule that the major
lily ought to govern but he and the gentle who have
followed in his foot steps in the course Of this debate
have taken the ground that Virginia forms an excep
ton to this general rule that the majority ought not
govern in Virginia, because if the rcs of governmen
are entrusted to the hands OF majority, it will enaan
said to be the in consequence OF the peculiar spe
cie- of property which We have in the State lsrg,
proportion of being found in portion Of the State
It is admitted by Judge Upshur in his argument this
subject that is not necessary in order to give to the
orty the right to govern to show an equality Of in
terests is only necessary to show a identity of in
teress think the fact has been clearly established