Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-01

greater degree TO the revenue Of the commonwealth.
than the majority of those inhabitants, residing OF
that mountain Here, then is The principle and here
lis the necessity alleged by gentlemen for the iucup"ra
ton of this mode of protection, into The constitution Of
Virginia. 1t must be admitted on all hands, that this
is Il question of vital Importance Tla, this proposition
involves consequences more vitality concerning The future
happiness peace prosperity and entire destiny "l ihs
OLD commonwealth than any other question which can
BY possibility be submitted TO the decision q" this body
1t should therefore be approached, in spirit rl calm de-
liberation, with minds free from the bias OF sectional
interests or sectional feelings, intent only upon arriving
at those conclusions which will best promote the puic
veal Now if know myselt-and admit that there
are few of us who do know "urSclvcs-imt upon TINS
subject may speak with more than ordinary c"l''ieilce
because if have any interest at all i'll the subject IL Is
against tAc view which am about to take iheh' IL
know myself have approached THIS subject IN mat
spirit and have dcliberated upon 1t with lle deepest
anxiety 10 arrive at the results Of truth hat having
dom, "a layp" examined it in reference t" Tho essential
principles of republican government involved IN H. III re-
ference to the alleged necessity III order To lt Sri
of property in Virginia and in rcerece TO ific i"'u
| liar form and details of the particular plains ~ E'S' u
il so,bt Ia .nrrafI this principle upon the Organic IL"
of the State M mimi has been brought to tie i"s:
ing conclusions: -.
! First tlG,, this proposition to confer political power
upon wealth. is wrong IN ltlncirle
secondly that il is not only uncallr for by ANY cH
|
,iur necessity fer heprotectlon OF property 'h'r&ci
crallv or any particular species oft, III me Stale "i II
rnia but that its direct tendency would be" i'"i"r
the safety of that peculiar species most III TIE 'c'" I"
eastern gentlemen.
Thirdly ,ha, the particular form and "details 't the
pl,u v which this principle-tls mode oi protecting
wealth-s sought to be cngraited upon ,' OF @'' -"
of Virginia. are Of the most unequal and "':i"1,f'"!'
characler-tla they far transcend the l's' limits -
that necessity alleged hy gentlemen FROM Inc eastern
section of the State exist for this iundr :" pr"'"el"
property even admitting. pr the sake OF Tho argument
:, the existence OF il t" any extent
Having arrived al these conclusions !t"P"n" I" -
anime this subject in the three aspects which they 'e
sent First then in regard To the principles 81 govern
ment involved in the proposition to confer Poli't' ;""
upon wealth it is we'll for Us, before any pfncpci Is
permanently eneratcd upon that lns'rnhch, WHICH, -
tn rcs.l, from our abors here, To consider What sort ."
a constitution what Of government Isl" eii',''
from those lamrs We all know, III "hr'si"'ce |" 'h'
Ib"lesis OF the federal c"nstut'"a alone 'h '''' ="
! spring of our deliberations must bear li!' 'lh'' "
lrepubc,nism Flu; We know morc-'lit IL y ''''' 'f
government which could pass muster as one I" i'"''
c, character :, us to within the provision ~
The federal constitution referred to- that w""ln FH'''
The present popular sentiment "t irgin'a ''a' S%h
tin-n demands =, our hands i cove "''''
publican Il govcrnnent, which VIII lul! '''' "''l''
edy r,co.is, and give effect t" all the Sfri! ''ihc'P
of r.ouhlicau Government and popular s'iir,tla'f
Then the fir. question for us I" Consider I ~" ~
this proposition confer political power upon Iea
auadratdrs conflicts with the great ki'"'' "" ''
lishcd principles OF such government Neate
bv the teachings of the republican Fathers that There
are certain great principles which furnish the distinctive
and dstin gushing features "t pure re-''ch govern
ncnt Those princi pies are {" no modern invention
They cyist. ages anterior the establishment OF tbs
commonwealth They are the same, ;s has been c!n'
ouenv observed by another by the alroca:r ." which
Locke and Sidney Milton and Hmnpen c"" NUNS az"
equally iilustrious, attained t" 'perlSna'a ieo"h
The lr. til. same which the fathers ct that ieT"inti
- l.c..u ri mar
the nations Of the earth when abont 10 engage IN the
fearful and mighty struggle embodied in the Instrument
usually known as the bill of rights OF Virl;aia an!
thus being embodied. incorporated into Tie organ;
law of the State These principles, thu; c"!sec'ae'l
thus cannonized have ever been deeply yrirrated
bv the people of Virginia and by those cut 81 "
,iuia who have been advocates OF free government
Hence in some form other they have found thei
way into the organic law o every State Z" Inns Union
But il seeIls now that these principles, once 80 apre
ci, ed once 81 valued cherished once ;" :li.
versaliv proclaimed the basis al relpllctnsin hav"
become far fetched and little worth, :" much -.
that criticisms are INDUCED here. while gentlemen VIII"
utter them, profess give i'll their adhesion and cqui-
essence to hem-criticSns the tendency Il winch l.
to emasculate them by dvesliug them "i AL practical
effect and influence feel that, lnasmrcA "a The gentle
man from Greenbrer, (Ar SMrr) and oihei- who have
preceded me in this debate have already eloquenty
eypuurIed and enforced these principles that an ap'
oyy is perhaps due from me for even aluiin; to Them
certainly my notice Of them should not have gone beyond
simple reference except for the peculiar cnur*e"l re-
mark resorted to the other side tar inevitable I'm
dency of which, repeat Is, III my OPINION Z" extract
from them AL their strength-all their virtue. Thus
we are told that tev are sheer distractions, not only
without any direct relation, but incapable OF ANY prac
teal application to government or 10 inc r@tS Oh ''u
unser it, That they merely descriptive OF the rights
of man in a State of nature (Aye, suppose while he
was vet an unframed savage) To determine how far
these criticisms are well or i'll founded, it Ia necessary
TO inquire into the correct Interpretation OF the rst 90
cond and third sections of the bill Of rights, where The
principles in question though briefly yet $" c"inci
diousy laid down and announced that they may DC seen
at glance and comprehended as readily rs seen And
to pursue that inquiry ntelligbly, rs often ;' they
have been stated in this debate am compelled quote
! them again They are,
! THAT all men are by nature equally free and mae
a pendent" DC
. " That all power is vested i'll, and consequently defi-
7 we'd from the people dc.
:; - "lhat majority nf the community hath IN ndu.
bable Gaenable and indefeasblc ght to REFORM al
ter abolish the existing government, in such MANNER
IA shall beludged most lucive TO the public veal.
To avoid misconstruction, will here state that the,
principles Just quoted by me- from the first second and
. third sections of the Virginia bill OF rights
tanc therein respectively in combination with others,
which, us will hereafter show if time and my own
strength shall permit do not impair but tic contra
~ add to Their effect. But at present propnsc 10
. inquire:
First, whether, laid down in your I'LL of rights
the languagcsof which, have quoted exactly, they
mr.. merely descriptive of the rights Of man in a state Of
nature and if So TO any extent they incorporated
lnto the constitution Of 1916 by It's lirious authors
merely for that purpose!
Q In regard to this, admit at once that viewing The
first section of the bill of rights exclusively in relation
to the literal Specification of the terms i'll which it is
couched it imports only reference to thcuaral rights
Of But thu, viewed it. n's si;L.r merely ely, u
this either in England or in America. indeed else
where, except the extreme advocates of the "r d""o
whose political enlightenment can scarcely be imas
ned was the object Of the authors of the bill Of rights
would have veiured to question deny sheer tru-
ism say because the equality of man in respect Of
natural rights was then as universally conceded
both III England and America Respect therefore Tor
for the authors of that instrument requires that we
should vindcate them from the asperslon, that while
engaged in the hour of their countrys most imminent
peril, in devising for her form Of government u'y
paused in their great work to engrat upon an Idle and
unu,e,ning trusm by attrbuting to them IN the aIop-
ton Of the frs: section Of the bill Of right p q" h
terms in which it is expressed That purpose could
alone have been in asserting the natural equality OIL man.