Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-11


mr. ih, dividing line between Underwater and Piedmu
. t th. nu.son proposed To them unit that ma nri
If four aud twenty Thousand, have said tn the people
81 tho county in which live. although you elect three III,
AM, send Them down To this Chn' entl"n, they shall have
that BODY precisely the same amount Of political pow
win any other three members of it, They shall rcpr
sent an amount of the political power 81 this Sta
equivalent to that represented br an other three mcr
Der. of the body How is ii, them that the nlaJ"ri
upon this floor held upn the people al this Coi
urwcll,h the representatives ol the minority VIM
the minority in this nall are the representatives OF u
: majority!
! On, Of two conclusions is irresistible and one Is th
nm rirt in the view | have taken nj this question:
if wrong the other conclusion is, that We nEc body
l:5 wcres.c,l, very orderly private citizens ri Il
; Commonwealth. sitting here t" deliberate about Il
overthrow nf the organic law III th" land, and liable
he dispersed by the proclamation q" the governor Of Tia
Commonwealth III any moment. ! claim for Inyse
hri,- cim f,r my constituents. t" represent just
arg, an If th- political power t" ,h- C'n!n'
wealth in deciding upon is fundamental law. ~ al
other man in th, body In this respect hay" not
superior here: | clam to have inferior. We stan
upon the sanlc platform. We represent tn" sam
portion, If the political power Of the Commonwealth
We here IL propose amendments I" IN" c1l-tl
r ion of lS3,wc COME here I" rIn""v these AMEND
nlcnts in the form Of constitution. H. 4 whole. W"
which the people can yotr.- "ll. whole. not t"o col
iitutins not two amendments upon the basis uI repre-
/
bic gentleman rpnn this floor Whatever power other
NAY possess imas in" they possess upon tn" subject
have none. Ny duty here Is t" drcii" upon and pro
Pose for the acceptance 81 the people ." sTSnla ths
Il which will amcrd the constitution and make il better
but not tina, which will make it When | har
voted for the amendments that in my ju1:incIl
jpropcr-tha will make The government better than i
* | am Tu,ctus o5fcio. There i IN cnd to my au
Ith"ritv.
Now. what is our duty hrrel What is tn" end anr
object for which comet II Ito amend the c"l-ltu
lion. 1t j. To improve the condition Of the people =
far as it can be improved by change in The "rra;i,
law. But what rules have "" for the government, I"
our conduct upon this important subject. Jl" bill Z"
rights has been quoted here BY almost every gentleman
whn has addressed the chair. and 'iv II" one feeling
for il more profound respect and vrl"ran than ID
myself \ lar" portion If tn. time. permit ("
has been employed in the discussion al That portion 81
i thu bill Of rights which has relation I" the con
iiiti"n in which find ourselves than has til,
Koran: not particle. Whenever the time shall com,
that III" government is I" be- dissolved whichever
shall return into original clements. - il i -aid and
c"af,s' d" not precisely understand what gentlemen
meat hy it-whrcvcr get back int" stat. al ma
tur" If We ever get back. I" place from which
:" far - | know newer came; il HAY br -. but
whichever that comes about ! will .ak. up thi, first
clause Of the bill Of rights. will cri"r with gentlemen
into most respectful consideration "t it. But I've
under yoycrnncr;-wc live under representative re-
publican government Wchlyc lived cvc! since -
We have lived i'll free country, hlcssrl bc God, al
WAYS.
! The honorable gentleman from the county Of Green
hri"r, CIR. Smrn) VIII" opened this debate paid the
most glowing compliments. poured o", III, most bean
rifGl cul"gc- upon George Mason AMI his co,nra'rols
and told they wise and practical statesmen and
pure patriots animated with the hrcat.
IT lfc-practca men and II" theorists. But the words
had scarcely passed from his lips and before hear, hl
ceased beating with plca-lr, al the compliment paid
L,. u,E lI
the CONSTITUTIONS which Is part and parcel Of the bill %;
rights itself denounced il IL the most o,ic,s, grinding
and oppressive arI>t"clacy that existed uncr thu.
sun He told that from ,7t the great principles "i
liberty had been ramprl under foot in The practical
iadmin- ration of the government 81 Virginia.
| Sir, George Washington bern fory -four wears be-
fore this bill Of right, the light AMI lie told the
Minister If the French republic tha; he born M y.
land Of liberty. What d" gentlemen Meal; by the rnuu-
citation ." the constitution Of Virginia. What do thew
tell in schedule Is, They tell that the foul-
daton ot this government Is popular suffrage The
gentleman from Rockbridgc Mr. MooKE told u the
other day. that had the power, the right to Fix the
line of -utTrrg" just where We pleased. What the
rights We possess suppose all that We're Possessed
by those who framed the constitution of Is29 and hv
the people who ratified that constitution. 1t sol
EMMY ratified just in the the bill Of the
house Of del l,at.. under which have assembled
ratified, and by the ZANE people. It referred
to the Of power according to admission
made upon all sides i'll this hail. and by majority OF
more than u00U votes they ratified and sanctioned it.
! What the Propositions before us! Schedule 4,
based upon what is ;,narly known the mixed haei-
i Mr. SMI III Of Grr,nlricr have not the slightest
rccnccn Of a>ng said anything rrol.tury Of ay
principle in thu bill "f rights The gentleman from Lou
DOM Mr. J.sSErJ has referred to my remarks in rc.-
tion I" the Constitution "f l716 have recollection
OF having denounced that Constitution. but on he con
trary. remarked that the fr!rr- q" that inst rn"n,
ha,.. very wisely. and for good and sufficient rc-ol- moi
int tiDn he ,f
principle. u( the bill 81 rights.
! Mr.. JANNEI. | an very glad that nv friend from
the county Of Grrcnlnicr, Or SMIrs.) has asked my
permission to explain. which allow him with great
pleasure glad that he did, for III. rca,nll- which
shall proceed to state have said that my friend
had paid M highest compliment not only the a,i-
lh"r- OF the bill Of rights. but to the bill m right itself
but if am not greatly mistaken h., dill pr'":c,. -ay
that the Constitution which followed the bill If rights
was ari-l"cra;ic, ari-r"puhcan. n'li"is
! Mr.. SMITH. The remarks IL which the gentleman
refers made in reference h.. Constitution Of 1899
! so not in reference t" that "il7I6.
| Mr.. JANNEI. Then that of l1I6 an II foriiori
case for it than lis in the instance
referred to- My friend. rccoll.ct. proceeded t. MAKE
an apolrv for The trainers of the Constitution Of I77f
that il done upon the eve I" revolution, IN
Of war
! Mr.. SMITH That it was not expe,lienl to disturb
the ordcr"f things
/ Mr.. JANNEl mean 10 IL" my friend from Green
hrcf. hr SAlIHl hip bGlN perfect Justice
/ r. do not. will be Obliged /" them for stopping me
That apology for the Trainer. {" the constitution of 81
Wa not made h. my friend from Grccrhr-r aon. The
claac or oi the authors Of that work was too exalted in
the eyes If tbs world Ia drpincc Their work without
attempting to make some apology for them. The apo-
ogv they have offered this: they were in the cond
ton of very distinguished since there WAS great
deal of noise and confusion about hat time. Laughter
They upon the of war. that is true, but il
seems they werelnt in condition than ms friend
from the county of kanwlIa, (Mr SrNNEGs) and the
committee Of which he chairman. should b.. glad
if those who making those apologies for the men OF
l7T6 would tell III" how long w"ul have taken To- have
inserted i'll the Cor" tuition provision Of ten lines that
rs census could hr taken. representation should
be based on white population alon" in total dircgard Of
all the other great Interest, If society if such really
their meaning The authors Of schedule have aYowcd
nj III. conclusion that the suffrage basis should be adopt
ed but not having Ike number Of qualified voters in the
State. and not even Knowing VIII" 10 b. qualified 80
they adopt for the present the total white popa-
ton rs the basis and provide for future app"rtiomrnl
when the number of legal voters shall have been a,cer-
tanned
Could not George Mason and hi associate. hav. done
the same thing! They wise am! -;Iarou- states
+ MEN, they were laying the foundation Of republic
and if they had entertained III" opinion that no pcopl,
could be free and no government guarded against NAL
administration un.,- founded upon suffrage h,-.
what prevented them from doing precisely what is pro-