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

must be born free. and that when he grows UP 10 the
+ asc when lie minor then he is man III ev y
l. sense OF the word independent ri this property r'sric
:. ti"i which y"n Gc-:r' 10 throw aronnd hin but me
doctrine OF ms y"nas friend from Culpeper ana those
> Win whom he acts maintain. would absolutely require
+ You to make change III this hill ri rights I" wi'.
nay referred III order 10 make its terms rol-lsrns win
Tier pn,,,:on
''ti ':n'tine Is that "al men are naturally tree and
equal. and that after they enter into state Of society
that on is H.. required 10 surrender more natl
l. raj rights than another. bu. all are required rurren
: der up alike and place Themselves upon conn'!
PLATFORM and there stand equally This i, not the doc
trln" ." the other side They say in effect, that man
i tree = not free according Il" property. /"
MAINTAIN such doctrine TINT YOU certainly require
change in this clause in the bill Of rights Il would
probably read thus "ill men BY nature free and
equal provided they live east Of the Blue Ridge Of
mountains. Laughter TIM is the Interpretation you
give or It may bc III other words provided hc OWLS
negr" Tor the whole thing 10 upon that par
trnar specie Of property. Laughter Vow my Young
friend -:ld that ough, 10 have, evidences o'
"' con-. .tuonal freedom. -lcriifs tax tickets SOME
thing OF hat sort filed in public records and
preserved for the future" VEIL n return would adj
wise him if l." i going base hi, political asrendcncy
90 n",r""s, /" have some Of them "mbam"d, that
when come future Gddon sha.l rise mp 5000
years hereafter. h. he enabled 10 80 round the
world exhibiting the very embodiment Of the con-ti,u
t"nal right, Of Virsnia-a mummy negro. Eoars OF
, laughter.
Virginia Occupies At the present time yer: strange
and I" M very fearful position And what IS il:
Why, shut eyes the fact, deny the
present aspect oi things Is closing eyes against H.
to the language the gentleman from Cak.l, tMr.
Mctoats,iwc are low engaged III peacefully trying I" q"
wla' ether countries have always had 10 do 10y revolt
ton and blood. ~ are engaged in q contes: be-
"ecn the few and the inauy-botwccn the government
aud the people. You call ii BY what name YOU
choose, bit that is the character Of the contest go
ng
What i ,l. government and how came it here'
-I
t!rr held: Where the compact made the agree
entered into by which majority Of the people Of
, til, commonwealth surrendered their rights into the
i, hands oi the minority! Can any cnc answer me The
question We frequently asked, whence come The
rights ii tins majority. But first require IN Answer
IL tie other and essential question: whence come
TIE rights Of the minority and should like 10 hear
that question answered Can they -av that ii was bS
| agreement by compact, Or voluntary surrender Oh
the part Of the majority They will not ray that, be-
there i proof and because it would be contra
~ 10 the nature OF Suppose this people were
now independent Of any government, and liza; We were
going % folrn compact and were assemble
either BY themselves their delegates, world
gentlemen dare 20 demand Of lis what they cndcav
orng TO icrce u To submit 10 Row No Then whence
II comes this right: will repeat the quotation hat my
Ii friend from CuIpepcr used, aud ask
Not that the thing is and rare,
But low tho Devil came i, there "-tLaushcr.
: (.aughtcr)
have looked Mt this question in every possible form
. in which i was possible for me t" present it to my
!: mind and the lifo Of ne have been able 10
l. the shadow OF foundation upon which thu
IL claim No. not much n shadow Of Il Pounds
: ton haze not heard nny body yet attempt M ap-
Proclamation to M answer To that question. Then
: the only conclusion to which come, and the one
Il IL which others lave come L. that orslnallyt
l. usurIator and that it is claimed IS right do
intend to discuss this part Of the subject further and
l. will PISS hold then that Il majority Ct the people
q never have surrendered up this right We ns ma
ority whether the right claimed was obtained 10y arci-
" dent usrpation. bound by IT, md do not IN
&c tend to be bound By it, If you could show compact
e or agreement By which We surrendered Up these
L. natural rights of ours and made them subject prop
= .rtv. then our mouths would he shut and hands
H. would bc tied and tied hy own consent. hit until
!" that Is shown deny tie authority and do not intend
y to abide by the power.
Let what the bill os rights says this subject
" Let take j; in lis plain common sense and literal
= meaning and if scrtation Of argument can
be drawn from it I" support the very peculiar position
i which gentlemen here occupy We are told by the
bill o rights. that all power is vested in and co-e-
9 quently derived from" Whom From property I
: From people and property combined No. that i not
. IL but nj power IS v't'd IN and consequently derived
" froia the people Now, wha. the people, Can
;, you make people out Of property or ont "i prop
" rrtv ana persons combined.
Il is remarked while ago say that just in proper
ton as you in:rse property into the government :. 'h
y Of ,hc people Tn" bin Of rights is 20 plain TO ne On
y this subject nv opinion need exposition and
II does require the greatest degree Of ingenuity ,ha
= can conceive of 10 PIT any other construction upon IT,
+ Again tho bill az rights that magistrates ar"
,hcr trustees aud ,rvan. AID at all times amerab!e to
u them Cnn my thing he silly, absurd as To sup
po-e that magistrates the trustees and servants OF
:, ro. csiy That ia strange reading I" m"hoa;- ali
- .i.. loi al hollow Laughter.
III, rxt section IS that government IA or "tchi !" u"
Instituted Tor tho common benefit and protection 81 ~"
= people. nation community They have mere 4 NOOK
u wlrrcon I" hang argument, b"taus. those who drew
r. mi, declaration of rgh- have proper 10 usc tn"
=" three terms nation community and people. they hav"
= Therefore come Ia The wise ,onc-on that community
!" do 10. mean people r' ;aean- interest II seems to
mo ;hn that construction just foreign 10 tho true
Interpretation all the Other positions that they have
II ,.,.u Il las been asked hy Young friend from
" Cuipeoer if those who drew that instrument were not
y aware at villa, they putting into IT, answer.
n thi.k the were ut will h. contend that they intend
y N 10 carr tie broad principles laid down IN th"
" .oy.rns.., they ,reatai' Now. that is ono ii Ill.
y cruun upon which they placed that peculiar ron-Irnc
: ion ii hat 10 sustain h"ir construction
v ,hey cited example The ac's OF the men VIII" r'"
y Il, Eow | think their own "y;'lanre will show that
u thcy themselves although thcy laid the foundation
! mere III not build their government according to the
principles they laid down. but built lera temporary
y concern rather let stand great portion Of the old
Enclisl, fabric thai was hon standing before Ike
l,ton took p!ace Now il they to quote the acts
" of tho.r men who drew this bill 81 rights they must
take j; altogether.
What was The basis Of representation That each
county -hould haze representatives IN the l"siria
inr. Yet the men Of that lay allowed that basis 10
: remain And will gentlemen contend that II i accord
IN 10 lie spirit II this bill If rights, That it IS
atco ling to the vary doctrine they themselves now
) advocate: I imagine not. They will no: ST' the
vest Row :. majority in the legislature although they
have = majority Of population. hci'i-r they have Mt
liz majority Of interest. Yet these very men who
framed the bill of rights gave to tl" Warwick The
= very same weight in the Legislature that II gave TO
T.ou,lo,in NJ these did not intend t" carry out
heir government at that time, upon the bread platform
which they laid down. il | may 80 express nsseii.
, They intended 10 mcrcl: Temporal: one on that
broad foundation 70 last rn, The. were onah,ed 10
sid structure according the principles which they
laid down !, attempted in s29-3o and now We
hay. come mere further and carry ort tina; object
a table was introduced her" h. the gentleman from
Culpoper with q view 10 show Us that v" had depart
ed from or principles hy giving in o''r apl"It'onlnFni
majority il thu legislature minority Of ne people
or ,h- commonwealth Well. must confess that that
ARA tlunlcr.strrcE at first blush but upon
careful examination of il that m; mend ha'.
mistaken the pom: entirely. Jaw TINT hi- 'ao'e il