Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-08-10

| responding to toast, gave utierance among o:he
| hinge. 10 there words: I" She lVirginis was tht
mother of our Constitution III the person of Edmunc
Randolph and Madison" These words have beef
the hem- of editorial for the Charleston Mercury
again and again until one is almost temp:ed 10 wsf
that neither Mother nor o pring had ever been hearo
Of by the "Mercury" But which is right Governcl
Wiss or the ''M-rcury7'
The Convention of 81 had for its confederation
three plans or p,oposirions-one by Edmund Ran
doph. one by ChHrles Pnckney, and one by Alexan
der Hamilton. Though other plans were submitted
these formed the ;hree main plans for the consdera
tion Of the Convention.
The monarchy scheme Of Hamilton, subreriire
republicauisO, Destroying The rights OF the Statee
consolidating all power into the hands Of Cover
nor, 40 serve during good behavior" with it,
Governor of each State to be appointed by the Gen
eral Goverumen this scheme of Hamilton certainly
wss moi the plan from which our presen. State Right.
Constitution forIned It certainly was not the
"mplLer Of the Constitution. The plan neither o
Pinckuey Of Dickinson were made the subject o
that examination or consideration by the Convention
which would enile them to the high claim of .ino-
ther of the Constitution" The plan of Edmond
Randolph, offered Oh the second day Of the Conven
lion, opened the main business uf their deiberstion
aud constituted the basis upon which their consulta
tons We're framed. II never wae contended that his
pan in form adopted; it was the substance oil
hie resolutions that incorporated into the Fede
raj Constitution and that il what constitutes Vir
Glni,s claims 10 b- 'he mo her OF the Constitution
Randoiph's resou;ous werr Tor the correction an,
i 4
though Obj actonaoe in many featurcs, they con
tain the priuaipies Of Republican Government. Oul
of lhs consideration OF these resolutions grew the
Fed-,a Constitution. II due more to the exer
ton. of Randolph aud Madison than any other two
m"u, that the Convention drst passed the Fedora
Constitutions and without the ratification OF Virginia
the nine States necessary for the adoption Of the Con
s,i,ution would not have been obtained. Randolph
and Madison appeared in the Virginia Convention as
the great advocates Of its adoption and under Their
persuasion, uud against the powerful eloqusnce oi
Henry, Mason, Lee, Tyler aud ot-rsthe Constitution
wa ratified This, then il ,he meaning Of the claim
made by Gov. Wise, that Virginia was the "mother
of the Constitution" He- son proposed the plan out
Of which grew the present Constitution. Her son
IN III. "Federali.f," and upon the Goor Of the Vrg
MIA Convention, secured lis adoption by Virginia aud
| by that mean4 it wsa ratified by the nine States.
The Mercury" Gays: "The record undoubtedly
shows that Virginia, in the Convention, supported
the exlravagant scheme Of consolidation proposed by
Mr.. Randolph's resolutions" That Virginia cup
ported Randolphs resolutions in preference to Ham
| Hons plan, ia undoubtedly true Ii is true, ths'
wh~n the Convention assembled, Virginia desired
! af aufFrnya in
! be prcporticned 10 the quotas of contribution
bu this was only while the Convention Was. as il
were cropping 10 the dark for the true principles o!
confederation. Bu, that Virginia favored any tex
travaganl scheme OF consolidation" as now under.
stood by that term is denied by all contemporsneou,
history.
If by mother of the Constitution" is meant tina,
Virginia first conceived crude deas, Of tbs
| consideration OF which grew the Federal Cons'itu
| top if by her Madison the crude ideas OF her
| own son were pruned into their present symstrica
shape Of the Federal Constitutions and If by the in
| tIencs of her Madison through "fhe Federalis
-he induced her sister States 10 sdopt the Constitu
ton; these can constitute maternity, then We az
peal contempornneoua history to cay if Virginia j.
| not The "molher of the Constitution"
| 1t is true Randolph did not sign the Constitution
bu, it is equally True that his Influence in this Virei
MIA Convention contributed as much as that of any
,,her man 10 the adoption Of the Constitution by III.
| Virginia Convention.
! Randolph, and he colleague Mason, though they
lid no, sign the Constitution, hni though they ad
vspced powerful reasons against the Constitution
get, without surrendering their opinions, they were
willing to adopt the Constitution. The wise spir
| hat dictated TO Randolph ami Mason the waiver o
| their objections 10 the Federal Constitution seemec
10 have governed all the patriot fathers of the Repub
lic and would be well inflated by the Mercury" ant
many of i,s readers. AZ the Mercury" will "aPpea
10 the records of The proceedings of the Convention,
| in justification Of s assertion, we hope our conten
porary will no, overlook the subioned extract from
the letter Of Gen. Washington TO the Continenta
Congress. In submitting the Constitution to Cor
| gres General Washington says I'm all our de
librratons on this subject have kept steadily il
view that which appeared to us the greatest 'nferr
of every American, the consideration Of our Union
in which is involved our prosperity, felicity, safety
perhsp, our national existence. This important con
sid.ra,ion, seriously and deeply impressed on our
minds led each State to be less rigid in points OF In
ferior magnitude than might have bsen otherwise
| expected; and thus the Constitution which we now
present ia the result of spirit Of 0m'ty and tha
mutual Difference and concession which the pecu
liari,y of our situation rendered Indispensable"
If the investigation of the "Msrcury" should in
spre it with the same "eprit of amity" of "deferenc
and concession" that actuated our patriot fathers
our contemporary will no longer indulge that splri
OF csving criticism which has done such repeated
and continued injustice to the State OF Virginia. W.
commend therefore, to our Charleston cotemporary
long and earnest research into that patriotic "eprit
smi,y" that actusted the framera OF the Federal Con
stitution hoping that the perusal msy rekinde the
fires of patriotism which seem to have entirely gont
out in our contemporary