Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-04-23

IL U I'LL 1ISS AZ w - go Vlir ars
you found it in your equality in n? Scrs,s.~
Your equality in the Senate prevented any in.
road upon your rights; and during almost Il.
whole Of that period you Stood, mark yor, !.
most with your arms folded, regardless o! 10
rawlings of fanatics without or attempted ,rea,h.
erv within. You had the power OF p~rotec,i,s
Yourselves. You asked nobody for protec,o;
resting as you did upon your equality in n,
Senate.
You have now los, equality in the s.-,
,ta You are outnumbeled 10 the p,y,o,
RON Of - tos. What will you do: C.a yYn
90 into an association without a poslticr, a.6.
II,,te check upon the possible !awlcssness of Ina,
~. You may set up the Idol CT Liberty. ..d
uorshjp it in sincerity and truth; but i! ;tT
On into that association manacied, IN tie ia.
or of that majority without Restraint, T..
,.ou safe-to that idol or the sacred alta, :,
Inch you would kneel, safe: /: r.:
,hs wav in which you would secc-% ~,
ri,hts Is il in that form or in assat:.
,jtat attitude tha, you will answer to i;.< H.
bic minded people Of Virginia, when they Re.
ouirc YOU to render an account ol the ua"ae:
n which YOU have acquitted ynnrSeiVei n h..
body? -,
know that The argument VII! E,:ie ::
against this proposition Of the smsI!aeiS o! In
nunmb.r of the slave States. Sir, IL IL TIC y.r,
fat of YOUR weakness that requires the y'c.;:-
Guarantee of security to be found il" this gu.
Tante. Of power. If you were strong, ii 20.
stood Is to 10 even, you might pre''e"' ,"::
ch.ck but what possible Chance nave Al
You come fettcred into an assoclaUoh: ~ rar:-
properly, il you continue IN 40 as>9cI";'"a %i.A
thls Government with the prctondtrI.i"s ~.
iority Of ~ to 8!
Sir. / submit the proposition; l dc ~, .-r...
to enter largely into the discussion Of II. -.
rot wish to occupy the time OF the Coa"e";:.r.
merely throw out these hirts; tt.y ars
enough, I trust, to direct the attention 81 ,e..
t,eusn 10 the subject. 1t is moi the '@!;,ie.
rial question which alone interests W.. he
slavery question is one CT far greater i'rY?5.
tance-and SO also is the taxing power. TEe>s
.yo are Fundamental questions. Why. I2o;;
a, the tariff law which has been l1'ciY
Dassel. II you had had this cre:>,
YOU would have produced moderator.
The etFec, of checks and ba.44cr.
* 20 produce moderation upon the pa. Z!
Government, to restrain it in its disposition :,
20 too far. Can auy government o. ca!,i. ne
co existent with freedom, without check sni
balances? You must have check; ami laiNuco.
in order to preserve your government. H".!i
YOU deny TO your section the power with ah!ch
the Supreme Court Of the United STATE, 10
even 8 greater extent is invested AZ ;ii, ITO.
ment, Ii has the veto power in &! it, p!aai.
,ude. The two Houses Of Congress uIay fss-
acts Of Congress, yet the Supreme Cour. Vii!
snnul those acts if they be unconGi:iu'ic"a!.-
There ii a positive check then IL lha: direc
ton. You have a check also in the PRESTIGE
riai veto. But You have no check at s!i y. go!
course of legislation. Why not have 1t:
SIR. Chairman, ! fear | have exhausted u?
ten r,nutes. The subject IS most iu'por;asA, !
present it in that view and n no i~act.ous, o e"vn
urty spirit Nothing Of he sort "'i'f
scora ~ appear before you III any s'icH >p.Ti.
But, sir, why is it that the Senate was cH;..!l.
tuted upon the basis On which 1t Stands: My
is it that the little State OF EaoGe !,!an't, -
the little State OF Delaware, hare such p0.r.s.
and exercise such Ii check upon the .r:a!
States! But d. "ou not perceive tia! "h!.e
the check Of the small over the large S:s!r'
might be valuable in the ordinary operation;
OF the Government, il has ceased 10 ta "aiuabis
in the case Of q sectional majority Il =
gone. All the States OF Il section 90 '"Gsfre'.
Rhode Island ceases to act a. a Chez upc-
New York, Ohio, or other great sta:e.. Lac:
NIL 20 together. They all have beco;;e -.
tionui. The lees are coming up in III, ste";
sectional controversy. Th- trainers ci IL.
Constitution sought, through the small States,
10 restrain the power Of the large, by ua-in5
them all perfectly equal IN lLr Senate.
In the name Of all that Is gracious, IL!
me why the same check should not Tow BE- pc
yided to protect us eight agalhs; this large i.'
jority which now operate against US, sad "ii!ca
is now daily and hourly increasing: ! :iN:o
aimed to guard this concurrent majority r""eg
from abuse. II requires the support .; " src-
tional majority before il ran he interpo"s;,
and would never be e@elted except o. he
most Important questions. II would t=scrTe
e. be regarded rs the gree; CONSERVATIVE power
Of the Constitution, and would be worth, II
that light alone, more than all the paper qua.
rantees which could be crnwded into ihe rcua!.
tnrinn.
Mr. BLAkrY-I cal! for the yeas sa1 Es:s
upon the adoption of the amendment
The yeas and nays were ordered.
Mr. SrMMEls-l may be under q mlSsEyr:-
pension, bu, if heard line reading c; tie
correctly il is applicable % q:
bills and resolutions of every kind and ctkiac.
ter that may be before Congress. | wuut4 TT
Qu;ye, as it is = substitute Tor The secoai Sec
lion, if 1t is applicable to treaties also:
Mr. TYLEs-I prefer 10 offer it US a. S;4'.
ton TO the second section.
Mr. WisE-Tbey are utterly :ITeConc:is1:-
Mr.. TYlEE-I prefer to have it stand a.:
Srst offered it, as q substitute Tor Ike secoa!
ST ction.
Mr.. SrNaEns-I desire to know whether his
amendment is moved as q substitute for lie
second section
The CuAIRMAS-lt is.
Mr.. SuNAEKs-And if adopted, it takes The
place Of the second section?
The CHAIRMAN Yes, sir.
Mr.. SuANEHs-Then the result. OF Il a.':.i
be to leave us no new provision in regard 10 the
acquisition Of territory, leaving il IL rest under
the present Constitutions! provision. The e.
cond section, now moved to bu strichrH 1.:.
confines itself to the acquisition Of future leT.
ritory. That is the only subject embraced il
opinion of tho distinguished gentleman IRON
Charles City, it occurs to ME that it is tho ""E:
bes! provision which the SJu!h cln have Of
in regard to tina; great and i~rnpnr;.n:
] took occasion, i'll addressing sc.Ic ~,elraI..
to the Committee sone time ago, to ~rXy!ala
this proposition, and | know very well that {!
have not time now, under the limitation o ten
minutes, 10 60 into an examination nf Il &.
understood the gentleman from Charles Gig.
not only to admit but 10 claim rs the very o':t
guarantee for the South, the p~riaciplc u con-
curing mhjoritiea. Why, then, should y?
one, holding these opinions. object to til: az
p~lication Of this principle OF concurr'nE
msjorities 10 the acquisition power. Il" 30:
understand, however, that the gentleman d1s'
object to that as e qualification CT the 're''E-
making power, but he desires to ezten4 Il :"
all legislation. He would Incorporate into be
government tina! idea Of duality winch o:!:'.
mated with, ard wasrecvinnended b., . ii.,.:.
suishcd Senator from South Caroiira solas
years since.
He proposes that no law Of az: End.
whether relating to the internal o. eI,erna! IL
f.rart ~ ~ q,