Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-23
Report Of tho OsmmIlteo on ihe Constitution,


~ We RRdeTtdks 70 return rejected COMMUNICATIONS
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Report OF the Committee on the Constitution
We publish this document this morning, and it Is one
worthy Of the best days of the Republic. The reason
ing sound and the deductions in the main are based
GA experience and human nature. If We had not been
40 long dwarted by the shadow Of the Yankee Upas its
leading principles and positions would command the
universal assent Of the Virginia people.
On two or three points only, do We dissent from
the conclusions Of the majority Of the committee, and
these are departures from the grand and leading prin-
eple of the report to wit that only legislative officers
should be elected by the people, while those who per-
form Executive or Judicial trusts should he chosen by
intermediate agents The majority OF the committee In
violation of their fundamental and sound principle,
recommend the election Of the Governor by the people
the election Of sgstraes by the people, the election oil
Judges BY the nomination of the Governor ard the ap
proval of the Senate These propositions are evidently
counter to the convictions Of the committee, and we
NAV regard them az designed propitations to the
Noloch of "the mary.heg d,d" With the minority, we
ca see no good TO result from couvusDg the CON-
| monwoal:h and harassing the people with can
| yass between the nominees Of party conventions,
when the representatives Of the people could quietly
mske better selection under the obligations and respon-
sbiltes of their official position To the Governors nom
cation Of JUICES we object, because desire him to
be bothered with no patronage; but to be as the old
Governors of Virginia Were-genteman OF leisure and
tular Commander.in-Ohief of the Army and Navy. To
tie election Of magistrates by the people, all the pr n
cips of the report are opposed. Unless this vicious
system abandoned all the other changes are not worm
a cbuqupiu The election for good behavior, ana
the Oldest magistrate to have the sherlty, would in
deed be improvement on the present SYSTEM but that
would still leave it far inferior TO the old system, IN
which the sefelective rule prevailed and guaranteed
the rospsctability of the body.
The end Of good Government ia to protect not 30
much the rights Of the ms orty Of every individual
citizen. Msjorites can protect themselves. 1t is the
minority which needs the Of the law to shelter 1t
| from the oppression Of numbers. The Government
which empowers so the domneer over 40 10 even
il tyranncl Government, call it by what name you
may And yet the tendency in all ages to this species
# despotism It sssums different disguscs under dit.
erent circumstances but the usual form, in whchit ex'
Lib itself il in alliance between the oRs-mdn possr,
whether King, Emperor or President and the many
headed-multude. They combine to plumber and OPP
press the minority There 10 be natural attraction
between these two poWers-the extremes OF the body
o,tic and history Is full Of instances Of their coubi
ming. On the downfall Of the Roman Republic, the
rtbble rallied Caesar and gored in his success Tbe-
ius ard the Pebs were sworn Iends On occasion
old Republican Senator seeking TO revive the crushed
liberties of his country proposed to elect the officers OF
the State for i've years instead of This seemed to
be curious mode of abeng the liberty of the people,
and that not its prOfessed object But the astutc
FINN yh Il at Hia he
Rabbe the electors be controlled bem and through
them all the ocers II elected for five years, his pat
r)nage would be curaed and the long term would make
them feel their authority aud their independence
The Emperor who mingled in the debates Of the Senate
protested against the proposition, and in the course of
bis remarks, said
"To grow proud in office is the nature Of man
sK ED his authority to the space Of five years. and what
will be the consequence Every single magistrate nil
'rsH NTH the pride of five"
To this knock-down argument, worthy of the best
Champion of the people in modern times nothing could
| DO replied. The Historian remarks:
by these spsecus arguments delivered Nth Re-
publican spirt, 7Tberi,s strengthened The iatsrsSts Of
I,sposism."
The same attraction between these extremes has ex-
hibited itself every opportunity in modern tines.
In France after the first outbust Of roge against their
hereditary masters, the multitude rapidly and eagerly
sided with the onc-msn-power. The same alliance, con-
secrated by universal suffrage constitutes the foundation
aud cement of the present French Emperor'sPower.
We know Of bu. one instance in history in which the
rlbbe co-opersed with the nobility and middle class
against the one-manpower and that occurred in England
when the Barons eXtoTted Magma Charta from King
John It has been the singular good fortune of English
institutions from that day this except for brief in
t,rvas to prevent this dangerous alliance of the
t.emes We ascribe the result. to the fact that law
whether good bad law, still law, bears absolute do
minion over ul both high and low, in tina. country
Power so balanced and divided class interests
wisely recouciled patronage is distributed that all
work in happy harmony together. Aud the response
biy of officers not to their superors in rank, but to
tAe law, which reigns all has fused high and
manly tone throughout official circles and has conibu-
led in small degree 10 the greatness and glory and
freedom of England.
We have no King, co nOmins, in our own systsm-
But the thing itsot-the power-has Aourished
with great vigor under the cid union; and Of late by
f,.mpg combination with the many beaded monster,
has utterly exinguished liberty In the Northern Sites
The tendency to the result, with like Institutions
xss smopg us That in view, is the danger TO be
guarded against both in state and Confederate Con-
siulious History teaches the affinity which exists be-
treen the One and tho Many. Combination is easy
dor thousand contingencies 1t should be the part Of
sige men in framing Constitution for free people to
provide safeguards against SO obvious proclVy to
dissolution aid ruin.
The War.
We have no Intelligence from the theatre OF hostilI-
-. ...on. ,h., ,bo bave he IN she'll the