Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-03-14
SOME REMARKS OF MR.. ROBERTSON On
THE CONVENTION BILL.

x. SAID
Ne would conGne his remarks TO two aspects
orIv of the subject The one the eXtrinslc eonse-
uuences of such a measure-the other, us interior
essct,-that is on our own State and people In the
first aspect, as regarded our relations 10 our Sler
states and the Confederate Government, he saw no
,b;,,, a convention could now do that would not be
detrimental 20 our cause We had given to the COP
fsderate Government already our whole powers Oh
neace and war. She was now IN crlSiS-When ~
was the obvious dictate OF prudence and duty tha'
Mailing should be done 10 impair them-eNertinS
those powers to the uttermost 10 make good our
indenendence So long the Confederate nag was
eptstiu living over an organized anu eHect'Ne gov
eminent, aud over great ana eMoooleu @IiuIr 80
long. the only path of safety or OF honor LOT virgil
ma was 10 stand by and 20 gpsiain her with every
"a moral and material Not till that political IA
Irie sbnuId fall into dissolution by It's own lmPo-
t nr hy disability TO effect the obectstor which II
ms established or into disintegraion by the falling
OF of its constituent periS or our afl1ies Sunef
disasters which We could not repair, and whchno
Skiu or heroism can always avert, or our nag 90
down before the irresistible storm OF superior forces
no, till then should such sad events be In our
j.stiovl. would il consist with the honor or good
firth OF Virginia to change her existing relations TO
me Confederacy or do aught that might viSk the
weakening OF its power.
ne Knew the Withdrawal Of Virginia was not in
the contemplation of the advocates, here, OF Con
vaution He NOT the less knew II would he so con
.truqj North d, well as South, would encourage
rho former would discourage, perhaps divide, the
latter ]. was not enough that Virginia should have
mo- object Inconsistent with her obligations She
-r,rlj NOT omen tie door through which the dis
l>yalty, of Others might enter. She should not
,,-,ri eucb consequences. Ii wa, not enough for
n.r merely 10 preserve her hon0r-She should see
,0. A. ,bIt IT should not even he suspected. The
J,.. uf cnuyeufg at such a m1meat state ConYen-
,i.s 10 modify the distribution aud extent OF pow
ms assigned 10 different branches Of the COniede
: L. .tlAral plimnriPal-hut- If
,tt.t,ff4J would give a new shock 10 the conf
jsprs of rhe country in the stability of the Gov
.ru,r-,t that no possible notifications of the Con-
ttsrate Constitution could, in his opinion, compen-
safe.
As 10 the form aud character OF the proposed
scheme VIZ: 10 - give conventions! powers to thc
General Assembly" What is Legislature with
mower 10 disregard toe Constitution but an enor-
mons dictatorship The restrictions provided as
to m, Bill of Right5'and OF the Constitution (Which
only requires the different departments to be kept
U,tiuct are illusory and practically worthless.-
II ,foyernor. or Judges, or other officers should
nrove obnoxious OIL cnrtQmacious, what is TO pre-
vent this Legislative Dictatorship from hampering
and mutiatng their powers so as to practically deS
tro them from taking away their salaries to school
them into lUe doCiliy ami subecuon. And then the
..y. Won rfese1f T. the people is so contriyed as
hat il the people want coqYenIlon, they can have
NO other but one with legislative powers and tina
one TO consist necessarily az me persons ,cho
framed and passed tie lar, aud them only-that
is basng the law on the presumed necessity FOR a
bod, to WELD the absolute sovereign power OF the
taf. we SO arrange IL as that this vast power can
be conferred upon no body but ourselves. Is this
fair to the people is it modest : Is 1t even de
cent Would it not be more becoming, more con
sstcu. with our own seif-respcct and the respect
An. 10 the PEOPLE, II this Legislative Convention
he necessary aud VI immediate exigency, to resign
oUNseats in a body, which would allow equally OF
-. nd foA ha1tu a.fobtr ,t,1t
40 allow to sbe people The enjoyment of their
free and unrestricted well as invaluable, right q
choice as 20 whom they would prefer to invest with
these grea extraordinary and peTllous powers2-
But give Uch powers TO whom you may, Il must Ie-
su sooner or later IN grieTons anu intolerable tyI
amy.
IL matters not with what purposes men come to
tn possession OF arbitrary power. It's nature
corrupt both mind ana heart. Rare instances, as
4 Trsiag aud few others, serve TO relieve the
uniformity of the long catalogue Of proofs which
history presents OF this truth where absolute
power has been vested in single despot. But no
usie instance u. desp0tc power long possessed by
number OF men can be, IL believe found which did
grove an insutterablC tyranny. The many headed
tyranny OF Athens the 1908 tyrautS Of Venice, the
600 or 500 of revolutionary France, ali attest the
.,me truth. Let u avoid the risk OF adding a new
instance by erecting the proposedsie spOtsIa in our
)v~u persons
The possession OF abSolcte power by the Virginia
Conventions during the Revolution have been cited
.or cur imitation. The pOist of the precedent has
CONCEIVE, been Misunderstood and niisapphed On
the abiicltion OF Dumore, the people elected
Convention Of Delegates instead OF Burgesses. E.
4.c-ssitr.s, there being 10 other authorities,
possessed absolute power. This was l7i5; but as
IA, early as uue, 10 these delegates, among hOm
were such men as Wvthe PendleIcn, Jefferson
aud Mason, feeling the danger 10 the pubhe liber
ties of this possession OF absolute power stripped
them selves. Of IL by providing "Constitution of
government, distributing aud limiting the pub
&C power ia different departments. The Con-
,titution was adopted went into effect the
same wear, and the government so established en-
eouniered and weathered successfully the severe
and trying dangers of our revolutionary struggle
Thus sir the precedent is of0bSoute power possess
c by the OF that day said down the altar the
ytblc liberties while this is proposal for the re
mVydl OF the limitations on our powers now existing
By The COustituton-the surrender in effect into
our hands Of unlimited power. l suppose no such
application was addressed to any people before.
am sure no people who were fiji to enjoy them
would grant such power over their liberties TO
any set of men.
Franceaford- equally valuable lessons. In the be-
ginning Of her revolution the constituent Assembly
prepared for her a Constitution of Government to
imit aud distribute its administrative po0ers, AMI
that they might leave the people free 10 Judge Of
their work without personal influence of those who
prepared declared themselves ineligible TO seats in
the Legislative Assembly which To succeed
them But not long after their successors the
National Assembly, found, las some in this
House do not hesitate to declare they DOL the
limitations OF the Constitution to be inconve-
ment aud leSSening their ability Ito Gd-
vance the public gOOd-threw the Constitution
o,erboard-4aised the famous committee of the
Public Welfare which welded practically the whole
power of the State erected revolutionary tribunals
installed lie Reign Of Terror, deluged France with
blood confusion and uhutterable horrorS-til the
p,9ue few finally tor relief to the milder deSpotiSm
of Bonaparte Let tie people beware OF Conven-
ti0uai Legislatures.
Confederate States Congress.