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VOL.XXIII. , 1 : :r:sFkrDAYvMAfaCH;i852;-,::f77i
. .1,
.v-. ' DEBATE; ON THE. v
C ONYENTION QUESTIOK:
' -CONTINtJED.
. . 4 HOUSE OF COMMONS. ?
"Mr. have patched with patient attention, Mr;
Chairmanl tluv wrosress of the erentleraan fi-ora Hillsborough,
(Mr. Smith,) in his march over this wide field of controversy, j
1 nave seen nira, in me cmvairuus spin iciunu,
no combatant who has yet appeared in the contest, and, like
GulliTer ambn tht Lilliputians, he has endeavored to throw
the pigmies who sufro .nded him, hither and thither,' at his
own will and pleasure. jThe humble individual who now ad-
dresses you, has not escaped bis animadversions, ': and fthere
lore nopes me commiuee vm puxiuu uimw a,u v"':1,
their friends from the East, on this ground; The Wesf ha(J
certainly, enjoyed its full share of iionoraible appointments
aqd from tlie county in i hichthe gentlema
lives, no less' than six members. of the bar had , been taken
within a few yeare, to grace the bench of bur superior, courts.
' - The gentleman from Granville had yesterday called upon
the freijds of the resolutions to place' theivfinger on any acr
tual grievance crowing out of the present system . None had
been shewn ' The eVils complained of, said li'. H: exist only
uporr paper ; and we are asked, to alteiur CGonstit
cause the delicate ears "of hypercritical gentlemen are offended
with its phraseoloffy. But this morning, the gentleman from
Hillsborough tells us in general terms, that our, Constitution
vyill be greatly improved by a revision, and at the same time
admits that the new system, will probably lie stamped with
the impress of, human infirmity. . Sir, I thank him for the
oflmiccinn ' fnn nh it vvp mav IniilH. I hiid thniiP"ht. frnm. thft
uo. ieachcd that era of intelligence, when weconld not fail to bet
Vnn ter our Constitution r but if tlie labors of the present enlight-
deserved credit for the correctness of his quotations, and Mr. ? "ZI 17
H; sa.d he had only to J; , hear me, whether it be not better to j bear theevils that ' we
tl.e .ntleman had.not pieeded far cno
tvnou truyi. j.iiis eminent wruer nau -ucvh. i-cuiocun.u w - - L, , - .
T,. i V uV ..ki:.o ; wjiat are the present defects in
Mr; Stanit ' said,- thatr rising unffei ?tfe aisad varitaee-jof . 4
addressi ng the House, after th subject had been Very fully '
discussed, he would detain them but a slmrt time wmle ihc 'r c
humblv eleaneti bverlthe fiefcl whiclithers had'reaned! 'i -
Tfie question under cbBsiderdtibnis ribt'bh 'f t
l merest oi legisiaiiuii, an crrur iiwmuiif HuiiiusL.oiaii eariy
correction. nayfe; beforusa proposition
Constitution1 which we, and our fathers beforeYus, -rented
as the charter of; out Jiberties,f aricl to trust to the uh-
certaihtvi of chance Tor a better, i Jselore we -venture, upon
1 tliis Hazard, let-usc$arivey
i1
r .
:For himself, Mr. Hi said, he thanked the; gentleman
.that ray of illumination he had thrown on the subject by
'tations from Vattel on the Law of Nations. The gentle
our government, but- we can-
tinf fnrpepp what mnv hft fhft rip.fp.r.ta in anv.nfiW IvOnstilntion
i to: the-people, the people nave tne ngnt "" r v. - 7 yf
itution they Pleaserand we, said Mr. JI. which may to form said he would point them to
- 1 7 ' , ... ... . . 4 1. tvinilAin nf.iliaiia Inrf Ann n no no'nionl n van in tho tlDW I .(III.
the committee as laying down the principle, that in republics,
as the power belong?
to make what Consti
W S S stitutionsJbrmed by Alabama, souriework &c and
EI' ul:.ul JSii r vim ftd-cMno fi1Qt. he asked to be shewn any one of them better than ours.- -
ma tue power enirusieu io u. ;- x ins iiuvci - j . . , , . . . .-.', A Ai -1
idea should be answered by Vattd himself: l.e was.top pr0. fepca cu xne senHmen, ana iW.e, p.
I found in his views to lay down as a mU of action a proposi- lnm", VT p ' T T"w '0!. Vi
! tion so fndefinite as this, it would therefore be found, upon all that was furnished by.the Wern cnto.,
cons
an established
was expressly recoemzeu as a prcv
answer the question ? "The peopleV'by their delegates con
. vened in supreme legislative cmincil ;and when, said Mr.
H. this GeneraljAsscmbly shaH have voted it to be expedient,
we will return to" the ranks of our fellow-citizens, and acting
on the principle read" from Vattel9 by the gentleman from
jHillsborougb, will proceed to the exercise of our rights as
a - ,i
ulOng liim further 'that in all contemplated alterations oi "SALk
irm of goernmcnt, the question of expediency K'rt" H""""- " ." " r
srvf ' iA fi viriitfk annum -rBwww - - - - --t - - ' - "r -- .
possessed the same common interest; and that which tended
to diminish the wealth of individuals, inhabiting any portion of
her territory, tended at the same time to the common injury j
for individual wealth was the foundation of national wealth;
The Eastern section of the State, interested in shipping to si
vast amount, and continually importing goods subject to;,dutyj.
poured into the treasury chest ot the federal (jovernraent,
which liMifiecured td Us bur Uveso
of happinessY whiclv luis p
j the objects of natibpaj prospm
Ition and cdndence for ' all the sanctiohs which time and -ek-iv ' V
! perience' cahiyepdfro
I enjoy erery blessing
nual risrbts to r acquire and enjoy: property '.u the riff lit to ho- V I v I
nor and office is also equaU and the pobit'mari in jhe com- r."
muniiy, presses iiw iniaiii uuj;iu iiijuuuui, viui uie jue'errj , j . j
ii1tV- virtue : hvirl fnlAnf a -:lt!ei aAt " 1 t ! -I
triaaspife to theliihest offices of tlie,: tae; Siicht isthc
Constitution we now possess : the AvbrUw
pect :! like other hto ' !
evil, it hai its defect : but the bils imputed to should not v - " ; i
only te roaniiesi, oui snouiu t ue . reax, i oeiore ,we yeniure qn ,
thfe; dreadful experiment of destroying it, withno certainty r
whatweai-e to obtain in U;ace.;l i
The gentlemen who advocate the call of? a con rcntibn; ,0$-)
lece the evils bt the Constitution are' to! be found; f V
1. j in the unequaireprcseniaiion oi .ine.pej)pie.;
2. In the want of powtrjnthe Igislature lb nimove tlie
r5
..'.... i in., i.iu..' l hi sum wniciii sunerauacu 10 ine revenue lurmsucu uy me jjasi
vhich miht be derived from the history or the, sister States to.the Staff Treasury, made an arcsate, xomparedwith
i in the confederacy, Mri H. said he had yesterday stated what hr amount of revenue raised in the West-was; small
he bad scen in Connecticut, at the time that State met in Con- But some ntleman had bee., pleased M,
me lreas rv ui iik ajiiilcu ouues was nui uic Arcasunrui
jnent had been questioned. The change had been called byy North-Camlina. 'Wuc, said Mr. U. it is norjTreasury,
the genUeman fro.n Hillsborough, a contest between Church 's.r, but it serves in various vviys to VA"
nnd state, in which the latter obtained the victory. Mr. 11.
' i L'i .' i. i 1" i 1 '.?i.r -. ' r j i ir -"T
saiu, mai a very s.ugnt acquainrance wiui me oiaie oi ion-
territory, which furnishes part of the fundsin the &aferrea
sury, andvthereby insures the : perraaneircy ,of those funds;
Mr. H. said that a comment on the. remark of his friend from
Rockingham, ;(MrIo"reh'ead,) "jsvoilldV illustrate his idea;
That gentleman hail said that ourcountrymen of the West
were ready witli their thousandsof armed men, to defend us
in time of dangerj For myself MrBCiprbceeded, I thank
;the gentleman ; I amTsure that our countrymen in the West
would act the nart of brethren : but, Sir. with a defenceless
traclc may now be seen by the mournful vestiges of desolation a-board of greatxtentT unprotected; by a naval armament,
irurJQ o.;,i umo. cfoi0fOmi tf.n ;;nf i.. (which armament the East now contributes to support,) our
yain ; they could only, mourn over tlie calamities of their : '-yfcstepn coadjutors.would find on j their .arrival, the vest.ge$
country, and the remembrance of itscondition almost wrung j- t a vicrorious .pemyin -our esoiaieu iwnm '
frnnvthprf. tPnf nfhlond. - : , villages. xiicywouiu auiu, iuu, umi ..iC-u.vm.;
- TALii . ..x ; !...?-, r rr- 1 i, x. i csted in oMr-weal or woe. because in therpbuy politicras4in
.Tiideres.
3. In the mode ot appointingmuitia ccers.
Other bhntibnsifti
proper to nfcntioiiSM k
l ne cujeciion to Tneuonsiiimon on.xngrouriaoi unequal
representation, is attiipiedjtp sup "
tiontiiat the right of Vreprescniation is equal J Ithat the same
numuer-oi persons na,x lue suiue ngu.is, anu snouju nave uie
same influence in goyernento ia
lailOn SnoillU guvwii rcjircaciiiiuiuii. sv -.7f " w2- ;?V -'IhV
In passing to an examination Iprhe: ibn
claims, M. . said, he would barely notice a difeculty, wliicli
at the threshold met these advocates of equal i riclitsHof .all
persons IF an persons nave eqiai rigiiis wny . are ; women
excluded ? Why are nMnoie are
oilier considerations than the mere ejd
support a claim to a . share in go vniet;)hisyie
it was his purpbs&ito fier j at present,- he ;wrj ujd ithoui;
levity say, that in his opinion; the exemption nf thb sex was
"necticut,; was sufficient to shew that this was not the case.
That Church which was repiesen ted; as so obnoxious, con
tained within its body a majority of the people in the strug
gle,' therefore, it must haye been triumphant. The fact was.
-it.waVa mere. contest for power between those; who had it,
and tliose who wanted, it, but who had no Constitutional right
thciCfact in the history of the adiptiotfof the Constitution of I the natural body, t
onncciicuT. as it miff it- nernansi convince ercniiemen mat ti -v -
j , "ir r , n
thosp States which had in this debate been applauded for their
independence in dcinolishing.the -fabrics reared by the hands;
of their fathers, were not in 'nil - things worthy-of imitation, j '
The Convention of Connecticut met. formed its Constitution, ii
sent it forth to the peo
Iiaste to decide after
1 '.
nuopiion 01 an instrument umier wtnen tney
rity twerc to live iicrhaps for centuries. Changes in govern
went weie not to be made for light and transient causes, and
- whenever any change should be attempted in pur .Constitu
tion, Mr. H.jioiicd it would be vdoiic witli Wisdom" and deli
beration.- .To make a Constitution, is not the work of a day(?
I A '" A A ' ' 1 ' '' A - . 1 A ' . ' '';'' ' A'-''1 ' ' ' A t
nor ougiii 11 10 ue enirustcu xo common nanas ; out no geniie
man could say that in tiie present temper of the ; times.the
V tintid jhaste of those wbo might feari thef loss 'oC povver, 'would
jiot force upon us the prccipitate course pursued by Connec-
Tlre'attentiori of the committee had been called, by the gen
tleman from Hillsboi-ou erh , to the Consti tu tion of the v Un i ted
States. We have been told, said Mr.' H.ithat iii very cor
I rcct system of representation,' it is' necessaryV vn order to
le aifection of any one part vyill be felt by
vBut the ffentleraan from Hillsborousrh, aware that the re vc
nue furnished 1y the East to the General government, is in
its consequcuues . auvauuigeous- tu, iurui-yu'uiinv? i- ,wi 5c,
attempts to evade the conclusion driiwnTiibm the fact, by telU
pic, and called on them witli insulting' S 113 tnat mese revenues a.re paia oy 1 ue western Vwv
the dcliberation of a fortnight on' the v".11-" w ";wil ' Hi v 1 -I
- .-. . - lirT' tio if waa .ixiA that t hn nncnmpt nnld . thft flllty. hill it
r 1 f
was also undeniably fruhat thefo
pie of the West, forta vensmallTpropbrtio
uons 01 tne rast ever passeu to tue e 1 01 iuo pu t u u wuau
he' stood. , ;r'V; tviof.-f.. i.-V r J.fr'-'.i1 ; 51 -'gf '
When reflect, jMrChairmahidlK
solutions are but ;'an,inVitat
our ancestors,: I am 'forcibly Reminded lofthe)linesfarea
poetr aiiKe remarKaoie ior.i 111s Kiiywieuge ui, uvuitu
and for the sarcastic powers ot his muse :i
if1 !
nature
7 : :vU-We think bur fatKere'&otyso "wise we 'y'yW.:
; " Our sons in future .times will think .us"toj-; iivi
Sir, were this noting moje;than ian
with lelly those vhb;bave pr6ceded us
equalize p)Iitical iK)wcr, to take into view both the population i ;,ny seat ; but I see fh it something ' mo
and prerty. of a community, .f. This is tlie principle which! I r asked to unbind and let loose upon the calm surface of. :
TCcognized-ycstcHayhcConsatutioii of the General Gov--t political 4?ea dniwhichOive at present Tidetin!safttyte
crument; embraces this principle, and soloes our Cpnstitu- liinQs ofJfactionV'g That surface tiiaV be lasljW by thbsinds
lion ; but to make presentation peru
remarked.br tlie gentleman fi-pm. Granville, (MrHillman,) to 10h butlwmiiiwesvuld
impossible; and therefore tlie federal Constitution, so far as nt mnrftflt nftkwmlo61 a
i -a '-' i. .1.! -fi'rli''-ilV'i'i'..,T A'i-- "V
rattier) a privilege iiinn hu pi.i:iuaiuii j uiuir tiuuirvere m a
higher, a more imporant, and nf
the intructibn ofjtheir children; thelcare of theV)ibusehold,
and thb happiness of their husbands. 1 14
fThe imputedrroy, of ;; ripientatlpunder tlie Contilu:
tion ls'divided iiitbjiwa parts ; firs that theiesjf 10
Eastern half of riie Stalfe, Vitha les
a crcater number of Representatives in the' Leeislaidre t!ian
the counties of tlie Western half : and second, that particular-,
small counties nave as manyivepreseniuves as tne jargesr.
1 To 1 test the solid
ascend tp an enquiry; inta the BiAiiBTARY, rniftcmJas or
ciBTTSSbeietyis ifbt formedsaid Mr S. merely; to es-;
tabUsfihe;nin ;
in regard to i ernaltlibert V ;
co vernmenf, the personal liberty being rjtfiQ same, thb rights . v
01 all wouiu oe equal i.out, witnouif-seeKingior nigner or
older authority) fwmtlie jtinte 4viieh ; i t lvas tioiii iri andecl
" thou shall riot steal, thou shalt hot covet thy .neighbour's J
goolis, ilie right tocquire and-tot ; :
lyfestabiished, and is asessential itie;enjoyfrierit of life; as '
tlKriglt of persbnal liberty. The ricb ?rf ;ear-e,'as xell as ' ;
the pbor,; and theright of: prertyiether ;liu-ge ormalli . ' :
is alike sacred Tfii a!f ;j '
readyvpbssess and;Jw6ew prbpertyit !y
stimulates enterpti ;Vital 1
Vt;nriiilA n P . n vi rn in pti t ' w i t h?n 11 1 i t . lffl.whV(pl pfFec.fvL. '
ally stopped thisivenue,vpr hold "iti, -A;
therMore, a 1 unaamen ta 1
rier should be erected ffi
possessors of tlibv property.
tavea'Sveig .
ettafieltbit hiclitbeyvhavje
'placed " upoli its rosperiKt Nb iff gover iime tt only i b u t i t "
ciple; isj eiiio operfc par P
Sieitfth. cbntrol of
jBaciirnroprietbr i. le -liaar cbhtri-' f
ljbattolm ,akeri , jyithont :
fes donsientip toherr
TATION are inseparauit,.vvas me very oivuij 01 uur,xvruiuiiuiw
Theiviblatiobfihi
f artd represent!ation. were :inseparabIeour, fatheiV "Panted tdo . '
l: Standard of-M ; this, .Mr S. jsaid he ;
irpentauon is coticcrncu, was iormeu uvtlie s
promise. ; And however gentlemen 'may ridicule ;tl.e ; idea, j j thetoriA of a'political fenipest. 'm&tiii
tics anu wuen tuese several cpunties
tion, it was done in the same spii
. liut it is objected against the
gislature apiwints the Governor
tion the real motive of onpositio
;secnaneiiana nr:m. IIc aot thuik thegen.
ucmcn;lwm Vt aa anycaus