autobiography-第8部分

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　as　it　departs　from　this　it　becomes　imperfect。　　It　has　been　said　that　Congress　is　a　representation　of　states；　not　of　individuals。　　I　say　that　the　objects　of　its　care　are　all　the　individuals　of　the　states。　　It　is　strange　that　annexing　the　name　of　〃State〃　to　ten　thousand　men；　should　give　them　an　equal　right　with　forty　thousand。　　This　must　be　the　effect　of　magic；　not　of　reason。　　As　to　those　matters　which　are　referred　to　Congress；　we　are　not　so　many　states；　we　are　one　large　state。　　We　lay　aside　our　individuality；　whenever　we　come　here。　　The　Germanic　body　is　a　burlesque　on　government；　and　their　practice　on　any　point　is　a　sufficient　authority　&　proof　that　it　is　wrong。　　The　greatest　imperfection　in　the　constitution　of　the　Belgic　confederacy　is　their　voting　by　provinces。　　The　interest　of　the　whole　is　constantly　sacrificed　to　that　of　the　small　states。　　The　history　of　the　war　in　the　reign　of　Q。　Anne　sufficiently　proves　this。　　It　is　asked　shall　nine　colonies　put　it　into　the　power　of　four　to　govern　them　as　they　please？　　I　invert　the　question；　and　ask　shall　two　millions　of　people　put　it　in　the　power　of　one　million　to　govern　them　as　they　please？　　It　is　pretended　too　that　the　smaller　colonies　will　be　in　danger　from　the　greater。　　Speak　in　honest　language　&　say　the　minority　will　be　in　danger　from　the　majority。　　And　is　there　an　assembly　on　earth　where　this　danger　may　not　be　equally　pretended？　　The　truth　is　that　our　proceedings　will　then　be　consentaneous　with　the　interests　of　the　majority；　and　so　they　ought　to　be。　　The　probability　is　much　greater　that　the　larger　states　will　disagree　than　that　they　will　combine。　　I　defy　the　wit　of　man　to　invent　a　possible　case　or　to　suggest　any　one　thing　on　earth　which　shall　be　for　the　interests　of　Virginia；　Pennsylvania　&　Massachusetts；　and　which　will　not　also　be　for　the　interest　of　the　other　states。

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　　　　　　　　These　articles　reported　July　12。　76　were　debated　from　day　to　day；　&　time　to　time　for　two　years；　were　ratified　July　9；　'78；　by　10　states；　by　N。　Jersey　on　the　26th。　of　Nov。　of　the　same　year；　and　by　Delaware　on　the　23d。　of　Feb。　following。　　Maryland　alone　held　off　2　years　more；　acceding　to　them　Mar　1；　81。　and　thus　closing　the　obligation。

　　　　　　　　Our　delegation　had　been　renewed　for　the　ensuing　year　commencing　Aug。　11。　but　the　new　government　was　now　organized；　a　meeting　of　the　legislature　was　to　be　held　in　Oct。　and　I　had　been　elected　a　member　by　my　county。　　I　knew　that　our　legislation　under　the　regal　government　had　many　very　vicious　points　which　urgently　required　reformation；　and　I　thought　I　could　be　of　more　use　in　forwarding　that　work。　　I　therefore　retired　from　my　seat　in　Congress　on　the　2d。　of　Sep。　resigned　it；　and　took　my　place　in　the　legislature　of　my　state；　on　the　7th。　of　October。

　　　　　　　　On　the　11th。　I　moved　for　leave　to　bring　in　a　bill　for　the　establishmt　of　courts　of　justice；　the　organization　of　which　was　of　importance；　I　drew　the　bill　it　was　approved　by　the　commee；　reported　and　passed　after　going　thro'　it's　due　course。

　　　　　　　　On　the　12th。　I　obtained　leave　to　bring　in　a　bill　declaring　tenants　in　tail　to　hold　their　lands　in　fee　simple。　　In　the　earlier　times　of　the　colony　when　lands　were　to　be　obtained　for　little　or　nothing；　some　provident　individuals　procured　large　grants；　and；　desirous　of　founding　great　families　for　themselves；　settled　them　on　their　descendants　in　fee…tail。　　The　transmission　of　this　property　from　generation　to　generation　in　the　same　name　raised　up　a　distinct　set　of　families　who；　being　privileged　by　law　in　the　perpetuation　of　their　wealth　were　thus　formed　into　a　Patrician　order；　distinguished　by　the　splendor　and　luxury　of　their　establishments。　　From　this　order　too　the　king　habitually　selected　his　Counsellors　of　State；　the　hope　of　which　distinction　devoted　the　whole　corps　to　the　interests　&　will　of　the　crown。　　To　annul　this　privilege；　and　instead　of　an　aristocracy　of　wealth；　of　more　harm　and　danger；　than　benefit；　to　society；　to　make　an　opening　for　the　aristocracy　of　virtue　and　talent；　which　nature　has　wisely　provided　for　the　direction　of　the　interests　of　society；　&　scattered　with　equal　hand　through　all　it's　conditions；　was　deemed　essential　to　a　well　ordered　republic。　　To　effect　it　no　violence　was　necessary；　no　deprivation　of　natural　right；　but　rather　an　enlargement　of　it　by　a　repeal　of　the　law。　　For　this　would　authorize　the　present　holder　to　divide　the　property　among　his　children　equally；　as　his　affections　were　divided；　and　would　place　them；　by　natural　generation　on　the　level　of　their　fellow　citizens。　　But　this　repeal　was　strongly　opposed　by　Mr。　Pendleton；　who　was　zealously　attached　to　ancient　establishments；　and　who；　taken　all　in　all；　was　the　ablest　man　in　debate　I　have　ever　met　with。　　He　had　not　indeed　the　poetical　fancy　of　Mr。　Henry；　his　sublime　imagination；　his　lofty　and　overwhelming　diction；　but　he　was　cool；　smooth　and　persuasive；　his　language　flowing；　chaste　&　embellished；　his　conceptions　quick；　acute　and　full　of　resource；　never　vanquished；　for　if　he　lost　the　main　battle；　he　returned　upon　you；　and　regained　so　much　of　it　as　to　make　it　a　drawn　one；　by　dexterous　man；oeuvres；　skirmishes　in　detail；　and　the　recovery　of　small　advantages　which；　little　singly；　were　important　altogether。　You　never　knew　when　you　were　clear　of　him；　but　were　harassed　by　his　perseverance　until　the　patience　was　worn　down　of　all　who　had　less　of　it　than　himself。　　Add　to　this　that　he　was　one　of　the　most　virtuous　&　benevolent　of　men；　the　kindest　friend；　the　most　amiable　&　pleasant　of　companions；　which　ensured　a　favorable　reception　to　whatever　came　from　him。　　Finding　that　the　general　principle　of　entails　could　not　be　maintained；　he　took　his　stand　on　an　amendment　which　he　proposed；　instead　of　an　absolute　abolition；　to　permit　the　tenant　in　tail　to　convey　in　fee　simple；　if　he　chose　it：　and　he　was　within　a　few　votes　of　saving　so　much　of　the　old　law。　　But　the　bill　passed　finally　for　entire　abolition。

　　　　　　　　In　that　one　of　the　bills　for　organizing　our　judiciary　system　which　proposed　a　court　of　chancery；　I　had　provided　for　a　trial　by　jury　of　all　matters　of　fact　in　that　as　well　as　in　the　courts　of　law。　He　defeated　it　by　the　introduction　of　4。　words　only；　_〃if　either　party　chuse。〃_　The　consequence　has　been　that　as　no　suitor　will　say　to　his　judge；　〃Sir；　I　distrust　you；　give　me　a　jury〃　juries　are　rarely；　I　might　say　perhaps　never　seen　in　that　court；　but　when　called　for　by　the　Chancellor　of　his　own　accord。

　　　　　　　　The　first　establishment　in　Virginia　which　became　permanent　was　made　in　1607。　　I　have　found　no　mention　of　negroes　in　the　colony　until　about　1650。　　The　first　brought　here　as　slaves　were　by　a　Dutch　ship；　after　which　the　English　commenced　the　trade　and　continued　it　until　the　revolutionary　war。　　That　suspended；　ipso　facto；　their　further　importation　for　the　present；　and　the　business　of　the　war　pressing　constantly　on　the　legislature；　this　subject　was　not　acted　on　finally　until　the　year　78。　when　I　brought　in　a　bill　to　prevent　their　further　importation。　　This　passed　without　opposition；　and　stopped　the　increase　of　the　evil　by　importation；　leaving　to　future　efforts　its　final　eradication。

　　　　　　　　The　first　settlers　of　this　colony　were　Englishmen；　loyal　subjects　to　their　king　and　church；　and　the　grant　to　Sr。　Walter　Raleigh　contained　an　express　Proviso　that　their　laws　〃should　not　be　against　the　true　Christian　faith；　now　professed　in　the　church　of　England。〃　As　soon　as　the　state　of　the　colony　admitted；　it　was　divided　into　parishes；　in　each　of　which　was　established　a　minister　of　the　Anglican　church；　endowed　with　a　fixed　salary；　in　tobacco；　a　glebe　house　and　land　with　the　other　necessary　appendages。　　To　meet　these　expenses　all　the　inhabitants　of　the　parishes　were　assessed；　whether　they　were　or　not；　members　of　the　established　church。　　Towards　Quakers　who　came　here　they　were　most　cruelly　intolerant；　driving　them　from　the　colony　by　the　severest　penalties。　　In　process　of　time　however；　other　sectarisms　were　introduced；　chiefly　of　the　Presbyterian　family；　and　the　established　clergy；　secure　for　life　in　their　glebes　and　salaries；　adding　to　these　generally　the　emoluments　of　a　classical　school；　found　employment　enough；　in　their　farms　and　schoolrooms　for　the　rest　of　the　week；　and　devoted　Sunday　only　to　the　edification　of　their　flock；　by　service；　and　a　sermon　at　their　parish　church。　　Their　other　pastoral　functions　were　little　attended　to。　　Against　this　inactivity　the　zeal　and　industry　of　sectarian　preachers　had　an　open　and　undisputed　field；　and　by　the　time　of　the　revolution；　a　majority　of　the　inhabitants　had　become　dissenters　from　the　established　church；　but　were　still　obliged　to　pay　contributions　to　support　the　Pastors　of　the　minority。　　This　unrighteous　compulsion　to　maintain　teachers　of　what　they　deemed　religious　errors　was　grievously　felt　during　the　regal　government；　and　without　a　hope　of　relief。　　But　the　first　republican　legislature　which　met　in　76。　was　crowded　with　petitions　to　abolish　this　spiritual　tyranny。　　These　brought　on　the　severest　contests　in　which　I　have　ever　been　engaged。　　Our　great　opponents　were　Mr。　Pendleton　&　Robert　Carter　Nicholas；　honest　men；　but　zealous　churchmen。　　The　petitions　were　referred　to　the　commee　of　the　whole　house　on　the　state　of　the　country；　and　after　desperate　contests　in　that　committee；　almost　daily　from　the　11th　of　Octob。　to　the　5th　of　December；　we　prevailed　so　far　only　as　to　repeal　the　laws　which　rendered　criminal　the　maintenance　of　any　religious　opinions；　the　forbearance　of　repairing　to　church；　or　the　exercise　of　any　mode　of　worship：　and　further；　to　exempt　dissenters　from　contributions　to　the　support　of　the　established　church；　and　to　suspend；　only　until　the　next　session　levies　on　the　members　of　that　church　for　the　salaries　of　their　own　incumbents。　　For　although　the　majority　of　our　citizens　were　dissenters；　as　has　been　observed；　a　majority　of　the　legislature　were　churchmen。　　Among　these　however　were　some　reasonable　and　liberal　men；　who　enabled　us；　on　some　points；　to　obtain　feeble　majorities。　　But　our　opponents　carried　in　the　general　resolutions　of　the　commee　of　Nov。　19。　a　declaration　that　religious　assemblies　ought　to　be　regulated；　and　that　provision　ought　to　be　made　for　continuing　the　succession　of　the　clergy；　and　superintending　their　conduct。　　And　in　the　bill　now　passed　was　inserted　an　exp