1792. CONVENTION (Virginia), Powers of.—[continued].
To our convention no
special authority had been delegated by the
people to form a permanent Constitution, over
which their successors in legislation should
have no powers of alteration. They had been
elected for the ordinary purposes of legislation
only, and at a time when the establishment
of a new government had not been proposed
or contemplated. Although, therefore,
they gave to this act the title of a constitution,
yet it could be no more than an act of
legislation, subject, as their other acts were,
to alteration by their successors.—
To John Hambden Pleasants. Washington ed. vii, 344.
Ford ed., x, 302.
(M.
1824)
