The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-01-28
@De Grlqulrer.
RICHMOND, 9stb JANUARY'.
CALL OF A CONVENTION.
ROge Of Delegates, Monday, Jan. 60.

HOME Of Delegates, Monday, Jan. go.
a motion being made, that the houfe refolve
itfe'f into committee of the whole, to take
into confederation petition from the counties
OF Henry and Patrick, " reqnelting the legf-
lature to adopt means for calling convention
to revife and amend the fate contribution -
Mr.. BALL moved that the eueition he poft.
poned till the SIN of March. He was oppofcd
to calling convention at this time on act. ount
ct our political relations. We fl,onld perhaps
I've foon engaged in conteR with fcme of the
foreign powers. Our profpects abroad are clou-
dy, and revihon, fuch as the prefent Queftion
contemplated, required, beyond anv other, the
enjoyment of comDleat funihinc. 1t would be-
lmpotiib'e to aifemble convention and revife
the contribution, without rafting confederate.
ferment.-tt was idle to grafp at rerfeStion.-
The hsppnefs of the people was what we all
aimed at but under the prefent contribution.
the people were contented and happy. Some
men are, to be fure, fond of change but this is
atondneis as yet confined to their own bottoms
the people at large have not partaken of il.
d mere may ne 1ome defects in the prefent con
litution; MIR. Ball admitted there were fome
but it was perhaps impoiIibIe to get clear of
them altogether. IF we call a convention if
we open fuch a wide door for amendment
thereis not perhaps Jingle feature in the pre-
lent contribution, which we may he able to re-
tain. Thofe who framed it ut firf were Dur,.
and enlightened men: they attended at a IA
vourahe time could we now expect more a.
BILE trainers, or more propitious period
MIR. BuRwELL, although he was indipofed,
and extremely feeble, felt it duty he owed to
the petition he had prefented, and the people
he Represented, to oppofe the motion of pot
DODement If al.
man had attempted to difpofe of ouefion 70
important without difcufIion. How will the
people ever underftand the defects of their con-
t'tution how are they to be imprefled with
the neceihty ofa reform, unlefs the propolition
is fairly met and fully Investigated
Whence arifes the danger of examining the
contribution and converting convention Are
we afraid that, like the Roman Decenvire, thry
VIII declare their fittings permanent and their
powers unlimited? IF this be not the danger.
whence then ariles all this apprehension A
gam. all theie ufurpations, we had hulwark,
which would never fail us, in the information
and intelligence of the people. Be6des. this ar
gument, If 1t proves any thing at all, proves in
hn'teiy too much. 1t would teach us to con.
noe no powers at all to any fet of men, from
an apprehension that they would abHfe it. IF
the contribution be detective, it was proner IN
amend it (; to expunge its imperfeetions and re-
tam all its valuable features. What kind of an
argument then was it TO fay, that we fhould
make no effort to introduc the mott poftiye be-
nehts, from vague apprehension that uncer
tam evils may politely enfue Do not our ordi.
nary legislatures peflefs the molt extenfve DOW.
ers Stiil do they not meet and tranfSG pub
nc euiireiS without public tfnrpstion? .ffhev
meet here to confult for the public welfare. and
not to violate the rights Of the people, from
whom they received their power IF we have
any approximations from the ajufcd authority
OF convention, why ihould we EXEMPT an. or
binary Legislature from hmiIar flfpicions. IT
not to be denied that the prefsnt aflemblv can
divide among themfelves the money in th,.
treaiury. The flock which the fate owns in the
oahk may take the fame direction. The arrno
ry; the whole of the public property OF every
ue'cHpHon, may be fquan sercd without oco-
nomy, or plnndered without flame. Wby then
snot irch fcene exhibited here? It is becaufe
noman woulddarc to make fuch Dropoition- II
is becauie the public Indignation The controul.
ing integrity of the majority of the people, is
prepared to cover fuch wretch with endIefs
rum. The people muf employ agents TO con-
duct the general affairs of fncety. The impor-
tant concerns of the world REQUIRE that conf
dsnce fhou'd be repofed in men (; and haDDiIv.
experience has here demonstrated that neceiIity
shot at war with the intereits ofiociety. WIN
tuen iiouIu we dread the attending OF con-
Vention, when ifs members are to be appointed
by the very fame people who feleet their leqila-
tors and on far more interefiing concerns VIII
the hyperion value of the tru(t diminiih the care
and dhcernment employed In their Election ,
is It to be expected that any agents would he
preferred but thofe who are mott comnleteIv
qualified for the great purpof"s, which are 70 be
conhded! On fuch intereltiug auctions, we
have right to expe6f that fuch men only win
DC called to the fervice Of their country. who
have age, diicrction, and talents, TO recommend
them. The character of the Virenians is fluff
Gent to fortify us hat hope. Their love of
peace, and the uncommon flare of information
diluted through the various parts of the fate.
are a fuffcient guarantee for the virtue of the
Election and the difcretion of the agent. And
ihould convention ever be fhmmoned. we
might expect that another crfs would arrive.
whole termination would ferve to ftrenp,hen
the principles of a republican government, and
increafe our confidence in the wifdom and vir
tue OF our fellow-citizens. win, fsid MIR. n.
to have an opportunity eff expreiing nv opini
on of the defects OF the prefent contribution. III
with that the people themfeIves Mould have an
opportunity Of understanding the futiea and
expecting fbeir opinions. Let us, then, f,bmit
the propoiition at once to their confederation.
we nave been told (iaid MIR. Be- that there
are few reftlefs, dfcontented indiyiduas. who
COmnlaIn- and that E,,,N q. -, IL