Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-02-05
on this interesting question:.

There tore, ., ~ .'e t-..s .N.sN
Resolved. That the sheriiFs and seriesn,s
throughout this commonwealth be Instructed
| AM. required at their respective elections for
delegates to the next general ass emily to men
poll, the one column of which TO be h. AIDED
"convention (" the other emo convention and
as the voters pass fordelegates, to request them
also to vote upon this question; and fairly re
co'tling their votes, deliver the poll thus taken
to the persons elected to the assembly, that the
sentiments the people may be corrSctly made
known 10 The ensuing Legislature, and by ,hem
carried into effect.
motion was made to amend the said -pre-
amble and r. solution, by striking out he whole
thereof and inserting 10 lieu Of them the fol-
lowing:
The General Assembly have considered.
with merised attention, the petition of some of
| me inhabitants OF Accomack county. imputing
uefects to the constitution of this state. AMI
praying that convention may be called to re-
medy them. A deliberate inves,isation Of the
reasons assigned IN That petition, in support of
ITS PRAYER, has produced i'm this Assembly 4
conviction Of the insufIiciency to warrant the
grant OF it They consist Of objections to va
iu.hie traits of the present constitution, of.
grievances within the range Of legal redress
OF evils resulting from the vices Of man rather
thsn OF the coDsdtution, and of trivial imper-
fections iHssparable from hJi,na, t,rpduntions
Tnts Assembly hesitate not to declare, tina,
with them schemes of Innovation on the con-
stitution should not Originate; hat they, dele
gated to act under The constitution, should not,
| in the absence of instructions from the cousti
tuent body, be instrumental in the creation of
power superior to the constitution. This
rule, founded on a defereniial respect to TN.
power superior to the constitution. and on a
laudable humility in the power subordinate to
e, would be violated in its spirit il not in its
letter. were this assembly IN any manner to
interfere IN aid OF the proposition 10 call con.
ventIon ON thssapptication OF a small portion Of
a single county. slp
This Assembly warmly cherish the princinles
OF free and just government. That the soye-
reignty is vested in the people; that government
is an emanation from and subordinate to that
sovereignty, receiving its form and organization
from the will, and deriving its powers from the
consent of the people tibet it is instituted for
their protection and security, and when it fails to
attain those ends, q majority of the community.
has an unalienable and indefeasible right to re-
form, alter and abolish it, are principles, esta-
blished with the liberties OF the state and indis-
solubly connected with them when such a ma
Jority shall communicate to the General Assem-
bly, wish to reform, alter or abolish the form
OF government, that Assembly should hold its
entire constitutional powers obedient to such a
wish and should direct them in the manner hest
calculated tocarry it into complete effect This
II
procedure OF this Assembly or its members in
their delegated character, operating in any man.
ner ON the great question, shall the constitution
OF the state be reformed, altered or abolished.
when such wish IS indicated to them from but
one county, and but small portion of that county
1t cannot be doubted, that even the interrogato-
rs from this Assembly to the people, shall con-
venuon be called to form new constitution.
would authorise the conclusion, that the Assem-
bly, entertained the opinian that such measure
would be expedient and proper; And it is still
less to be doubted. that if such opinion exists,
and such an interrogatory be propounded, a spe-'
cItlcatlon OF the defects requiring remedy from "a
convention, should accompany the interrogatory.
10 profound it, when no such opinion exists,
would be wanton; to profound it in consequence
OF such an opinion, and YET withhold the reasons
OF that opinion, would be, fnot an uncandid, at
least an imperfect, discharge Of the duty of this
Assembly.
This Assembly cannot but regard the or;eina-
ton of such an enquiry by it and at it's discreti-
on, as unwarranted by any sound reasons drawn
from its admitted and obvious functions Tina,
the duty imposed by this principle, on this As
sembly, ceases to operate when about ninety
persons shall petition fora convention, cannot be
admitted TO say that such petition war
rants the exercise of any. of the powers of this
Assembly to call convention or to press upon
the people the investigation Of the fundamental
LAWS Vi Ihis state, iSsobn0xiouS to the most OBJ
vIous dictates of propriety, and the soundest
conclusions of reason The precedent furnished
by such an exercise of the powers of this As
senbly, would be destructive of the peace and
tranquility OF society. Forthis Assembly cannot
nationally anticipate from the labors of a conyen
ton, a constitution which will not be regarded as
defective and requiring amendment by a number
equal to the petitioners-1herefo
Resolved, That the petition of sundrv inbab;.
tants OF Mccormack county, imputing defects to
the constitution of this state, and praying that
convention may be called to remedy them, be
rejected.
And the question being put on the proposed
amendment, It passed in the affirmative
On the motion of Mr.. Beeson, seconded bv Mr.
SPurlock, ordered that the ayes and noes ON tine
sad question be inserted in the journal
The names Of those who voted in the afHrma.
tive are, MessrS. Finney, Coles, Cooke, Norveil,
ArcsTew Anderson, Fulton, Blackburn. Porter
held, Taylor, Tucker, Yahcey, Boiling, William
Jones, Egmop, Wyatt, Hatcher, Frederick Jones.
Strobe, Watkins, Nicholas, Watts b. w. PRYOR.
Ritchie, John Jones (of Esscx) Peake, Wills.
Bernard, Baytop, Perrin, Dupree, MaclSlin, King,
White, Patrick Anderson, Simon, Claypool, Nh
theniel seiden. Joseph Solder, James johnson,
9oodson, Barrett, Tazewell,. Walker, Wiley
Campbell, Taliaferro, John HILL Aylett, Shear
man, Bah, holland, Mercer Mason, Gregory.
BiDuPs, J. - Jones, Goode, lessee, Berkeley. II
Caperton, jr ingicS, Dashiell, John IT, Christian.
X. Christian, Newton, Duuton, Rice, Downing,
Woods, Hull, Fisher Archer Vaehon Tt.,,rle