Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-09-04
The Convention at Stanton.


(The names of those will be found on the first
page of our paper)
The unanimous choice Of the above delegates,
upon a proposition TO organize themselves and
for that purpose, to elect the necessary officers,
feU upon James breckenridge, as president-E-
rasInus Shiblins, was appointed secretsry-it is
needless to name other officers.
The leading, the essential, and indeed the sole
object of this convention, was TO devise and a.
dept expedient and proper measures for procu-
ring the call of general convention, for the
purpose of amending the present constitution of
our state.
An idea seems TO have struck some persons
that, considering the com.3arative fewness of
the counties represented in the present conven-
tion, that body would coniine themselves to issu
ing a solemn. clear anil impressive address to
The people c. Virginia III general, and psrticu-
)arly 10 the people of the lower counties, she'd
ing a strong additional light OH the radical de-
fleets OF the present onstitution-especally us
It respects the inequality Of representation so
justly obnoxions. inviting their most serious at
tention 10 the important subject--and recon-
:nending 1t TO them to send Delegates TO SUBJ
sequent meeting to be held at Charlottesville or
some other place East of the Ridge (merely
with q view 20 concliation-) The convention
would then have Adjourned, and pursued, at the
second meeting alluded to, its Inomentous OBJ
jccts, il IS supposed, with both greater dignity
have sent delegates, and given 10 the manifesto
zion of the public sentiment degree of force
AID influence not to be resisted
THIS conciliatory step not having been taken,
two roads now lay open before the convention
the Une was,ito recommend it to the people TO
Gala convention Immediately and without the
intervention of The Legislature. 1need not re-
mark on the dangers and inexpedisncy of such a
measure. ihat the people have right to adopt
it, is, in strict theory, indsputable; but, what
ever is right is not always eSpedient or safe
The second path, much smoother, and much
more practicable, was, 10 petition the next Lee
gisature to recommend t to the people to call
General Convention for the salutsry purposes
above mentioned.
You will perceive by the little sketch of the
proceedings OF that body winch enclose oyou,
ard which is borrowed from the Republican
farmer," thai, Resolutions offered, propo-
aiIg, some an immediate appeal TO the people,
some Il like appeal through the channel of the
Legislature.
(i1av:ng commenced the publication of the
Journal OF The convention we deem ii unneccssa-
~ 20 present this sketch to our readers.)
sin told that the debates assumed a much
wider range. Some of the delegates, forgetting
that they had met for The specific and exclusive
OBJECT of devising and adopting measures for
procuring the call of General Convention, to a.
mend the present constitution, launched into a
7,
The detects of that constitution, and on its few
excelieGceS, pointing out the parts which ought
10 be retrenched, and those which ought to be
preserved. Now, il is evident enough that all
this Mas preposterous. 1t WAS even so to modify
the powers of the convention to be called Ito
make them unlimited or limited. This was no
business of the convention al Staunton-au they
had 10 do was to devise and adopt measures for
procuring the call of General Convention 10
the people themselves, and TO the people alone
it belongs to qualify the powers OF that conyen
ton, and 10 say whether the present constitu.
tiGnal edihce shall be entirely pull ed down or on
- undergo partial repairs In excuse for the
deylations under view, ii may be alleged
that the subject very temptinE-and thai
tie conventional deiega'es were not ted down te
the precision of special pleaders. | am very
willing 10 make such allowance, especially as
am fully acquainted with the exclusive natuks
of cur popular eoqnence
To conclude-I am infirned, Gor could moi
enjoy the satisfaction OF personally attending tn
debates) that the convention have hnaily resolv
ed upon recommending it to the people OF tn
several counties fully and clearly TO express, a
the time of the next elections, their sentiment
on the subject Of calling General Convention
for the desired purposes; and TO instruct the,
delegates 20 the General Assembly TO vote o.
that subject, coniormably TO the wish OF the ma
iority of iicr cons lituents in each county,
of each county to adopt and present to the LIE
s.slature the memorial of which l enclose you
copy.
TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
VIRGINIA.
The memorial IF the citizens Of - count
The undersigned citizens Of ------
county, uniting for the purpose of Obtar
ing such amendments to the Constitute
of this commonwealth, as will secure I
the good people thereof, all the rights al
privileges 10 which they are by nature er
titled and of which they have been dC
priVed by the early adoption of principle
which il moi originally u radically wrOnI
have become SO by the subsequent uper;
'ion of natural aud accidental causes;
beg leave to lay before the Legislature
che state, such an exposition Oi their grie'
ances, as will establish at Ouce, the certain
fY of their existence, the extent Ut the
operation, and the necessity OF their u
mOVal. Passing over many lesser evil
connected with and inseparable from ii
existing constitution, they are satisfied,
the present occasion, to cOnfine their ate
ton exclusively to one; not doubling tn
lie SANE remedy which will be applied
n, will at the same time be extended 10 e
cry principle in the constitution, inlmiC
to the rights and happiness Of au i0depe
dent people. No doctrine has received
more universal assent, than that in a
publican government the will of the n
iority should be the law of the land. A
vet IN a state, bOasting Of the pure repr
Iican character Of its Institutions, this Fl
and fundamental principle of republics
ism does not exist for to borrow the Ia
guage Of late eloquent appeal to the p'
pie Of Yirginia,l g the government OF
commonwealth is actually in the hands o