Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-07-06

| gerous than all the hazards OF foreign war,
as they serve to loose the bonds OF society
which pressure from without never fails to
draw yet closer. Relieved from common
peril we are beginning to fall out with one
another about our political and constitution
al privileges, and while one party refuse
with too much pertinacity the claims OF jas
tce, the other man,fests an ndiscrcet pro-
| psnsity to seize the righ, which they con-
ceive 70 be unjustly withheld.
| You will readily perceive that / alluce
to the proposition to call convention tor
| the purpose of amending the state cocsti~
tuition Its real object--so procure an e.
| quail representation of the different parts
| OF the Commonwealth. AS we nave long
enjoyed intimate communion with each o.
| Their, you viii, am sure, ascribe only TO
| proper motives. the opinions l am about to
| express to you, in favour OF this propositi-
! OH 4; and I, on my part, would not trouble
| you with such spcculaticns, il I were not
| perfectly acquainted with that CONSTITUTE
onai candour whlrh will induce you TO Tend
an impartial ear 10 whatever may be adj
vanced. Indeed you need not apprehend
any thing IRON me, which even the most
scrupulous follower of III cautious Mr.
burke, would denounce rs disorganizing or
Jtcoblnicai. Though l am not a disciple of
his school-Ihough the glare, and splen
dour. and glowing imagery of his works
(Which Ike dazzling phantom has misled
many an ardent temper to his undoing) has
had no operation upon my sluggish and ur-
apprehensive spirit, yet am equally re-
moved from that restless and unQuiet tern
permanent which finds happiness only in
turmoil and excitement; which on every
TRIVIAL occasion is ready to break up the
foundations OF society, and will risque the
peace and tranquility ola nation, for an I'M
certain and speculative advantage. AL
uniting, as always must admit, the right
OF the people TO change the form ard fash
ION oil their government, whenever they
Please, cannot hesitate to believe that they
ought to please TO do so, as rarely as pos
sble. The dictates of common pru-
oence, consciousness of the natural i'm
| pertections OF all human institutions, con-
viction that our Efforts at amendment do
not always improve, AMI cannot render
iaulsisSs, and persuasion that tendency
IN cnange, is the great defect Of democrat
ticai governments, all conspire to inculcate
the useful lesson, that great alterations in
the system of government should not be
attempted 90 trivial and unimpoTtant occa-
sons. II is lesson We have all learned
L will venture to affirm that no nation in
existence, to which relentless despo.ism
has not givan "the waveless calm the
s.umber of the dead" ever manifested less
OF that frivolous temper, which delights in
everlasting change, than the beloved state
to which we belong. The " good old do
mlnion," SO much the subject of obloquy,
and OF adnira ton, may challenge compa-
| rison with any other dominion, as land of
| steady habits in matters Of government
lhc first to frame a constitution amidst that
| great political CONFUSION which rent in
| twain the British empire, not all the fervour
| or the moment could stimulate her wary
! and temperate statesmen to indulge in wild,
| ch'merlcai, and Utopian schemes of Go
veroment. They were content to weed
| away whatever was monarchical, whatever
| was Inconsistent with the great scheme of
| orr liberties, but they thoaght it prudent,
| ratherto leave US defective constitution,
than to alter too extensively the existing
frame Of thiEgs. They chose rather 10
leave to experience TO suggest farther
! changes, than to pull down the whole edi-
| hce, Tor tas purpose Of rebuilding it accor..>
| my to the vicious taste of self Conplacent
theorists, or the fanciful notions of vIsiona-
ry politicians.-We thank them for it. We
feel the defects of the Constitution. We
have felt them tor more than forty years
but emulatlng the prudence of our forefa
Tiers, we have patiently borne them, that
we might not be fairly chargeable with
frettul ImPatienCe, under inevitable ills, or
imprudent haste in attempting to redress
them. We have acted wisely. -Forbear..
auce was due to our ancestors--It was due
TO curselves--it was due to the character of
our country. In exercising it, we have
supported the coed name of a. our native
land" tor whose prosperity and character
her sons can never be indifferent. Col
grant that we may never forget what our
high duties to her imperious,y require
that we may never by our conduct bring
upon her, the reproach OF injustice to her
children, on the one hand, or involve her
| N scenes Of faction, and confusion, and ci-
vii broll and bloodshed on the other.
l very much fear we are, at present. on
all sides. alternating from this path of duty
j think it can scarcely be questioned tn at
gross inequality at present exists in the
representation of the different paris of the
state an inequality which, with much
pertinacty, those who hold the power. have
uniformly refused to correct. This is in
justice. On the other hand, few indivi--
duals have lately assembled at Winches
ter, in the county of Frederick, and pro
nOunce "that an alternative is presented
to the people, of submitting to an indefinite
continuance of (what is perhaps right
styled) this monstrous and unnatur al state
Of things, or OF eadeaUouring WITHOUT
THE AIDOF THELEGISLATURE to
effect full and free convention of the peo-
pie of the Commonwealth" They there
to~r. r~,af ~o tbo... II z ~. -