Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-02-15

rectsy the reverse would seem 10 be tie
fact from the evidence. Is it not rather
TO CRAFTY the restless zeal of thcoretic
projectors, that this measure is pressed
upon the people against their own will
When we come To examine the truth oi
this assertion, instead oia fact, we are
presented with the most strained and cS-
ir2ordinary Inference from the following
premises THAT SO counties sent depu-
ties TO the Stanton Convention chosen
by very few constituents III any county /;
but the elections being made on notice, it
is strangely inferred, that all the people
III all the SO counties, were in favor OF the
project Of calling Convention, although
Ii IS admitted, very few acted in obedi-
cnce 10 the notice. 4 on-Seguitur GER
talnly. The very reverse OF the Just
conclusion. As there was general notice
to all, only those, who acted, can justly
be considered,' as wanting ANY change;
Those who acted not as content with
the present stale of things, requiring no
change. From the peculiarly OF the
question, and the novel and unprece-
dented mode OF proceeding by portion
OF tie people AT random, without any di
reciion or guide from law the practice
of the british House OF Lords, would
have furnished The proper mode OF taking
The vote; Contents and Non Contents
Contents, satisfied with the present state
OF things; Non-Contents, for IL change.
But tins mode was rejected; because 1t
would have been dampcr TO The restless,
Unsuitable zeal oftheretormists. In that
mode, which, is The only one suited TO the
case; The &on-C Contents would have APP
peared &c be lrifling minority indeed
and we Should have heard nothing of the
Of m,
favor ofcalling Il Convention. 1t is also
well known, that this inference is directly
against the fact. But there are about 100
counties III Virginia ; and becausea very
few persons i'll SO of them, were persuad-
ed TO send deputies TO the Stauulon Con-
veniIon, not only all the people in those
counties were in favor of the measure,
but a niajority of the people OF the whole
State.
In rejecting upon this part of the sub
icct, it cannot escape observation, that
The friends of the Constitution are pla-
ced ON the most diSadvantageous ground.
-'fhose, who require change, have been
active, industrious and enterprisir%.--
They have occupied the newspapers
They have distributed inilammatory me-
MORALS. They have called meetings of
the people.-Jhey have harangued them.
They have cajoled and fiattsred them
with the promise Of more !iberty.-Some
few have left nothing undone, TO excite
muruiurs and local discontents.-Gr
names have also been either lent or enlist
ed III the service, whilst those content
with the present state of things, have been
mere passive spectators OF the scene.
When we consider the combustble
character of these materIals-wlien we
reilectupon the number OF theoretic lead
ers engaged, with laudable motives no
doubt, i'll the enterprise-the numbers,
who always sign memorials, withoutknow-
| ing why, or whel -thenumbers, who
| act under the Influence If great nanos--thc
numbers of thoushtlcss and giddy, who
are always ready for action, whether
good or bad-tlle numbers of choice spi-
rits, who are g tired of the dull pursuits of
civil !i.e,' and ready too for any change
| the worse FOR others, the better for them
selves, &c. &c.-it is not wonderful, that
| the explosion of all these combuStibles
should have been so little felt, and so lit
! lie regarded by the mass of socieiy.-lt
conspcuonsly demonstrates the good
sense ofthe Virginia people-the merited
influence OF their government-aud their
mistaken attachment 10 their existing
| fundamental institutons-It presents al
so TO The rejecting mind, the consolatory
hope, that the same good sense viii not
permit the political blessings now enjoy
ed to be put III Jeopardy by The combined
| operation of all these iHauspIcious lnilu-
ences and the more their objects are de
veloped and their effects considered, the
ore general and firm will be the resist
ance ofthe people.
The variety of arguments drawn from
the catalogue Of grievances growing out
! Ofthe system of taxation, such as con
| tIasling a war tax upon a calf with
that on Il young negro slave, &c. &c. &c
are designedly pretermitted. Because,
whilst they may serve to excite local dis
contents, they cannot serve Ill any way to
elucldatc the subject. They are of the
class OF arguments which orators some
times take tie liberty of using; not that
they themselves place any reliance on
them; but because they suppose them
suited to the capacities of others and in
their best light, can only be considered
" OgHmenta al capid,,d,n, rHiguy which,
by using a little freedom of translation,
may be rendered in EngiisI-"a bait Of
cha6' th,owm ont merely to catcA YOUNG
! GULLS."
The real enquiry shonld be Whether
any injustice he suffered or not bv the
Western People, inthc result oftlc whole
system of taxation I'm this mode Of en-
qulry, it viii probably be found, That
those, who are accused of this injustice,
have honorably and voluntarily borne
more than their full share of tic pecunia-
! ~ burthcus of the State; and fm0t, they