Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-04-30
SUBSTITUTE


ING OF THE CITIZENS OF RICHMOND ON rbr
SUBJECT OF A CONVENTION, IN LIEU OF rnr
REPORT OF Tux COMMITTEE.
This meeting is deeply impressed with ,bs
delicacy, the gravity, the dignity of the sub.
Jecf, on which it is assembled To deliberate
and approaches it with unfeigned humiEty
and awe.
Those who publish their opinions to tho
world, and the reasons ON which they found
them, design, If they he sincere and honest. n
inform and convince the public mind-to in.
'flurnce its resolutions by the force of truth
and reason alone. 1t behoves all men to die.
card all partial views, To dismiss all hasty pre-.
possessions, to deliberate maturely, and to ex.
anime with the utmost circumspecton the in.
fnitcly diversified and complex relations Of
society, before. they resolve TO attempt, o,
counsel, change in any tried system of general
laws whatsoever; much more, before thew
presume TO touch the ieges tgum, the fund.-.
mental Laws and constitution Ofther country
Ii Is moi the part Of wisdom, TO act, or movs
at all, in such high concerns, without strons
and adequate motive, without means safe and
sure, without objects certainly defined, Ger.
tainly good, and certainly attainable. Men
ought To feel some serious practical evil. r.
know that that evil is imputable to some vice
ar defect in the constitution, and to know
With moral certainty deduccd from the uni
formity of public sentiment on the. occasion
that the proper corrective will be applied n
exact and due measure, before they endea.
vour to excite in the minds of Others, or che.
IRISH in their own, disconten.s against a ro-
vernmeDt so mild in its character as ours
and SO benefcent in its actual operations
They ought not to pat in Jeopardy or expose
10 the slightest hazard, the certain blessing,
they enjoy.
Human reason, even surprising it uncloud.
ed by passion or prejudice, (if that be possblel
" hen employed in estimating the prospective
ELECTS of political Institutions, or of political
Causes put in action, has ever proved lamenta
bly, ldlibie. Modesty and prudence, as they
are nscpa:ahIe qualities, sothcy are the eter
nal tests, oftrue wisdom. Wise men find in
the consciousness of their own weakness and
blindness, as well as in the warnings of all his
tory, the most cogent persuasives to the ex.
tremest caution and circumspecton. or
those of our fellow citizens who desire q con-
ventlnn tO reform the constitution, no man
lit Is hoped and helieved.) desires a total
change ; no man denies, that there is much
that is good and wise and happy, which ought
by all means TO BE- preserved. They must all
he aware, that men reason on different .prin
cipies, and variously on The same principles
and arrive al the most diverse cnnclusons.-
How can any man know, that that which he
deems a fault will be corrected, or that the a.
mendmeui has Judgment approves will be Il.
dnpted How can any man know, that all
he vices lie deplores will not be retained, OF
that all which he most values as good, will
not br abolished i? How can any man know,
now can he feel any confident assurance, that,
u the very amendments he himself thinks adj
viiable should he made, (eyacily and no murc,l
sueh reform, IN practical operations, will work
good or triL The appeal is addressed to the
sober reasOu of the advocates for cony en-.
ton. Let il not he evaded by the general an
swer-that they are Wiiling 10 husthe pfopie
That argument will he equally applicable and
forcibie in favor ofCouvention after Conyen-
ton, until we get constitution in which no
imperfecton can be discovered or imagined
such an institution, as no time, no generation,
will ever see. IL that argument prevail, we
must make up our minds, to forcgo the bless
ngs of fixed frame of polity and settled
order things, and 10 live in Il state of per
petual revolution. This were the most
wretched condition TO which humankind was
ever doomed. We ourselves are part Of
the people, called TO act, and bound to suffer,
with all the rest. Let us not he tempted 10
imprndence ty vanglory. That the people
in their sovereign capacity, can do no wrong,
means only that they are irresponsible that
they D'H do no wrong, means only that they
VIII not wlliiIly betray their own interests,
and blast their own happiness. But the friends
OF popular government do not set up the pre-
sumptnous and absurd preicnsion, that the
people are exempt from liability TO error.
The good.sense of the people will distinguish
between the language of Aatlery and The
friendly voice of truth.
Use and habit assimiIate political insiiu.
tons TO the body polite, and make them
wholesome. The people Of Virginia are used
to the present form of government: they
know exactly what it gives, and what il with
holds: their feelings manners, opinions, de-
slres, have been in measure moulded by it,
and are thoroughly oOnfOrmed with it, Years
wsUld roll away before any new constitution
that could Ire devised, would set so easy on
Them Those who migrate from their native
land, rarely become stationary, so long es new
prospects open before thsm, and tempt them
to proceed: those, who begin the work Of pO-
iTiicai Innovation without strong necessity, or
carry II beyond the necessity which dictates il,
adopt the principle of mutation. We know
the present constitution ofVirginia we know,
by trial and use, that its dominion is light and
easy and commOdions. Why shall we cast it
away, and seek new frame of government,
the weight and fitness, the character and
practical effects Of which, no man can fore
know; the form Of which no man can ina
CINE?
In political affairs, especially in what son-
Germs the practical forms and principles OF
government, EXPERIENCE alone can detect
what is evil and approve what is good. That
IS our only sure guide. 1t has been justly said
that TIME is the wisest thing in the world.
may he affirmed, as general truth applicable
to the laws Of every free people, that any 10.
situation that has existed long unchanged, tho
n appear imperfPcf al irst SIGHT will hp fund,