Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-03-23
RIcNrMoMD:
TUESDAY MORNING, MARCH %, 1924.
CONVENTION, No. iii.

ASkN NO., LII.
In the preceding No. we attempted to shcw
the necessary iinperfections of the Constitution
OF Virginia, from the stormy period at which i
was adopted, being the commencement of the
Revolutionary war, and the want of experience
among men, who great and profound as they
wcre5 were Just assuming and exercising for
the first time the right of self government.
Will it be denied by the opponents of con-
Vention, that the present age is not qualified To
add many improvements to the Constitutions
Have we learnt nothing from an experience
ot near nifty years? Did the Constitution
come to us SO perfect, that its operation for all
that period has pointed out nodefect, either in the
application of particular provisions, or in the
absence OF others, which experience has demon
~strated, 1t ought to possess? And If this be an
swcred IN the negative, will it not be granted,
mat as a tree people, we have the right, and
that as a discreet people, who have never abus-
ed the liberty with which a kind Heaven has
favored US, we are competent to exercise the
right, OF revising, reforming, or remodeling.
our form of Government, We Law some stress
upon this Interrogation, because the
drawn from the superior wisdom of those who
formed the Constitution, which we attemptc i'm
%ourlast, oobviate, has been extensively used by
the enemies of a Convention, and has made no
little impression on the good feelings of the PEG
pie. They have admitted its force without en-
curing into its correctuass--aud in their
haste to honor the memory and the labors of
their ancestors, have not perceived that they
are indirectly impeaching their own ability and
competency orselfgovernment. Perfectindeed
must have been that Constitution, in which so
long expcrince had discovered no defects, and
into which, time had introduced no abuses-aud
unworthy the enjoyment of liberty the people,
who in a state of profound reposc, and having
nothing to fear but themselves, arc vet content
to submit TO serious AMI acknowledged erieyau-
ces, from the fear that the attempt to redress
them, by their ocn fundamentally, should in
troduce new and une xpected evils. The arpn-
inent then is inconcluslpe. We have profi.d
from long experience land are qualified from
this experience to amend what was left de-
~fective.
Ii then there are defects in or Constitution
III these defects are acknowledged even by
those who are opposed 10 removing t!lem-if
the grievances which they have engcndercd
Dear heavily and unequaily on the Statc-ifthev
can be rcmedied by a Convention only-and if
that event Is not iniinical to our safety or hap
piness In other respects--can any time be more
propitious for its assemb!age than the present,
is 1T better to enter into it calmly and delibe-
rately when we have every assurance that the
great land marks Of the Constitution will be
observed, the indep sndence of the judiciary and
the limitation of the right of suffrage, or waiting
until we are forced into it, by the ciamours of
the people, incur the hazard of putting every
thing to sea again." and probably loose those
features of the present Constitution, which are
valued and admired, By alrreflecting men,
There IS another pc yerlul consideration that
urges expedition. We nave heard ofsome, who
admitted the niece sity of n Convention, but
were DESTROYS OF pc stponing it until MT. JeiIcr-
sons death. We would accelerate il, to en-
sure to the country the aid of his and MI. Madi-
sons talents and eX >eriencc. a Convention of
which they were IN -mbers-wlIosc proceedings
were tempered by their wisdom-and which
would be hOnored by the presence of otheriI-
iastrlous men, who could only by such an event
be called from the shades of retirement, to take
once more an active part in public life, could
not fail to terminate safely and happily for Vir-
GINA. 1t might mother respects be productive
OF great consequences. 1t would give an i'm
pulse to the moral character of the State, and
this age might have the happiness of witnessing
one more such assembly, as the Congress of
'76, or Convention of '88. God speed the day.
National Advocate. Major Noah in noticing
the unconstitutional Whig,n presuncs il ssto be
a sprout planted by the Presidential Election.
and to be nipped by the frosts, as soon as that
events decided" If w live noiongcr, we shall
have survived the Major some months. We
are advised that he Is already defunct in his
o,cn right, and that ne does business as agent.
THE PRE- 5IDENCY.
We have seen a letter from Washington,
which speaks of the s'probability of a coalition
between Clay and Jackson" and in favor of the
latter. We have too high an opinion of Mr..
Clay, to believe him capable of being concern
ed in such a barter--but we thin< such a re-
suit fromthe force Of eUeats, as by no means i'm
probable. The prospects OF Mr.Clay have GER
taiDly, much faded since the commencement OF
the present session of Congress, and it is asser-
ted that he himself s'akes his last hope on the
vote of New York. AS it is next to certain
that he cannot obtain TIT, we are not prcma-
ture in placing him by the side ofAIr. Calhoun,
hors du combat But three candidates remain,
one for eachof the great geographical sections
of the Union, the Northern, Southern and West
ern. By Mr.. Ciay's declining, Jackson will
probably receive an accession Of strength from
Kentucky, Missouri, Louisiana and Illinois
from the same event., Adams will gain Ohio
and Indiana. If Adams, Crawford, and Jack
son come before the House Of Representative
the first ballot will in all probability present this
result. For Jackson 8 States, viz. Louisiana
Alabama, mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky
Missouri, Illinois, Pennsylvania; and South
Caralina, 8. For Adams 10 states, viz. Maine
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont
Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, wary
land, Ohio and Indiana, 10. For Crawford, )
states, viz. Georgia, Y. Carolina, Virginia,
Delaware, and New York, 5. Some of the
States may disappoint this conjecture, as Mary
land may vote for Crawford or Jackson, Eew
York and Illinois las We really believe) for "a
dams, and Kentucky for Crawford, but the re-
suit from strong indications of public opinion,
will not materially vary from the above state
Inent.