Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-05-18
SKETCH OF RFA1kpEs
Made by James Lanier, TO HE people of Pihsvlra
MA al Their late election OF, he Sr,h:ecl nf III Gnn

Made by James Lanier, TO The people of Pittsvlra
"'a al Met tate election, on the subject Of Con-
ucnfiOn.
FELLow-CIrIzENs-My object in ATTEMPTING to
address you on this occasion is call your atten-
ton to subject which has, in this State long All
tated the public mind and which, at period but
recently passed, discussed i'm many sections of
the country with great warmth, and might saw
Sinlence-lt IS no less than the call Of a Conyen-
ton, to revise and amend the State Constitution
BY reference to the public prints il will he s.en
thatt tins important and interesting question is again
revived, ana IN many parts of the State, where the
people have been heretofore iuinicaI to Conyeu-
ton, they have lived to see its expedicncy and to
acknowledge the absolute necessity of the measure
could have wished that some ether citizen had
brought forward this subject, OF maturer wears and
better known to the people, in whom they would me-
cessarily have had more confidence, and whose IA
tents would have enabled him to have done it more
justice than my very limited and humble ACQUIRES
ments Will permit me to do but, as no other person
has thought proper to do so, deeply impressed with
the Importance of the question: the interest pros
perity and happiness of the people of this State I
nave, however with very great reluctance imposed
the task upon myself; and if eau have your iii
ent attention but for very few moments tbink in
the course of the unprecedented remarks which
snail make upon the subject, that shall be able to
satisfy every candid and liberal mind among YOU,
OF the absolute necessity for Convention.
man In this community, will venture to affirm
ieels more deeply and sensibly than do the deli
cacy Importance and gravity of the subject or who
Is less disposed, unseasonably and causeIesslv tn
agitate the public mind; agree with the immortal
auhor OF the declaration of our Independence that
people should not, for light and transient ca uses
cha'ge or abolish the forms of government TO which
'hcy nave been accustomed; but when the experi-
ence OF half century, has demonstrated that the
Constitution under which we live, contains within
itself, many essential and radical deects-that il
depflVes large and important class of our citizens
OF their equal rights and prvieges-tllat it places
| the administration ofjusticen many cases, beyond
the reach OF the people, by the multiplicity of courts
the remoteness of some of them from their homes
and the very great expense and inconve niepce of
attending upon them: and when the burdens of the
people to support the government are sweled TO an
extravagant and oppressive amount by its defective
organization, cannot but believe it is the DUTY of
the people to reform that governments by re-organ-
izng il upon such principles as will eectually re-
duee the public burdens, within a reasonable COM
pass-will insure the speedy cheap, convenient AMI
uniform administration of public JUSTICE and secure
TO every class in the community the enjoyment of
equal rights and privileges, and an omission to do
so, would, conceive, if may such an express
sion, be treason, not only to themselves bat treason
| to posterity.
No man living, fellow-citizens has a higher yen-
Grafton, or more exalted esteem for the cha
oil those patriarchal sagcs, who, amidst the clouds.
and storms of the revolutionary tempest, formed the
4
pecttuI rcvereniai awe III approaching the works
of their patriot hands but while feel for them and
their works the most sacred Difference, truth and
justice forbid that should ascribe tnfeLibiliiy to
them, to suppose for moment, that they possess
ed that ntutIvG sagaciy, that spirit of prophecy
| which would have enabled them to look through the
perspective vista Of long distant years." and to
nave known distinctly, the wants, the wishes, and
the feelings Of the people of these times or to have
| marked the important changes i'll the situation and
circumstances of our country produced by the lapse
OF half century: nor can believe, when see in
the Bill Of Rights, they have recommended a fire.
quent recurrence to fundamental principles, aud
nave there recognized the right of majority of the
community, to form, alter, abolish their forms or
government; that they themselves expected or de-
sired that their works, like the laws Of the Modes
and Persians shoulbbe rrevocable,
That such defects as those TO which have allu-
6ed, do exist in the Constitution, has been conceded
almost by every intelligent in the community,
among the foremost of whom stands the jllustriouz
Jefferson who lived in the times that tried
| mems souls" and who a particpator in the
scenes Of that eventfui crissyyho has been hailed
| ir this country as political Moses, and whom
| the people have delighted to bUnUr-wbo cannot
now be charged with views Of ambition and rest
less spirit Of Innovation for he has long since passed
his grand climacterc, and is now calmly declining
towards the sunset Of life he, in book Of much
celebrity, has said, that these defects do exist and
| that they ought to be removed. I might appee1
were ii necessary in confirmation Of h. fact TO the
/ opinions Of many other Of our mos distinguished
citizens, pen who have largely MSrsd The coai-