The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-06-05

/ Legislative branch of the goyrr,rrr ....
| The trienna removal of only two al -.
body, might impose upon dsst4..f.=
community, portion of is member. -
the space of twelve years, how ever a.,
siye their character or conduct migbt -.
As to the mode of their removal. il -
ready excited sufficient dlsapprohation =,
render comment unnecessary. The Ex.c..
i've, rs at present constituted, is not .nfr
Gently responsible for lis conduct. r..
Governor (hayng no power 10 act wilLa.t
the advice VI tire Council, being d.a=..t
even the privilege Of casting vote. can -
responsible, only for failing To cumpiy Wi.
advice which he may consider uhirciia...
bile, or FOL acting in conformity thereni4
ather than suller the wheels of goye,a'
ment to stand still. The Council are
sponsiblc Uuly for bad advice, ur G,ibn..
to giye any--Whle their number dinnn;1
es their responsibility. We are theref,ro
of opliun that a new organization of H.
Executive branch Of the government Is IL.
srabl..-Thr great expenditure of nnhI;,
money, which would annually be SAVED
by the changes suggested IN his memo
rial, must be obvious 10 every reaeclin,.
mind.
! our Ircn1orlallsts moreover .nte,t,i,
SERIOUS doubts, whether even haif The ir, .
whlteqmcn OF this commonwealth. are 70
presented in tn" Legislature. TINS is ,
subject respecting which we think th.ra
should be no d0Hs, so long AS the rights,
the majority are respected, or so Iong ~
we pretend to assume the appelIatiop ~
| republicans. If the half--the fourth.
! al 6,
white men of Virginia, be dislran,h,.ea
and Gnrepresented, it must be Obvious, that
a very large proportion of those, who
have sufficient evidence of permanent
common iaterest with an attachment IL
the community instead Of enjoying, arr
actually deprived of the right of suffrage.
Most reluctantly indeed, would we acQ0j
e5ce IN the opinion, that so many Of the CT
! tlzeus Of Virginia are devoid Of attacbmept
to Their country, and of interest to its
welfare. IT IS more than probable, that at
the adoption of the present constitution.
while the pursuits Of our countrymen were
almost universally agricutural-the pom
iatlon of the country small and scattered :,
aud a property in the soil generally enjoy
ed-the present restriction upon the right
of suffrage, excluded but IA very small por
ton Oft the community from the exercise Of
that privilege. But, sluce THAT period, the
rapid progress Of improyeme 1t, more
druse population, and the enhanced value
OF lands, have augmented the price Of the
! trehold-giyen a new direction to the par
suits of many of our citizens, aud greatly
diminished the nlatiUe proportion of lteat
| IN qualified voters. \ revision OF tb,s
feature If the constitution 5 tnerelo,e
entitled at this time to peculiar conslde.
ration. Your mcmorali,ts are not tie
advocates of universal suffrage but
We believe an extension of this yaaa-
bic privilege within proper limits. viii
not only he WISE & polite, bat is doe, san
act of Justice, to many ofour fellow citi2rI,,
We are not prepared to discuss the nature
or extent Of tlr. limitations, which should
be imposcd--bnt are willing to confde in
the discretion OF a Convention, phoSe pro
cetdtngS n IL BE subsequently Jatftd or re
Jecttd bg HCia constituents. Weuunfdenfy
believe that wisd m and moderation VIA
be their guide upon this, and upon al 9th
| er subjects
Your Mcmorialists are also Of opinion
that semc provision for amending such de-
frcts IN the Constitution, as time and ex
periencc may d"yelope is highly epxedIeut.
Other subjects would no doubt claim the
attention of a Convention. Bot we con
teat ourselves with enumerallng The be
fore mentioned defects, as constituting
the principal grounds upon which We
would recommend revision Of thai IN
strameot.
Our memoriaGsts are well aware, that
much unnecessary alarm has been excited
Upon this interesting subject. The views
and even the mot}}tS of the friends Of
form, have been misreprescnted, while
| ANNALS baNafh.a,, ,,,.J, - fb, l,r.,I mn.