Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-03-19
RICHMOND.
FRIDAY MORNING, MARCH 10. 1872
CONVENTION.

L ". ~.
CONVENTION.
The present Constitution of Virginia was n
dopted In the year l776, by the re representative e.
Oh the ooroughs and counties, Of Virginia, hclt
at the Capitol in the City of Williamsburg, il
way OF that year. 1t preceded by two months
inc Declaration Of National Indcpcndence. b.;
the continental Congrcssat Philadelphia. II was
consequently. ifor none of the other colonies
nad then organized government entirely new
theJrst Constellation of Government, formed in,
inc United States of America 1t is dear 10
VirSinians for the great and honored names
winch were associated in It's formation-it is
sun more endearcd by the pcrilous and memo
faole epoch which gave it existence, by the
profound knowledge of, and tho sacred regard
ior the rights OF man, which dictated its eve
ry provision. The names of Edmund Pendlc-
ton. Patrick Henry, Robert Carter Nicholas,
James Madison, Richard Henry Lee, and Tho
mas Neison, with many Others who were mem
bers oil that celebrated BODY, are as dis,inruisb
cd as any which figured in the Revolution. and
WIN In iuturc tunes be vencrateI with those of
Cauinus, Lycurgts, Solon, Nuna aud Ca,niIl,is
a: .ie 'oinuers, iawgivers and rcstorers of t.,n-
pres. IL Is upon The circumstance that these
INDUSTRIOUS men, contributed to erect the Const;
luton OF Vlrgnia-and from the sacred, crate
lui and tender recolicctions which arr. associ,
ted with their names, that many derive an ar
gument untavorable to TIC revision AMI amend
ment of their work. Those who reason in his
way, think 1t presumptuo.s in the present apc
10 suppose itself competent to the task of a.
mcndment and reform. they acknowledge that
there are obvious and serious defects in the oro-
sent system, but like the laws Of the Modes, they
consider them as consecratcd, by the pen of the
Lawgiver. Thcywho thus reason, donot reflect
that the same course ofratucination would perne-
tuate every thing that was pure in its origin or We
ueraoie Tor ITS antiquity, nomatterhow antiauitat
cd, announcement or oppressive iti,ad become from
tue changes which arc continually occurrino il,
the moral and physical worll. Thcy do not r.
member that the civilized world, ana th.. sci
cnce OF governncnt particularly, is in state of
progressive and rapid improvement, and llat the
experience of the American Republics has shed
floods of light upon a subject, which preyious 20
their establishment, was stuiiously and jealous
~ concealed from the familiar acquaintance OF
mankind. Above all, they forget that the men
whose labors in our Constitutions they affect te
veneratc so highly, were themselves the last
who would have wished their works to be hell
as sacred, not for their intrinsic worth, but fur
thcir age, aud the circumstances under which
they were ushered into the world. They were
men who valued not things for their o.irin. or
their Names hut for their moral worth and Mill.
ty. AS patriots they would have advocated a
ny change which would have resulted i'm benc
mt to the country-as Republicans, they woni,l
always DC willing 10 recur TO fundamental prin
ciples, and to refer back to the people. for a
new modification of that authority bv which
they were governed, when it was found made
quatc TO Its purposes, or oppressive in its exc
cution.
BY revising then, the Constitution of y;rr;.
ma, we are offering no insult or disrcspect to the
memory of the Patriots and Sarcs who formed
1t. Weare not infringing any of the PRINCIPLES
which they deemed sacred, and dedicated TO ac
ter ages. we donotnean to question the great
aXlonlS - that tine people are the fountain of all
power" that &C man is by nature free, % hat his
religion Is between him and his crcator,D tbat
the Legislative, Executive and judicial de-
partments, ought to be distinct, ana independent
OF each other" and s that taxation onght not TO
be imposed, without Representations 1t is only
meant to reform the application of some of these
principles, to practice, to apportion represen-
tatlon to population and wealth. and to make the
Executive what IN its nature it ought TO be, sin
gator and responsible, instead of what if is now
ptu,ul&irresponsible. Thedesgn ola convention
is, not TO overturn the building which the Patriots
OF l716, erected for the benefit of their country.
but to enlarge its original plan; to accommodate
1t to the increased numbers, and altered circu,n-
stances OF its proprictors, and TO supply defects
which experience has suggested in tie original
conception. Alterations in Eli human inst;tu-
tons are continualy necessary, ana these altcra-
tons imply no disrcpect to the founders of those
nstItutions-Manhind in particular countries
are always changing either for the better or the
worse, and either change carries along with it.
a corresponding necessity for a new modifi-
cation of government. The laws of Scion and
Lycurgus gradually became disused and OBJ
solete, because the Athenians and Spar.ans
gradually relaxed in the Republican sirnpE-
ortlh r,r.I La, $ IL.
For the opposite reasons, the laws OF tie Ten
Tables, introduced from the codes of a people
who had already passed the grand clmacte-
RE OF their national virtue, and were fast dec!n
ing into corruption, sloth and eicmnacc were
but fora short time tolerated in Rome a YOUTH
full, virtuous & unosphisticated Republic. Man.
as species, will not accommodate himself 10 a
form OF Government, but the Government must
be accommodated to his wants, his habits and
opinions. Whether we have therefore receded
from our Revolutionary character, or advanced
In Its perfection, we are equally in need, from
the striking changes i'll our situation, ola new
dispensation.
| BUTT is no derogation to the trainers of the
Constitution of Virginia, to suppose that that in
strument can be revised with much advantage
| 1t was adopted at period which appalled, thu
stoutest hearts. The Revolutionary conflict ha,
| just commenced, the public mind was i'm stat,
Of the highest fcrment, and the most intense ari
tation and excitement. Common men wonl,
have been incapable under such circumstance
ofdcliberation-but our forciathcrs were un
common men, and ifthc instrument under consi
Iteration has not all that perfection which mor
mature experience could confer, il was VIC
adequate to the immediate and pressing C
mergencics, it was intended to meet.
bore the state triumphant through the pcrils o
| the Revolution, and for the half of a century
has remained monument of the wisdom oft
! founders, and in most respects. n happiness t.