Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-04-23
FoR rnE ENQUIRER.
CONVENTION.
To he Common Sense Of VIginia.

gift oil providence TO al. his creatures for the
practical purposes of life and not TO your
sophistry, the offspring of deuding education,
and perverted reason which stickles AT no
absurdty, but will even dare to prove that
ftro and t,co in political arithmetic make one
/ should not have obtruded myself upc q
you with single remark, but for the singu-
larly anlNr manner in which this most impor-
tant subject has been treated by the aldrmisis
in the City Of Richmond. They have appeal
ed to the passions ofthe people with all the
fascinating powers Of declsmation-at one
time exciting their fears with the horrors of
anarchy, at another time calling in the aid of
merry ridicule. They have even tossed the
public mind 10 and Jro-hither and yon, with
the promised blessings of heaven, and the de-
nuncia,ions of hell fire
Fellow citizens, let me entreat you, let me
must solemnly conjure you, as you hold your
present interests and the interests of your pos
terity dear to your hearts, as you value the
liberties which your fathers have transmitted
to you sealed with their precious blood, and
would eschew relapse gradual deteriora-
ton, into worse state of despotsm than that
from which they have redeemed you, divest
yourselves ofthese fascinating spells of sophis-
try, return to the dictates Of common sense. and
Judge ofevery thing that is said TO you on this
subject by that unerrieg rule. Yes, admon-
ash you even TO scrutiniZe the very show and
appearance of candour that is put on by
some with the design to deceive, and by 9th
ers from the Innocent delusions of false rea-
soning, fer they will all talk TO you of COM
mon sense, the one with good motives truly.
but the other with wicked intentions 10 an
pcase her watchtuiness. Relax not, however.
be not put of your guard, judge them by the
rigid test Of coDmon sense, and you are safe
you shall bid defiance 10 the wiles of sophisiry
whether distilled from the honeyed and elo-
luen lips of the designing or the deluded-
With this you are literally fenced around by
abulwArk lmpenetrable TO corrupt Innovations
and you have at the same time the anIidote
70 any deterioration of the good principles you
have adopted, as well as the corrective TO those
errors which must have crept in among lhem
through the faIibi!ity of all human things. ST.
that progressive melioration must be the nev-
liable consequence Of a strict adherence TO
the dictates ofthat inesiimable and least fai-
ole principle, common sense, which the boun-
tlul and impartial Sreator has equally award.
ed TO us al. lfyou then prepared TO hear
me upon this principle, will pledge mysefto
adhere to IT as rgidly as my abilities will ena-
Ole me-but also caution you, and entreat
you, TO Judge me too, not by my professions
nnt by The more sllarpened and animated scru-
tiny of your own good sense
Leaving then, the visions of fancy and all
other decisions to the dtarmiSts upon this oc-
casion, let us come to the brief and simpl. Ian
gnage of truth-for truth is plain, and requires
out few words to array her intellgibly befoi e
the understanding.
Some of the aarmists have affected TO de-
fine terms, the metes and bodnd> Il will of
preference join issue with them upon that
ground for no method is more consonant
with The dictates OF common sense, and of
truth.
Let 1t then be ascertained in the first place
what IS ii that is proposed 10 the people 81
presume ii is, TO discuss and decide whether
they will call Convention to revise the con-
s'llution. If the people have no right To call
Conventions II is idle, it is rebeilious it Is trea-
son To discuss the question. But they have
The right, they retain the right, as unaenable,
and ndtleasihle, flour Bill of Rights he the
paramount law of the land, the great raIlying
ground, the fundamental principles of our DO
itical institutions To which we are admopished
by oar wisest and most orthodox Statesmen.
as we'll as by the Bill! of Rights themselves
80 frequently tn recur." The Virginia Bill of
flights prefixed TO, aud forming part of the
constitution, says-articie IS. That govern
ment is, or ought 10 he instituted for the com
mon benefit, protection and security, Of the
people, nation, or community of all the va
TIous modes and forms of government, that
Is best, which is capable Of producing the
greatest degree of happiness and safety, and
IS most efectnally secured against the danger
OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and that, when any
government shall be found Inadequate or con
trary to these purposes, mniority Of the
community hath an inGubitG5Le, Hnaiiendbie,
and iHd.(edsibie right, to reform, aRer, or
ub0'iSh It. IN such manner as shall be Judged
most coHducire 10 The public real" Also article
. 10. That no free government, or the bless
JnSs of liberty, can he preserved TO any people,
but by firm adherence 10 Justice, moderation,
temperance, frugality, and virtue, and by fire.
Yuent recurrence TO fundamental PrinciPieS."-
Now who will dare deny the unaIienabIe right
OF the people to call Convention lfany, let
the scOrnful finger of common sense hold him
up 10 public Odlum. But what method shall
they adopt Surely the least objectionable,
las neither the Bill of Rights nor the constitu-
ton prcscribes any model is first to take the
sense Of the people by vote for or against
Convention, in the same manner as it is taken
for their representatives in the legislature. If
they may not pursue this course, it is a virtual
denial of the right already established.
Ii the result of such poll exhibit MAORI
" oil freeholders of the state, so voting, to- be
against convention, the question should be
set at rest TIL some new grievance or revOlu
ton 10 sentiment give new occasion 80 test a
gain the will Of The people.
But if the result be majority in favour Of
Convention, the succeeding legislature are
virtually bound to further the views of their
constituents, by recommending to them the
most suitable plan Of procedure to effect their
object. I say It is incumbent on the Iegisla-
ture to devise and recommend the mode of
proceeding; such as how many members shall
constitute the convention, whether one or
more from county or only one from each
senatorial district whether the election shall
be On the cyl elnctinn dau for renreacnlaIives