Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-04-16

But, he remarked, that one great objection
had been urged in the papers, which had had
much influence in producing the present dissat-
siaction. 1t was the long Sessions If the Lee
Sfsfafure. That body, he said, had TO saperin-
'eho the diversified interests of this great state
and was it wonderful that their Sessions should
ne longer when our population is 1000, 900,
than When it amounted to only 100000, souls!
The expense, though, is complained of-2l2
men engaged for several months i'm the protec-
ton OF the public interests, expend, ofthe pub
nc revenue, say $4,000. Was it to come to
TINS, that the citizens of Richmond could not
pear TINS enormous expenditure among them,
and that the weight of gold was oppressive to
themf lie should be told, probably, that this
was an argument addressed to their interests
iiso, he would reply, let each portion of the
state protect ITS own interest, and the interest
Oh the whole would be sufficiently guarded
but he contended that the expense was not,
py any means, sufficiently great to induce the
eau Oh Convention in any form, and, especial
~, In the manner proposed. That expense le-
wed on the people by acapitdtion tax wodld on
~ amount To IL cents and 92-1O0 of a cent per
head. This he said was the whole cost of civil
|eoVerhInent-ant were the people prepared To
Jeopardze their constitution under which they
! enjoyed SO much tranquility, liberty and happi-
ness, Tor the sake OF reducing it to cents per
head? lie had no doubt but that the British
Government would willingly pay all the expen-
ses complained Of, and take us back under its
protection, sc.
MIR. l.. said he had heard with surprise OF the
| burthen of taxes in this country. He asked
what those taxes were, and contrasted them
with the civil, political and religious rights we
enjoy.
Mems disappointrnents, he said, seem to vent
| themselves In desire for a convention. If a
man became bankrupt-ifhe is refused dis
count at bank-Or ifhe loses cause in the court
ofappeals-hei Immediately inputes it TO defects
IN the constitution, and becomes the advocate
of a conversion. A respectable citizen, he
said, had come to Richmond lately, violent
enemy OF convention-a cause of Importance
was decided against him in the conrt oil appeals
and he instantly exclaimed, soy Cd there
must be a conUenfion."
Noman, said Mr.. l.. had greater interest
in the prosperity Of the country than myself
He belonged to profession the chefdcpenience
of which was on that prosperity. He expressed
his appTehensions as TO the effect of the propos-
cd changes. The right of sufrage-thc courts
the executive and the Legislature are to be
upturned and new modelled. But no one could
place. What evils, he asked, were suffered
from the folly or the defects of the executive
There was one feature in that department
which he would abolish, and which the gen
tleman MIR. .Iunford) had called the scratch
lie considered it odious because it unncccs
sarily subjected to modification, the feelings of
honorable men. But to save the personal
feelings OF men he was not prepared to upturn
the government; to abandon, for uncertainty
that which we had,tested and found to be good,
and that too, by open rebellion.-Nor was he
disposed to acquiesce in the doctrine of nom
resistance and passive obedience. When ty-
ranny or oppression existed, no man would be
found more willing than himself to resist it.
But there IS at present no grievance TO redress,
no oppression to resists.-He had expected the
object of the meeting was to digest something
like a!memorial to the Legislature, expressive OF
the evils which exist and calling on them for the
proper reticf Instead of that the proposition
was to gioe up Gi--and take the chances
whether we get better or worse constitution.
He referred to the results of the conventions
which had been called in other states, and asked
if the people were any better satisfied since
than before they were held. He said the gen
ueman, Gar. NJ was mistaken in supposing that
the expression in the constitution OF a frequent
recurrence to fundamental principles meant
that there should be frequent revolutions in the
government. 1T only, meant, regard should be
had, IN the ordinary course of legislation to these
principles; and was rather an injunction on the
departments of Government tn that effect, than
any thing else. Any other Interpretation he
thought inconsistent with the peace and good
order of Society. No human production could,
In the nature of things, be perfect. Every
Constitution must, therefore, be imperfect.
And II 1t followed, as matter of course, that
every imperfection either real or imaginary
was to be remedied by Convention, there
would be no end to them. The frequent changes
would disturb the tranquility and harmony of
society (if theydid not produce more seriouscon
sequences) without any corresponding benefit.
Let this principle be but once adopted to the cx-
tent to which gentlemen sc3rn disposed to carry
it, and we shall be subjest to constant changes
and revolutions. ,Ne,o lights will be perpetual
ly springing upon us. Forhs own part, MT. l..
said, he preferred the endurance of some triling
evils TO the hazard of important benefits. If the
length of the sessions of our Legislature be an OBJ
lection, it is one of trifling importance. This
country Is, perhaps, more given to discussion
than any other. But debate tends to delibera-
ton and to the diffusion of information among
the people. The British Parliament consists
600 men. Yet they dispatch business more ra
pdly than either the Virginia Legislature or
Congress; for no man could be heard there I'M
less he had matured his ideas so as TO be worthy
of being heard.
Mr.. Leigh said, that many ofthe defects COM
planned of by the friends of Convention, could
be remedied by legislative enactments, which
ne thought preferable to total revolution in the
government, the results Of which no one could
foresee. They might be either fortunate or
calamtous, and he was unwilling to take the
hazard.
Mr.. IIa!lam, in a few remarks which we did