The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-07-25
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'a9ou 10 oe so, nasmuch as Some of thr
i finnds oi That measure have made sr..
win some OF his oplnions, hut LITTLE IA his
aasantage. think, however. they arc en-
iilitd Ia more respect than many ar. vii.
Ing To give him., He but asks Main sim.
PIE Question:" how is such deleeaiion a
tiat 10 The Staunion convention Ia mat.
manifest the fact, that majority of linz
people call for reform ~ Aud then. in !,
candid and unassuning manner. p,r,liar
III himself, tells them he cannot eoneeiye a
ny method but one. tnuw il really anne,rs
70 be lliiberal 10 blame him on account If
ms Inability 10 conceiyrJ" and that is to re-
qnifeetery member, "a preliminary to
all proceeding, TO state on his honor Lov
many persons were present and concur
ring IN the act of delegation. lie then
cahdidly gives his reason for asking the
qaestioo--s because, tsays ho) buth Mr..
Mercer aud the Friend of Equal RIGHTS,
declare that the Object of the proposed CON
fenilon at Staunlon is TO elicit an express
SION OF the real opinion of the people aud
thefeby 10 convince the Legislature that
mere IS large majority in favor of re-
FORM. lie states further, with the same
degree oil npassnmins candour and eonsis-
itacy, Il hold them bound 10 adept
some method like that ! have suggested.
10 sliew tile real aambeI Of constituents re-
presented in that conv entinn." To the
first question the friends Of the convention
answer that, they have not yet convened
and cannot say what method npay be pro-
posed or adopted until their sentiments are
collectively known upon that subject, bat
thnk II possible that they may stumble up
a lhnr tnuthn1 th.,,,
has been conceived aud brought forth, by
= Mason of 49," And secondly, they are
not aware ofany law requiring as a pre-
lmlnary tn all proceeding, such a les, as
" Mason of 1872 so percmptorily insists up
on, nor are they Wiling to believe that any
person, that gentleman not excepted, eth
or Is or can be clothed with any legal au-
thofity To ask them such question Nor
are they aware that Mr.. Mercer or the
!" Friend of Equal Rights" has in any in
stance declared that the object OF the pro-
posed convention was to elicit an express
sion of the will of the people by the mum
Der of the constituents of that d,lcga-
ton nor from any information the con
yention would be able to obtain during
their sitting. But they hoped to be able
dtfing that time To adopt some uniform
method, by which the W Ill of the majority
OF frtemen might hereafter be made known
as To the expedieney of calling Il conyenti-
On They are also doubtful whether Ma
son Of 76 can derive any authority from a. |
ny thing they have saId OF from any other
means, to hold them bound to adopt any
such method like that he has suggested. |
The friends of the convention consider
themselves freemen, aud al liberty to think |
for themselves; and are not entirely will
ing to believe that because" Mason OF &c" !
cannot conceive of any method but one, II /
follows as Il consequence that 10 I
one else can. Being likewise unconscious of
ever having employed Mason of 7G' to
thiol; for them, they therefore hope that
he will not be offended at the freedom Of |
treemrn, particularly rs they have no wish
to hold him III slavery 10 any opinion he
may happen 10 give. The writer of this
article is not aware of any authority ey-
pressed or implied in the constitution Of
Virginia, nor any existing law of Virgil
MIA, nor any custom or precedent, that can
be adduced to justify such requirements as
are made by Mason Of 70" On the
contrary, the delegates TO the Virginia
Assembly are elected by IA small minO-
rlty of freeholders, and they are IA mino-
rity oil the ,chitc .ireemcH OF the state -
Thus-lour candidates Offer; the two who
are elected receive only small minority |
of the sullfaEes OF the coHnty IN many in
stances Yet they are c0nstitutionally and |
legally erected and three votes, if no more
We're taken, would make their election just T
as legal, though there were 1000 legal votes
in the county. 1t is the same case with I
respect TO a Senator Aud in the curpo-
ration Of Lynchbnrg men. all voting for
the same peIsous, can eject common
cnuncilmen. Such elections would be con-
sidered legal 10 all these cases, the legally
qualified voters being daily notified to give
ia their votes at the tim" and place appoln-
ted. 10 like manner, the friends ofrcfUrm
being duly notified to meet at a given
place 10 elect delegates 10 the Stanton
Convention, and upon the same principle,
an Il ction made by small minority OF
the friends of re form Is not only strictly le-
gal, bat in perfect accordance With the spI-
ri and letter OF the constitution, which IN
no case ~qaires a majority Of votes 10 T.
lpet an assemblyman or senator, but only
The highest number, he il many or few,
VI hicb are given. We admit that the con
eurence ola majority Of The people IS and
ought tObe necessary to compel the Legs
latnre ia compliance with their wishes,
bat not to elect them To their Office, nor to
any other Office in the state. nor IS there
any thing, expressed or implied, IN the
constitution, nor any Iaw of Virginia, nor
ia the constitution al the United States nor
any law Of The United States, nor any Gus
ton, nr precedent sanctioned by The United
States, which either directly or Indirectly
goes to forbid their peaceabiy assembling
themselves at any gircr place, or 81 90 on,
frrent places, if they chonse, and then aod
there leaccably to form themselves into
convention without any special delegation.
ard pcoceal,ly 10 deliberate and adept any
measure they might deem expedient to
-. ,,,hl,3. ennd %ur do they