The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-03-29
I'D rBe PEOPLE Or VIRGINIA.

feniion 81 the irfeitDldefs at blfElnla, la
the important object EMBRACED in tllsm -
and 10 submit to you the following brief al
dress.
Ina government like ours, where the will
of the people Is the supreme law-where
tyranny and us0rpatioD ought never In ex
ist, aud when discovered III any depart
nent thereof, ought IN be- discountenan
ced aud froaned upon, ii behooses us II
we wish 10 apply the proper corrective,
not IN remain listless and Indifferent, but 10
speak and act like men, who have "A know
ledge of their rights, and can properly ap
prreidte them. The slave may hug his
,ehains-'he subject of a foreign potentate
may beHd the knee and bow the head with
unwilling acqulescence 10 measures and
acts over which he has no control, nor
can murinur without suffering the most
excrucating pain, nay esen death ITSELF -
but thanks 10 the genius and principles oil
the Federal Constitution, our opinions can
be expressed in relation 10 the acts of our
representatives, and that TOO with impnni
ty.
Recollect, fellow citizens, the numerous
petitions which during the last session Of
ili's - ft4htuIt wit dAITtSSAu 10 ll4dl W
dy, requesting that the sense Of the people
might be- taken, on the proptiety Of calling
Convention Ia alter the Constitution of
Virginia. Did they meet the reception
you expected A /. freemen, some OF you
from policy opposed 10 the call Of II Con
ventlon to amend your State Constitutions
could you have Thought that petitions of
such weight sud respeciabilit, of charac
ter would have been rejected.
When the application WIS not to call a
Convention Immediately, but To take the
sense Of the people on the expediency Of
such a measure at the ensuing election in
April, 1t appears to US that none but those
who we're afraid 10 trust the people, and
considered them their own worst enemies"
Ia doctrine admirably suited to the spirit Of
monarchy, but fatal 10 repnblics) could have
been found in opposition to so just and
reasonable demand A majority of the
members of the Senate were opposed 10
The call ola Convention, or in other words,
to a bill which had passed the House of
Delegates for taking the sense of the peo
pie of this state at the approaching cleo
tlOne on the subject of Convention.
Thus, fellow clilzrns. you perceive, { 2.
your petitions, contaed IL afcorOus and re
spectfnl trims, or rather bill growing out
Of them, requesting redress of grievances
which exist n your State constitution, of
the mos, unjust and oppressive nature, has
been rejected on principles, which appear
To US 10 be at variance with your inestlma
BILE tights and privileges, When majori-
~ OF the Senate can act 50 nu Justly and
arbitrarily, by depri,ing us fan opportuni
~ Of ascertalnlng the sense of the people
at this commonwealth, on this important
subject, at the ensuing elections, by open
ING poll Tor that purpose, it appears to US
10 be wise AMI proper to bring Into
active operation those inherent powers
which appertaln to a majority, aud ~
medy ourselves the existing evils in the
Constitution of Virginia. We are conscious
Of difficulties that attend this course, but
believing that another appeal to the Legs
latnre 10 facilitate the call Of Convention
would be attended with the same fate as
the last we therefore anxiously request the
freeholders of Virginia, who concur in the
sentiments we have expressed, to vote al
the ensuing election in their several coun
ties, tor the call of IA Convention with unl
mitcd powers.
In fnrlherance Of this plan, we propose
To two ar more freehoders 10 open a polls
on the day of election, at their court hou
ses IN the month of April next. in two 81
parale columns, ut the top of which shall
he written Conreutlono and " No Con
vention,' and enter therein the names Of
the voters who are qualified according to
law. When the poll is concluded, the
sdmo shall be signed byIihe freehodeIs " ho
keep il, and an oath or animation 10 writing
be made betore magistrate of the coun
try borough, city, ~ town in which the
same is taken, that it is correct If the
treeholders who keep the poll, in the coun
ties. &c, composing the several Sentolial
districts In the State, shall on compari
son of the same 10 BIZ m ,de by majority
OF them at some place they may designate
and agree upon within their district ascer
tain that majority of the frerIloId,rs W o
have voted at The election, are in favor of
calling Il Convention, then the said frerhol
ders shall rs snon thereafter rs practicable
notify the freeholders in their several coun
ties, Nc. to meet at their several court
houses in the month of next. on the
first day of the court for said counties, &c.
To elect members Ia a convention, tn form
constitution for the people of Virginia :
the msmbers elected 10 said convention
from each Senatorial district shall not tx
coed four, and shall meet at Stanton, in
the county of Augusta, in this state, on the
first Monday IN October next.
The credentials Of the members to said
Convention, shall consist of poll taken al
then election, certified by the frerholdcrs
who kept the same, by meeting Of one or
more of freehooIders from each county.
nc. IN each district at some place therein,
whose duty it shall be to compare the polls
So taken by them, and decide what mem
bers are elected TO said convention.