Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-09-16
FOR TIE ENroUIRER.

FeUotc- Citizens: Are you prepared for another |
'EDIrIoN Acr? If not, period has arrived,
hich requires union, 6rmness and energy in the |
epublicah ranks. Doctrines, monstrous in princ- |
lie, and alarming in their consequences, openly
dvocated, which should be firmly resisted b. all |
Who duly appreciate the blessings of free govern
neni. Yes-fellow- citizens! strange as it may
ppear, counter memorial is now circulating
throughout the state, in which tae doctrine is avow
ID that IL is dangerous to permit GO THE SENSE OF
rHE PEOPLE" 10 be fully and legally asceriained
ipon an interesting question, which concerns their
,wn government. Peaceable assemblages of the
citizens are denounced, and respectful petitions to
the Legislature strenuously opposed because IN the
opinion oil the counter-memorialists, meetings Of
the people--their committees, and deputies I" ARE
BODIES WHOLLY UNKNOWN TO THE LAWS OF
THE LAND" Has it then come to this, that the
people shall not be allowed the privilege OF peti
tioniny their representatives: Are their petit
tioEs to be treated with indifference and contempt,
because .hey dared petition without frs, obtaining
from their very noble and approved good mas
ters' the humble boon of being permitted 10 do so
Is II not enough that the expression OF the popular
will should be resisted, without assigning as rea-
son for such opposition, that meetings of tLepe
ple-ther committees, and deputies '' are bodies
wholly unknown TO the laws of the land?" Was
it necessary that the right of the people peaceably
to assemble and consult together, should have been
declared in the Virginia Bill OF Rights, ere such
assemblases and their proceedings should be eni
tied TO respect? Is not the liberty of speech and the
freedom of the Press equally liable TO be assaed
upon the same principle? Scion considered parri-
eide so unnatural barbariiy, hat he prescribed
no punishment for the crime So also, the illusiri-
GUS author of the Bill of Rights, enter aiming no
apprehensions that the nestiTable privilege of the
people peaceaby to assemble consult and petition,
would ever be assailed, deemed any declaration of
the right superHuous and unnecessary. A crisis
however has arrived, which our worthy forefathers
could by means have anticipated. 1t could
never have occurred to them, that ere fifty yesrs
should have elapsed, peaceable cow enion of the
people by their deputies, would have been assmila-
ted 10 memorable reasonable cons piracy; that
popular assemblies and their petitions would be
denounced and opposed, because it was deemed
inexpedient and unwise that &C the sense Of the
isaOpie" should be ascertained, and because such
meetings were I" bodies wholly unknown TO the laws
OF the land" These doc rines may be suited Sc ,he
meridian OF Constantnople: but, no one could
have supposed that they would ever have been en-
tertained or expressed by free born Virginans.
The course which has been systematically pur-
fued, to prejudice the public mind against all pre-
'iminary measures for ascertaining the will OF the
people, upon the subject of a convention, is well
worthy OF observation. The doctrines " hich have
been advanced to counteract and bring into disrepute
all assemblies and proceedings of tie people upon
susceptible of being perverted when its faculties are
distorted and weakened by prejudice passion
The resolutions which were first submitted at a
meeting of the citizens of Richmond upon the sub
ject of convention, it is well known, elected the
denunciation of High Treason and all the horrors
OF the scaffod against their misguided authors and
supporters. The prompt and Indignant reply of
Mr. Robertson (the AT orney GENERALLY must be
well remerale.ed by all who heard him. while
animadverting with his usual eloquence upon the
extraordinary doctrines which had been advanced
and Tie singular construction given 10 the statute of
Treason, as applied to the resolutions under consi-
deration, he empha,ically exclaimed, sc II this be
treason, for one am ready to march to the scat
foid." The meeting, tho orderly and disnifed
caught the spirit ofthe speaker and in an un guard
ed moment, evinced the feelings with which they
were animated, by loud applause. Explanations il
Is true Ohio by no means satisfactorily were subse-
quentiy given, stating the precise meaning which the
language that had been uttered intended to con-
vey, and were no doubt mos, benevolently designed
10 relieve the meeting from any spprehensons hich
the pery a,cfH threats they had heard might have
been calculated to inspire
Not discouraged by this failure, most futile at
tempt has been recently made to assimilae the la,
convention at S;aunton, (another peaceable assembly
oil our citiZens,) to the memorable Hartford Com
venion. What impartial man has ever heard of this
comparison, without utter asionishment1 While
our country, struggling for her rights and ipdcpen
dence, was engaged in just, necessary and awful
contest with the most powerful nation in the world
while the issue of that war was most doubtful
while the union of all hearts and all hands was con-
sidered indispensable to bring it TO speedy and
nfpPy termination, REASONABLE plot TO distract
the councils and paralyze the arm Of government
was designedby band of conspiraiors at Hartford
From one extremity of this Union 10 the other thew
ana Their designs have been detesed and execrated
0fa all
unexpected peace most fortunately for them and for
the country, checked them in their mad career and
aVer'ed the awful consequences which might have
ensued. And yet, fellow citizens, strange to tell
this odious, this Infamous Hartford Conpentioni
IA term In Virginia SYNONYMOUS with treosonl
yseli,) has been selected, for the purpose of draw
nag comparison between it, and conventions of
our citizens, assembled during period of the most
profound tranquility, TO Pc ition the General Az
semoly to afford legislative facilities for ascertain
ing the sense of the people upon the proprietv of
amending our State Constitution. The very great
a,issimiarty, the very striking contrast, between
me conduct and designs of the late meeting al
o'aunton and the Hartford Convention, must have
Deen obvious to all who have ever read or heard OF
this most unfortunate comparison. This desperate
attempt, however, to stigmatize and render odious
the Staunton Convention, having been most un
graciously received by all parties, (as might have
been expected,) has utterly failed. And any sllt,-
sion to II would have been entirely superfiuous.
except to shew the nature Of the efforts which
nave been made to counteract and oppose the
friends Of reform.
THERE'S remarkable coincidence in one respect
between the conduct of the Federal party when
their power and influence were rapidly declining.
and the course recently pursued by some Of those
VINO are most hostile to any expression of popular
sentiment, and TO all meetings Of the people as boz
iIes wholly unknown TO the laws of the land - |
" hen the Alien and Sedtion laws had given a
mortal blow to the political power Of John Adams
ma ms conederates, they too, most fervently in