Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-02-08

Important medsure.-On Saturday last
the House of Delegates, passed the Bill,
directing the sense of the freeholders to
be taken on the CALL OF CONVENTION.
The bill contains only simple PROPOSE
ton, that the people (freeholders) shall
vote Convention or no Convention, at the
April election, and that the Executive
shall announce the result in the public
prints.
The Bill referred 10 Committee ofthe
whole in the Senate for Wednesday next.
Did gentlemen represent their districts,
there would be no doubt Of its passage
Were Chapman Johnson, that individu-
al, whose portentous and pervading in
fluence is felt through all the extremities
OF the Commonwealth, and whose gent
us is stamped on every page of our Sta
tute Book, Republican, there would be
no doubt OF its passage--Every county
in his District, is for IA Convention, but
he is against one. We will not believe
that the Senate of Virginia, con6ding in
its four years tenure, and after so clear an
indication Of public sentiment reflected
by the immediate Representatives of the
people. will undertake to deny to the
frcehoders, the privilege Of expressing
their opinions at the Polls. Do they
stihe the murmurs Of the discontinued by
this course? No: They will break out
with increased vehemence. Are they
defeating Convention by it? No-they
are at most defeating it for one year,
whilst they are imprudently increasing
the excitement. What is the question!
To let the people say if they do or dc
not wish Convention-Suppose they
say they want no Convention? Why then
the question is settled, and tranquility i:
restored. Suppose they express them
selves Tor Convention? Is there a mar
so aristocratic, as to say they ought no
to have it. The passage of the Bill by
the House OF Delegates, has materially
raised the aspect of the question-it i:
tie virtual sanction Of the majority O
the peopie-If the Senate now reject it
they fly in the face of that majority, anc
expose the State to new and violent ayi
tation.
| Counting Notes.-The course of the Senate on
the great question which passed the House of Dele
gates on Saturday, for the call eff convention, Is
subject of deep solictude. With that body rest
now the responsibility Of affording the facility whic
is asked for, collect by law, the SURFACES of tn
people on calling a convention, of rejecting RI
bill for that purpose, passed by the House of Dele
gates, and of saying to the people in so man
words, 1--WE do not choose to place this question il
| tangible shape iii your hands," Gentlemen ma
twist aud turn it as they please, and try 10 escap
| from responsibility. by saying as some of them d
say, We have nothing to do with the question it be
longs exclusively to the people, The fact is, that
does belong To the people; but they. nevertheless
to avoid the confusion, delay and pxcitcuIent ne
cessary produced by organization purely Nc
pula', have desired the Legislature 10 devise tn
p.epai atory steps to calling a convention. TIL
! people 1cih the Legislature To have something d
win 1t, ana IHey cannot escape under the preteX
OF this affected moderation. Ii the House of Dele
gates iet il incumbent them to pass the DILL, no
much more incumbent is ii on the Senate, who a.
thus instructed as to the wishes of the people, b
their Immediate representatives! What will be I'll
condition of the State if the Senate now reject ii
bill! To what height will not the pillows of popu
lar Indignation rise, and how much of our institu
tons, which really deserves preservation, may the
not sweep Oft in their progress? Gentlemen preteu
to apprehend, and some really do apprehcnd, nil
chief from the call of convention-but we 81
iemniy believe, that at this time much more mis-
ne.-
Already have the consequences of rejection of ii
nil by the Senate, fofciblI .ck MANY rehectir
men who aIe hostile to d convention and dete
mined them to wish its passage by that body--prC
terrlng to encounter the risque ofcalliug Il CONVEX
ton assembled in peaceable, orderly and qui
way, to the popular excitement which defeat
the measure would induce, and to the possible col
tingency ola convention ca He'd by the people then
selves, without the aid, and without the mOderatiI
influence of previous legislative nterpoStio
we hope and we believe, that this view of the ca
will present itselfwith force to the Senate of vi
ginia, and that they will permit prouoStion qu
city to go forth 10 the people; which ii they fave
no man will say ought to he prevented fom ripc
ing INTO measures; and TO which, if they Iostil
no man but will say, it is utterly HARMLESS.
The long agitation of this question, and I'll
smailness of the Senate's numbers, have made ii
opinion of its members generally Known. II is III
derstood that IL are tor a convention, and
against one Ii so, by a rule of that House, Il
proposition falls. VIII any man suppose that Il
people will rest content with this decision should
be made-or that having approached so near to the
object, they will relinqu-sb it, without further al
more violent struggles We warn the opponents
convention, not TO drive the people to the poir
when they shall say aud act "peaCeably it we ca
forcby if we must!" The friends Of a conventir
have done their duty-il is fog its antagonists
encounter all the responsibility Of defeating Il
measure-a responsibility, we venture to say, lut
more arduous, than sauctonng the call Of col
vention.
We refer to our last page, for several articles
interest. Not the least interesting of which, is II
blockade Of Callao, by Com. Hull:
LAW SCHOOL.