The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-05-30

Of their rights. Their course cannot be
sanctioned hy considerations, either of
policy ut principle. The peoflr, IN Their
sovereign capacity, aud ihrousn their rep
lescntaii..s. requested its passage
wholesome puliet demanded il---1hu fact
Is Sustained IL the consequences Which
haze eas0.d. Tn public feeling Is afo0std
The pnltiral calm disturbed, md iues
tlau OF high Interest, which unght and
Would lave hetu put 10 rest, perhaps fofe
yer, nov urges itself upon IA and inprri
onsly demands onr considoratlo9--A And II
will be acted On. Tue. who opposed The
bill say that Iie people reqnii cd ia ivnisla
tive assistance, bat thai the COM entianlsts
would have gwen sanction aud arganiza
ton 10 their measures ~hleh thy ought
not Ia have, which would have b!ecdrd
dangers of mcaleulabie extent In the body
paltIe-they say that the people, "lten
asgilesed, would iise IL the majesty OF
Their strength and assert III, II rlsols--lhai
they would m0.e like NJ earthquake. hut
these politicians do not lt'l,ct dat whrn
the people move like an earthquake, the
eon' ulslon viii IN as stonB aud as rum
Gus. " hen grievances SO "rlshly bear
down their rights, they viii not ask Ter
reform, hut madly rcvolntluul2e the goF
rrument. We cannot await for such IA
state al things We had as we'll wait the
passage Of a river ill the wind had la,hed
Ia. Yates To- fury. The measures Which
have been taken IN some of the counties
plainly prove thu the question ola conNen
ton vii be acted upon-lt beconcs us,
theu,when the public mind Is yet t"mpos
ed, calmly To consider lle policy or impol
icy of The question. This ! shall attempt
III u few shoot essays, ! ain directly oPpa
sed to IA eon,cniian. have not srvu the
defrcts which are represented II exist 50
obviously ~ nur constitutions, nor would |,
did SEE the most of them, he willing 10
upturn the government. resort again not
only To first principles, but 10 Iirst measures,
10 amend constitution which has upborn
us Ak body polite amidst the dangers aud
difficulties which have surrounded and
thfcatencd Us, since its adoption.
II - sad TO be wruns 10 argue the pros
perity which VT have enjoyed as State
under the present constitution, against the
defects which are alleged toexisi mi, as the
article Of oar political association THIS
might be true under some circumstances
but it would be radically wrong under 9th
ers. II tue Virginia administration had
been one Of trouble aud difficulties, III
turmoil aud danger--it the rights ot The
people had been Jeopardihej and endan
grrrd, and public justice been swallowed
ep in public CORRUPTION, then might the
friends Of II convention have commended Tor
reform with more effect than they do
now, and with plausibility. How, thco, can
they deny 10 us the use al that " hi'h IL tit
best teal ola good eoVernment--its general
prosperity
Our constitution has bern attacked al all
its great points--lt is said that oai ieg'sla
tnfe Is TOO unwieldy -thd our executive
is improperly organlzed--too weak and
Inefficient That our Judiciary system II
defective, usque nd cGlum that the rep
resentation is not equallzed-tl'al The fIgD'
of suffrage should be extended (but 20 Whit
point they have not yet detcfmIncd,) add
that divers and various other matters and
things ought 10 be enqulred alter, sought
out, aud put into the h nds Of wulhmen tof
amrndmem--I will here remark that many
things are complained of as constitutional
grieyances,w inch art the proper subjects OF
legislative remedy aud that many palts
which exist Oniy ~ our code are TAKEN lol
constitutional provisions, aud the necessity
Of reform urgently argued from them, when
indeed they are ingged into question en-
tlrely foreign from ihcm-Wc must suspect
either the political iniornston or the p"'iil
cal integrity Of men who thus PEI or
mistake faets--A liberal Investigation oi The
subject COMFORTS With thu liberal principles
of oar governmental Is due to the people
to our constitutional j. due esen 10 the
wise aud good men who famed H.
Ii VIII perhaps seem 10 Involve contra
diclon thai | shonld Oppose contrnlIon,
aud still require the passage oi abti through
Our legislature, authorizing a vote on Tie
qnrsiion--Wc all know that the minds ii
The people are III this time ,acelllhlinB be
twtcn two opini0ns-that rfodigions
Efforts are making 10 arouse tueni,
and convince them of the Necessity
of rtfarm--We know, too, the lnsati
ate desire of rotrily which Diseases the
body polite, and that all attempts To tram
mt1 the rights Of the people will only excite
them 10 acllOn, Int they may assert lhfif
ndepcndencc--N know, too, that lrom
the nature of things, II is almost lmp0sslhle
that one simultaneous action can tax" pace
throughout the state, unless some wtlbliy
gre' ancr oppressed the people, and thai
ne shall be embroiird I'LL some decision ID
madr-Ne cannot expect, without The
sanction of legislative provision, that the
people u IL at my one time demand reform.
We're Ve confined within mario" limits, ol
subject TO the mob OF some city, then such
n state Of things might be expeeled--bHi i
wise people should ne'era"ait such arcs1il
-Then, Il is no time fnr wholesome reform,
Every thlng viii be hurried away by the
impulse of the moment Feelings, not r"a
son, would hold ihe helm, and tamul and
disorder, with ali their concomitant evils,
SWAY the deliberations of our rctormans.
A CITIZEN.