Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-07-01
BY pLEAsANTs s. JONES.
rKoM ruE ENou1Hrn


serene oi the projected Staun,on convention: the
temper, import and design, OF the Address bv
which the loudoun Committee had recommended,
'at plan OF operations to the friends OF Reform
an" "'e circumstances, on which the Address rest
ell the Justification OF measures SO question. blc in
their character and dangerous in the, tendency
4hr. Mercer In his freeman of 1925 Mir Hen,ier-
son In his answer TO Mr.. Powell and the Friend
Cf EYudt rights, d.sitous TO mix with the
consideration oil these subjects, discussion of the
merits o. the constitution. They forget that it is
OF the very essence oil the scheme they are pursr-
ing with so much artour to preclude all Debate and
ali communion be;wee the friends OF a convention
and the supporters of the constitution, and 10
oilnS the controversy at once 10 trial OF strength
Nj, Mercer accuses of pervcrting and 40
erava,ing the sense of The I.oudoun Address in
orier 70 justify my Reproduction of il; aud strcnu-
ously endesvolrs 10 shew, that, fairly understood.
It Is perfectly moderate, calm, nnoc emit Had dis
been ITS real character, the ingenious efforts
TO dStort ITS meaning mad been vain, ard all expa-
nation Idle The very Iabour he bestows on the
work oil mere eNi osi.ioi and the mc;I.ul of eN-
panaiioa 10 winch he was obliged To resort ,
afford the most persuasive argument, that the i'm
port OF the address is iii the highest degree euivo-
cal at least, II il be not justly obnoxious TO ever,
censt're pronounced upon it. He separates every
material sentence from It's context and i'll one in
stance, a single word; and sliews very satisf,cto-
my, th"t no one sentence taken alone, nor that
Particular word (the ord dppeaD, imports any
sentiment, against which the most cap'ious ought
To take exception. BY The same process, / could
prove The f"ulest blasphemy void Of offence. Bat,
let ~ be considered, that the address distinctly
avcws, that II is The object of the projected conven-
oA al Sta'hion to combine all the present friends
OF reform, 10 make proselytcs and TO envease the.
weight oil tiie parry, by concert and organization;
That, wlieii ne grand object in view slloald lie
accomplished through the inter, en,ioa OF The e
s''laiure, or without or against ls authority, is,
from the r,luivocal or Father contr. tiu{ury LAIN
Su"Sc oi tie address, Left doub f,i; thai The
memta OF the friends of convention are exci,e,I
against lite supporters OF the constitution, bv de-
Annexation OF The latter as presuNvptuouS, aud by
uudiscriminating complains of .ncir reproachlul
in>lnuaiio ions against the former; that the address,
sSgeH's mat dtStfttsf ~ en,e tanned by many OF
Tie friends oil convention, of the General Assem-
oty' on account OF its present constitution ard
past conduct and vindica:es and isti;ies that dis
traSt' and that II Is in conneyion with all this tia,
tie design is announced, 50 to so,t,,A an UDueuy so
distinct amt audible, "a the next Gcncrai Assem-
oly, AZ TO pro",ire they hope, just respect 20 the
nights OF the retofners. | only desire, that the
whole matter OF tie address lie considered IN o., q
vieN And then shall be perfectly content to
leave 1t To the pGtic in ..ment, whether | fairly
eXpoanded, or perverted and aggravated, its i'm
port, when 1 said, hat the purpose it recommend
Ell, was, 80 demand of the Legislature, in the
hrs IN lance, tie call OF ConVenio , as an in
duIitapie right; md, to secure compliance with
that demand, TO sound an appeal so distinct and
audible TO the next General Assembly, as 20 pro-
cure Just respect 10 that right in effect
10 . overawe' thai body that the ko,ctta and
erPedtent means OF procuring The call OF con-
'ven'ion, which this committee medtatcd was to
consist III perernptory dictation TO the supreme
constituted authority OF their country; and the
'Juifhcr eUidence they vouchsaied TO give u.s. of
J0rbea'ance and moderation, only vague init
ruatiou, that they will not proceed 10 exlremities,
nil they snail have ried the effect OF terror on
the LEGISLATURE
said, and repeat, that could not clearly I'M
derstand, from the Loudoun Address, wi ether its
authors we.e decided in their minds, to ac-
co'np!isii heir favorite Object of calling "A con-
Eention, th ougiI The interv ention OF Tie Ieui*
iure o. In open opposition 10 its authority Nj.
Mercer reinnds us OF tie Shenandoah Address of
the iiih O! March last sc expressly desiring con-
'Vention without The consent of tiie General y -
seu'l'it' that address, lie repeats, which en-
ptlatically expressed dslrust o! tire General As
seIrh, and dispensed with ITS aid in the work of
Reform. And he declares that il wa. the OBJ
j"ct OF tie l.oudorm Address, to moderate ike
ardent zeal, and ITO appease the dstrlist' from
which the Shenandoah Address sprung. | ior-
bear TO ininIadYert on the extraordinary method OF
modcta'ihg zeal by infiaIning resentment, and al
appc sing distrus by vinccatimg and jlstifying it
T. ct Us disregard ie uEsuilaileness OF lie means
and give ui credit ioi the ben5niiy OF the design.
Sill, may reasonably expect 10 be Excused for
not OWNING lie motive and object OF tie Loudouii
Address lii this particulars; seeing that so Jealous a
d@iegdcr, both OF he address and of It's author as
IrisfOs fOit, iias declared ii PLAIN terms dat "t.e
question Tor the Staunton Convention 10 decide
will be, TO lChOm and IN ,ohut ntOde lie question
{ oi Convention or no convention shall be referred
10 the legislature again or tn The pcopie and
that the reiormcrs of Hampshire, responding TO the
invitation OF the Ioudo,In Address, and appointing
delegates TO the Siauni convention have instruct
ed them 20 pay no regard TO tile Legislatures and o
rouse Tie people 10 TIE work Of RctWna (>hall /
say!) or oil RccO{utjon-lor if they advance Que
sep ia that course, whether Ref1rm or Rer0i,t-
ftOis viii be the result whether the integrity of the
State shall be preserved, or its disneiuberincnt ac-
conpii, hed, depends not the exertions of friends
o. Toes, bd OIL the all-ruing providence of God.
H. Vcry rightly supposed, that te Shenandoah
Address had lot escaped my notice; aud the only
Fcd-on why it escaped my annlady ersion was thIt
/ tholeit hat spirit perfectly innocuou- and eva
ncs"cnt, ,iij it was eagued with lie Evil Genius of
Orga .iled Association.
After all, MIR. Mercer, accustomed TO parliaucu-
tafy rule, and mindful of Congressional decorum.
may hold me bound to take the neuiiing of tI,e
Address, according to his explanation of l., The
main questions in debate between us, still remain
~ Is an ustcatio excuse 10 be found for the
PROJECTED Stanton COny en;on, III sound prir cpc
OF IN approx ed example! la any PECULIARLY of
circumst .uces:
Nothing ha5 ey or filled me with 50 much surprise
p The Interpretation which has been, wiliI the
last twelve or fifteen months put some OF the
plain elementary principles declared in tic Bin Of
HiShtS, contrary 20 the contemporary, the constant,
tie universal understanding OF lie, in all preced-
inS times mis-, when the Bill of Rights, de-
cl1res, that no free government or the blessing Of
liberty, can be preserved 10 any people, b,tt Jy
frequent recurrence to Fundamental princi-
pitS; tat always been taught that fI,s glccla~,