Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-05-24

the assembly Staunton proposed be constituted
no man can expect any real discussion there. OF die
tation, indeed, may expect enough.
In this respect, the assembly al Saunton now pro-
posed, differs most essentially from the meeting which
was held at the place in 1916. Then The invita-
oh was gwen TO all men of whatsoever opinions and
il and free discussion of every question involved in
the SUBJECT was intended and expected and in fact took
P''ce. hat proceeding bore the impress of fairness
c'dor, dignity OF desire TO eicitIruth, and Of per-
iect respect 10 the opinions of all men.
! really cannot clearly understand whether tbes,
gentlemen are decided ih their own minds To accom-
push 'heir lavorle object oil calling convention,
'ough Tue intervention of the existing Legislatures
or III open opposition to its authority. They first saw
mat "tie obJec of the proposed assembly al Staunton
rs to recommend To tie people, such mode of provdino
Tor the amendment of the defects" which they shall
discover in the constitutions their common deIiber
atoms shall suggest d approce next that they sssball
sound am appeal so distinct aud audible To The neri
| General .4ss@nLty Of Tirginia as 10 procuro n met
respect To their rights" them they intimate that many
Oh The friends of convention entertain such udistrus,
OF TINS body, "on account of its present constitution u
as "to think they should atoait its ad in ne rU n
conuenton; and they justify this opinion by the doc
trnes they pleased ascrbe to their opnoneo,.. ,
last they conclude, general terms that the siai
give those same opponents, 'who would urge them In
ih'cmperance farther ecidence o their Io,Leayonce
ana fnodsFdtionn Had il been their m. rros,a to ho
cquivocal, they could not have been less exnc;t
believe the meaning they intend TO convey is. that
90 "e Ff@ instance, they shall demand OF the INeeisIa-
ure the call OF convention their ndubitabIe Tnbt.
and, TO secure compliance with that demand tho,
shdH sound an a}peuL distinct and a,,be 10 me
neft Gencrdt 4sSenGty, to procure Mey home n ,st
eSPect 10 that same right Let their studousiy equiv
ocal language be translated into pain manly EnaI;sb
and 1t viii be found TO announce the desrn f ore,,r
ing me Legislature, by the vchemence of their cIa
hours the extent OF their combination and the menace
yei more Vioient excesses The 'idtrfui and cane
utent means of procuring convention" then which
inns leading committee of loudoun meditaes is TO CON
sisn perempory dIcation to the supreme constituted
authority OF their country! and the arhcr cyidence
they Vouchsafe to give US of then 'forbearance and
moderation is vague inmation, that they will not
proceed TO extremties until they shall have tried the
effect OF terror ON the Legislature.
Alter the termination of the civil wars of Charles
WHeu he parliament had overcome the crown, and was
Tie only remaining civil power in the nation the army
was i''stGa'ed by Cromwell, to form sin opposition 10
INC parliament at Westminster military parlianent
OF us own Together with council of the prncipaI
'oilcers, which appointed after the model of The
mouse ut peers free representative of the army
was composed by the election of two private men or
etlor officers, under the title of agitators from each
Troop OF companS."-Ther encroachrnents on the
cNlipower immediately commenced very da, they
rose III their demands Ifone claim was Granted tho
''had another ready still more enormous and exorbitanf
land were determined never to be satisfied AT first
they pretended only petition for what concerned
themselves as Soldiers next, they vindica-
non Vi ''cf Character; then, 1T necessary that
uler enemies tie punished: AT last they claimed RIGHT
oi lnoddei'hg the whole government and settIino tho
| mutton" need not state the consequences
In ouf own times, the selfconstituted club of Jaco-
assumed the control OF the national assembly, and
suunGcd appeals distinct and audiblep TO that body
as 10 procure Jllst respect TO Rhat they called)
their nights" that IS an ed snbniseon e., i
otitAts 'e star OF liberty had only glimmered upon
tc land when il extngushed forever il, an ocean
% oiood ii" not hesitate say that that association
tiic more mischief 10 the Of flee government
throughout the world than all the despots in it, Whitman
tiIeIr all, could have ACCOMPLISHED
Here let me protest, that very far from suspect
.' VIC Oh l.oudoun, or IFS constituents, OF
any similar motives, enterprises or views and as far
from anticipating any immediate parallel consequences
invoke these memorable passages OF history only ,,
The purpose OF illustrating the principle of rer ar
gained association to control imrel or direct coDst
'uteu authority am warning the friends of a con
Vcnon against that most pcrnicous prncinle Parties
mere are and must be, III every society they are De
cnariy incident to the republican of civil no!y
anu so long as they preserve bonds of moderation
do not think them they have been touo Inf h., sot
the bane of republic But the moment tiey assume an
organized FORM, Tor the avowed purpose Of acting with
more effect on the government, they become Ihe com
pcof oil the regular constituted authorities Tor pow
ana prc-emncnce. The nature and tendency of suci
assocatlons and the principle which their wc,rIi
depends have been long and thoroughly understood
ne strength OF few, organized combined and Iisri
pinned Overmatch for the uIcoinbincd sfrooti r
/ ihhHluucs. Their voice swclls by concert into reals
u'a shake The state The Loudoun committee seems
TO shcw IFS understanding of all this i'm he reasons if
assigns for rcsortng to this expedient of ORGANIZED as
soc'ation-''io establish unity of sentiment and Of
respondent actlon; Ito npart vigor their opera
ions' 10 confirm the harmony and increase the nun
Der OF their friends" $40 sound an aDyeH so o>J;,J
and anhb'cn The direct tendency Of such associa-
ions To st'e fair deliberations since there can he no
discussion Except for the purpose of compromise)
among those who unite ON the principles and CON,
o"e ior Tue same ends: TO nflame the PASSIONS or
alarm the fears, instead of convincing the reason TO
weaken the authority of the laws: ito compromit the
good to the purposes of the bad collect and condcnse
all the dlsconcontents that floating in the cornuuni
", and By ccndensing to increase their intensity and
eXasPerate heir lerceness to embody all those restless
spirits such as iniest less every society who
hopeless OF acquiring glory by doing good are content
10 acquire notorlety at the risque of mischief to PRO
woke counter associations; associations and counter as
sociaons, which as they commune or deliberate
WIN each other can only act and counteract by caba
by GLAMOUR by menace, by force Incur country the
most deplorahc effect Of ALL is that the success of a
single association Of the kind, tends, bv direct conse
quence TO destroy mems confidence in The wisdom and
STABILITY OF republican Institutions. For, when men
see. that individuals by mere force of co,nbjnali, and
organization, dictate 90 the government With hmm