Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-06-14

they ushered the present Constitution into being
" that all potoer is vested in, and consequently de-
rived from, the peopie that magistrates are their
trustees and SERVANTS and, at all times, accounts
blcto them.'' Did not the General Assemble
assert RICH. to instruct the Senator'S of the
ota'e IN Congress, who are not their Servants
and VIII they deny the right of the people whose
servants those Senators are, audibly and DISTINCTLY
70 appeal to themselves, by complaint and remon-
STRANGE II they please? Or is il come 10 Tins ,bot
u is proposed, IN open day, to erect power within
this Commonwe by the representatives of mi
norty IN fact, oil the people, rule the maiori, &C
they please, and that they shall deny the riob, &c
those, to whom they owe their political existence
TO assemble together beyond the limits of their r.
pecuve counties, in order, by their deputies, to
compare their wants, and TO concert sIawful and
expedient means" OF redress? Yes 1t IS so Dro-
posed, and its arrogant author, under cover
OF name, borrowed from the age of '76.,. de-
nounces the revered doctrines of that perioa and
abors TO crush those who venture to sustain them
such an effort, however, boldly, or craftily sus-
&iheu, VIII iaii, so long as the Commonwealth of
Virginia shall merit the title of a republic
Whence, if not from the style of the Iopdou,
address, which is not suited, it seems to the deli
cate ear OF this " pruc'ieol' republican is dpr;v
cd the ridiculous charge, that the Loudoun Com.
int'ee designed ESPECIALLY, to " excommunicate'
nam! my is 1t alleged, that this Committee. or
any member OF it, designed 10 excommunica,e on1,
n in
tended Tor pariicuarpurpose, shey have not invi-
TED the presence OF gettlemen who could not have
united with them. Thi, omission has been sbev,,
not TO be unlawful. Isit course either pnco,o-
mos or inexpedient? ! refer not 10 monument
institutions erected for eligious charitable or DO
htcal purposes; Of the list description. ver. tho
organized democratic societies. designed to overav,,e
the government, which he voice Of Washington
spoke out OF existence Nor is il necessary TO
seek Tor precedens, In the temporary political clubs
or caucusses, Tor carrying favorite candidate or
measure, although they have been sufficiently MI
merous, and have sometimes proved tolerabiy eifi-
Client without attracting the censure of ANY,. Mason
oil 20; but do refer to,every case, where those
VINO teei, or think they fee, special grievance
nave common interest to promote; to Ill tram
stent assemblies Tor the relief of The poor or the
uhiortunatej to every association for getting up or
promoting public improvements road or a canal
by resolutions among themselves, or petitions
addressed to others. never heard of their asking
me counsel or presence of those, who are avowed-
~ opposed to their wishes Did the Catholics Of
ireland ever invite the protestants OF their n or
'he helehoorinS Island, TO attend meeting design
eo TO ascertain the extent OF their grievances? or
mas tneir rlehi ever been disputed TO appeal 70 a
British Parliament for redress? Would a Rr;ti.b
Protestant statesman urge an objection 10 their
assemblage for such purpose, that thew had ex
communicated or insued him, because the terms of
their public invitation did include him or they
iaa Iiot asked the at enhance of bis or
oil the entire bench OF Bishops' Will this writer
estimate the time which might be consumed in an
assembly so numerous, if required TO debate au Tho
doctrines OF the established church; or. bavino
translated himself, in imagination to Stauntop viii
ne compute the days and weeks, which might and
probably weuld be spent in discussing the defects
OF constitution, which thousands deem il lust and
expedient to amend, but which he considers so per
iect, as TO be incapable of any Improvement " hat
aUn 10 at.sIoa
as may be expected at Staunton, would be charued
by his eloquence if not instructed nv his ,,,isIo
But, whether they would be Gained bv the s,a,,;t,,
OF his temper, or edited by the extent of his learn
ing, from the evidence he has recently exhibited f
both, may well be questioned, and certainly. tho
avowed object OF the meeting would be frus,ra, ~
IL not by the force OF his arguments by the limos
sibility he might engender of gathering. j. so mjx-
co an assembly, by the customary mode of voting.
the sense OF the friends of convention II, nm "
rlous questions, which involve tie Ultimate success
OF thefr purpose. For example, have not met
with solitary Individual who has not admitted.
that the right OF suffrage should be extended: and
uie poSsioilty Oh union, on such subject, mie hit
be Inferred from the existence, in other state con
stltutions OF certain qualifications of this ribt dc
ferng essentially from own; but, as srarceIv
any two OF those constitutions exactly agree in ,jI
these qualifications, how far il NAV be desired bv
the Staunton meeting, to carry this extension
WIN many others, am as yet unable 20 determine
mat writer, as remote from the scene of re-
peatea discussions upon this subject, as Mason
OF 10 Is supposed TO reside should fall into a
Inlstake1 as to the character of those reproarhe
which are cast upon the friends of this measure
can be matter OF surprize oEly to himself AL
though he has distinguished the Loudoun Commit
Tee WIN the TILE OF JacobiDs, a society for time
reInarka tor their union, he does not know that
while they have been said by Others as well a, HIM
seh' 10 disagree about almost every thing else he
r'ehos OF convention have been reproached with
designhg' nor onlyto sap the independence of the
judiciary but 10 extend the right of suffrage IN D.
cry free negro in the commonwealth &c ~ ..
tell an old politician " ofI776,' how many roe.-
sure has been carried by the votes of its enenics
"ho nave merely sought, by availing themselve, NJ
divisions among its friends o make the measure
itseI odious In meeting designed in part. 10
roper these repoaches, it would be highly inexps-
d'ent TO admit men of equal candor and bette,
tempers, than the present &" Mason of 76,' le.t
among them policy might arise, not without ex-
ample In councils dgnified by higher authorize
Stanton.
Hitherto, the friends of a convention have b,e,
re2uted to be small minority of the people. some
- few counties" near the Potomac, or the nortbc,o
margin Of the state. BY this meeting. il has bccn
hoped, that the contrary fact would be made mani
test, and dissatisfied, are the Committee and ne
PIE OF Loudoun, where one freeman has the poIiti
cal weight o. but the twenty fifth part ola freeman
IA =" sI"ica, there Is not, among The former an
'haiVidual who believes That majority Of the Sc.
nate will obsnatey refuse to take the sense of tic
on the expediency Of convent,one
nor can there be many individuals any where ~
suppose that, when this sense shall have bae, -.
Noersiely and unequiyocslly expressed. h f,,ax
Of convention, The Senate will persist aOafrsttb,.