Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-08-26
N1OHNoMD, AUGUST as.
FOR THE Enquirer.

&1OAM0MO, AUGUST 26.
FOR THE ENQ UIRER.
The Chesterfield Resolutions and Staunton
Convention.
The Resolutions which have been recently A.
doptedby the " free, contented and happy people
OF Cherterfed certainly deserve. and will no doubt
receive, some portion Of the public attention Like
the Medes and Persians, whose laws were immuta-
Bile, they too il seems, most devotedly attach
ed to " settled order OF things, which no change
OF circumstances should ever be permitted to dis
turb." 1t is not 10 be wondered at them that the
distinct and audible voice of the Staunton Con-
vention, should have sounded so harshly to their
ears, and have aroused into action all their sensi-
bility. They have accordingly depicted in most
glowing colours, the long catalogue of evils which
the expression of the popular tciH is likely to
engender in this free country and enlightened age.
They have most literally and gravely rendered o.
pinions, and communicated information, touching
the late proceedings at Staunton, for which the
Legislature and people of Virginia will no doubt
consider themselves under very serious and lasting
obligations and, in short, they have RESOLVED,
that " the experiment recently made at Staunton
(however otherwise intended) DOTH OF ITSELF
EvINcE, that the great body of the people, far from
being DESTROYS of any alteration, amendment or re-
form, are perfectly content with the constitution
and opposed TO all measures haying the least ten
dency to such ends.''
If these resolutions, declaring in such positive
terms, the sense ofthe people of Virginia upon the
important question which now engages their atten-
ton, TO be considered conclusive evidence that
the people do not desire convention, with what
grateful emotions should zoe oil unite in rendering
Oar thanks to our feow-ciiizens of Chesterfield
for the knowledge which they have 50 int,fitipei,
and periodically displayed! 1t would seem, how
ever, that though " contented and happy'' them
b,T erfn IL. al
of their fellow-citizens equally So or that the
great body of the people are perfectly content with
the constitution" For, surely, if il be SO very
obvious, that large majority of the community
are hostile to reform, why all this feverish anxet
to suppress the expression of the popular will in
legal form? If it be fairly and legally ascertainesl
that the friends of constitutional reform in Virgioa
compose small minority, the knowledge of tina,
fact, so far from tending to disturb the settled or
der of things" would have an immediate contrary
effect So long, however, doubts are entertained
upon this interesting question, (Which the mere re-
solutions oil either party not likely 10 remove \
refusal on the part of the Legislature TO afford 10
the people the means of solving those doubts, can
not fail Ito use the language of the Resolutions
" TO generate heats, contentious and factions among
US, and TO lessen, or perhaps destroy the venera-
ton of the people for their Institutions Can il b,
supposed. that the people of Chesterfield are real,
apprehensive that the proclamation of the fact
legally 0scerfGined that the friends of reform in
Virginia, constitute a small minority of the people
would tend to disturb the settled order of things
to generate heats, contentious and factions,'' Ma,
we not more reasonably attribute their extreme SEN
sihility upon this subject, to their well founded an
prehension, that the great body of the people ar,
(noD perfectly content with the constitutional
and that &C the settled order of thngs'' would b,
g disturbed not by minority, but by respecfn
ole nidjorify OF the Tree and enlightened citizens
the Commonwealth?
The sod people of Chesterfield however, i
seems, are very apprehensive that the next Genera
Assembly may require the benefit of their frien,,l
advice. However clearly Gin their opinionl RI,
experiment recently made at Staunton has demon.
sraed, that the great body of the people are "a,
from being desirous of any alteration, amendment
or REFORM" they, nevertheless, entertain seriop.
fears, lest the friends OF a convention NAV noss;-
oiy BETRAY THE LEGISLATURES into nistak,
as to The real sense of the people on the subec,
III 'ne opinions and wishes of the people upon tbi.
quesuon, are already so very clearly asccrtained il
would be strange, indeed, if the friends of reform
cofd possibly 6etroy the Legislature into ;
mis'ake; especially, tfube true, that they " hard
~ pretend to point OUT complain of anv ac,la
grievances now felt apprehended in future r.
suppose that the Legislature could be so orosel,
imposed upon, or could be so deficient in sapacty
and information, as the Chesterfield Resolution.
seem 70 imply, would indeed amount 10 an admis-
SON. that that body does require the timely adic,
and friendly interposition of the rood neonIe ~
Chesterfield. l, however, am inclined 10 entert,;r
more favorable opinion of the good sense of III,
Legislature. 1 should suppose, that copy of tn,
journal OF the Stanton Conv ention which bv .
vote OF that body, will be submitted TO the next
General Assembly, will afford the most annie evil.
dence (the Chesterfield Resolutions to the contra.
ry' Notwithstanding that the friends of reform Il,
ne Nfss<o
ances now teH, CANDY apprehended in future. 3 Tn.
General Assembly cannot fail to know. tina, Ia,.
thoush deputies actually attended from thirty-s;r
counties ana one corporation the friends of re-
form IN very many counties in the State elected
ho uePuues 10 the convention-that many boxvev
er jealous In the cause of reform, doubted the or
Pedency OF such measure ard therefore tool, No
part In promoting it: and that some of the counties
from whence deputies were elected. were unrenre-
sented In the convention. The Legislature ,y;lI
DE wen aware that the friends of reform usrer lid
cos'deT that the relative strength of the friends
ana opponents OF a convention would or copld he
'es'eu' by The actual number of counties which
ini6h. eject deputies to Stanton. In some co,,
e' 'ne friends OF reform, though CONSTITUTING the
majority OF the people, were entirely unrepresent-
eo' "h,ie In others, though composing mjnor;,v
u'ey erected deputies % represent them II came,
De believed, that the Staunton Convention ,..a..t,
"o' nave oeen much more generally attended. frors
every section OF the state had the friends ofTeforn,
considered The fate Of their cause to be denen,e,
upon the numbers which might be represented :,
mat body The avowed design of that Conven,;on
was merely to devise lawful and expedient means
OF a,certanrg the sense of the peoples and certain
~ 'ne assemblage was sufficiently numerous and
respectable, not only to consult and act upon ,b.,
subject, but to enable them to sound ds,;nc,
and audible appeal to the next Legislature For
surely, u the distinct and audbe' ,ones If ,La,
Dody' have already excited so much sensibilitv i s
reasonable to hope, that the representatives Of the