Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-12-21
Virginia Legislature.
HOUSE or DELEGATES

following Resolutions, which were "a
dop,ed:--
Resolved, that so much Of the Gov
ernor's Message as relates 10 the Lite
rsry Fund, be referred to the Commit
Zee of Schools and Colleges.
Resolved, that so much of the Gov,
ernor's Message as relates to Internal
Improvement, be referred to the Com
mittee of Roads and Internal Improve
ment.
On motion Of Mr. Macrse, leave was
given to bring in bill, changing the
time Of holding the fall term of the Su-
perior Court Of Prince William.
On motion of Mr.. Briggs, the Commit
tee for Che Courts of Justice were iR-
structed 20 enquire into the expediency
of amending the act relating 10 the au-
Identification of deeds.
On Mr.. Winston's motion, leave was
given to bring in bill to amend the
law directing the mode Of laying and
collecting the county levy.
CONVENTION.
Mr.. LETTER offered the following Res
olution for the adoption of the Housed
Resotuei, that leave be given to bring in a
bill to take the vote of the freeboiders Of this
Commonwealth, on the subject of calling a
Convention 10 amend the Constitution.
t'r. {.eifler said that this resolution
presented The single, distinct PROPOSE
dion, that the question on the call of a
Convention, should be submitted to the
decision of the Jrseholders. 1t was of
all Others, a question of the deepest
interest and importance. A large por-
ton of the State had long anxicusly
desired the sense Of the people to be
taken on the measure of ConeentioH
to amend the Constitution. Since 1901,
various attempts had been made to pro-
cure the facilities of law, to gather the
will of the majority. In some sections of
the State, that WI had been declared
by the people at the polls, and the fact
was evident, that large portion, if not
q majority of the freeholders of the
State, were in favor of Convention.
It was in behalf of that portion of citi-
gems that this application was again adj
dressed to the General Asse mbly.--
They demand law TO ascertain the
sense of the people, and to terminate
this question one way or the other
He begged gentlemen to reflect, who
the General Assembly was, and who
they were, that addressed the appIca-
ton to them. He implored them to
consider, that the application was made
by the sovereignty of the land, and ad-
dressed to the servants of that sovereignty.
The respect due to So large body of cit
liens s. desired Conventional prin- +,
ciples upon which our Government was
founded every consideration of polit-
ical justice and right, called upon the
General Assembly to pass law to
take the sense of the people.
.ur. Page Of Gloucester, thought
The Legislature had no right to legislate
on the subject-the Constitution nor
the people had clothed them with no
such power. He had heard no complaint
from The people there were no petitions
on the table--and be hoped the house !
would wait until the power to legislate |
was delegated to them before il acted. /
Mr.. Cotston Of Berkeley, did not UNI
derstand what his friend from GloHces-
ter meant by waiting for a special dele !
cation of power. The objection might
be valid, if the proposition was to cali q
Convention, but as it was simply to
take the sense of the people, he could
not perceive its application. The friends
of Convention were placed in q Pc
culiar situation--if they circulated pc
titions through the country for subscrip-
ton, they were stigmatiZed "a agi'ators
and disturbers Of the public peace--if
the question was brought beiore the
House without petitions, they were told
that the people did not complain, and
had delegated no power to act on
the subject. If our table was not, as At
the last session, groaning under the
weight of petitions, il was notless the
duty of the Legislature to respect the
known wishes Of the friends of a Con-
vention. The members were fresh from
the body of the people, and needed not
petitions to apprize them of the peoples
wishes.
Mr. Page explained. He recollected
that there were many petitions at the
last session Of the General Assembly,
There were none at'this, and he thought
che fair presumption was, that the peo-
pie were satisfied with the decisions of
the last General Assembly lie conclu-
ded by calling for the ayes and noes,
and was supported on the call