The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-09-04

fond h1prs of constitution aburlive.
F The gfound which Wa taken by the dele
+ gairs of the four smallest States WAS nn-
expected hy me, aud IS reposnaut Ia my
j feelings AS II can be to any other member
OF ths conventlan. After hat thought
fdl aud impartial Investigation Of The
subject, rec idrd my vote in the atfl =
tive side of tine question, and have not
get heard any Thug which induces me Ia
change my opinion. Bat will not, there
furr, conclude II ~ impossible for me to
be- wrong will not say that those sen-
femen wuO dhlcr from me are under a
dsluslon much less vii | charge Them
With an intentlOp of neediessly rubarrass-
ing our deliberations. 1t Is possible some
change ~ our late proceedings ought to
take place upon principles of ,nutual US
tlce; or thai, all thugs considered, the
majority may see cause to recedr from
some NJ their l0si preteosions, as matter of
prudence aud eXpedlency. For my own
part, there IS nothIng SO much dread asa
failure 10 derive aud establish some equal
aud Efficient form of government for our
intact Republic. The present effort has
been madr under the happlesl auspices,
and has promised the most favorable re.
suits but, should this effort prove vai
II will b. long ere aootner can be made
with any prospect Of success. Our strength
and our prosperity will depend ON our
nnll, and The secession of even -four Of
the SMALLEST States, interspersed as they
are, would, IN my mind, paroIyze and
fender useless any plan which the malorl
IL 1 al H.,
grIeved, Mr.. PresIdenl, to SIZE natlers bro't
10 the trsf, Ich hds been perhaps,
too III bly, threatened on The one hand,
and which some of my hOnorod colleagues
have treated too lightly on The other. |
am convinced that II IL IA subject which
should ba approached with caution, treat
ed with tenderness. aud deed d on with
c,udor and bbeIally. II Is, however, to
BE- feared, tnat the members of this CON
tention are not H. Il temper at this mo-
men, 10 approach the subject on which
We dlllef, ~ lhls spirit. lwonld, therefore,
pro Pose, ~. President, thai, without pro-
c"cdl 4 further in this business at this
time, the convention should adjourn for
three Jays. IN order 10 let the present fer
nent lass III, and 10 afford Time for a
more tulI, Tree, aud dspaosiouate lnlestlga-
ton oil the subject. Aud would earnest-
~ recommend to the membrrs OF this
convention that they spend the time of
tuls recess, not ~ HssOClatlng with their
own party, and de,lslns new arguments
Ia ioftliJ themselNe IN tlIeIr Did opinions !;
but Tat thcJ mix with members of oI.
posite senlinie Is, lend patient eaf To
tnelr reas"ninBs, and candldly aIlon lacm
all The weight 10 winch the, ma, be en-
uled and, When We assemble agaip,
hope II VIII be with determination To
furm CoustluliOn-li not such an one Is
"r can Ind, ldudlly and in all res poets ap-
prove, yet tne best which, under existing
circumstances, can b. oblalned." Here
IN, countenan,e of Washington brighten
ed, aud cheering ray seemed to break IA
upon the gloom which had recently CO.
ed our p lltcal hoilzon.l The Doc.
tor continued. " Before sit down, Nr.
President, will suggest another matter,
aud am really surprised that II has moi
been proposed by ONE other meu Der at
an CARRIER pellod OF or deliberations. |
VII suggest Mr. President, the proprleIy
OF nonInatIn6 and appointing, before We
separate, a Chaplain In lhls Convention,
whose duty II shall be uniformly t. ASSEM-
bic With US, and introduce the business Of
each day by an address 10 the Creator OF
the Unnclse aud the Governor of all ma
lions, btscechluS Him to preside IN our
council, enllphten oar minds with a portion
of heavenly Wisdom, influence cor hearts
with love OF truth and justice, and crown
our labors With complete aud abundant
success
The Doctor sat down, and never, SAID
General -, did | behold counten-
ancc at once so dignlfhd aud delighted,
AS was HAT Of Washington, At the close ol
this address. Nor were the members of
this Convention generally less affected
The words of the venerable Franklin fen
upon our ears With a weight and aulhurit>,
even greater than we may suppose an ora
Gle 10 have had IN a Roman Senate. A
Silent admiration superseded, for Il mo
mcnt, the expression of that assent aud
appreciation which was strongly marked
on almost every cnuntensuce say al
most, Tor one man was found in the Con
vention, Nj. IL, from ---, who
rose and s,id,--with rcgart. to the first
motion OF the honorable gentleman for an
adjournment, he would yield his assent :;
out heprotested against the second mo-
ton, for the appointment of Chaplain.
tie then commenced hsh-strained eulo-
gum on the assernblape of wisdom, tai
en', and experience, which the tonven-
ton embraced-declared the high sense
winch he entertained of the honor which
his constituents had conferred upon him,
IN making him member of that respect
able body since he was confidently of u
rln'on that they were competent IL trans
act the business which had been entrusted
10 'he'r care that they were equal TO c,-
cry eXlgence which might occur, and con
oInded by saying that, therefore, he did
not see the necessity OF ealing ia foreign
aid,
Washington fixed his eye upon the
speaker with mixture of surprise and in
dIsnat"n, while he uttered this impert
neot and impous speech and then look
ed around to STE in uha, manner it affect
! ed others. They did nnt la.,n him ., mi