The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-08-17
10 snnrn,t the man Of our choice, vithou.

In reg ard To aaoih~r matter. which ex-
cit,.5 great attrntioa throughout the, State
during thr past year. ipfav IN be indulge
ed aith few remarks, and | have done.
When the contention question VAS frss
started ard pop1lar continent had not az
yet had time TO de,elopr itself, for rea-
sons satisfactory to n,s-lf and which
would Will CIV Icy befoIe the public il
the limits prescribed Ia myself permit
ted. I expressed The conviction that il
would BE- inexpedent 10 attempt any
change or alteration Of our State Cons,i-
tuition. knew that our furm State
government was defective in several re-
sppcis. and might be proftably amended.
bat felt the force and truth of the de-
claration, d" that forms of government
/ ought not to hr changed for light or tram
sient causes The people, however have
now spoken They have in an audible
voice demanded ot the legislature the en-
action Of law providing facilities for the
ascrrtainment Of the sense of the commu.
/ nifty in regard to the expediency of call.
ing a convention. The aspect Of the ques-
! lion bias materially changed, or, to speak
more properly. question entirely Dew
has arisen. The question for considera-
/ ton now is. sh II the sense of the people
be ascertanrd? not, as formerly, - it ex-
! pedrnt TO alter the State Constitution.
! AN clearly of opinion the legislature,
under existing circumstances, is bound to
grant facilities for ascprianing the sense
of lie people The constitution belongs
10 the people! They spoke ii into exist
ence Their mighty hand delineated its
proportions, Il them-and them only,
abides the original, sovereign right in its
fullest extent, of altering or abolishlng this
charter of their own crealion.--The deni-
al of this right involves an abandonment Of
the whole ground work of republican 60
vernmtnt. would rather that the most
valuable provisions Of the constitution
should be subjected TO the risk OF disad-
yantage0ns alteration, than that the pro-
pie should be obslruCied in the exercise
Of the natural and indefrasible right Of
momIdiog the constitution To suit them
selves. lfthen, there is good reason for
believing land mons Will have the hardi-
hood To deny that there is good reasonl
hat there may be majority of the people
IN favor of revising the constitution, every
consistent repu lcan ,pust promptly saw.
" LET the question of convention or 50 CON
yentioD be submitted to the peopie--if
a majority of voices is fourd in favor ola
conventions 'ho.e VINO are heS opposed
10 the measure, will readily perceive the
propriety of a cheerful asquiescrncr on
the other hand, should tins Submission 10
thu people be attended with u different
result 'n' qneS'io" VIII oe P'' 10 rest ana
the termrnt throughout the State which
will be effrctnally and permanently ,ll,v.
ed.
Having sa'a ms mnch IN ''nh'calI"n OF
r.o, II, j.; ,. ,ha' w. ~
of the " y,rgini,n y fully annr.ciating ,bs
high responsibilities apprrt lining to Tho
rmpiofment The, exercise, will use their
,.'',',',,is,F W" , '"1 So
Ia oromarr IN. hest intprests .rhnn.,itv
and ad,ance the glory and happiness Of
our beloved country.
~. ID H. Sao''""'
o. The Editor of the charlottesville
Gazette. and the Trio of the P.tetshurr
Republican. must receive an apoloe, for
our apparent neglect this week of their
very cour tpous notices of the yirginian
and its Editors. The former, particularly,
who has shown that he thinks himself a
very clever fellow, aud that he is destined
to occupy "a large space in The public
eye" in the coming Presidential aFfay,
will not, we hope, "chew the bitter cut
of disappointment" when he shall find
that we have furnished him with no food
this week on which ta feed his satire-of
which weapon of dispntalion we have
beard hr is remarkably fond, for the rpa-
son that he fancies he is a very giant in
welding it. We would admonish him.
FIRST, that he may have mistaken the
bent of his genius ard secondly, that if
HI la, ID. l. : A.