The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-02-01
LYNcuBGRG. FEBRUARY /. Isl.


what is the nature Of this demand, which should
render it 50 obnoxious TO the Legislature Is
any extra ordinary privilege asked fot! Is
boon claimed 10y one portion of the people at the
expense of another DO the friends of u Con
ycntion ask even for a correction Of acknowlcdg.
ed abuses. or for the amendment Of acluowlcdg-
deficiencies Do they point to any monstrous
evil, and say, I'VE wish this exc,escence to be
Topped off, No, They are much more modest.
Acting upon the maxim by which ii has been
said allrepublican governments are ought 10
be guided that the majority should rule, they
have done no more than ask for legislative facili-
ties to cmbody the public sentiment, SO that 1t
might be ascertained liza majority are IN favor
ofthe existing Constitution, or ifthey desire
change. Isthere any thing in this request for
which republican ought mott ask Is there
any thing which a republican oughtnotto grant
II there be, confess that our vision IS entirely
TOO obhse to perceive II. The opponents ola
Convention, affirm that they have no fears OF the
result il the question be submitted to the peo-
ple--that they have no doubt a large majority
| ofthc people would be found ON their side. In
deed Then, why this pertinacty? Why cling
with such desperate resolution, to the last plank
! Why violate one of the cardinal features of re
| pubcanism, fno end is TO be gaincd-no object
to be accomplished by il Why draw down a
reproach upon your liberality and Justice! Why
subject your motives to suspiconl Why bring
your political characters IN question: II seems
to us, that, lin such contest, the opponents of
| Convention were so sanguine their idle
boastings would have us believe, they would IA
| thcr court than shuu it. Every thing would be
| gained by such "A course, and nothing could pos
sibly be lost Their present dnhquated Consti-
tuition, with all its caPtiraiiag errors aud all It's
charming detOrmaieS, would still protect them in
their unfairly obtained powerfully might stu
! boast, that minority even OF the treeholdcrs
/ govern the Commouwealth--tha one-hall OF the
| free white male citizens who pay taxes aud bear
! arms are diSiranchi1ed--that the rotten borough
system is III full operation, riyaling the Unequal
! ity ifnot the corruption of Old Sarum itselt-and
with all these glorious advantages confirmed by
/
| awcd the unreasonable opponent, of so beaHVHia
system of liberty and equality into silence But,
as it is, although they maintain as fonIy as they
acquired, the power which they use for their in
| d, dual and local beueht rather than Tor the
good of the state they will use it with hornets
nest about their ears. Clamor, leud aud deaf
ening shall convince these dsrcgardcrs OF the
| peoples rights, that when the turbulent dem
ocracy" OF the country shall be reused TO re-
dress of their own grievances, by insults as re-
peated as their demands for reform, they will
have to bend before the storm with more abject
submission than they now display naughty AFRO
gance. The people OF " estem Virginia will not
much longer be the slaves of the Eod. They
| have too long already been the subscr,ient vas-
! sails of that domineermg portion of the country
| the seat of FirginiaS ancient chivaity, which,
| being nearly extinct has left behind no trace of
its real character bat pride and superciiousncss,
| its worst ingredients. The day may yet come
! we fear II " III come sooner than many expect,
when some lmc OF division will be SO loudly call
ed for by the gccled people of the West, as 10
sundcr the Ancient Dominion in twain. But We
leave tbs painful depression.
! il is nov, GAS our correspondent suggests
matter Of grave Importance what course the
friends OF reform should pursue. The question
is reduced to- simple proposition. lia'c the
friends Of Convention any rights in tins com
munityl ltthey have, arc they entitled, when
ii appears from reasonable assumptions, that
they compose a majority Of the state, to be
] heard lttherc be but one way in which the
sense of the whole people can be clectually EN-
bodied and they are precluded from pursuing
that way by the prcsumptuous refusal of the le-
gisatnre 10 grant them facilities, docs it not
seem Just and proper that other means should be
adopted to secure to themselves the privilege Of
being heard Ifso, what course shall be adop-
ted which. al the same time that ii will most cf-
tectuallv secure concert and energy, will initiate
least against the public peace These are lucs-
tious which, we thn1 entitled to the serious re
/ lection ofcyery patriot, We shall hcreattcrs ug-
gest such a plan, we may, upon reflection,
think entitled 10 weight In the mean time, We
solCU CUlulNhiCdlVlIH Oh 'ic Hu'J ~ 'iO ''''''
sources. Something must b. done 1t were ia
glorious. indeed, if after having prosecuted such
a subject to such lengths, we should be stopped
midway in our career, by the ars'oeracy OF the
Legislature, Lettheir glaring disregard of the
popular will which, in ether times, would have
turned our fathers pens into swords, and their
arguments into the roar of cannon, nerve us with
new strength for the contest, and We must tn
umph. Ia the language Of the illustrions Apos-
,'e of Liberty, Truth is great aud will ultimate
/ " prevailf"
Fg,ract 10 The Editors, dnted
"Rrcuuo>p, Jan 10Th, 1877
"Thc Convention BRtoday received ltsqnletus
inthc House OF Delegates It"osioSt by MAJOR
ity ofiour Yop.s--Aycs 1913, Noes ioi. Mf, @iii
III, 10 rho hill