Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-05-01

il tlsir in.enion, by communicating to il any Il
extra ordinary impulse, to disturb the tranquility
which rests upon its bosom. Yet II cannot be con-
cealed, tha, large portion of our felow-citizens.
il various parts of he State, are dissatisfied with
the existing Constitution, and are zealousy l.bour
ing for reform; and however unconcerned you
NAV appear, you have nevertheless, a deep interest
IL the events which passing around YOU.
For three years, the friends of reform have been
laborins with uawearied assidui;y, TO procure the
passage OF a Law submitting to the people the
pedienry of revising And amending our Cons,i,u-
.ion They have cOp;ended, that the present. Con
suion. in many of its important provisions, IL
unequal and oppressive; and that, by a wise and
judcious amendment of IT, our liberties would be
placed upon irmer basis, and the welfare of The
people would be essentially promoted. They have
respectfully a,ked the Legislature, to afford the
mean, Of sscertainpg. whether. in the opinion of
&" majority of the community" the present form |
of government, is - capable OF producing the |
greatest degree of happiness and safety. and is |
mast effecually secured asains, :he danger OF mall
Administrations and if, when brought to this test
it shall be found Inadequate or contrary TO these
purposes, fhsy contend that the majority Z" hath
indubitabe. unalienable and indeieas!be right to
reform, alter, abolish IL, in such manner shall
lie judged n,osr conducive to The public veal -
Reasonable ss is this request and unque.'iunable
is this right, majority of The Legislature of
Virginia, by TsiusiDg the one, have prevented he
exercise of the other. They have three times
solemnly decided, that The people OF Virginia shall
have no facilities al rded them by Law, to ex-
press their sentiments upon question so vitaily
Important TO themselves. and Lave thereby sane
toned the arbitrary maxim, that man is incapable OF
! self-gov ernment.
| Without directly entering into the merits OF the
question, whether the interests OF The community
require charse OF the Constitution; this meeting
| l. nevertheless of opinion, that decent respect
! for the wishes OF large portion OF our fellow
citizens, demsnd- the passage of law, Ietefing
the que. top to the people for their deter
minaon. Ii tile people correctly repre-
ed in the late in the House OF Delegates,
| a large majority is in favor of the enactment of
such a law. Judging by this test, 81 l7G OF the
white population OF Virginia, for submitting
| the question TO the people, and 22O 1927 are OPP
posed to it. Notwithstanding, the bill was los, by
| majority of four votes in the House OF Delegates.
! This meeting cannot but regard the rejection OF
this bill, as uny"ise was illibeTal and unjust. II
cannot believe hs, S7l 900 of the free population
| of Virginia. will tsmely submit 10 be arbitrarily
4, ruled by eco GOO; that profound vcneralion
! will be long preserved for form OF government
which adults OF such gross inequality. In TACT,
the fate of this bill has excited any thing bu, kind
and amcsbe feeling. In many OF the counties,
meeting, have been held and resolutions, express
sive OF strong d -approba,ion, been carried by
overwhelming major,lics. The friends of reform
determined bring the Irresistible force Of public
! OF Virginia You, too, have important in erests
| at axe, and you cannol surely be unwilling that
your voice should DC heard upon this inter es,ng
ca-ion.
This meeting has, therefore, deemed it advi-es-
bic 80 TO request the Sheriff In open a poll, for he
purpose OF ascer,alnih, whether a majority OF the
Freeholders ui This comfy IN favor the pas
sage OF law, au,horisins The of the people
| to tie taken upon the proPIIety OF calling con
| vention 10 revise AID amend our Stale Consnu-
! ton" Should such la pass, the question OF
{" C0nUenti0n,' or " No C0nuenti0n, 3" will still
be open. You will stand as uacoWmil ed thea,
you do now. You siiIl look about you,
yey al; The great Interests of the country and as
they shall require, determine sheiher not, you
desire a rhanse OF the Constitution.
On motion OF S. Bass, Esq. it
ResOiucd, That the proceeding. of this meeting
be polished in the Western PiFgi,,ian.
jerry, Chm.
CHAs. r. BALDWIN, sec'y.
| At meeting of number OF the freeholdeTs
| and citizens of Norfolk County, assembled at the
| County Couri house Saturday the TIh inst in
pursuance OF pubiic notice, 10 take into consids
| ration he piopriety of requesting The sheriff OF
this county, to take the sense OF the people, at
the approaching election for members Of the Lee
gslature, az TO the propriety OF calling Conven-
ton to alter amend the present Constitution OF
| the State: Jesse Nicholson, Esq. patriot aud
soldier cf the revolution, was called 10 the Chair
and Captain Samuel Wsus appointed Secretary.
The meeting being duly organized, JGh" a.
Chandler rose, and in a luminous and forcIble
ner, expaiiated on The many evils resulting 10 the
people from the preseD; great inequality repre-
sentation under he said Constitution, as also from
the present frceh0ld STANDARD, by which the
right OF age is limited, and tile elective fran
chse rcedered inaccessible 10 sny excepting land
holders; after which he proposed The following
preamble and resolutions, which were Unanimous
ly adopted:
Whereas large portion of The people of this
Commonwealth hive expressed earnest desire
for the cell of Convention to amend the ConstI-
luton Of the State, and have in numerous public
meetings and petitions the Legislature, asserted
that they compose large majority Of the people
thereof the truth Of which assertion cannot con-
iIenily be affirmed denied, without full, free
and open expression OF the peoples sentiments at
the polls. And wheie il Is highly desi. able,
tina, this much sgitsed question should be speedI-
: y settled by ascertsining, with certsiniy,
which side the majority IL, believing as this meet
ing does, that If large majority OF the people
are in favor of Convention, the minority will
{ yield their opinion of the proprety OF change,
and zealously and with true devotion TO their be
loved Old Dominion, co operate with tie msio-
riiy in elfcclng such amendments TO the present
Constitution will be most salUtary The honor
happiness and freedom OF their common country
and on The contrary should The friends of Con-
venlion be a minority, or even bare majority Of
> the people throughout the state; that they will
quietly submit to the present order Ct things; and
Il. -.