Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-03-08

I, increase under our present Constitution. The
f'end, OF Convention rbject not TO useful and
proper expenditure, but large sums Of public
money expended without benefit, aud indeed rather
'o thu injury and emb of public cusiness
they consider bun thensome AMI oppressive to the
| pe'r'e The, desire then, 10 reduce The expense,
willis they reall' facilitate the business of the
State. by reducing and limiting the number of the
House of Delegates.
But we are told Of the danger of change. All
now sought is IN ascertain whether majority OF
| ir-eholders desire Convention. IF not, the BUSH
ness ia a. rest. If they desire il, the Convention
| will be composed Of our wsest and best men,
| elected by the people and instructed by them. Nor
will their labors be obliga DRY on the community,
or supercede the present Constitution, until sane
toned by the will of the people expressed at the
polls. For ourselves we fear nothing. We trust
that The people will be Isuaded fear theui-
selves
We are also told hat law to take the sense of
the people is unnecessary, because VI a majority
be In favour OF Convention, they may attain
their object without legislative aid. The consi-
deration OF this argument involves peculiar deli
cacy Is meant that they could attain thei.
object BY peaceable means? This might be true, ii
representation were equal-but at present, 10 far
from being correct. Suppose NEE ngs held in
struct heir Delegates to vote for Convenioh,
andlke meetings held in 6fty-fve Of The smaller
counties and he city Of Williamsburg, to instruct
theirs agsinsi it. In such case, the Represents
tives OF three fourths Of the people wuId be out
voted by the other fourth Suppose polls opened
without the sanction OF law; wta, attention ould
be given 10 returns coming from private authority
only! We see no pescesble means then, b., which
the will Of the majority can be sscertained with
out the aid of law: if they exist, we desire them
| to be pointed ou'. We depfecate all oilers as the
creates of evils. We know not, however, what
gentlemen mean, when they drive u. from the Lee
sislative Hall, and yet ell US, that if we have
the majority, we have the right and means OF at
tanning our end. Do they mean to advise the call
OF a Convention ard the establishment, BIZ force
OF new Constitution? This i. the result OF such
| rea-oning. But hose who use it, know too we'll
the moderation and forbearance which have here
| otors characterised the friends OF Conv entieu
10 fear that even contempt and defiance can drive
US 10 extremiies, until ever, effort OF reason
has been exhausted with our brethren. Never
theiess, we know that excitement pravss, and we
are sure that similar bill will be presented 10 the
next General Assembly. And we speak the Ian
guase oil sober reason, when say, that its pas
sage VIII best secure the tranquility of the Com.
monw ealih
To the friends Of moderate reform, who &C,
against us only from the fear that change NAV be
v
beg them 10 consider, whether they promote their
own views by delaying for few years. az the
expense oil so much irritation and excitement an
event which must inevitably happen--whether
increased excitement will tend to moderation and
ca''ion IN change We ak hem o look at tn e
history OF the human mind, and reflect ON the
progress ot part, and OF passion, on political sub
lJecis Eve small ma tiers, easily reconciled bv
= -PI'' OF MODERATION, create divisions hut OPP
posi'ion drives to extremitts before unthousht Of
II Convention could be now called, changes
| would be discussed with temper and made with
caution How much longer will this moderation
prevail?
To the decided friends of a Convention. we
would say, that as We firmly believe the best in
teress OF the Country connected with their success
we recommend perseverance in their object: and
as reason sh 'uld be The only weapon OF Freemen
| and Republicans, ne earnestly exhort them to
mode alton and euper. We en- ertain the hone
tha' the humble isles OF ,heuands of Feemen will
oe STdetousty indulgedby their Republican Repre-
sen'aiives Your Committee therefore beg :eaye
10 submit the following Res lulions:
| Isl. Resoired, That we pledge ourselves 10
eheveTe In our exertions to obtain for the peo,
pie their undoub,ed right of expressing fully and
| freely their will the question Of calling a
| Convention.
End. Resoiued. also. That we earnestly re-
commend to the Freeholders of the several Conn
ties of this State TO deliberate on this mport.n,
SUBJECT. and instruct their Delegates TO the sue
ceeding U eneral Assembly, how 10 vo,e on bill
submitting the question of Convention TO the
ffeeholders in their sovereign capscity.
! winch, on the question being put thereu non.
were unanimously adopted
on motion of Mr.. McIlhaney, Resolued, That
ne Proceedings of this Meeting be signed by the
| hartman and Secretary, and a copy thereof fur
nished The Editors Of the Constitutional WING and
Richmond Enquirer for publication And Re-
soioed' also, That the Editors throughout the
H'a'e DC ana .hey are hereby requested to publish
the same in their respective journals.
ana then upon the motion of Mr.. Rogers, of
Loudoun, The Meeting adjourned sine die.
EDWARD COLSTON, Chairman.
LUCAS THOMSON, Secretary.