The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-03-16

#.ulntf their views of ono Two II Inc biifurT-
~. eud acknowledged inequalities and detects
lot TN . tssent Gonsfrutiou.
Inc driettls ri a Convention do not = Dreeiate
.ihe me- is ota t"nstilutian f,rrlad N fhe proud
est days If The Brpubic AID undcr ~s'rch they
hase ruiotcd me dressings at peisoasl hhefty
aud security Of property. Bun they hes' go
WIND. thai Il tormcd al TIM less OF deiibe-
ration tlan Of acilon--ehen or fathers Nefe
I'm nircf engaged IN C aic-k ssifi tofcIga 90
ycrnn'of ipr political Independence, 10 ADJUST
vere nicely Their political institutions At MONT
! when the enemy were on the tciy threshold
when II Ras faand easirr 10 adopt esTlinR m
stiialors although unequal aud defective, Than
form ncw onc.--ror arr thcy unAppf1,cd, thai
Tire lapse Of marr than half century has pro-
dnccd vast changes IN our condition. requiring
correspondent changes IN our Coa.iituiion-
and than the present. peueu,on have the expe-
! Renee Of kiri mia, aud Of her sister states, 10
/ cnlighten Their labonrs 10 revising and amend.
nr the works oftheir " wise and siffuous, but
inexperienced fathers They acknowledge
themselves unspcakably indebted 10 those great
men for rst.bli. hung opinions which rcndef the
following political principles mere a2ions --
" Tho peopIo atc capable Of selfgoVcrnncnt
/ The majority have an unqurslonable rlritto re
/ form or alter the Constitutions liai form OF
1 Gnternment Is mosi free. most equal, and
Therefore b'st which, whist II secures Local IN
terests, giyo, Greatest efficacy 10 The will Of the
maority.a 'lhev love the principles OF the
! Consultation, hrtfcr thuu the instrument it,rN
aud therefore slsh - amendment I ~ the re-
Icrilon at thts session, Of The bill IA take the
sense of The Freeholdcts. supported By tho r.
rresrutatle's ata Iugc MAJORITY Of liz People.
dlscloses the fact that or Practical ho>eru-
mont Is ~ VA with IA" principle, "a which II j.
Id ..,I4
launin~---Wilrn r-thirl Of the population
Weld Tia power II ran commit the interests Of
the whole And tie Government ceases 10 be
what Il prOic.s.s 10 be, thc Government Of the
majority On what principle fothcr than the
actual possession Of pnWer) Can IT be justified.
thai ~ thr same commonwealth the population
nf ceDfan Territorial Iunits ENJOY equal polui-
, cal weight win twenty times their number IN
certain other limits II Is not, however, sought
20 drptly" any Of th'ir equal aghts--but 10 cx.
tend to all tbeI1 Just and proper weight,
ENpaicuce bath shown that the aitrHber OF
the House Of Drlcg =, whilst vastly incIca-
SIS the expense, realty lmpcdcs the business.
| We beg To remark that whilst the whole of The
Revenue Taxes ofthc state, amount TO 1914.
ODo. the ordinary expenses Of our legislation
exceed :, 10 peI--sb luu about une-third ot the
itc'cnug proper, Is swallowed up ~ the Mon.
hefs OF Assembly. Nor is this al, for our lcgis.
Iausc expenses are annually auginenting, and
~ fht Western part ofthe Staic becomes peo-
pied must continue greatly 10 increase under
| ON present Constitution. The friends 90 a on
venton object MOI 10 useful aud proper exI en-.
| dlmrcs, but large sums al public money cxprn.
died without benefit and indeed rather 10 thc IN
jury aud embarrassment If public business.
they consider bu'thrn,omc aud oppressive "a
| the people, They drsIrr thcn IL reduce the cx-
pense, whilst they really facilitate the tnslncss
Of the state by reducing aud limiting ne mum.
b. otthe House OfDrlcgdtcs
! But We are told of the danger Of change. All
nov sought Is, 10 ascertain whether a majority
Of fIccholdcrs dcsne COM ,ution If not. the
business Is al rest Ii they dcsilc II. the Con
! ventIon will be composed ofour Wisc,t aud best
| men, elected by The people and instructed by
| uen. Nor vii thClr hborS be obligatory on
| ia" community, on sup"rsrdc the present Con
3itnhoa, untll sanctioned BY the Will OF the peo-
! pl cNpfcsscd AT the polls. For ourselves. We
! far nmhne. Wct.nsi tnat people will not be
! sfsuod d TO fear themselves.
| We a. also roid that Il law to take the sense
! 81 the preple Is unnecessary, because if "A ma
| intity be in favour Ola Conventions they NAV
attain their object without legislative aid The
consideration OF this argument involves peculIar
| decacy. Is II meant that they could attain
! THEN object by peacrablc means This might
! be true, it representation were cqual---but
| at present is far from being correct Suppose
| meetings hcldm fifty OF the ldtgcr counties and
! three clIcs, To instruct their Delegates TO vote
for IA Convention and like meetings held in Gfz
| y five of the smaller counties and the city of
! Williamsburg, 10 instruct theirs ag tinst IT, In
such case, the Representatives OF three fonrths
Of the people would be out,otcd by the other
! fourth. suppose polls opened without the
| sanction oilaw, what attention would be- given
I TO returns coming flon private authority only
| We see no peaccable means then hy winch the
vii OF the ina jotitY can be asccrtained without
| the aid OF law II they exist, W desire tb,4n to
be pointed out. We dcprecatc all others as Il =
! greatest OF evils We know not however wat
| gcntlCmcn mean, wien they DIVE rs from. the
! Legislative Hall aud yct tell Us, that II ae have
| the majority, we have the night and means Of
| attaining our end. DO they mean to advise the
! cal OF "A Cont entlun and the .,tabisIms In
i0rc, OF a new Constitution p his IS the result
/ OF such reaSoning. Butthuse who uscit, know
! too well the moderation and forbcarancc which
| have heretofore CnafactCriscd the lends OF a
! Convention, t. tcaf that even contempt and de
! nance can drive Ms To rxfrenites, uuil every eff
fort OF reason mas been exhausted with ot brc-
! thren. Nevertheless we know that excitement
| pre-, ais, aud We are sure that asnnlar bi viii
bc presented 10 the next General Assembly
| And We speak the language OF sober reason.
! when We say. that lis passage will best secure
! the tranquility of the CommonH ealth
| To tn friends OF moderate reform, who act
/ against uS only from the fear that change may
/ be carried too far, We appeal most seriously. We
beg them 10 consider, whether they promote
1 their own views 10y delay ing for few wears, at
! the expense of so much irritation and excite
mcnt, an event winch must inevitably happen
~ neither increased excitement will tend 10
moderation aud caution in change. We ask
them 10 look mt the history ofthe human MUD,
and reflect on the progressotparty aud of pas
i n, on political subjects. Even small matters
easily reconclled by spirit Of moderation, Gre
ate dNslons-but opposition drives 10 extremi-
ties before unhought OF. II Convention
could be now called changes would be discuss
cd with temper and made with caution, How
much longer ill tins moderation prevail
! Iothe decided friends OF Convention. VIZ
would say, that as we firmly believe the beSt in
teresls OF the Country connected with Il cir sue