Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-02-10

IN ;us,icc and to sound policy that The nature of
of that change should be distinctly indicated IT
YOU submit tie question in the simple form piopos-
ed by the original BILL you address yourself at once
| TO alt the disconnected, and to every nioffpe OF
lisconten,. He for example, who is dissatisfied
with the Organization OF the Executive Department,
will vote Tor a Convention under The hope oi a
change in iha, e.pect. lie who Is di-satished With
the freehold qualification, will vote ior Conven-
,;on, under the hope OF = change IN That respect
! lie no wishes 10 establish new ratio Of repre-
! sen,a,ion in the House OF Delegates, will vote
for Conv ention under the hope OF Change In
that respect. In this manner, every man VINO
thinks that he discerns one detect IN the ex-
i-ting Constitution, will he tempted to vote ior
Conve ntion, under the decepiious hope, that the
particular evil of which he complains, will be re
dressed whilst, at the same time, he would be ut
,erly opposed TO all those changes which have al
ured his neighbor to the very same vote here,
then, is ingenious con'rivsnce, admirably caien-
lated TO insure particular object, by making the
people betray themselves All the querulous anu
dissatisfied, for whatever cause. are enlisted IN Ia
YOUR of a Convention, although the resuii OF
that Convention my, and necessarily toiN be,
disappoint the hopes and wishes OF nine-'en'h-
of those who called i, into being. Snppose, on
the other hand, il be practicable by the shape which
we give TO the Convention. TO Indicate those
changes which il il desired to IN Ike in the Constr .
luton. Is j, not manifest that shall thus sub
nit a, one and the same time, to the people, two
distinct propositions, upon both ot which they
must ultimately decide: We ak them, no; only
whether they are dissatisfied with the prerent Con
sti'u,ion not, but also, whether, even II ibey
be dissatisfied, they would not prefer that Consti-
tuition with all it's detects, real and imaginary,
TO the new system which it is proposed to subsi-
tue in it's place. In this msncef the whole ground
is PRESENTED to the people. Di-regarding speeu-
iative principles and 10 king only 10 practical re
suite, they can ascertain a. ole Wow, whethef the
changes which they wish are atiainabe or not a
-ingie act of legislation may thus accomplish all
the objects which the f,iends OF a convention hope
"a attain by two di,nc; Of Legislation, instead
Of keeping the minds Of the people agitated with
. this subject, year after year, through tedious
course OF partial legislation every point OF ditie-
renee ma, be -et!ed Ivy single vote, and all the
! str'fes and disconten's which grow out OF thIs
subject, may be at once allayed.
There is a still father objection 10 the original
/ oill which, in hese times OF close public economy,
we not permitted to disregard. The bill pro
f; poses TO submit it TO the people to say whether
! 'hev viii have convention or not, and That
! a convention shall hereafter be called, ii
! bc people so direct. Suppose all this 10
| be done, and SUPPOSE The constitution
subni'ied to the reopie and by them rejected
! What will then lie situson? Why. the go
vernment will remain precisely as 1t no" Is and
the treasury will lie the poorer by all The expenses
| of the abortive scheme. Fifty sixty thou-snd
effort to comp omi-e the jrring interests OF The
| country, aad long train OF angry passions and
popular discoDen-, inf .ned by collision ill be
the best and only fruits OF this darling measure
And yc' if the nature OF this new constr uion had
been indicated in the marIer p'oposed by the a
n,endmemtS, the vote which rejected the
amended contribution itself, would have preventei
the convention which formed it, and thus all the
expense and all the dangerous excitements teong-
ing to the subject, would have been avoided.
There is yet another view Of this subject which
cl,iins the serious attention of all temperate poll
ticisns. Suppose that, according TO the scheme OF
the original bill, majority Of the frehooliers
should be found in fsvonr of a convention. Tha,
fact viii be reported to the l. gi-l .ture who
will be called on 30 Afford, the organs OF the
people, the uecessary aclir!es for carrying their
viii into effect. /, il known that public opinion
is raPAily changing with reference TO hi. subecf,
and man. who once the decided friends #
conversion are now found il the rank, it, OF
ponen's. Ii il at eas, possible, that some Of
those who will vote for Convention ia pTii
next, will in yember, instrlc; their repre- ,enta-
tves to throw all possible obs ac.es in its way.
With the vote OF the people in favour of Con-
vention, the Lesisls ure, acting in strict conforms
uy with its duty, may yet defeat that measure.
This is certain, will be fair and legitimate ex-
preston of tie public viii, but i, be under
-ocd b. those ~ hose hofes it viii disappoiat.
will not attemp TO defeat the f agi,ations OF the
public mind which will be produced by this state OF
things and yet this state of things IL rot onIy
possible, but highly probable. The calsnties which
It will! bring upon this peaceful land, are too griev
Gus to be contemplated without alarm Even the
distant probability Of such evils is than
n"ugh to outweigh the most cherished hopes
which built upon this measure.
have thus, MIR. Speaker endeavoureI 10 she,v
that 10 submit he question 10 the people in the
simple form proposed By tie original bill must
necessarily be expensive, mpoliiic and deceptious,
and tina, i, would be much more fair and much
more wise also, to submit that question in such
mode TO Indicate the changes which are con-
tempiated If it be practicable TO do so.
now propose 10 she that IL is practicable TO
indicate in this bill, at least with pre-umpiYe &C
curacy, the precise nature of the changes which are
contemplated No Convention can be organized
excep' upon some general and fixed principles
rhe qualifications Of The electors and The cleo ed
must be uniform throughout the state, and these
be established by general consent, befre the
Conye ition can be organized at all. l., fixing
these qualifications, il will be necessary to deter
mine whether suffrage shall be univ ersal, or res
'ricted to particular descriptions Of PERSONS. who
does not perceive that Convention, chosen upon
the principle Of universal suffrage, would preserve
The same principle ia the new constitution? /,
equally certain that Convention chosen by free
holders only, would be reluctant to desert that
basis OF political power In like manner OF
whatever elements the Convention may he COM
posed, we may reasonably oois Tor the same ele-
Ben's in the form Of government which it vii
establish. But this enquiry upon general princi
pie, is rendered unnecessary by the actual condi
lion of thngs.
When this question was sgitated three years
ago, It came upon US with oil the imposing force
of novelty. True, it had di>quieted the public
mind more than once before, but il had so long
Ii tt.f Iii Al, a, Il