Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-02-22

small counties. Unhappily, FOR the peace Of the
Commonwealth the friends Of reform have no,
been able to effect a deeirion OF any question,
| touching Convention, on principle Nothing bur
expediency or passion, has been brought to bear
| upon it; and even now, when the inherent rights
of the people assaed, we find, that passion is
| inv oled to sustain the gentleman Perhaps, If
the Judgment were given iarer play, we all might
come together; and some happy close OF this agi
tatng contest might be effected But this can ne-
yer be the case, as long as II is said, that the
ANAL counties should not part with that portion
of power which they have no right 10 hold
Should the states OF Delaware and Rhode Island,
having population only equal TO three of our
Congressional Districts, have retained, by the
force Of circumstances not then 10 be controlled,
a right TO send as many Representatives to Con-
| gress Virginia and New York; would Virg inia
desist Wv ould gentlemen recommend that she
| should desist, even for an instant, ,ili she was
| restored to her jus, influence by decreasing the
ratio OF their representation to that of their iDhab
tants! But, sir, how much greater would be her
grievance, how much louder how much stronger
would be the language Of her complaints, If every
governmental facility for the peaceful recovery OF
her rights, withheld from her by those very
| states? Why, sir, should our course be different
| from that which gentlemen would recommend the
State to pursue. Ia what would there be vo-
atiop OF principle, in the equal representation Of
Rhode Island and Virginia. which is not violas
Loudoun? now follow the example set me by
the member who has Just taken his seat, (Mr
Upshur) and tell the members, TO whom he parti-
cularly addressed himself, when speaking of the
representation OF slaves, that too, have my fears
OF the fatal consequence of the unequal represen
tdtion in VHginia,- and that they cannot deny
TO the members of the confederacy 1.-The benefit of the
| rule hey establish at home
Before yield my stand upon the fuor, must
again notice the imputaiion preferred against the
advo OF the bill in your hands, by the member
from Northampton. We are charged, Mr. Sneak
er, with " seeking some political advantage
| 1t the gentleman had taken the trouble to ascer-
| tain the population OF the counties, whose Dele
gates have heretofore voted for Conv ention. he
would have found large majority of the people to
be in favor of it, Ii be had examined into the a.
mount oirevenue paid by The counties in favor of
Convention, he would have found, that the Iarnes,
portion received INFO the Treasury is paid by them
Ii he had referred to the Declaration of Indepen-
dence-to the Bill OF Rights-to the Ordinance of
| Iod, stamped on the heart of man, he would have
found, hat all these high authorities support our
Claim 10 an eq'al participation in the right. %
direct the movements of the Government, Rut
Or, the gentleman has shut his eyes to these
truths, or he denies their existence The latter !
Cannot believe; they have been sounded loo of,en
10 nj ears, TO be so soon forgotten. VIVA, does
| the gentleman mean? Does he DENY anv one
principle OF the Bill of Rights, Does he denv
any one principle of the Declaration of Indepen
dence!A IL he does, let him speak out lei
MN avow his sentiments We have ripb
TO know them. II he does not disavow
'hem-I him to tell us ,vhv -
are declared The benefits TO be derived from
them! eairesl him 10 tell u.s. yyhen-e h.
draws he right, to tar us 1rithout our cousentq
| osIieve II II fac Sir, tat jhsre are tw-n.v-
80 counties Sc ding Jo'ty:foW delegates TO his
House which do not pay hem their y.ces; willie
| there are tiue counties, which psy into the Tra
{IDfESnpH
population OF 100 600 seuls, and but ten, ee.ates
Can ii be said, that we taxed with our cons.n,
Can II be said that our voce is heard or fell in
the disbursements oi the money drawn from our
p0ske's: No Sir; we taxed and governed
! The genIeman'e denunciaion embraces with,
Its scope, some of the best patriots OF the land Il
strikes al the motives of the Great Father of A :
merican Liberty. Why, sir, these emblems of
sorrow! Why the deep mourning which so RI.
Gently coVere! the land? They are eviden-
ces OF the deep affection of the peooIe n the
death OF the author OF the Declaration of Inde
e.uel =. But, he was n conventionis and i.
included IN tie Catalogue of those denounced
| by The gentleman. Sir, the members of this
| mouse VIII not countenance this effort 10 s,iys
nha,'%e one nail OF the people of Virginia, led
o. by Thomas Jefferson, political iockies-
No they will be the last 10 doubt the virtue or
the wisdom OF tina, illusrious man, and the friend.
OF Convention will be the last, 10 deserve the tile
Sr, Thomas Jefferson, will he looked upon In all
coming ages, to be, wha, have said he was. and
| again repeat, the father Of American Liberty
Ii was bu. short time after the constitution
went INTO operation, before dissatisfaction was
andiolJ expressed al The manner of its formation.
and to many Of IFS provisions. Every wear that
has since been added TO lis age, has also found it,
friends decreasing in number o! late the efforts of
the people TO alter it, have been more serious and
more Constant than at any former period; and.
out Tor The refusal OF the General Assembly TO
provide such means as were within their reach to
ascertain their wishes upon this subject, il would.
long since, have slept in peace.
Mr. Speaker, before gentlemen vote against the
BIZ In your hands, they should rememher that
there is point, IN the progress of all things, al
| "mch reaction commences and that, although y:e
nave yielded, for the sake of public repose, to
| repeated feJections OF our petitions, sound pol-
| icy should forewarn them 10 press us back
| against The wall. We have the feelings Of men &
ID on ordinary occasions, they often exaspe
! ia'eo al the more trivia! wrongs we suffer AT the
n"pds OF strangers, what may they not be, IS hen
members OF the same Republican family, and our
| kh0red, treat us dependents? III tbey are de-
tefnned not to listen 10 US, bat tciH exercise the
power they so ufjusty hold regardless of our
rights and our feelings, they may excite a tunul,
mat VIII shake the Common eafh from one ex-
iremHy TO the other Commissions in other states
nave sprung from causes more inconsiderable ,ban
'bs; and 1t the pages of History teach us lessons
OF wisdom, none is more emphaticaliy inculca,ed
! on Our minds, than that violence always follows
isticssness to the entreaues of the people for Re
| FORM ~