The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1828-03-13
Don't ES IXc.
ICON EAE wINengsrll mrnnrIcAN.

IRON THE WINcHEsTEi HEruBLICAN.
To The jricH6s " Constitutional rl,orm in
ijrginid.
Victory has crowned, al last, your long con.
tinned efforts to btlug the great question ri
c1nstitnionaI reform before HE people of be
commonwealth. Vanqnished, in the house OF
delegates. in 1929, with n majority of ninety
b5u51ud Of thu population o. the slate IN your
rank yauquishrd AGAIN III 1926 with ma
ioritv on your side OF one huHdred aud fHg
ADusnua, yon still res ralned from violent aud
revolutionary measures, perCciving that the
quiet bat irre -i-tlble march of public opinion
was rapidly rrrparina the way for your final
triumph HE victory hasbeen at length
cbievpd, Notwithstanding The politically rot
ten and corrupt composition OF the house OF
Delegates, by bringing Ia bear outhc great
question majority Of almost tro hundrcG
aad foriV thousand, ina total population Of
scarcely more than six HUNDRED ihou,aud-
The representative Of Io2 567 citizens voted
on the l4h December, 1877 for be bill q CON
rrrnigga raugrn'iou, WaiIe ICsoPponcals re
presented loi li3 only.
This is dbubuess NEST glorjous and ami
mating victory. Bni it may sail prove bar
ron our, unless ii Is followed up hv cuniiu-
I'D forts Eleven years age, during I've sc5-
sion IT lSl6-l1, a revision Of The constitution
seemed almost within our grasp. bill Ton
takug the sense OF the peore had passed HE
house of delegates and il Non had followed
M your success by continued rxprtiun you
would long since have Wrested the govern
ment from the hands of an usurping minority.
but in an evil hour you listened to proposals
for compromise, AID accepted an cluaiiza-
lion OF representation in the senate when VOC
might, by little perseverance, have gftpCho /
a thorough reform tneVcry department OF the
government.
1neu, as ii all had been gained, you sunk
into prutannd rrpose. The ruinous practical
ELECTS OF the imperfect and unequal represent
tation OF the people. ia the house of delegates,
had not then developed Themselves 30 fully
a, siuce. Evlis we're fell, but they were not
tracndto their causes. ion loved ease aud
tranquility, aud YOU trusted Go time aud
Charge, the gods whom the sluggard WOr-
ships, to carry you through. Thus for c;ght
years did you dnze over yonr violated srights,
aud hope for better things During those
EIGHT years the bIightjng misrur Of the low
baud government hal produced the most fatal
ELECTS on the prosperity of the Stale. During
those eight years NeW-Tork and Pennsylvania
had oveuakru and passed and di-tauced Viz
ginld IN the race at greatness. Al the end of
those elght arsiherommpnWealth exhibited
IN" piainest symptoms Of premature decay,
while her sister states, with few exceptions
were prosperou, and happy
Then, indeed. vnu Hwukc. Then indeed You
orened your eyes to tue great truth. thai ~
thing bm constitutional REFORM, and an sn'irs
change IN ne character amt spirt oftte goutr7-
meH, copjd slre the COMMUNICABLE from, nm
PendfHg rain After three years otpersevp-
r'ng eYert'on You have succeeded in bring
ing the great question of reform before the
people, hS the intervention OF the existing GO
v'rnmenl, and without ercountering the dan
gers AMI turmoil Of revolutionary move
ment. Now is the ti,ne for renewed exertion
now Is the time to follow mp the advantage
you have gained. The day rapidlp approach
e' When the sense OF the peopeisto be taken
at The polls Ii you remit your efforts, the
or'sht day Of liberty which has just dawned
may De iearuliy overcast, and may yet close
IN The darkness tbatis without hope. Iweuld
not disturb gour ima ginations w1th vain fore.
''dIIss Butt wsro you that If, as Or the