The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1828-05-15
DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

BttF.h fs~1B9 IN II LiliJE y If.
10 the friends Of con5tiiaionm reform IN mifdi.
nnd icedera Hirginia.
The prophetic fears Of the more ardent
friends of reform have been in part realized
Tue spring elections are oyer, and the majority
IN favor ola convention falls far short OF what
il ought 10 have been aud nigh have been. The
friends OF reform il IS too clear to be disputed
have not exhibited THEN real strength in hliidle
and Western Virginia
II is true that the weather has been tempestu-
Gus thai The creams have been swollen by copi
Gus rains. and that the election days themselves
have been wei aud uniayorable. Many aged
persons OF nhrm health, have, doubtless, in thu
existence ofthese obstacles, legitimate excuse
for their non attendance al the April elections
But these causes are NOT sufficient 10 account
for the Notifying fact. that while all the rlee-
tors in the state are supposed rot TO exceed the
number of forty thousand. fire hundred have re
manned AT home IN "A single county where nine
". eight in every hundred are known TO be the
friends Unconstitutional reform This, il is true,
is tie strongest case known but others could
be named which approach it but too nearly
Whether this result has been produced by
mexcusabIe apathy, or overweenng confidence
of victory, II is sfill a result most inauspcinus
70 our hopes Of final success, in the Struggle We
are making to assert our equal rights, as citizens
e Virginia.
Those who have been detained at home by
plesumptuous confidence that the good cause
would prevail without their aid, should reieCi
that a bare majority in favor oil convention
viii not effect our purpose Revolutions in tin
governments of states are moi effected bat bv
ereai movements ofihe peopis. .Dcep-rooted n
buses are not torn up but 10y mighty efforts o.
the pant Of those who suffer An usmparion,
sanctioned by fifty years OF acquiescenee, is not
easily overthrow.
To those friends of reform who were detain-
ed at home by the badness utthe weather aion,
who could have been well contpnted 10 be
there in respect Of the love they bear the cause,
but were deferred bv April showers what shall
say ." The weather was inclemen =" What
then Our fathers encountered not merel,
storms, aud tempcsts, aud bitter frosts and con
Stunning hunger, but danger and death il the
field of battle to assert aud maintain those rishis
which their descendants are now trtlng away
by criminal apathy. They no tair-wea
ther politicians. 1ou might track their progress.
through ice and ifost, TO the field of victory, b,
blood which flowed from their lacerated feet
Their descendants when called on for a So
Tenn expression of an opinion. formed on deli
berate reflection that the government under
which they live is u domination Of The tele orer
the many. ri0iaiiug, in is he0rg The most sacred
figh's, ana Pro3f@Hg' an H% Pfootce' me mos
fof"ob}e interests u me 2fsdt Oo9goI Hfe PfoP.s,
are deferred, lorsooth, from attending the polls
by fnlrY roads ana Vernal sho"ers'-ho" can
they JUSTIFY to themselves such apathy on a sub
lect INVOLVING an mar Is aeal 10 ifefmen
Are not we of Middle and Western Nn ginia.
III the shm' p"'uIeal Slt"d"oh lh"' our 'a'ne'
"fr-. "hen tntf rose up IA arms against NJ
WIN are not the representatives OF ne people =
Aud may ihey nor 'nIsgoNrfn ana oVtrtah IT'S al
pleasure IN spne OF an ine opposition "lach "t
can make u"hef mr. eLMhg t0AStt"H0h 3~-Aha
hh'e they MOI, N lac mlsgoNefneo u.s. ana lha
most grossly lis II no. conceded point tha',
under the tdewater government the prosperity
al Virginia mas gradually ana. OIL iale' faPldls'
i''imed, 81 ''Ia' sh' IS 10 an appearance on me
nigh road 10 rum !-isu NOT eI'aI' To every
INTELLIGENT observer mat our government mas
faH"n lar IN The rear ot the energy spirit and
Intelligence OF the age lis IT not a government
that VIII neither employ the resources OF the
permit capitalists irom another commonwealth
20 execute those WORKS At Their own expense
a government which hYgroSsly oppressive and
unequal laws, drives the poorer citizens to emI.
grafton. and thus wnnionlv PoofS out the vital
blood OF the >tate--a government m short,
whose greatest fherttls tine InbectY winch pre-
vents ITS folly from hame none actively pernl-
ciouS aud rumnus thnn II is And are we to
entail such government on our children by an
= hon