Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-04-30
: c0NvENTToM.
LynciiLurg, 10Th .9prii, 1899.

= CONVENTION.
LynctLury, 10Th .9pri, 1929.
DR. JAMES SAUNDERS:
SiR-The time is approaching when choice is TO
oemade oil representatives from this district compo-
SGD OF tho counties ofBcdord, Campbell and Buck
- '", "a tit CcavcatiaIi FOR reforming the Cons-
tuition Of the State.
The undersigned citizens Of that district rcgscst
PERMISSION 10 present you rs of them to be voted
fur as delegate IA that body Your views m rcla-
ton To the subject of constitutional reform have been
before the pubic since you first became u candidate
TO represent is district in the State Senate, and, If
any change in your opinioa OF that subject has since
taken place, no doubt entertained that You will,
without hesitation make free and candid disclosure
OF the nature and causes such change to the people
OF the district.
The undersigned have been informed that smdry
applications OF similar character with the prcscn,
have been made 10 You by individuals, without sue
cess, and that You have declined giving your assent
ON the ground of your being candidate for rc-ccc-
ton 10 seat in the Senate. The office OF Senator
and thJt of delegate to the Conventions are not re
gardcd by the undersigned as Incompatible, and,
while they fully appreciate your views as to the u-
por'nncc OF the undertaking, and your dfidencc in
appearing before the public for so responsible trust
they hope YOU will permit neither the one nor the
other to influence your determination farther to de-.
cine The request now made, and that if elected YOU
VIII agree to serve rs representative in this Con-
vCntiuu. Very respect fully, &c.
(Sgncd) d. II. EDLEY, and others
To McssrS. David II. Edley, and others.
Gcn;lnmcn-iou very kind letter OF the 18th inst
inviting, TO suffer myself to be presented 10 nv
fellow citizens of this Senatorial district rs cant
date for the Convention which is to meet at Rich
niond IN October next, for the purpose of reforming
the Constitution of State has been received and
duly considered. For the latterng testimony which
this communication carries with it your confidence
III me- allow me 10 tender 10 You my most grateful
acknowledgements. beg to be permitted, never
thcleSS, to express my uneigncd regret that you did
not direct your attention SSme other individual
better qualified than mysefor the great nuroose in
the accomplishment OF which you have chosen TO
desire my participation. The responsibility of the
trust involved III this work ought NOT To be volutar
iyiiazarde much less sought after by the wiscs of
heads; ana have therefore either desired nor
sought TO procure Il seat i'll the Convention. So far
from IT. must be allowed, more explicitly frankly to
declare my sincere aud earnest regret that | have
been Thought ot for the appointment am, however
without meaning to make ostcntatious parade
about II, deeply your debtor in public suuport and
1t becomes nc to say that, a concurrence ofa suiIi
clcnt number Of the rest of Iy fellow citizens of tho
district should elect me Ia serve in that BODY uuit
as am, and arduous would he the service, 10 he
performed, could not would not decline obeynp
In reply to your enquiry whether my opinions on
the subject OF reform are what they formerly were
aliuding, presume, TO the exposition which / rave
oil them when four years ago first became n candi-
date tor the Senate, have TO answer in the afir.~
tive. had long aud cnrnaeil, I-sirco, before had
80 ''Ior OF seat IN the Senate Of Virginia 10 see
our sys;c touched by the hand of reform and meyer
douhted that the people sufficiently capable of
SELF government To engage the work safely and
wisely TO sautary and beneficial termination Of their
iabors. then Thought. as / now think that the
three great departments of tho rovetnr,ont arLorh
framed and established by the best of men, were de-
fecivc IN many Of their TEXTURES and susccptbIa of
Essential and important amendments.
tirst III the organization Of She Lerslafurr b,ro
ever considered the unequal distribution OF po,ynr
Da pralp fine, IL,
hundred iiecmcR III one past absou civ welded more
power than thousand equally free men In another
part rs Gncucstly wrong III principle and obviously
uDust ln practice Nor coalt any better assent to
The lulustlcc-gross injustice Of excluding from all
political power whatever, fully three ffths, nav ncqr
wo thirds Of The whole number of the frceInen ot:hc
conmon@ealth-a large pn'tiop OF whom, pcrbups
by Ia ihc GREATER could adGuce sufficient evidence
oil permanent common interest with and attachment
30 tho Community" "Tiirrd" they are "ujLhonf
f'rir c7"ent. and bomb Ly Ls,os ,,qsste3 In n ,opb
tar r1'r'scrtnii"s. do not mean the laws alone
T-nch requisite civil society. have witnessed nv
5e tho pTIvatons OF seine of those nci,-reehodcrs
"Ucount red ~ the behalf oftheir more favored bro
thTcn that were the owners ofthe soil.
1t ~ hardly necessary to observe that the remedy
<nrh ayc uniformly advocated for these defects is
INC con iAon Representation. & truly republican,
y"t prudent enlargement of:he r;rt of srfraUr Az
20 cqu1Zing representation, looking upon ours az n
representative democracy where every man who cx.
ercscs political power ought TO be- in the criov
mcnt TINS Junction. equal To every other man who ex
ercscs II. never cnn believe in any other rs rc-
publican bass han that of free white population. I
Qre- rnfc Il - not wished TIT should erlor1e on
sii' branch Of tie SUBJECT my opinions ure desired
only and notmy for them As to the elective
tranc'rc, have 5inted at the incples upon which
would rely for guide in the enhancement of it
Fhc gcty Of the whole would doubtless rcouiro tho
none should entitled to The benefit 81 this niyilorr
huf slcil as could furnish evidence of permanent eli
z'mp BY reasonable term Of residence nnIangst rs
Sort of this could not furnish clam upon he priu
cip"S predicated. The exclusion Of individuals con-
vctcd 81 iconlous oifncps, pnupcrs ond vaprants
hni ii a. OF whom taSrs coHd not So col ccfed the
pr"crding year. would foilnw al a matter Of course
nihr ncw organization Of tie Legislature, should
hDid as cnrfuaI object NOT only TO reduce It's num-
hcrs '''t To rcd.ce them materially No argument
that have heard advanced on this pon, has boon
r" icnt I" convince mo that an aggregate of an hun.
"Fed w'hibcrS ~ botb branches ought not 70 he the
n4vnum number. Ncr have been able 10 under.
|nJ I'D relHtlOn 20 another laBTc If the present avg
tenn wig both bousc may not with equal safety and
advantage after 'bc fashion of the federal lcslatnrc
ORIGINATE business.