Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-04-17
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To rue EDlroRs OF rHE wHo.

GgE 00WatttUttoad% eADtg.
To EDlroRs wWo.
Gentiemen:-The enclosed letter from Tho. II.
3oynes, Esq was written in answer to one received
by him, from of the Delegates appointed by the
people Of Accomack county, to meet and confer with
Delegates from the other counties in that district on
the subject Of nominations for the ConyeDtiou.-
pfr. joyues having been nominated Candidate,
and his opinions having been n,isrepresented it is due
to him and the public, before whom he is Candidate
that his sentiments should be known distinctly.
a SUBSCRIBER.
Letter from Tho. r. Joynes Of .4scon,ach to .Major
Oiicer Logan.
DRUMMoND Town, February 28th, 1929.
Dear Sir:-Your letter Of the 25th inst, was duly
received, and should have Immediately replied fully
On the subjects referred to in your letter; but my
gsgoments ut that time, did not permit me to do
You ask If will consent to become q candidate for
the convention, If should be nominated by the dele
gates appointed to meet at Bell Haven, on the 18th Of
March; and you saw that you have consulted Mr.. Hen
defO, and Mr. Broadwater, two of the delegates, and
MANY other feads of reform, all Of whom anxious
20 have me in conventions and you ask my opinion Oh
several important subjects, connected witt, e duties
which viii ueVove ppon the convention. / am much
indebted to You and TIE other gentlemen for the
friendly sentiments which prompted YOU and them to
wish me to be member of the convention, and
viii reply with eapdour your letter, as if it had
BEEN addressed to me by all the delegates appointed
10 meet at Bell Haven and have to request that you
will submit the letter to the whole of them when as
sembled, In order that my opinions may be known TO
an.
When there was first a prospect few years ago,
that convention would soon be held to revise the
constitution of Virginia, determined to offer myself
as candidate for the convention, upon the SUPPOSE
fon that the election would be made from countless
hut since my appointment cerk ofthe county court
determined not to offer myself a candidate, be-
cause knew that many persons would object 60 ME
On account of my being clerk In addition to this
reason since the law prescribing the mode of eecng
members to the convention, requires the elections
han hay
been appointed TO meet at Bell Haven, to nominate
Candidates, 1t appears to me that it would show u
want of delicacy for any man to offer himself
-eastiinate. nDd Ishouid not do if were not
clerk Although Tor these reasons, will not offer
myself as candidate, yet if the delegates think prop
er to nominate me to their fellow citizens,
didate, viii consest' to servef elected; and will
render best services to the pnhlic, this iRpor
liant occasion. am truly difhdeut,sf my quahfica-
lions for this important trst-yet, consider il the
duty of every citizen to render his services TO the
public when called upon by his fellow citizens and
the great importance OF the duties which will devove
Upon the convention forbids my withholding my SER
vices. if my fellow citizens require them.
AS to my opinions upon various subjects connected
with the convention, they are such have formed
Upon mature deliberation; and know they are hon.
sstly entertained; and if l mistaken in my opiil-
ioas it than often falls to the lot of poor
fallible man. All Of you who know me, know that
an not in the habit of engaging much IN political dis
clssions and proclnIaing my opinions to the world,
aud ebtruding them upon others, biis am nevertheless
firmly attached to my opinions as he who pursues
different On the present OCCASION should
not have given my opinions to the Bell Haven dele
setes either collectively individually unless had
tteefn asked for them, for ! determined do no
act which should appear like soliciting nomination
from the delegates but will leave entirely their
fee and unbiased Judgments without soliciting
declining nomination. Althosgh L am not in the
habit of akng noise about my political opinions,
vet never hesitate to give them when asked for them
by any persons in public private and the pres
,1t 1 is thnff
ions of every individual who is thought of candid
ate for the convention, should be known the dele
gates before they recommend him to their fcow ct-
zgns for election
1t smpossibe anticipate the various propositions
which viii probably be presented to the convention
and on which the votes of the members would be re-
quired, and all that can be required or expected
Of candidate is, to give his general riems
and opinions the different subjects most like
ly to come before the convention, and il tnust be
len 70 his discretion vote for the best plan that is
HE IS SPECIALLY INSTRUCTED ON A
PARTICULAR SUBJECT, AND THEN TT is
tPHB DUTY OF THE REPRESENTATIVE
TO OBEY THE INSTRUCTIONS OF HIS
CONSTITUENTS.
One of the first political opinions ever formed by
me- was, that the constitution Of Virginia was deec-
tive and required amendment, and have never chan
ged that opinion. The first petition believe ever
presented to the Legislature from Accouack fer the
call ofa Conception to revise the constitution Of Vir
ginia twenty years ago was written by me. I know
that persons havS said that returned from the
Stanton Convention in 925, opposed to Convention
This is mistake, and the votes given by me and all
my colleagues in that Convention, the last day we
there, will show that all voted for the adep
ton ola Resolution declaring that the defccts the
Constitution ought To be remeded by q Convention"
But at Stanton discovered that the Drincipni oh
jcot of some ofhc leaders of the Convention was 10
change the mode OF Representation in the House of
Delegates flor the purpose of promoting their own
views for the Ialernal Improvement of the Western
part of the statc such as would have depri-
we'd the small counties Of separate delegate in the
Legislature which might be organized by the propo-
sed Convention: and / endeavoured to defeat that
object by proposing amendment to the resolution
calculated to secure to each County, however
small, one Delegate, and to the larger Counties
more than one according to population. In this prop