Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-04-22
RtcDa.Vessu IasU6g.
MONDAY MORNING., April 22, 1879.
FoR THE RICHMOND VINO.

Nessrs Editors We had, on Wednesday last, at
Powhatan Court House, address from b. w. Leigh
of your city, upon the subject of Convention 1t
was IN substance the Substitute published years
since by the same gentleman. He is nou, as thsn
opposed TO reform. To the county court system he
Is completely welded. Upon the question of the pro-
priety Of extending the right of suffrage he Ii opposed
tos riribtts, p,gnas e. calculus Upon this theme he
diated ut some length and, both by rdiculc and ar
gument, attempted to shew It's fatal tendency. His
nnecdote of the po6okers of w llian and Mary Col
!cge, seemed to be thrust at the non freeholders If
THAT they ought to have been horsc, and birched,"
an insinuaton were levclcG ut the freeholders,
perhaps the gentleman would do well to take peep
at the history of certain events, fifty years az O.
and how the same advice operated upon tie
Bostoninns, when Lord North advised, 'dragoonnp"
them into proper respect for the powers that were.
"Brching' now, apprehend, will answer no better
purpose, than "dragooning,' did then. The bill of
rights holds the language OF both parties; that oil
mon having sufficient evidence OF permanent COM
mon interest," &C. have the riL lit of suffrage. The
only point OF dispute is what is the evidence pcrma-
ifent common interest, &c. His anecdotes OF Irish
men, Yankee manufacturers, &c were mere at cao-
tddum arguments, and 10 which sorry to hear 20
great man resort. One great difficulty to be en-
-;ountered by the approaching Convention, Mr.. Leigh
upprehended, would be the apportionment ofrcpresc
tatives,owng to the different species of wealth and
population in the Eastern and Western sections of the
state. Protection of property as well as OF personal
rights Is conceded 70 be sac DO icn duty OF this as
well as of every other government The equal pro-
lection OF both is the apprehondcd difficulty. Let inc
enggest hint upon this subject. Let the House Of
representatives be based upon white population, and
the Senate upon the valuation land land slaves YOU
ike SIMILAR in principle to the constitution osoae 9TH
erStatcs. If bill introduced. intended TO operate
either againgst the rights of property or of persons il
would be TO be arrested lii the House or Senate
was iorcibly struck with one observation OF bIr.
beIghs, because 1t was repeated with emphasis By
the speaker. ~ axe The Constitution, tsaid hc) Gs-
cause is old; yes ike because Il is DID, beoan
10 ponder within mysefthc force Of this logic and to
apply it to certain other subjects. found that AGE
had benign influence in mefiolcirg wles Thought
would not hold good with regard to ,romen and GU
co'iOe's Ii might be intended to apply only to pov-
eminent; but here my researches were no more salts
factory Monarchy and despotism had age on their
side, bnt still for the life Dime, could never abide the
idea of them. concluded the Chinese must certain
y have the best government the face of the earth;
and thought struck me- that this must be the reason
why they apply their Empire the cpithet celes-
hHI Yet, confess, these examples to the contrary
notwithstanding, am still hardy enough, tn entertain
doubts upon this logical inference. Ii may be OWING 10
some obliqmity OF intellect. As age has 40 ANA
z.ngly an amelorating energy upon consitnt IONS
and as have doubt Mr.. Leighs mathcn!ati-
cal powers are equal TO his oratori"al. ] wish he
would solve for me this problem. Tie Constitution
Oh Virginia in fythree years (bsd tis) having be-
come erceIient, how long time would it require,
tolerabe one now formed, to become perfect? Or lo
State the question in another shape. bad Consitu-
ton being given, 1t is required find the prcci.e
TINE necessary TO ronder it n good one, So at any
rate the good people OF Virginia do not run so ,Ireat
iinagincd for if they succeed in only getting one en- u
bic, time will amend IL; and if they get good one
few years will make it super erceiiel!.
But raillery apart. Neither rdicuie nor few in
stances Of the abuse Of the right of suffrage will serve
for argument at this time The question must now
DC met upon It's merits The wisdom and good
sense of the Convention "must reform the present
abuses oithe government ana extend the right of
suffrage beyond its present limits "there will be
no pence in Israel" OBSERVER
PO'gmArAN, April 10, 1922.
Alcssrs. Editors IT is the wish Of several free.
holders that Lucas y. Thompson ESQ., OF Amherst
Should be brought to the notice of the District
IN which he resides as q member to represent in
part Tho District IN the Convention "a reform our
State Constitution, which will in Richmond il.
October next. SIR. Thompson is well known in the
Counties Of Nelson and Amherst to be in favor of re-
form and no one acquainted with Mr. Thompson
mot %l doubt HIS talents being of frst order aud
first character.
SEVERAL FREEHOLDERS.
Nsnns'ons birth dny celebrated, in February last, by
the Americans at Paris We particulars " the