Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-06-19
I'm Eastern prgininn.
To the Editors Of The Enquirer.

The recent election Of members of Convention
having, in many cases. resulted in the rejection Of
ge",'emen, enjoying in high degree the public
| confidence, and the friends OF many Of them
| having, very properly in my estimation, given
! public explanations of the causes which led to
| their rejecton,I beg leave to follow the example
in relation to WIN. X. Johnson, Esq.
This gentleman, who resides in the county Of
Chesterfield, which is most decidedly opposed o
Convention, and in District which always has
been, and Ia now. one Of the most decided Anti
Convention Districts in the State, did, when the
question OF Convention or no Convention was sub
mitted to the people, give his vote at the polls in
favor OF Convention; altho,' while Senator from
the same district. he did all occasions, but
particularly on that subject, truly and faithfully
represent the wishes and sentiments of his CON
stituents. When the time, however, of election
| oil Members OF Convention approached. many
freeholders oil the district, composed chiefly Of the
| Anti -Conventonlsts, who were well acquainted
with his private and public worth, who knew
well his clear. discriminating head,l G his proven
| bially extensive. and correct knowledge of men
! and Of things. who knew how to appreciate his
! talent for originating, maturing and finally con-
| summating plans and propositions, which others
could only conceive and suggest; who, in fine,
felt secure in the integrity of his private and DO.
lidcal character, Immediately looked to him, not
only as fit member of the Convention but as one
destined to be very useful in that body Thew
therefore, applied 10 him without hesitation for
leave to run him a candidate he resisted their
opportunities. urging, A" that he well knew, that
| no man who had voted for Conventions could be
elected in that district, and furthermore that this
objection could be urged with the more force
against him, because the true merit OF his vote
on that subject had not only been misconceived but
misrepresented, and that the general impression
| now was, that he was in all respects thorough
| going Convention man." His friends however
remained memorable, and did recommend him to
| the voters OF the district. But, so firmly con-
vinced was he OF the inefficacy of the attempt
and so frequently and publicly did he express the
opinion that this consideration, il other, would
prevent his election, that he did not attend sin.
gle election in the district, except that in his own
| county. Conse rIently, in fhe county Of Motto.
way, where his popularity to this day is unques-
toned, he obtained but small vote, because NOT
having made his appearance on the day OF cleo
ton, he actually, was not considered as a cand-
DATE, The county Of Chesterfield came next, and
there, in common with most Of his competitors he
illustrated by nstter-of-fact. argumentstive
speech, his views OF some OF the most important
changes proposed in the Constitution, and altho'
he was opposed by gentlemen alike distinguished
Tor talents and popularity, and altbo' he had to en-
counter all the preiudices which originated, first
from his individual vote on the Convention sub.
iect, and secondly, from the misconceptions and
msrepresentations Of that vote vet at the close of
the polls, he stood fourth on the list. In Powba.
tan, he not only encountered the same disadyan-
tages, but had TO contend with two Of her favour
lite citizens. In Petersburg, where his popularity
IS beyond all doubt, his election was then consi-
dered impraciicsble, and, therefore, he was dropt
by many OF his most decided friends; notwith-
standing which, he received nearly half Of the
votes. In the two remaining counties, no polls
were Seld for him.
Such, Messrs. Editors, were the circumstances
which attended the election; and have gone thus
much into detail, in order that the public may see
that there not only has been no diminution of
public confidence in Mr. Johnson, but that the
vote such az scarcely any other man in the
district could have obtained under the prevailing
circumstances O. that so far from iis operating as
source Of modification 10 him, his friends. who
nominated him, consider IL as highly compliment
tary to hin, ard fattefing 20 henselve. and TO
A VOTER,