Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-01-15


| lust pretensions.
But the sheriff might refuse to open
such a poll. Conceded 1t would be
easy, in such case, to open poll at the
same or adjoining desk or table, for the
election of members to the proposed
convention, under the superintendent
of two or more respectable friends ofre-
form, who might be Professionally Sc.
lected for the purpose in all the coun-
ties by the preliminary convention at
Richmond.
Bat many Of the counties would re-
fuse TO send representatives. to such
convention True. Bat the vote taken
on the convention question in the spring
of the present year, may be considered
a census both Of the friends and OF the
enemies of reform If county con.
tanning 1000 white people gave vote
Of 900 for convention. and 100 against
It, it is fair 20 count 5000 Of the p1putG.
lion on one side, and 1000 on the other
If, then, representatives were elected in
a number Of counties whose aggregate
contention population, thus ascertained,
constituted a majority OF the whole peo-
pie of Virginia, those representatives., as.
sembled in convention would be the le-
climate repositories, pro ts'Hpore Ell pro
hac vice. of the sovereign power of the
people of Virginia. That repr esenta-
tives ,rouid be elected from anumber of
counties containing convention pnpu-
lation amounting to majority of the
vi e'e people Of Virginia, | heVe not the
smallest doubt.
The only remaining points to be ed
justed by the preliminary convention at
Richmond would be, the tine and place
of the meeting of the convention to re
wise the constitution. The recommen.
dation of The preliminary convention on
those points would no Doubt be confor
med to, though it might not be satisfac.
tory to all parts of the commonwealth,
from the necessity of the case.
The writer Of these hasty remarks is
not vain enough to suppose that they
contain well digested or unob; ectiona-
Die plan Corporations. But be is strong
and confident in the belief, that the in
teligenf body of men, 10 whom they are
respectfully addressed, is capable of
forming plan, which will deserve and
receive the appreciation snd support OF
all the friends of reform throughout the
state. and be carried into full exee-r on.
Here, then, would be government
subs;siing at Richmond, sustained by
some seventeen thousand 'freehotders.
and convention ssse mhed at that or
some other point, representing twenty-
two thousand ireebolders, and sustained
by the opinion OF one hundred thousand
citizens mores who are now deprived of
the right of suffrage. The contention,
so sustained, and SO supported, would
form constitution and organize gov.
eminent. That government wonld go
into immediate operation in all the con,
vention counties. Its executive aud la-
gislativs bodies would. Of course. as.
semble at some point, other than Rich-
mond, at first, TO avoid csilision with
the functionaries of the expiring aris-
tocracy. Possessing so great pre-
ponderance of moral and physical force;
sustained, not by numbers only, bet by
the principles ofthe revolution--the new
government would rapidly extend its
territorial dominion The propensity
Of men to Join the strongest side is foun-
ded deep in their nature, and is but q
modification ofthe principle Of self pre-
servation. The minority would go over
in crouds to the 'lea0 government, and
tbe old would expire Of debility, as did
that of the Bour5ons in France, when
Napoleon returned in triumph from the
exile TO which they had condemned him.
But suppose that it were TO retain, for
a while. IFS existence and organization
Would there not, il may be asked, be an
inevitable and perhaps violent collision
between the two governments? I an
swer, that the new government would
have every inducement TO pursue
course Of the most decisive moderation.
Possessed of a great superiority of ply
steal force, il would not find it necessary
to anticipate resistance, by measures sf
violence calculated to cripple the force
OF its adversaries. This is the expedient
Of usurpers, distrustful OF their own
strength, and knowing that shs peopts
are against them. 1t would extend its
sway from county 70 county just when,
and so soon as, the people OF the res
pective counties became sensible of the
expe9iency Of sending in their adhesion.