Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-02-16
K6rtDs,roaaU gg'
MONDAY MORNING, FED. I6, 1929.

monwcalth, i'll the election of delegates to the Con-
vcntion about To be assembled for the purpose OF
amending the existing Constitution OF the State, or
Of forming n now one, convened in the Capitol
Saturday the lith day of February, 1929, AT seven
O'Clock, pursuant tn noticc--Jolin H. fleasapts was
asked to take the Chair, and Josiah b. Abbott op-
pointed Secretary.
On motion of DR.. Ro. Mayo, a Committee Of seven
appointed to report to the present meeting forth
with, Preamble and resolutions expressive of the
opinion of the meeting on the subject for which it was
assembled.
DR.. Ro. Mayo, Cen ]. r. Harvic. Wyndhsm Ro-
b,:son, jones E. Heath, WIN. rutherford AMI John
G Sidts were appointed the Committee.
The committee accordingly retired unl amer some
;inio returned. The chairman OF the Committee in
formed the meeting that the majority ofthe commit
tee had not agreed upon any report, bat he re-
qUestcd by the minority TO submit to the meeting
preamble and resolutions which were handed in 10
the Secretary and by him read, ana are IN the following
words
Whereas by IN act which has passed both Houses
Of the Gcneral Asse,Ib; and become the law of the
land, entitled San act TO organize Convention" the
sheritf5 and other officers conducting elections or
members OF the Convention required to receive
the votes of frecholders alone--the nonrccho ders
and other citizens of Richmond hero assembled view
NC restriction as an unauthorized limitation upoh the
equal rights of the frcemcn of this community, and
departure from the theory ana practice OF our
republican institutions Unprecedented i'll the United
States, which is indeensibe by reasoning, and which
cannot be Gcquesced in without dnngcr 20 public L.
bcrty.
While we unGualifedly express this opinion and in
vito thes.sctcs investigation o. its correctness we
frankly acknowledge at the time, our convc-
;ion, that the General Assembly had no power or
right, to extend tine privilege OF Suffrage 70 nonrco-
holders Both the Restriction and the extension are
equally beyond the limits of legislative authority
Had the General Assembly merely recommended il
10 the people of this Commonwealth to assemble and
choose delegates TO the Convention, and require, Tie
Official organs of the government TO receive their
votes aud make the proper returns, consider they
would have been exercising their lcgtinate movers
Oyylr -I1rr u
rty of the frceholders CO the Commonwealth but we
acknowledge no power under Heaven, competent to
deprive free men of ther equal rights, but the power
q! those free themselves, assembled in free and
fall Convention. Had the restriction ulen el.-
jfoge Of which we compi%n, been imposed BY
Convention. IN which the people of VIRGINIA
had boon fully represented, and n majority oil
them subsequently, ha'' ratified the restriction,
1ntevc. individual feelings and opinions 1nirlit
have been We would chcCr!jlily have acGu seed in
the VII! Of the community expressed through the le
gitlndte channel. j. j. not that deem il ulcspcn-
sable to the pxsiccc Of freedom tlat the right OF sui
!Tagc should he extended tu non-frechoders IN tho
choice Oftlc ordinary officers of government but tha,
1t would be derclicti"r OF principle, base submits
sin1 To us;Jrpgtiu1. lta,nOInt political suicide
- submit TO the dc;ation of tliu,c hayiir
more anio!iy than ourselves, in the foIlation OF
government common to all Of us, nay not ~ much
authority if as has been confidently and Frequently
asserted by Tie highest authority. the non-rechold-
ers majority ofthc people oftlis commonwealth.
We wish to be represented in convention. because Il
j. right ana because not choose be de-
Trived without consent, Of any Of orr rights
Where ordinary Legislature created only for tho
purposes Of municipal regulation EXERCISES this power
e; privaton, cannot but consider 70 M usurpa-
ton in effect, and one which while We do not clarrc
mean 10 charge, its authors with the design Of
rsurpiDg unlawful authority, nevertheless Zee,
= orr dIty to resist.
That in recurrence to fundamental p4inciplc5--
where new form ofgovernmcnt Is to be established
ali .cc citizens ofa community have III cg;id r,it
20 participate in its formation proposition so clear
and indisputabic to minds that had never I'M
aglned the possibility of its being Ontcstci: and we
foundation upon which rested the whole fabric Of re-
publcanism! It's exclusion by the g.. assembly of
Virginia in the recent act to organize cOHgcutpu
J. the hr5t example III the United States, O.! the dcn
al Of the principle by any constituted authority, and
as a portion OF the people whose rights believe
have been outraged by that act, cunno; b'lt e.:
press clagrin that ts should nave first occurred
IN the Ancient Dominion, nor can we submit tIit with
ont making effort To avert the Injustice 81 the To-
"islaturc, and Our most solemn appeal ~ tic good
sense, jusjc2 and republication of our follow citizen.
a. large TO sustain and aid us III the attempt.
We deon it superior to enter INTO n mint, and
clubJra:e argument, to establish tire ri st OF every
free man to participate i'll the chongc Of tho govern
ment under Which he lives: Tor If this rint yas not o.
tabished by the American EeyoiU.ion--ftha Rcvo-
rion not Justified by the principle that the poo
~ tis reversible aud inherent right 10 reno
ucl heir government, We know not whut principle was
s'ttIcd By that great poll event where shall
fad Ule j1sti cation o. or Fathers in throwing of
the yph Of Eu land, AMI setting up an in1eGcndcnt
go.ernuelt for Themselves. Ono authority, howe
'Af, We wiI adddce to or country IN support Of tic
cams OF TIC npD. trseiUidss. authority, which.
tJuqhiJiis become Fashionable with some 2, Gccrv
collection ot distractions. true in theory but ui
fIscrpi Vi practical application the condition off
mankind, It IT, rtidc Ia eco,ycdrc as ili. bigb-
~ Human or'h--ly, ond ir1 which We believe the
e.opc Of vi. mia cpu.iiu. 90 entertain Gccp ana
uudainsliod fsvCrCHrC-se moan thc Eli Of E.LfsI
of NirriJin. Behind tis .gl authority 80 utreerl
I.' rtf. ran ..rt