Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-04-27
nuyICATI0Ns-r" 'as pirei'i'".
f.m.easmg. Iah april 1879.


re ss m. time Is approaching when choice
.,.de of representatives. from inns
g." ..a,n,osed Of Tho connfi's Of Bedinfd,
III ,nJ Bsekine ham. IN the Convention
the Constitution Of the state.
~. ,d,.,s;gne., citizens of that district PC
.,..,,,i..iop to ereseat yoa Ms one OF mem
y,.,ea far az u delegate In ihatbndy ioh.
-. i, relation 10 the saireci Of cens'''"''o"ai
.aC,,,,, ha,e been before the public sinee You
ars, became n candidate 10 represent 'h'- "'s.
s,;ct in ihr Sfate Sena's' aa', any e"''t
,',;,;on on thai subject has since taken
- ~, A ,uts IL .r'erts'oet that you VIII,
~ -, I,.si,,tioe, make n ffes and ~ aud dis
r ,h. ne,nre and causes of such change
m ,bp people OF The District
~. IN ,ersisneh hav. been info'u'e mat
c,nd-v apnl,caio1s of a similar character WIN
-. ,,r,se,t have been made 10 you by tndtv,d'
IL ,y;tboui sncc ,ss, and that yon have deciin-
al irving your assent, on tue gro1nd 81 your
bo;ng.a candidate for rr-elcciion 10 seat IN the
senate The Office Of Senator aud maj of
ielpga,e 20 the Conv"n''cn, arr moi 'egaa''
T.. ,ie undersigned as inconp fi!fc add. while
,b,v fully appreciate your views rs TO Inc I'M
nori .o,eof the undertaking, ar1 your d'hi-
= .ncc IL appparag before the p'rbiir t'f 80 re.
o,,o,,s;t,le n trnsf, they hope son VII permit
,;,t,or ,be nne nor the other 10 'nfaencn your
Denomination farther 10 dec'ipe the reTnest
n,,y n, ode, and that 4 elected. s"o viii agree
IN ser,e rs n representative in this Convention
pefy respectfully, &c.
fSgnra d, X. EDLEy, and others.
r. uessrs David r. I. Icy ae'' nihers.
10, l,snpu-Your very kind letter oil the
l,h ,.s, inviting me 10 suffer nys Tito be pre-.
.,',,e3 tn nv fellow citizens %. this Senatorial
d;.,rict asa Candidate for the Cnnvrntloo,
,,h;r,, ia In mce, nj Rchn,rnd m Oriober next,
far the purpose of rcfumins the Consiliunoa
az our state his been receiyp! and duly cHns,-
a.rel For thu Tutoring testimony which
81 c,nn,aui.fii ~ ca rries with II OF your con.
..i,Isnce IN ME, allow ne 10 tender 10 you my
moa grateful neitnow.sl semenfs. Deg to be
permitted, nevertheless, TO express my unieign
cd regret thar yam did no direc' ynnr a',en,to"
u, som MIR inaiv'dral better cra.itied than
mysef for tlls great purpose in ,de aeon.
p,;shncn, Of " hi n Won have chosen 10 desire
nv nlrtic;nati3n. the responsibility OF the
7yust invn;,ed in this work ohsht not 10 he
.v,,untnrily h IA del much less sought after
i,y the wi e.i of head,; and have Ih'ref re
n,yer ciihe- desired atr sought 10 procure
xast in the Convention. So far fom II
must br allowed, more expiidely, iraakly TO
sec.are my siacere aad earnest regret 'hat J
tavr been thought Of for the appointment
am
ten,af;ui. parade adam il, de ply your debtor
: public support, snd it bccom's me TO say
,l,,t IL a CONCURRENCE of a sufh 'ient humber oil
The RS, OF my fellow citizens Of the district
sbos!d eiecf me ~ servs IN thai body
,mii, ms I am. and arduors would be the
-s.fyice 10 b. performed, could not nor would
ipi decline obryng
in fea'y to your enquiry whether nv or,n-
i,ns OH ihe sn' ject OF reform are What they
Ior0erly wer'. alio tfas, presume, ~ the ex-
posi- ion which gave OF them when four years
aga &, s Became candidate Tor tie Senate, !
have 10 answer in ltrr atIfrma I've. ] hnd long
and aarne>iiy de.i.rd before had Tie honor
Of seat in tho sena'e of Virginia, 10 see our
system touched by ir li:nd of reform, and ne-
Yer doubted thai the prople were sufficiently
capable Of self-s 'refnfnpni 20 engage IN the
work safely aad Hiseiy 10 "A >alutarv aud ben
efeial termination OF t.rrii latIors. then
iboI Shi, rs now think, that the three great
depa men of the gov"rnmen', although
fared aud e.'ab!i,hed by the hes, of men,
were frciiva il many Of Their features Hnh
susceptible o. essential and important a'neAd-
MS
+ rsi IL Tie organization OF the Legislature,
have ever considered rh- unequal disrf5 nton
nf pnuer a.non7si thu several cpun,ies If the
State, ,ha, an hnndIe ed freAmsn in one part
Absolutely wiedrd more power than thou
Fsind equally freeman in another part, RS
inaniias H. wrong in principle aud obviously
unjust ia praniie. Mr. could any h,fiepas
s"ut ~ tie in itfsiirr-gross I'M isiice ni eAcln-
ding froni al political power whatever, fully
three Il tbs. ury ne.r twoihird, of the hole
nnnuer II the trern,eH of hr com nveaiih--
large pnrllpn OF hon, PEI haps, b. fur the
greater, could sid.ce "ssn1ieicni evidence Of
psrmanrnt common interest with and attach.
mcui 10 the c,mmanilc" +" Jared Ilrey are
piit0h their consent dHf bound Jp laWs
>qRaseutei 10 through their representative. ~
80 not mean TIE laNs a ,ue which regulate civ il
speie'y. | have Witnessed, mys-lf thu priva
tons fsnme of these uoa.frrehal lrrs cnconn
tered in The hcablt nl 'heir mnrc favored
brethren that were the owners Of the snii.
II IS inr Nv necss.aryto ohserVn that he rene
dy which have nnifp ny advocated to. these
defects IL the eqislizati,n &c representation
and d truly repubi can, yet prudent enlarge
.nleni Of tie rfsht ~ snflrage. As 10 eqt,sli-
zng representation. looking upon ours as n re
Preventative democracy where every man who
exercises political y"sver ought 10 be, in the
en)oyment of this function, equal 10 ever.
soher man who exercises il. ] never ran believe
~ any otser az n republican basis than that of
the free white population presume il is
nat wished thai ! should enlarge on this
branch Of the sabirri, as my Iinions are de-
sired my aud not my reasons for them. IS 10
The elective franchise have hint-a at The pti;..
eiples upon which would rely for a guide la
the enlargemenfofit Ii. The safely Of the whole
"onld doubtless require that none sh"uld be
tniit'ed TO the benefit OF this privil-ea, but
such rs eou,d furnish eviirn.e of permanent
citizenship by reasonable form OF rcsis'encs
amongst u. ShOTt "f This ecu 4 nnt furnish
Claim upbn the principles predicaed. The
exclusion of individuals convicted OF feLonious
Offences paw pers and sasrants. ard surh as
DIV HON ,asss could mni he collected the pre-
c''sine yrar, wonii follow as matter OF
Course Ia The new organization 81 The Lrgisa-
wrt should hold il as a cardinal obiec' moi oniv
10 reduce IFS nuntsrs hut TO reduce them maleri-
ally. No argument bar have heard sdvanned
on'his point has been snfli ci.nt TO convince me
lnAl an 49, hL..,lLaA rs,c.,.l.ers u,