Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-04-01

&
The present crisis in the affairs of our native state
fellow ctizens, induces to address You briefly on
subject deeply affecting the interests Of yourselves
sblc expedcnts and rcnsonngs which wiz be res orr
cd TO by of influence the district TO per ude
you that tho grievances TO which shall call your
tention are merely visionary, and that this coinmini
cation, together with all others of a similar nature
must proceed from osaiiected spirit, the moro
earnestly entreat you to be guarded sgainst them.
bcseech you as you value tho inesthnable blessings
Of liberty, which your fathers bequeatcd you act
foryouryeves, hold fast to that ch you haze
your inheritance lest il be placed beyond your
reach. IL you would do this, you must attend the
polls in the month OF May and demand IL as an inhe-
rent rghf TO vote tor members To convent which
will assemble Tor tnu purpose of changing je ate of
public affiirs--ior altering the State Constitutions
and for aught you know, shculd the urstocracy pre-
vail and yuu DO nuad sleeping on your posts,j for
converting the repdbic mo that despcabe govern
inent, w.iere Lte as4ay made sujseryien. to an
orer6ea,ng IT is follow citizens that ever
since our present government went into operation.
you have 6een debarrad The rig suffrage and Will
Lancy submitted TO It, And wily 40 Still wis. to
retain the power of governing in their hands,
VII tell yon that tbs Submission has yielded the
question OF right part, and tac admission
OF your having never Possessed it, But this is not
the case. Men selected for their wisdom and tn il
devotion to the cause OF freeing ourselves from the
expressions OF tyrant were in the dark days '76
delegated to frame constitution, which they drew
up in haste, because their services required in
the defence of their country in her councils
submitted TO the people, because they were fighting
their country's battles which they deemed OF more
immediate Importance, than forthwith attention to
internal affairs. Here then necessafe rel they
tcared pInitire right in favor OF, bu, did not Weld
il up the freeholders. After repea ed attempts to
call convention for the purpose of having this right
restored TO its owners He people Of this common
wealth, and for the purpose Of erasing from the
constitution some of roy1t features, the question
was submitted to the non jreehotders only, ai ma
jory of these, have succeeded so far, TO arrange
the prcliminaries, and must have q convention.
the right of suffrage remains now as when were
under the Britiak yD,e cali this royal feature
and such should meet the decided disapprobaton
of every good citizen i'll this any other republic.
The question whether this shall small not remain s
submIrted to those only who enjoy all the benefits both
of power aud interests ARISING from it, and the well
known effect of self-interest on the human heart
points out to you the decision they will give this
question: should you acquiesce in its being submitted
solely to them You nave been denied tie privilege
of voice in this matter You have been prohibited
from declaring whether the government under hicl
Won live, is, or is not Inadequate to the purpose for
which was created, and after it decided by ma
jorty of the mon in power that it inadequate and
that the constiuton must be altered, amended or
abolished, you are forbidden to take either part or
lot in the matter; and it for this last this unieard of
grievance that now call you arouse yourselves
aud caiuy and Approximately, to your rights.
lcontend that we have al along supposed Ourselves
living under u republican form of government, and
fhat all Of Us ricit and poor alike, had mutually
resolved and pledged ourselves to- each other to
support rule of equal justice among ourselves.
That therefore renowned the dospotic principle
as well of governing being governed by mere L az
and potDer and substitute in its place government
of Justice. We supposed that he people of the
State (your dsfranchised selves included) had the
sole. exclusive and inherent right of goreyning and
regulating the internal policy of the But we
arc now told that the fJeehotders haze this right
alone, aud they seem disposed TO exercise it. We
supposed that .ail power is vested in, and consc-
qucntly derived from the people," The fseehoders
tell that they haze the power, and that it is vested
in them and in the people "bccause forsooth' say
they, .if the non freehoders, included in the
word people, aud chitdyeR, stuUeS, free
negroes, and muattoeS, ideos and ttuatieS and 1t is
cleaEthat they are, and ought tu be excluded" We
supposed also, that when any government shall he
found inadequate" to the purposes for which it was
created, THAT ,naIority ofthe community hath an
ndubita bc unalienabe and ndcfeasblo RIGHT to re-
form alter abolish it,, &c You have b. en- denied
this right g. the petitio principle is again or,
and tho word community defined having reference
10 ffeeholdrrs only. We thought ~that no man or
set ofmen, arc entitled TO exclusive separate emol-
umonts or privileges from the community, but in con-
sideration of public services. The frecholder5,
low these in consideration of thry holding land. IL
~ thus fellow citizens, that they, their funded tcs-
dom interpret both the Bill Of Rights and the Cunsti
tuition, and it is thus, that they will level you with
tile free negroes, placing indeed more ororous bur
den upon you, by making you fight their buttes when
necessary unless you 30 resotely but pedcedbiy to
work nor at this critical moment, and lay deter
mined hold the rights which arc invaded by the
aristocracy of the land. Listen not, TO tine syrcn
songs of sefinercsts, which viii continually assai
your ears, respecting the advantages to Western
brethren likely result from your proceedings, md
their consequent evils to uai they mere bigbrars
foinimidatc you from your purpose; hut rather let
''cqual Justice TO ALL and our legitimate rights be
your MISUNDERSTANDING set oimen privileged
class-support your own dignity, secure yOnr in
terests and power in the government and II IN do
ing this you aid brothers of the Wes., il VIII be
no more than All act OF Justice aud bIothcry love-
Those who harp much upon this chord, foster
ing the worst Of all political pussonsSe, tiOnat jen
I1ades--und II would bc cofnmendable in yuu to
blight il soon p9-sibe. My object is, call your
attention le approaching election tor members TO
Convention. The government ~ about To undergo
in this matter tho legislative aet which proscribes
YOU Is unconstitutional and your submission 20 it
will be a surrendcring of your liberties. 90 10 hcl
polls, or assume The gGrb u serrifity
& - ff,o ,N 81