Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-11-26
WApNr snAY. Nov. ID


The Convention met AT 10 O'Clock aud was
opened with prayer by thu kev. MI. Taylor Of
the Baptist Church.
Nj NASH OF Nelson. presented the fol-
loving Memorial from the Cilizens OF thai
County, winch, On his motion, WIS referred
10 the Committee oil the Whole on tho Constr
tuition.
10 The Contention Of pUginid
Your menolialisis beg leave TO represen-
10 your ho0ourable body, that IL WAS with
deep concard, they received sthe intelligence,
that a proposition 10 make n change ~ III.
mode OF appointing Magistrates, was rejected
by the Judicial Committee. Your mcuor N
lists, do consider the present mode of those APP
pontmenIs, 10 be nris'o cratic IN its features, b.
tending TO the establishment OF privileged order
in this Commo nwenlth that "a body should be
established 10 this Comma nwcalih. with self
creating powers appears to them an anomaly
OF most alarming tendency, and in practice,
well calculated 10 dctlTono the supremacy of
the peoples VIII 1T must be known TO YOUR
honorable body rs II IS known TO your mt me
rinlisls. thai The present mode OF appointing
those officers, is well calculated 10 place The
Judicial powers ofthe Country, m well as
the desines and well being of the Counties,
inlo the hands ola few families--lt Is known,
that the County Courts have been invested. III
this State, with the extraordinary powers Of
appointing Militia OfiiceIs-of supplying vh.
cancies IN their own body of the appoint
ment OF Oyerseers OF the Poor,--of est abshiDg
ami changing Roads, of Ievyipg County Tax.
Oh at their own discretion and of managing
the whole connt, Police, according 90 their
own will aud pleasure, without consulting the
supreme will Of the people their powers
are great, aud often improperly exercised ba,
Cause the Courts are 10 no way responsible 10
the people; IN fact. they are power without
responsibility Your memor,aisis have thought
proper to make this very brief statement, in
order to call the attention Ot your honorable
body, particularly to this subject They,
therefore. pray that some mode may be adop-
ted by ypu, which will take away n self crea-
ting power from the County Couris--and they
will CIV er pray, &c.
(isre Ioiiow The Signn'ures)
The House then went into Committee OF the
Whole. Mr.. POWELL IN The Chair.
The resolution, touching the Right Of Suf
hage, being read, Mr. Wilson Of Monongalia
rose to submit an amendment by way OF sub
stnute.
Mr.. WILSON, observed that his resolution
was AT least not snake ~ The grass. ID pre-
senis the subject in a fair aud naked point of
view. II rs not open 10 the objection of the
gentleman from Charlotte, thai IL excludes tree.
holders who have AT present The right TO vote !;
for IL takes IN all such neeholdars. II il not
liable 10 the objection ofthe gentleman from
Spottsy for IL obviaies all possibility Of
u fraudulent vote. Mr.. W. coniended, that
this resolution pacesl the Right Of Suffrage on
its fair basls-lhai II requires residence prinGi-
pally as the coudiiion of The vote that II was
natural right ofevery man 10 appoint his own
ageut and II you restrict n man in this par
lieu ar. you deprive him Of greater portion of
his natural rights than is necessary to the
good OF the whole, or The security Of those
which he reserves 20 himself you encroseh
upon lis freedom, and verge into the region
oi despotism. He stated. that the preservation
OF our lives, liberties and property Is a sacred
Object in government but as a man cannot in
all cases act for himself, in the administration
OF public affairs he must appear by deputy ;
aud in the selection ofbis deputies or agents
lac ought TO be left at liberty. lie commended,
that the Declaration Of the Bill Of Rights, re.
curing the evidence Of permanent common
interest," in, aud secondly, attachment 10 the
community, does mol apply TO the freeholder
only that property alone, does not furnish
that evidence that iapie property does not
furnish the only test the very man who to. day
| owns farm, and has family with him may
to -morrow DO dedrved Off by a superior ii.
tie, or some other cause and will any man say,
that because he has lost his farm, he has lost
| all his attachment, or is not as much interested
| in the good government Of the State his farm
| indeed is gone ; bu, his family isleft behind. l,
should be rseollected 100 tina, you give no