Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-01-26

combining with others to subject us to foreign JuriS-
dction, giving his assent to their pretended acts Of
legislation for quartering large bodies troops
among for cutting off our trade with all parts of
the World, tor imposing taxes on US without our con-
sent for deprvng of the benefits of the trial by u
ry, for transporting beyond to be tried for
pretended Offences for suspcnding own Legisa-
lures and declaring themselves invested with power
to legslae for in all cases whatsoever by plumber
ing seas, ravagng coasts. burning our towns
aud destroying the lives of our peoples by melting in
surrcctions of fellow subjects with the allure
nlents Of forfeiture and confiscaiion by prompting
our negroes to rsu in arms among us, those very ne
Groes, whom by an lnhuman use of his lucrative
! he had refused US permission to exclude by Inv:
by cndeavouring to bring the inhabitants of
our frontiers, the mcrciless indian savayes. whose
known rule of warfare is an untlistinguished des.
truction Of all ages, and conditions of exist
ence by transporting hither large army of for
eign mercenarles, to complete the work of death des
oaton aud tyranny, then already begun with circum-
stances OF cruelty and perfidy unworthy the head Of
a civilized nation; by answering our repeated petit
lions tor redress with repetition of injuries; and
finally, by abandoning the helm Of government, and
declaring us out OF his allegiance and protection: by
which several acts of misrule the government of
this country, us before exercised under the crown
of Great Britain was totally dissolved: did, therefore,
having maurely considered the premises, and view
ing with great concern the dcporabc condition, to
which this once happy country would be reduced,
unless some regular adequate mode of civil polity
should be spccdily adopted and in compliance With
the Recommendation of the General Congress, ordain
! And whereas the General Assembly of Virginia,
by act passed the tenth day of February, IN the
year of our Lord thousand eight hundred and
twenty entitled, an act to organize Convon-
ton, did nhorise and provide for the election by
the people, Of Delegates and Representatives, TO
meet and assemble, in Geue'al Convention at the
Capitol in the City Of Richmond OH the first Non
day of October in the yeur last aforesaid to cosd-
er, discuss and PROPOSE Constitution, or alter
atious AID amendments ofthe existing Constitution
OF this Commonwealth, TO be submitted 10 the pep
pie aud to be by them ratified or rejected:
We, therefore, the Delegates and REPRESENTATIVES,
of the good people of Virginia, elected and m Con
vention assembled In pursuance of the said act of
Assembly do submit and propose to the people the
following amended Constitution, and form of Govern
ment for this Commonwealth that is to Say:
ARTICLE I.
The Declaration of Rights made on the 18th June
l77G, by The representatives Of the good peoplc of
virginia assembicd IN full and free Convention, which
pertained to them and their poseity, as the basis
and foundation of Government requiring in the opin-
ION OF this Convention amendment shall be pre-
liked to this Constitution, and have the same rcla-
ton thereto as it had to the former CONSTITUTION of
this Commonwealth
| ARTICLE IT.
Phe Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary Depart
ents shall be separate and distinct, SO that neither
exercise the powers properly belonging to either of
the others; shall any person exercise the
of more than one of them at the same time except
that the Justices of the county shall be elirbe
! to either House of Assembly.
ARTICLE III.
l. The Legislature shall be formed of two distinct
branches which together shall be complete Lepis-
iature, and shall be called the General Assembly of
Virginia
g One Of these shall be called ,lre House of Del
egates, and shall consist of hundred and thirty
four members, to be chosen, annually for and bv
the several counties, cities, towns, aud boroughs of
the Commonwealth; whereof thrty-oue celebrates
shall he chosen for and by the counties "
ing West of the Allegheny mountains; twenty FIVE
lot ana oy the fourteen counties lying between the
Aheshany ana Blue Ridese OF mountains; forty-two
tor and by the twenty-nine counties lying East of the
Blue Ridge of mountains and above iide-water; and
thirty-six for and by the countless cities towns and
ooroughs lying upon Underwater, that is to say: OF
the tweny-six Counties lying West of the Aeqba-
ny, the counties of Harrison, Montgomery Mononua
liza, Ohio and Washington, shall each elect two Dele
gates; and the counties of Brooke, Caben, Grayson
Greenbrler, Giles, Kanawha, Lee, Lewis, Logan.
Mason, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Preston Ran
dolph, Russell, Scott, Tazewell, Tyler Wood and
Wythe, shall each elect Delegate Ofthe four
teen counties lying between the Allegheny and Blue
tidgc' the counties Of Frederick and Shenandoah,
shall each elect three Delegates the counties of Au-
gusta, berkeley, Botetourt, Hampshire Jefferson,
Rockingham and Rockbridgc shall each elect two
Delegates; and the counties of Allegheny, Bath
Hardy, Morgan and Pendleon, shall each elect one
Delegate. vi the twenty-nnc counties lypc East
OF the Blue Ridge and above Underwater the county
of Ioudon shall elect three Delegates the counties If
Abemarie, Bedford, Brunswick, Buckingham Camp
bell, Culpeper, Fauquier Franklin Halifax Mock
lenburg and Pittsylvania, shall each elsct two Dele.
gates and the counties of Amelia, Amherst, Char
lotto, Cumberland Dinwddie, Fluvanna Goochland
Henry, Louisa, Lunenburg, Madison, Nelson Motto
way, Orange, Patrick, Powhatan and Prince Edward
shall each elect Delegate. And of the counties
Cities towns and boroughs lying on tide-water tine
counties Of Accomack and Norfolk shall each elect
TWO Delegates; the counties of Caroline, Chester
'Ied Essex, Fairfax, Greensvillc, Gloucester Uano
yer, Henrico, Isle of Wight, King and Queen. Kino
William, King George. Nanscmond. Northumber
land. Northampton, Princess Anne, Prince George
Prince William, Southampton, Spottsylvania. Stat.
ford Sussex, Snrry and Westrnoreland and the cirv
% Richmond' the borough of Norfolk, and the town
OF Petersburg, shall each elect one Deepate: the
connties of Lancaster and Richmond shall toretber
elect one Delegate, tie counties of Matthews & Mid
deseX shall together elect Delegate the counties
OF tI'zubeth City aud Warwick shall torether cleo,
one Delegate, the counties Of james CITY and York
and the city of Williamsburg, shall together elect one
Delegate; and the counties of New Kent ana Charles
CITY shall together elect one Delegate