Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-02-19

ing the laws for the naturalization oi Foreigners by
keeping among US, in time of peace, standing armies
and ships of war; by affecting to render the military
independent of and superouF to the civil power by
combining with others to subject to foreign jurs
dction giving his assent to their pretended acts of
Legislation, for quarerng large bodies dtroops
among for cutting off our trade with all parts OF
the would, for imposing taxes us without our con-
sent for deprivng of the benefits of the trial byju
ry, for transporting beyond to be tried for
pretended offences, for suspending our own Legsla-
lures and ceclaring themselves invested with power
to legsate for in all whatsoever; by plumber
ing our seas, coasts burning towns,
and destroying the lives OF our peoples by melting in
surrectons of our fellow subjects with the allure
ments of forfeiture and coniiscation by prompting
negroes to rise in arms among US, those very
groes whom by an inhuman use of his negative
he had refused us permission to exclude by law;
by endeavouring to bring on the inhabitants OF
our frontiers, the mercllcss indian savages, whose
known rule of warfare is undistinguishcd dcs-
tructon of all ages, sexes and conditions of exist
cnce; by transporting hither large army of for
egn mercenaries, to complete the work DEATH des
olaton and tyranny, then already begun with circu-
stances of cruelty and perfdy unworthy the head Of
civilized nation; by answering repeated petit
tons for redress with repetition Of injuries; aud
finally, by abandoning the helm Of government, and
declaring OF his allegiance and protection: by
which several acts of misrule, the government OF
this country, as before exercised under the crown
OF Great Britain was totally dissolved did, therefore
having maturcly considered the premises, and view
WIN great concern COnOltlOn 10
which this once happy country would be reduced
unless some regular adequate mode of civil poly
should be speedily adopted, and in compliance with
the recommendation of the General Congress- ordain
and declare q form of government of Virginia:
And whereas the General Assembly of Virginia
by act passed the tenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
twenty -nine entitled, an act to organize Conven-
ton, did authorize and provide for the election, by
the people, Of Delegates and Representatives, to
meet and assemble. in General Convention, at the
Capitol in the City of Richmond, the first Mon
day of October in the year last aforesaid, TO conSd
er, discuss and PROPOSE new Constil uon, alter
| atoms and amendments ofthe existing Constitution
of this Commonwealth, to be submitted 10 the peo-
pie and to be by them ratified or rejected:
We, therefore, the Delegates and Representatives
of the good people of Virginia, elected and in Con
vention assembled, in pursuance of the said act oil
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 |.
| The Declaration of Rights made on the 1eth June
I 1916, by the representatives of the good people o
Virginia assembled in full and free Convention which
pertained to them and their posterty, the basis
and foundation of Government; requiring IN the opn-
! ion of this Convention amendment, ehall be pre-
fixed to this Constitution, and have the rela
ton thereto it had to the former Constitution o.
! his Commonwealth.
ARTICLE II.
| The Legislative, Executive, and Judiciary Depart
mens, shall be separate and distinct SO that neither
exercise the powers properly belonging to either o
the others nor shall any person exercise the powers
| of more than one of them at the same time, eXcep
that the justices of the county courts shall be eligible
to either House of Assembly.
| ARTICLE III.
/. The Legislature shall be formed OF two distinc
branches. which together shall be a complete Legs
ature, and shall be called the General Assembly o
Virginia.
2. One of these shall be called lhe House Of Del
egates and shall consist of hundred and thirty
four members, to be chosen, annually, for and b.
the several counties, cities, towns, and boroughs
the Commonwealth; whereof thirty-one delegates
shall be chosen for and by the wenty-six counties ~
ing Vest OF the Allegheny mountains; twenty five
tor and by the fourteen counties lying between thu
Allegheny and Blue Ridge of mountains; forty-tw
for and by the twentynne counties lying East of the
Blue Ridge of mountains and above tide-water; anC
hrtysx for and by the counties, cities, towns,
boroughs lying upon Underwater, that is to say: o.
the tweny-siX Counties lying West Of the Alegha
ny, the counties of Harrison, Montgomery, Mononga
liza, Ohio and Washington, shall each elect two Dele
gates; and the counties of Brooke, CabeI, Grayson
Greenbrier, Giles, Kanawha, Lee, Lewis, Logan
Mason, Monroe, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Preston, Ran
dolph, Russell, Scott, Tuzewe, Tyler, Wood ant
Wythe, shall each elect one Delegate. OF the four
teen counties lying between the Allegheny and Blue
Ridge, 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 tw,
Delegates; and the counties of Allegheny. Bath
Delegate. OF the twenty-ninc counties lying Eas
of the Blue Ridge and above tde-waer, the county
Of Loudon shall elect three Delegates; the counties
Albemare, Bedford, Brunswick, Buckingham, Camp
bell, Cupeper, Fauquier, Franklin, Halifax, Meek
enburg and Pittsyivania, shall each elect two Dele
gates and the counties of Amelia, Amherst, Char
lotte, Cumberland. Dinwiddie, Fuvanna, Goochland
Henry, Louisa, Lunenburg, Madison, Nelson, Motto
way, Orange, Patrick, Powhatun and Prince Edward
shall each elect one Delegate. And of the counties
cities, towns and boroughs lying OH tide-watcr tlc
counties Of Accomack and Norfolk shall each cleo
two Delegates the counties of Caroline, Chester
field Essex, Fairfax, Greensville, Gloucester fIano
yer, Hcnrico, Isle Of Wight, King and Queen, KIM
William, King George, Nanscmond, Northumber
land, Northampton, Princess Anne, Prince George
Prince William, Southampton, Spottsylyania, Stat
ford Sussex, Surry and Wesnoreland, and the city
OF Richmond, the borough Of Norfolk; and the tow
of Petersburg, shall each elect one Delegate; thu
counties Of Lancaster and Richmond, shall together
elect one Delegate, the counties Of Mathcws s. Mid
desex shall together elect one Delegate; the countie
OF Elizabeth City and Warwick shall together cleo
one Delepatp. the pOuufioa md