Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-03-31

Mr.. DoDDRIDGE's CIRCULAR.
WASHINGTON, isr nARcu. has

When left Richmond, I determ;u-
ell to avail myself Of the opportunities
afforded BY residence here. to observe
the course OF public opinion, in Eas-
tern and MiddleVirginis respecting the
new Constitution, and to address nv
constituents and friends on the subject
before the approaching elections. at
which the fate Of that Constitution is
to be decided. In doing this, il is my
purpose, very briefly, to review the
proceedings in the late Convention, SO
lar IS to notice the difficulties that Law
IN our way, resulting from the organi.
Lat:on OF the body itself. and the means
by which our equal and Just claims
were betrayed and lost.
When Napoleon had planned the
conquest OF Spain, he halted for sea.
Sou with his army at Bzyonne, where
he invited the Spanish Monarch TO vi
Sit him ~ friend. to consult on mea-
sures for their mutual safety. The
King OF Spain was induced 10 accent
this friendly invitation. He visited
Napoleon. who immediately seized
him, compelled him to renounce his
right 10 the crown Of Spain, shut him
up IN prison, and marched his army a
cross the Pyrennees for the CONQUEST
OF his deluded prisoners dominions.-
Throughout Christendom, this conduct
was called treachery.
Ii ~ veil known 10 you that before
the late Convention, the people West
OF the Allegheny had their full share
OF representation in the House of De-
legates, but this availed them nothing
while their friends in the Valley, and
IN the large counties below and near
the Blue Ridge. had so much les.
weight IN that House than they were
entitled 10. The tide water country
3 governed the State, and we all suffer
ed alike the destroying effects OF tide
water misTule. Ia 1895. our friends
% Loudoun proposed q meeting az
Staunton, which took place. At this
meeting our friends below the ridge.
od IN the Valley, were represented
Together with the extreme West. Ger.
lain resolutions were adopted, express
sive OF the sense Of the meeting. and
published 20 the world. The LEADING
defects in the existing Constitution
were pointed out. These were mainIy
nc responsibility Of the Executive
the unequal apportionment Of represen-
alton the restriction on the right Of
outrage, and the want of provision for
uture amendment. These defects
were proposed TO be remedied by aboI
sbing the Executive Council; by an
Forthcoming representation in both bran
rhes OF the General Assembly among
che white population equally, and by
cxtending the right of suffrage TO ali,
whether freeholders or not, who have
evidence Of permanent common inter
est with, and attachment, to the com.
munity." The means Of redress pro-
kposed was petition TO the Assembly
20 pass law for taking the sense Of
the people on calling n Convention
mere were some members of the Staun-
on meeting who would have preferred
peting at once, on Society, to an ap-
peal to the General Assembly, eonsii-
uted as It WAS, and il is TO be regret
sed that that course was not taken then
u afterwards. The petition of the
btaunton meeting was rejected by the
Assembly in the Sessions Of 1925 and
1926. IL was agreed TO IN 1897. The
law, however, only authorized freehoI-
pers to vote on that question. This
oie was taken at the Spring elections
t 1898, when 81. 1913 freehoIders vot-
b Tor, and 1887 against n Conven-
Ron thus giving a majority Of EreshOl-
Prs OF SOL IN favor 0f = Convention,
nd OF dividing their power with their
on -treehOlding brethren. With such
majority Of freeholders cOneurring
nth the views and individual wishes
~ the -ireehOiders. a class nearly
Is numerous IS themselves, serious
opposition TO the call Of a Convention
On such principles a. 10 give q fair ex.
pression OF the popular will vas not ex-
pected. Yet that opposition was made
land sustained by the wioie force Of
the East IN the Session Of 82s. The
struggle, at that time, resulted in the
passage OF law organizing q COnven-
ton OF 96 members, four Of whom were
70 be chosen by each Senatorial dis.
tIiet. Ibis law was forced on us by
tne East, all The Utsf rofing against Il.
mus the Convention itself Was orga
niLed not by those who sought, but bv
those WHO opposed IL; not BY The
friends, bot by the enemies If reform
The extent Of the injsFy done the
west will appear from the following
facts:
The Senatorial Districts had teen
formed IN February. 1917, with a view
I" an equal representation Of white DO.
pulss'on but, az that time, we had 40
tables OF popaiation later than those
furnished by the Census Of 1910. In