Wheeling compiler. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.]) 1829-1831, 1830-02-24

nllV, III lh6iI uIOoe SO'OiOle u eA'iH 80
trained capacity, by themselves, or their
AGENTS. have drawn out and adopted !
saw. again, is IL not their OlOR UiH clearly
and Automatically expressed? Such Is
not the character of the instrument nov
submitted to the people Of this Common
wealth. And even should ii be adopted by
the people TO whom it is submitted, it can
only be the presence Of majority OF Ger.
tain classes, of a part Of the Common
wealth and never can it be on principle the
Constitution of whole Commonwealth, IN
less the whole Commonwealth of Virginia
he the persons to whom this instrument is
submitted. But on higher authority, and
upon the best established principles, we
NAV affirm, that az the adoption OF an
Legitimate son will never make hun
real. natural, or a lawful son; 50 the
adoption of this Amended Constitution will
never constitute it the lawful form OF 60
yernment Of this Commonwealth; for the
lar Of a Constitution, is, that 1t emdnate
from tie people and be ratified by them,
But Que point at q time; and If shall
fail to prove that the ratification of this
Constitution by majority Of the persons
10 whom it is submitted, will not make Il,
of right, the Constitution of this Common,
wealth, ] doubt not but.that | shall be able
TO prove that it did not emanate from tic
pcople; and this with me, was alone a sutti.
cient reason to vote against it as a rcpuJ-
Hcan, however uuexceptionable it might
have been in itself
The point now to be proved IS, that 1t
did not emanqte from the present cltzeHs
Of Virginia. This shall suffice for the
present number.
It's now more than forty years, nay
almost half century, since complaints
have been made against the Constitution
GIFTS. These complaints did not orlg
nate IN the West, nor from Western men.
Nor did they commence among the pro-
scrbed casts. Whatever grievances the
unfranchised and prescribed classes may
have felt, they kept them to themselves.
The celebrated Mr.. Jefferson, as early as
the year 1881, began to write against the
Constitution Of l776, aud m 49, publish
ed his notes on Virginia and bis structures
ON the Constitution. He was not, as Mr..
Randolph accused the West, actuated by
the 'uorarlm rerua lvbidO," the lust Of
change, tie desire of revolution from sor-
did motives. Nor was he like one OF
Dayid's four hundred outlaws, nor in
character like that Of the associate con-
spirators of Lucius Catalina, to whom
that gentleman likcned Western reformers.
NJ; this most distinguished Of Firglnla's
sons and of American Statesmen, govern
ed by a rational estimate of those prlncl-
pies which were enforced by the argu.
medts and debates Of the sages Of liberal
PRINCIPLES, and consecrated by the blood
of the heroes of the Revolution, protested
against tie aristocratic features Of the
Constitution of Virginia, and pointed out,
besides minor faults, Si1 cardinal errors ~
the Constitution of '76. Mr.. Jefferson
described the tendency Of these principles
before they had developed themselves IN
their effects Nor was he alone, nor i'm
supported, in this view ofthat most unmeri-
torlously, eulogized instrument These
complaints became louder and louder, and
accumulated more and more as the pracu-
cal influences and tendencies OF the Con-
sutution we're developed, until they issued
in the call of Convention.
Power to remedy, and power 20 Perpet-
uate these defects, was in the hands Of the
Eastern freeholders.-.An appeal was made
to their republican principles, sense OF
Justice, aud patriotism. They began to
feel the wrongs, and finally a majority OF
the freeholders Of the whole Common
wealth, actuated by different motives. and
from different views, but most generally
from a regard to the principles Of free IN
shlutIous and of equal political rights, con-
Cured in calling a Convention.
Whenever this fact was known il was
made the duty Of the ordinary Legislature,
with what propriety will not now pause
to enquire, to pass a law for the assem-
bling of the representatives Of the people
in their sovereign character. But instead
of providing for d JuH and free Conven-
ton Of the people, they turned their ho'ts
and their energies to secure the power
which the old Constitution had caused to
grow up in their hands, aud as far in them
lay to prevent that majority Of the people
who called for COnyention from having
their due weight and fair representation in
Convention. The law, as far as it could
! with any pTetence to sanction the wishes
of the people, prohibited a full and fret
Convention, by taking from the reforming
interests its share Of representation and
glving 70 that section less disposed to.