Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-01-02

on they impart and the eTIsions OF eloquence which
distinguish the Debate.
TO THE VIRGINIA CONVENTION.
GENrLEMEN-wiii you permit me, an obscure in
lviduai to ask your brief auention?-y phrase will
be homely, and my remarks, perhaps uLdeseryiny Of
| attention; but | will not drtain you long
respectfully entreat you 20 mark the course that the
business IN which you are engseeh has taken. Eleven
long weeks have passed away and vet in reference In
the most important ert your ion nothing in
effect, has been done. Why ti,, Clearly il ,o >.
not proceed from want high talent in that body which
is -mphstcally, anil truly, 8 icd august The dov.r
and prime OF Virginia there; AMI the learning wis.
dom, and tloquencc which so emioen.ly chaacteriz.
your debates, sufficiently evince that YOU are indeed
| council oil great men. And how have you been en-
poyed! why, in ilig' ntly searching and scrupizn,
TO lind out where our Con, un.ound and who
'her II reeds repair Yet, in the whole of this
nice anu critical examination, there has no certain dis
covrry been made OF any essential deect for if your
nearly equal vote OH almost every muortant oues,io,
afford aust criterion by which to form an opinion il
may we'll be doubted whether any very con.i,erabI.
| imperfecton exists
Rffrm however. lie still Enormously insisted upop.
the how or in what respect, it is to be made seems
yet undecided
Would to God il could be known ,cheyefore chances
are medated before serious nnov a,ions are made in
our organic law: Have we not lived long and happily
under the existing Constitution? The kecn.st s,icL.r
for reform coniess that have-and tla TO insane.
OF oppression, msrulo, or usurpaton, can be Justly
charged against the government.
We are told, however, that a duo apportjonmept NJ
political Poeer ia r'qni'itc and that, with thi. view
representation should be based upon white population
eXclusivey.-Cui boro? To enable bare majmitv TO
control, govern, and agCreve the minority, I'm what
respect would his better our condition, PeIbans il will
De answered. that the prevailing di.contens win he al
layed and that the West will no longer complain OF I'M.
due influence by the East in municipal ley.a,i m
Bui is it certain the East would not then cou1psin
gainst tn West? The evil would doubtless coo
tinue, and would only he shifted from, one quarter of
the state to smother. And indeed since no ac,u.I in
Justice has bee committed whv do we he ar com,ai,
Are they not groIndess' Make the desired alteration.
and possibly real evils may b. substituted for those
which are now only imaginary. Those iealousies and
bnrnings may actually arise which we now bur
hear the Ter bodngs. Already, gentlemen
nate themselves az men ofhe Uest,-some az men Of
the Edst, -and others Scotch Ii>hnaen:-,nJ should
new and unified basis operate, percbance to the uii-
ry and oppression OF large portion of the Comm
wealth, these, similar distinctions a.
'nn"d, at this day, by some conspicuous persona <e-
alone-msy come 10 he applicable, in COOL earnss, 10
different sections Of the country. Better far that we
should regard each other children Of the family
and remember tha, Virginia is the mother Of ns all.
Nor let ns, by any means forget the gre at AMI eff
tnal resistance which this CommonweaIb opposes a
gain't tn aggressons aud usuruaiion, OF the Fedora
Government and the loss of influence in this reuec,
which she would sustain by adopting IN bie Bosis
which the darling theme and favorite object of som,
honorable members
The true and proper basis of representation il tina
which has been indicated aud SO ABLY treated bv MIR
Iaz"well, and which Time has already laid deem II
the genius, and character, and circumstances of hi
republic. Upon This steady found ,tion IN. sn,.rst.c
ture OF ,ne rN'ng government would reposr through
me long lapse ri ages In perfect safety; and il woul,
be cemented with the best affections OF the peon,e
could hev be is 10 the 'xerce of their own volition
1hspeorie, in truth, nre not the mal-conients.
We have now Constitution wbich-,ts enemia,
themselves being judg~s-operates every pr,c,ica
gooj and no actual harm But we are Taught tbat If
theory, all men are equsl that they shosd he so ir
pae.er' ana 'ha'; without such equality, govern
msnt s not republican.
Ana Is 1t Jor this tina, are to incur the ri.k o
S"e'iuc'ng real AMI substantial good, To one which
merely possible and ina ginsi Y? Shall we eye
ming, SIMPLY because we rav.ief with IN,
whisiling 81 nameE' Ours MT a yepublican eoperu
ms"' "nere then, beneath the Sun, are we 10 |, oil
Tor republic, "
What is that theory worth, whirh will not aImit o
being carried out in fraciice?-And NAV this he :,
carried out! Not to speak Of women AMI minors vii
it' admirers and defenders cors nj to become the q
q"aS OF monntehahks and paupers; anil ne groes bon
and free'-Fh age has afforded an example nj n.,io.
thoroughly inh'i d with TIE spirit and doctrines o
heoreiIra democracy. And where did II end! I'm n.
pers0nhcaiioD, and actual Worship OF an ab.trart
phantom, and in the bu'cherv Of many nvri,ds ",
shall he preserved from such nfaiuaion-but how fa
w may p'ocoeI when once we act upon The highway
OF revolution, what human foresight can divine,
Some have an appe'ence for novelty Til. v seem
lnent on making al ihnss keep p,ce with tu11rb
HPT"rtmenf. WIN them, all settled insti' utions
are II oueht behind the progress Of he age and gov
ernnens, 10 suit their TASTE, must like men ard yyo.
men, he conformed 10 the prevailing mode This is
pefhaps, one icason Tor wishing TO see Vrpni, our
OIL respected mother, cOrseed and triced ont i'm all
me hnery and irippery ol the French ,yie and hence
The necessity Of her hairg drugged by political p1y.i.
clans OF The modern school, until her shape is rcnced
TO he requisite dimensions for exhibiting such elegant
defetmity. 500
The foregoing remark have been off, red in reference
chiefly TO The Legislative Department Of the Govern.
nen'' Nor II dtnctiy perceived that any change l.
needed IN the Executive. This last ba. worked
wei, end why should it be made the SUI iect Of limo
vaion. " INV
great apostle Of reruhcanisn has said, (in sub
stance Tor cannot recolleci his word4) that the Wig
oom, anh by consequence, ihe longevity Of Cove n
mens Us 70 he Judged Of Ivy the stability NJ their laws
hnn ,hs must be eminenuy true in application TO con-
nWton0f law Truly all lhings are rendered venera-
pe ny lme; nor II ia TO feel sny great respect
TOT sucn institutions a. are always in progress, and no.
yer st = stand ~
he'o'"uoh " sometimes necessary, refuge from
tyranny or usurpaon. But where neither Of The la,.
yer pXiss can itbe right TO cast society loose from liz
noorogs and embark IL upon the tide OF experiment
hnn would not, OF all things, 10 The most astonishing
and unhe'rd OIL That peaceful, thriving, happy peo
Pr, w ne Tree aud ample esioymcnt Of every civil and
Pocal blessing, should wilfuly break up The estab.
hsned order OF things with better inducemen than
eiples' W. F''"-