Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-01-29

Their theatre, aud the newspapers cav d
Expected to be occupied with the discus
sion until the people shall pass their tina
verdict at such time as the Legislature slal
appoint.
This discussion has already commenc
ed. Two communications appear in ,hi
paper, which we are proud to offer as mo
dels OF calm. dispassionate and conciliato
ny diSputation. II those which, follow an,
in this strain. the public will never tire j,
then perusal. We regard them also as wei
htted to calm the troubled elements whic.
now aglta,e our county, and we may say
tie entire west.-For it cannot be conceal
ed that feelings of bitterness. and loud and
angry discomfort, are uttered every where
These, we fear, interested persons will
seek to hcighten, for other purposes than
the public gnod. Let us throw oil upon
the disturbed waters. The subject before
us is the most important which the pre-
sent generation ever had or probably ever
will have submitted to them 1t is "A con-
stliutlon, which, if adopted, will last for
haif century, the lives Of nearly ali
the adult persons now in Virginia. LIE, us
then, approach it with minds free from
prejudice, and, most cf all, free from pre-
determination TO condemn, either on one
side or the other.
10 our subscribers VIC wnalJ resnec,-
FULLY say, take down your files ordc5a,es
OF the convention, read them over again,
and as we continue TO furnish them, pon-
der over the whole carefully. Place the
Old and new constitutions side by side.
compare Tor yourselves, aud ;hen say winch
you prefer as a !rginiGa. Let not the
Blue ridge shu, out from your viaw the en-.
tire state, or limit the bounds Of yopr pa,-
rio;!sm. Why should
Mountains in!erposcd
Make enemies of'nations who had else.
Like kindred drops, been Mingled into one ?"
Assoon as we can conveniently do so.
we shall print the old and new Coustitu-
ton IN handbiIl, and shall take pains To
give them general circulation. If the
new one is preferred, accept i, a, the polls :;
1t the old one is preferred. in the belief
that by bearing with it a little longer we
can get convention who will give US a
better than the present has done, thea re-
Ject the new. Bat ponder well ere you APP
proach the polls; for on your vote may
depend the veal or woe Of your pos.er,y.
We OF the west can now see that we
went into the convention with two great
claims. Our expectations were tao highly
raised to permit US to bear our disappolnt-
ment with moderation. Because the west
gave an almost undivided vote for a con-
ventIon. and The east as unanimously oppo-
sed 1.-THE middle counties giving the
ma iority in our favor,.-we thought the
victory ours, and we prescribed conditions
to cur opponents, which the middle conn-
ties, acting as umpire, rejected and IN turn
wo became the vanqushed, and were o.
biiged 10 subscribe 10 terms dictated by
those whom we had regarded as defeated
and PROSTATE
To this day we believe one-half or three
'ourths of the people af the west are un-
der the impression that majority Of the
white population is on the west side of the
Blue ridge, when in fact the majority a.
gainst us is $4,000; and of tae td1-pnying
Popuf1tt0n we are minority of less than
a fourth. These are facts of the utmost
Importance in forming the opinion Of the
relative merits ofthe rev constitution. If
they operate against us, it is our misfor-
tune parhaps; but they are still facts,
which all the reasoning of the world can
not alter"
by a SUBscRIBER.-"I would therefore urge
my icl!ow-ci:izens to he moderate and friendly
In f,ir md
poet perfection liz government any where, much
less where there isan ununiform slave population
Nothing else will carry our ship, aye, our great
fleet through the political Storms so often and
so rudely assai'ing them. Frequently recur to
the best authorities in support of suck opipion,
WASHINGTON, in himself host, Experience.
and Common Sense. Tho violence of partv
spirit will soon be merged, through mutual con-
cession, in the discreet thinking and good dis.
positions OF the majority of our population,
whether rich poor, learned or unlcarned.-
The gratitude of our people should be especial
~ called to contemplate with reverence and a.
fiction the anxious oxortions Of those revolu.
ticnary worthless whom Providence in his rood
ness and mercy had permitted scat in the con-
yention, and without whose wisdom, experience.
independence, frmness, moderation md conci.
iatory couDsels, our beloved Virginia might
have been theatre Of confusion and tumult for
many a long year to come. Your distin. snish-
cd townsnian, Dir. CooKE, has fought good
fight; and if in his course he has not thorouph-
iy kept tho supposed faith of upper Virginia, it
was because lie was converted by duty and ne
ccsslty into representative of Virginia united
IA change which should be rs proptious to
him rs we trust it vii; be to his country. and
not unfrcqncntly attending sound mind and
generous near. He met his friendly enemies
vehemenuy and ably contendcd for the prize
obtained whatever oloquencc, reasoning and la
boiious statistical calculation possibly could, fol
sectional interest; then, with patriot resolve
conquered himself, and became an advocate 70,
40 general interest of Virginia"
BYA CALM oBsERvzR.--gGr. Editor :-"Some RI