Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-02-10

uue-ttssn ali. e>tdDitsncu ttutus. u0tuofl
and divine. fhe fundamenta and &C.
sential principles Of all free institu-
ions might have received their death.
wound. ia the convention OF Virginia,
from the hands of daring innovators,
hut for the Fictitious aid they derived
from the solemn annunciation that was
made Of those principles IN the 'decla-
ration Vt rights an instrument cndear-
eel 10 the people Of Virginia BY its as
socia,ion with all their glowing recol-
lections Of revolutionary glory. No
candid man, who was a member ol
that body, will deny that the declara
ton Of rights was stumbling block IN
he way Of the real nnovators TO whom
l have alluded. They oouH not open
W assail Il, because IL was emoalmed
IN the affections of the people neither
could they, on the other hand, entirely
conceal the-what shall say :-aimosf
contempt with which they regarded il.
IL was. undeniably, an admirable in
strumsnt-a very able paper. contain
Ing very correct principles-very.-
But, after all, they were abstract prin.
ciples-mere abstractions--requiri
gree, modification when applied to the
actual concerns Of men.-All which
means, IN plain English, that they are
at no sort Of use On earth but Ia furnish
Emo sentiments for 18th Of July ora
tions.
seek not. fellow citizens, BY this
statement Of facts. tn excite. or To fos.
ter. IN your minds, feelings of section
nj dislike. already too strong for the
welfare OF DOR common country. And
! therefore accompany the statement
4 have made with the strong assevera-
ton OF my belief, that the gentlemen
alluded tn misrepresented, in these
points, the opinions aud the feelings Of
their constituents. Neither do l as
sert that the heresics I have described
prevailed generally among the eastern
and southern members And while |
am on this part Of the subject. my feel
lngs in'pei ave to say, that It the cas-
fern and southern members generally
were fair sample Of the eastern and
southern people, they arc people
whom we may be proud to call our
cOuntrymen and fellow citizens.
Do YOU ask the how il happened that
/, SO deeply impressed with the defor-
unity Of these antI-republican doctrines.
and 50 thoroughly persuaded Of the
truth OF the great revolutionary prin-
ciple, the equality of men, voted Tor a
constitution which does not propose a
precisely equal distribution of power
among the freemen Of the state:
answer you in the language which !
used on the floor Of the convention,
when, on the 18th Of December, ] first
announced, in concert with my friend
MIR. Henderson. OF Loudoun, our de
termination to support the compromise
plan oil represcntion proposed by Gen.
Gordon. and assigned our reasons for
the course we intended TO pursue.
81 chung to the hope that a constitution
would be formed BY which the equal repre-.
sen,a'ion of the people Of Virginia, IN both OF
the legislative bodies, would be carried into
full effect, 'ill my reason told me to despair
Of its accomplishment. After protrscted.
sn obstinate, and may almost say, fierce,
contes, this assembly of several weeks du.
ration, It was bnt too apparent that victory
had d-scrtcd the banners OF the friends of re.
forin-,hAt they bad not numerical strength
in this assembly TO carry into fIV effect the
principles OF their political creed--that tie
effort TO obtain an MISREPRESENTATION OF the
f'eopie of Virginia 10 the .ceperRnea Of Vir-
gina, must b. abandoned a. hopeless
"BOt stiH much hal been gained. The ram
parts OF The old constitution had been defe nd.
ed, u Is trnc, with zeal. an ability, and .
gAlIantry, that must eAtOrt praise even from,
an enemy. Our ranks had been tbinned, and
many Of our attacks had been repelled Blu,
- presume that most of those who will do
fne tho honor to read this address. are alre sdy
acquainted with the mast prominent Of the
facts here alluded io. Parliamentary usage
and decorum forbade me TO explain them in
the house nor was such an explanaii on there
necessary, as all the facts were known TO the
body that addressed some Of them, pre-
sumo. are not generally known, IN the coun
try and under that impression will briefly
state the whole
u was supposed. ct an early period of the
session, that the fvrty.nine members, corsti
tuting a bare majority of whole body, who
voted for the white bHsis'' 80 the house OF
delegates, could aud would vote for the same
principle of representation IN regard To the
senate. And thick II probable that forty.
sc ven, at least, " not forty eight of that NUN
Der, were personally inclined 20 adhere To the
white bass ~ The principle 1t representation
in bosh ~ the legislative bodies. Il IS matter
~ history, and there -, therefore, no indelics.
cy IN sdvert'ng to she fact, that the venerable
president a. that body, one Of the forty.nins,
announced in the Committee of the whole,
early N November. bis determination 20 pur.
sue dihereo, course Prom sbou, that time
ali hope of making white population The basis
~ representation ~ BOTH 81 the legislative bo.
dies, ~ss accessasiiy abandoned. a. col Mon.
zoe bal been the o0iy dissentien;, he - Ouid
probably hsve vacated hes seat, and gwen
place ~ = number Disposed To- support the
prnsiple thro"ghout lIut tbs would not
have avsilsd ANY hing FoT. on The day sitter
hr expressed h's vIsws, ~ the committee.