Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-01-05
Ebe Constitutional cMbtB.
SATURDAY MORNING, JAN. 2, 1880.
THE CONVENTION.


met on Thursday, and Dir. Doddridse having waived
his right to the Chair, and ut his request, Mr. Madi-
spn having taken it, proceeded to distribute the Ia
bors asagned to them, viz. the Legislative Depart
nlent to Mr.-Leigh of Chesterfield, tho Executive to
Mr.. Johasen, and the judicial to Cen Marshall. It
'sasnnjectured that the Committee will report the
itut of their abors to the Convention this day.
We are grieved 8 we'll rs astonshed to find tho
Impression prevalent, that the CONSTITUTIONS to he re
ported on principles heretofore sanctioned Inv rho
'anventon will be lost In that body by decided and
mixed vote of East and West This iraprcs.on
springs from the dca that every portion of the Con-
venon dissatisfied with some particular provision
ana That this partial hostility will be OF. sufficient eff
cacy to induce such portion reject the whole This
cncluslon seems to us opposite the dictates of
reason and sound discretion, that cannot persuade
ourselves of it's reality. The West is dissatisfied
with the hnss provided b, Gen. Gordon-but is not
that H,r preferable to the present distribuon Of DOW
or, placing Warwick footing with ShepandoaLs
How much too, has there not boen naiueI TO tho
Ga'se of popular rghss and social eonvenence in the
rHtenslon of suifragein the choice of Governor bv
the people-in the abolition of the Counc-and in a
responsible Judiciary? Are all these triuu,phs
and acquisitions TO be annihated, because re-
l!resentatien Is not distributed precisely to suit
the rights and the claims OF the Vest. Had this
PORTION of the Convention the alternative of appual
lug to new Convention, there would be moro of
rason In their rurnored determine to vote agunst
tire forthcoming constitution But the alternative Is
not within then power. No cloquence, 40 argu-
n1cnt, scarcely grievances themselves of the most
solid and crying character. will prevail the people
of Virginia to call another Convent in hurry
They have had dsse which will last them for the
balance OF this generation. For tho West then to
Reject the Constitution, because they have not got
all they wished, all they have q right tor be-
cause they may stand better chaucp in q future
C6nventon-or for all these reasons united is re-
vcrsang the maxim, that half loaf is better than nS
Bread-is biting off ones nose to spite the face
One thing is ccrtain--that if the basis goes against
Them, they and Virginia, have yet gained mncA--and
this appears palpable and indepntaple to vi
sion, that nothing but the tsef will convinceb
u.s. that they mean to vote against the Constitution
For the sake of settling the question and giving
peace to the country-for the reason that the Ju-
dietary is reforIrod under which they have groaned
IN common with the west and that they continue I'M
der the aew constitution (if reported Mr.. Gordons
Dass) to retain power-to avoid the untrisd dagger
ot dIssovlng without doing auy thing, bad ina
glned that the great body of Eastern members would
Have united IN taking the constitution, and thus pro-
ducing that decided mnjority, which is admitted ON
all hands, to be 50 great n dcsideratum.-Ev Events
Have uniformly turned out in the Convention so con-
ffary to calculation, and the decision of this is so
near at tand, that it would be weakness to predict
the result. But seeing that tbs always wise to take
What we get, if all rs be had, we firmly
believe that tue Cow entien will adopt the coI1stitu-
tan modelled on the principles already agreed upon,
aud what is uoye, that the people will ratify it, by
great majority; and this say, not in prejudice of
any attempt that may be made al amendment whea
the constitution to be rcporeA, but in tho ar
Gent hops THAT attempts berafize it still fur Their
MAY prove successful.
u DR.. Cha'fcs Cooke of Albemarle, lras been
elected member Of the Senate of Virginia to suc-
coed Gen. Gordon, from the District Of Amherst,
Nelson, Abenarle, Eluvanna and Guochlaud BY
considerable majority Pho. Jefferson Randolph
and Lucas P. Thompson, Esqrs. DIR. Cooke was
the mixed basis candidate.
-.
MONDAY MORNING, JANUARY 4, 1880.
THE CONVENTION.
On Saturday, the Select COMMITTEE, at half past