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

Inc Convention having presented this
instrument to the people, it is now their
Office to consider and decide on it for them.
SELF es and their pos!erity. Those features
viii CHI, ia the Constitution which has not
yet passed away, were considered by the
IRE ads OF reform, as particularly objec.
ton able, have been, more or less, modified
In t ne new Constitution SO as to meet the
view S Of the more moderate and judicious,
as " ell OF those who thought they saw de-
'ecu in the Organic Law requiring the in.
!. 'erP ,si'on Of the sovereign power to cor
rect them, as of those more practical per-
sons who, in government, as well as in the
afiaI RS of daily life, prefer rather to iudpe
the tree by its fruit and to look to the &C
tnai operation o:political systems than cu-
rion sly to enquire whether their theory
wen found to correspond with certain pre-
com ;eived political distractions. The fo,-
npsr description saw, or thought they saw,
IN ~ Ic venerable instrument from which
We ire about to part, defects tending at
iea1 to injustice and oppression, and some
behaved that we had already begun to ga
ther some Of their bitter frui,s.-The lat
ter acknowledged some apparent defects,
aid saw some practical inconvcnienccs.
;Bns these they considered as incident to
humanity and as characterizing all the
works OF man. They were therefore ra-
tier disposed to bear them than to a,;cmp:
ii ier removal by resort to an experiment
W hich might iai--which, indeed must
ne cessarily fail in elFecting the entire re-
m OF every evil, and which, foe augh,
tn ut appeared, might introduce unknown
eV lis in their stead.-To use a very COM
mt N though very ineligible illustration.
IN mendlng one hole they might make
tive. These were the respective views of
1he more moderate of both parties; and
whe n the people decided that Conven-
'tIor should be called, they were ready to
uni ;e IN moderate, practical rei1rm-;o
"eqr ialize representation on just and equi-
tar 'e principles; to make the Judiciary eff
fecs vely responsible, while it's salutary in
dep Evidence was secured, and to remove Il
lare e mass of discomfort in the commune
ty, by extending the right of suffrage, so
to embrace in its exercise decided
IhaJoriiy OF the comm unity-these are OBJ
J Hcts IN which both these descriptions were
cady to unite, and in which in fact thew
liave united, to secure. Perhaps the pre-
';ise amount of change necessary to satisfy
any individual of either party, has not
b cen attained and, probably, the way in
which the changes effected have been ac-
comp''shcd is not that which will NEE, the
nn'Ire appreciation of every one. This we
Consider circumstance well calculated ia
RI commend the Constitution TO reneral
AZ ;ceptance. Had either party entirely
succeeded in its pretensions, the constitu-
t' IN would encounter the decided and I'M
CT compromising hostility of the other and
u adoption by small majority, would
IA ave left indispensable discomfort ranking
NUT bosom OF the minority. As it is the
eH tremes have been avoided. Some salu.
tary reforms have been effected. Dscon-
ten i, we trust, has been appeased; and
III inany ways, good has been ACCOMPLISH,
ed
What will he the decision of the PEG
p!eR Will the Constitution command
aSaI rri'y Of their sullragcs? We look to
, the result with confidence. AS far as our
obs ,rvatiol extends, the vote will be unan.
imtus in favor Of adopting it, and the in
teiIigence we receive from neighbouIinp
counties speaks Of nearly equal unaD;mity
4 gentleman in Richmond writes us,
rom the information can gather from
persons from different portions of the State,
/ think there is reason to believe iha; it
-wiIl receive majority OF tie votes in the
Va LEY, and also a majority Of The south
we stern part OF The State, beyond the Ale
gli any"
AS evidence that the ferment is snbsi-
ding III the west and return taking place
to those feelings of Cancellation and good
will which we trust each portion Of the
State will long reciprocate towards the
Others, we take great pleasure in laying
before our readers the following extracts
from ;he Winchester Republican" The
frat under the editorial head Of that res
pectab!e papcr,7-the others from the two
communications TO which the editor refers,
wbosc object it's 10 reconcile the people
to the Constitution and to yndicate the
course of their able and excellent repre-
SENTATIVE, Mr.. Cooke