Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-09-22

DINERS MIR. NJ uniOrd opened tue debate. mud ,a =,
concise analysis Of the departments of Tho an,
vernmcni, showing the defects of each az g.
JUDICIARY ne said "that il was excessively cornlca
ted lie said, we have courts tier above ,,or e.,
Tue County courts to the cbuncery courts and thence
up 10 inc supreme Court of Appeals. Justice is ro
so speedily administered ns II ought IN bo For r.
own part he would abolish the ehdacery courts and
10 away the distinction between courts of tar md
eo"rfi 9 equity. The common law courts when
vested with chancery jurisdiction may adopt new
processes tor eNpedtng the adninstr of Justice
pays he, he chancery courts datory 20 the last
segfee' lie was disposed to give to The common
Jaw courts, the chancery jurisdiction, where we mi rh,
JFecfy enjoy the benefits OF ruu roce testimony aud
Jury hidt 20 deservedy held in ye-eresce by all"
,:.nr Leigh, IN answer To Mr.. Munford; Gsked
"What was the meeting called on to tos He s,id
! they were called TO do. or To recommend an gc,
which amounted tn nothing short Of nigh Asovr
In proof OF this. Mr.. Leigh read to the meetinG bn,
Pu't OF IN" act ut the General Assembly which prc.
scrIoes that every person or persons who sbsU
erect or establish any government, separate from or
independent OF The government of Vrrinia within
the UNITS OF this cnmmOnwcu!th. &c, shall b., adj
yuuerd Smfty 81 hlgh heason!"'-On the same occa-
sion Mr. Leigh said most of those questions laud
ing to The defects pointed out by Mr.. Munford and
0thers have been gravely and deliberately discussed
by the 'c'sest and the best patriots the country had
ever produced And perhsp rs none more so than the
r'gh OF suffrage, Winch experience had proved to
nav" oeen hNed upon the safest bass--the freehold
Hut hem "S'tS' II would seem. have been obtamad-
the spirit at retDyn is gone abroad.!"
On these occasions Mr.. Leigh fraueDllv declared
IN subsistence thut IN political aril hme;!c igo and f,o
does not always make four but thE, # proncr rcqa I'd
was had 10 the rights 81 property, and one would
as often make ieH!!' will also take this occasion To-
STATE that these very ICScs and ne Je patriots of
whom Biz Leigh spcsks,--,n he trcp,dafi ion Of The
Crisis no doubt and not for tho want Of parIotj.m-
were within very few votes of.esjahshnr Dirtr-
non at the same period they hurried the crude
ou constitution into temporary and proyisunu! ex-
( isicnce. 90"
Notwithstanding Mr.. Lei,h's frghtul denlnca
'ih OF treason the meeting. under the sanction of
that clause IN the bill Of rights which declares tIot
majority Of the community hath rigLt IN oItn-
reform, or abolish their government. passed supdrv
resolutions 10 that effect and appointed committee oF
y, " m Muniord, VIM Brockenbough, Thos. Richie,
II Scott, Thos Rutherford, ] H. Peasants Iohn
Rutherford, Robert Douthat, and q IL Bachus to
report TO future meeting the best practicable means
OF ehectng the call of Convention.
before TINS committee were ready to report, AIr.
Leigh IN the fitness of his zeal to counteract the
express wishes Of the citizens prepared by unticips
ton, bs noted substitute" which ne communicated
TO the Editors Of The Enquirer, with note of which
the following IL an extract
Gentlemen: | send YOU for publication the sinh
joined paper, which have prepared for the purpose
OF Offering and IF God spares NV hf) intend 10 offer
20 inc meeting OF the citizens of Richmond which
shall be convenedto receive Tie report of the com
inltiee appointed at the former meeting on the sub
lec OF q Convention, substitute for anu report
which that committee shall resent. &c. &c.
(Sgned) d. w. LEIGH
Accordingly, or the 25ih Of May 1924. the commit
zee reported to meeting OF the citizens s1emoral,
winch they recommended to be addressed to the nex
Legislature, praying for the call of Convention
AticF oeing LAID before the citizens BY publica IN
the newspapers till the first of June. this memorial
was adopted, notwithstanding Nr. LcCh's Efforts 70
rocure rs defeat hv the adoption of his .su 7srrfu-c"
I'm the substitute" .lh LEIGH asks this very sim
pie quesTon-''l!ow can any man know that all the
wees Got the ConstutiOn) he dcpores will not be re-
tanned or that all which he most values as good will
tlpf ne
evaded by the that ',ge are 7giinp 10 trsf M
PEOPLE! That argument, say he, will be equally
apPhcaoe and iorcbie in favor of Convention after
convention until we get Constitution in which no
Improvisation can be discovered or imagned-such an
institution as no time no generation will ever see -
The papablc inference, therefore U.s. that no aItcmDt
should be made at improvement in any degree what
ever
In the same Substitute. he also says SIN political
aiairs, especially IN Che practical forms and principles
OF Government, experience alone detect what IS
evIl and approve what is EoOd.--It has been Justly
sa"' 'hat Time IS the wises thing in the word,-It
may he affirmed general truth, appucabIe to fin,
laws OF every free people that any institution that has
existed long unchanged, though II appears imperfect
at first SIGHT will be found, on close examination IN
be decbly laid IN solid foundations and to rest in
reasnu'
So, SAYS Mr. MunCord Cin No /. of ca republican Of
'9S.' IN the Enquirer ofthc l1th May 1917 EVERY
institution which has continued long time unchaup-
cd, must therefore be crrcirun IF So monarchy
which, IT cannot be denied is much more ancient
'oII" "l government tlan any Other be
ceHenH II follows too, that the Patriots of rs were
g"iy OF rash and foolish innovation in exchanging
''aI OF" ana TcnerG6te system for a rcpw5Gci''
II would not all dn-Ihc spirit Of the times mani
tested by tho essays that tecmed in the papers pub
NC meetings &c. soon taught Mr Leigh and his knott
OF arsocracy, "that tho assembled people had no or
drrs to obey thus yielding to the rcssless will Of
Tree Peoplewho neither had any treason" TO per-
peiratc against hemseiues- tho Convention was ri
last called and organized at the Capitol on the 5th Of
OF October 1&29-Mr Leigh being elected ono of its
members from his native County Of Chesterfield.
IN that body, from the moment Of It's organization,
nc commenced 20 combat with the advocates of free
principles and equal rights, and continued his una
yaIlng struggles, without lntermsson till is adjourn
mcnt-conlTibutinE more to It's proractcd session aud
enormous expense to the state than any twenty mem.
bcrs besides. Ills univn,Ing opposition 10 TO c.r,er-
non Of tic right Of sHGrdgc and tho rcr9dc'fng The
"GsR @ representation, so as to approach nearer 10
uniformity throughout tho state, CONSUMED nearly two
thirds OF the whole sessiontwo questions that ould
be settled by men OF republican principles and equal
rights m ten minutes In tho course or this discus
sion, Mr Lcighs anlI-rcpubcan principles became So
obnoxious to most of the republicans of that body,
Inc gtf,ti, t,gt L.