Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-04-28

not undertake to decide. His mea.
sures were alike ruinous to the west.
from whatever cause they proceeded.
! declare, with the utmost sincerity.
that although lost all confidence In
the Judgment and stability Of Mr..
Cooke ~ 4 statesman, Icsnnot affect TO
have ceased To respec, him as man.
That u was my desire TO part on
friendly terms with Mr.. Cooke. he
well knows, It he will but rem ember
what passed between US i'm nv room
the night he told me of his final deter.
mination TO vote FOR Gordon's plan if
ours failed. Ii was this-Mr. Cooke
was endeavoring 10 reason me into the
belief that Gordon's would be more
beneficial, even TO my county, than
our own plan. observed 10 him that
the delegates from that country. were
unanimous, and as We knew our inter.
ests better than he possibly could. any
attempt to convince me must be use
less, and as in discussing this question
we could eject nothing but mutual ir
rriat'on, which neither could desire, l
proposed TO cease all conversation on
The subject, TO which he agreed, and to
the best of my recollection, we never
changed another word in relation 10 il.
when | first determined on address
ing my constituents, 1 intended TO
conhne myself tn comparison be-
tween the present constitution and The
one proposed. and to shew that by a
dopting the latter, they would Weld
their principles, and possibly part
with their allies. did not intend a
particular review OF the conduct of any
member, and hal not Mr.. Cookies vim
dication to his count-ymen fallen under
my observation, such would have been
my course.-I adult that Mr.. Cooke.
situation, il ] understand IL rightly,
was calculated 10 lead him into indis-
cretiops, perhaps extremes for | can
well conjecture, that the situation Of
delegate, who feels that he owes his
constituents a vindication of his con.
duct, IS not a very tranquilizing one.
When | perceived that in order 10
his vindicaiion at home, MIR. Cooke had
ieit II necessary 10 attempt a separa.
ton IN feeling and views between US
and our friends East Of the Allegheny,
and to disparage the motives of our
conduct IN going into convention with
them, and while in that convention,
my feelings towards him underwent a
change; and ] have To request of YOU
that IN the same paper in which this
shall appear, the extract from Mr.
Cookies Letter No. III. which is an
pended to my Circular may also ap-
pear.
have said, when speaking "f our
unequal representation in the Convex
ton, that notwithstanding the injus
tice done Us in giving us but sc mem.
bers. the friends of Reform would
outnumber their adyersaries in the
convention. This hope was general
ly entertained in the West, and as
FAR as | know, the expectation was
general, that should the great princi
pies OF Reform be definitiyely carried
against us in convention, we would
retire IN body, and frame aud offer
to the people, as the Representatives
OF a majority Of them, n constitution
formed on our own principles; and
this determination appeared almost
to be universal among the western
members, until the session bad FRO.
gresscd several weeks. am per
ieetiy confident that If there had arr
sen division among ourselves, and
the western members had retired
with dignity aud calmness.' to use
an expression Of membrr whom
shall have occasion 10 name, the
East would soon have yielded TO u
that which to the last, every member
ct the convention residing West If The
Ridge. except one. contcnded for. /. G d.
the white basis IN the House Of De.
lrgates, with a rule for future appor.
tionments according to the basis Of free
white numbers
Has MIR. Cooke denied the facts here
stated! ] have said. that several
days before the loth of December. 90
my astonishmcn', discovered from
the conversations Of Mr.. Cooke. that
'lf the western plan Of compromise
should not be adopted, he and MIR.
Henderson of LoudOun would vote
for GordOn's. Neither &c these zen
tlcmen concealed this fact FROM me.
Judge Upshur and Mr.. Neale, a
member from Richmond county,
boarded al the same house with Nj
. Cook, Mr.. Henderson and myself;
to NY knowledge Judge Upshur, and
believe hr. Ncale, knew the uit-
b mate determination 81 Cooke and
Henderson a, well az did. After
! shc whole Wesi had agree 10 The com
. promise which have before mention.
Ell, and which h4d bee ffst sugges
ted by Gov Plrasanf-. Mr. Couke m
behalf Of ell Of ~. and e ths fflcnd-
! Of Reform generally. submitted j. In