Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-09-22
CHARLOTTESVILLE CONVENTION.
ADDRESS 10 tic Psopir cf Irgiai0,
(Jmnmousiy 0doptrd by The Contention, Septtmb

ffHOIc. CHt-cnS:-Nc address you on no common oc-
cason. A contest is drawing 10 close which yields
in Importance none that has agated our country
since line origin Of government. This is the last
time you viii hear our united voice before ITS eventnl
termination Permit us then 10 appeal to your reason
and patriotism, once more, in the words OF sobermeSs
and truth We shall not attempt to Inilame your pas
sions exasperatc yonr preudices Did we not rel =
upon the Justice of cause have yet too much
respect for institutions and for yourselves to wish
for by means perous and OF such douDttul
| morality. We have witnessed, with no apprehension
for ourselves, but much for the tranquility and happI
ness of these free and lourishng States, the niiamna
tory appeals and menacng declarations Of our adverse
res The hints of physical resistance the threats OF
revolutions the yndIctive cries which have been echoed
by sinister acclamations, have filled breasts wt Il
sorrow too deep, have Swallowed our minds with 4
forecast melancholy not 10 deter us from
and eypedents hostile to the harmony Of society, de-
srnctve Of The charm of life and ominous for those
free institutions which only co-exst with mndera-
tion manly sefrcstrant habual reverence for the
sancy of law, just regard for the independence OF
opinion.
Would thai those high in station and character, who
have exhibited example much to be deprecated,
might bc convinced that good, which even III their
opinion is 10 be effected by change OF men and inca
surcs can in the smallest degree compensate for the
deep and enduring evils inflicted by recourse 10 such
dangerous and dIscredable means In the midst OF
our heated controversies and fleeing divisions, We
should rrcollcct, that children of common
country, bound together by no ordinary ties and that
We are dcposiaries OF sacred trust, which is above
all our duty God and man 10 transmit unmpaIrcd 10
poscrry "l.rt us them lelow.citzens in the being
nant language of the statesman ana the patriot unIie
with one heart and mind; let restore 70 social inter
course that harmony and affection, without which H.
bertv and life itself but drcary things. AMI let rs
| reflect that having banished from our land that regi
Gus intolerance under which mankind 50 long bled and
uttered we have vet gained little, # c0uncnance
Is wicked.
Die of as bitter and bloody prosecutions
We have said, that since the origin Of our Govern
ment, the country la: never been agated by more
evrnfu contest II is not mere combat of party ;
one OF those ordinary conflicts between the competitors
| and ncumbrns of office, which i'll popular Govern
mcnt must be of frequent recurrence 1t is cnnro
versy which involves vital doctrines great questions,
consequences momen,ous and lasting. That error IS
fatal which supposes that the conf c between the good
and cvi! principles Of society," IS settled BY the csta
bl,Shmcnt of free Constitution or the adoption OF
rational frame of Government. The warning voice Of
history teaches Us, that the forms OF freedom may l"nT
survive It's subsancc-and the maxim is not more rIte
than true that External vigilance is the price OF H.
brr,y."
Our own brief annals furnish US with striking illus
tra,ons oil these solemn truths Through much for
brarancc, sacrifice and mutual compromise our tore.
fathers who had learned the vanc OF freedom al the
cost of their blood, and whose patriotism had been pu.
rfed and strengthened by the fire OF persecn,ion sue.
monous union, the essential elements OF liberty and
order 1t IS known, that in the Convention which ac-
cuplsled this great and good work. there were some
tile to popular nstitutiuns and more who sincere
~ doubted their efficacy or Durability Fortunately
for us and for those who ale To come after Us, lley
who had faith in the right and advantage OF SELF
government prevailed, and the result has proved,
that their hopes were not VAN, nor their comb
drncc m!sappcd-as more than halt century has
now elapsed since the finishing stone was placed upon
I a., In MI nrot puilcp uurr the tUS
tcrnq guide and melting impulse OF tree principles,
we have rapidly grown up to be great people, and
Ina ve made ourselves felt power OF the first Class
amongst the nations ofhr earth History furnishes not
the most remote parable. Of progress so marvellous and
prnspcrlv So pcrvaiing 1t is rs II were hui ycs'er
Iay and when these United States verified the prophc
CIV "A nation shall be born in day. And what do
we already behold: Magnificent cities stud the Immense
line OF our coast, and even crown the banks OF our re-
hottest rivers. Immense regions, which were waste
and wilderness when we started in the of ma
tons have been transformed into flonrshng States
The majestic streams winch penetrate our widespread
territory Ike the veins ana arteries that convey the
life blood through the human frame, groan I'm or the
burdens Of industry and agriculture, while our ships
expand their sails 10 every breeze which strs the bosom
cl the ocean And what is better still, civilization has
made an equal progress. The school-master - abroad
in the land and religion lifts her soothing warning
voice on every side All these blessings, tellow-c
zcns which make us indeed peculiar people, we owe
We owe them those, who, in spite of the fears OF the
tmid and The objections of the hostile, infused largely
INTO our institutions the vivylng spirit of trecdo-
We need not ask if the same happy and cnnobIing re-
suit would have been witnessed, had their adversarcs
trumphcd.
But those who were defeated q. disappointed in the
Conventions which formed our wise and free Consu
ton did not rcnounce their principles their designs
They sought to effect covery and indirectly that,
which, VIXEN openly proposed, had been rejected :
They underworld 10 strain the Constitution from MS
literal expression and obvious meaning, 10 accomplish
their original purposes They sirove to assmilatc it
substantially and in practice, To the foreign model
which they admired i'll spite, nay, some of them, on
account OF. lis abuses and corruptons. Already under
the Administration Of Washington, the eloquence and
sophslrv Of Hamilton, in defiance of the rcmons RANGES
of The leaders of the Republican party, committed rio
lcncr upon the Constitution, by the establishment OF
Bank Of the L. S., the creature and instrument OF a
vicious funding system, and the prolific source oil INC
s;adrcG evils which have followed in its train. This
was done too when the recollection was fresh, that
the power create corporations, had, in the Conven
ton been proposed 10 be given to the Federal Govern
men but rejected, for the very reason among Others
tba, il might lead to the establishment of Bank. What
lesson ni ynance does not read TO us, when we re-
fleet that this act of nsurpaon was committed or
sanctioned hy men, the integrity OF many oil whom II
were triner ty 10 question
When once this inrnad was made upon the COnsttn-
ton the accumulation Of consequential evr!S was rapid
Among these, in the succeeding administration, an cx
pcnsivc and oppressive Standing Army, an Alien and
Sedtion Law, which invested the President with pow
crs unconstitutional and tyrannical, stand nnenviaby
conspicuous But young people, who were SO near
the source of their liberties, and whose minds were YET
mbued with the leroism of their Revolutionary st:ug
Gle, were not easily corrupted or snbdued They OPP
posed manly resistance to these usnrpat'ons, which,
if il did not at check, hurled the offenders
from the high places of power. The helm was then
graspcd by the vigorous hand of Republican states
man. and the vessel guided III the course lad down oy
the Constitution To this fortunate change and patr-
ot;c reform Virginia chiefly contributed; and the Ia
nous Report and Resolutions of her Legislature when
the occasion called FORTH still appealed TO as me
best commentary upon The Constitution and the aoes
defence of orr reserved rights
But the Federal party, though vanqnlshed, was not
extinct It's voice was heard in angry, yet vain mur
mrs against Tie principles and policy of Mr. Jefferson
them as now stiG!natized hostile 10 order property,
morals and religion. That great Statesman had pre-
dicted after his election TO the Presidency, that "ihe
Federass would attempt again TO gel into power
under their proper name After retiring from the