Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-04-04
10 s Voters Of rae Senatorial District composed Of the
Cssafies Of AsuAersf. NslsOa aud AIbsraarIs.

dIstlngnIs7
I'd senator Dr. Charles Cooke whose Of service e,
yife. with present legislature, declines reolecon
80 s.o known 10 you. that my name has been submitted
the district 20 represent you in legislature. In
csptng the nomination. fellow zens, permit
that have done with uniegned diidenee IN, power
well TO discharge the high and responsible duties which be
long 10 the Office. In manner betting constituency
whs. In times past have BEEN and the present monien
much than they could be by myself
Bot the partsy OF political and the kndncss OF
friends, having without solicitation on my part, placed M
before you. IL seems 20 70 be duty ineuniben
upon the humbcst citizen amongst you To accept thu
nomination. sud clected, then by informing myself OF YOU
bnd wishes and the proper 20 endcayor % ad
vance your Interests the best of my ability.
II would have been pleasing in the outset, aud
during the continuance OF the have been 50 SIT
uaed have gone through the district lat least those
parts Of h where personally unknown and TO have
nechsnRcd and compared opinions the various subjects
OF state policy with those vots whose duty II will be- AT
the approaching election decide between the claims OF
my worthy friend and competitor and myself But Is
wholly of my power do without neglecng and
violating professional engagements which made be-
fore this thought OF BY and which
be neglected without bad faith my part and INJURY,
perhaps Others who have condcd their interests for the
tine being my care, and II under these circumstances
should omit perform thom would shew myself unworthy
your hands, OF any other political professional
With the people Of Amherst and Nelson am known,
the last named (whcn twns all Amherst j. the place
Of my nativity, but in Ahemarle acquaintance IL more
limited and friends in all the counties composing the
district fndisg that will be Of power be amongst
the people until after my from my trip To the north
west be undertaken, (Which trip expected will
dytan from the until few weeks before the cleo
on have by letters addressed this place, suggested
the Propety OF my explaining the at absence,
and briefly to state political opinions and especially
subject, which will be hereinafter referred to. lfmy
future views in life embraced in their political prefer
ment and the best of comprising that end, might
well doubt propety of recording opinion upon the
eonroverted political questions of the day. federal
and especially any ofmy opinions formed express
cd without time for deberadon and examination than
is allowed me. But looking forward 10 nothing be-
yond the honorable office solicited your hands,
cheeuly comply and at the time do to
sell the right OF renouncng any opinion herein expressed
whenever shall be satisfied that founded upon
nasmuch truth, than personal consistency OF
opinion, shall ever be guide.
The office which is sought by your hands, being n
state office, II most natural that the opinions which
entertained by OF state constitution should be rsi
disclosed. That instrument the work of a convention
Of the people held in ls293O, and whilst it adopts the
leading principles oundln our constitution adopted IN
during the period of revolutionary struggles, yeti
changes suggested By the growth OF
and its altered condition, produced by the lapse OF more
than half Without attempting, in this bne ad-
Dress compare and anOlyse the two, he sufficient
for the present say, that in judgement both those
characters substantially all citizens all essen
tal rights of life, liberty and the pursuit OF happiness
Here all protected by equal laws enacted by ourselves
here every mans and prOpne secure and here all
may worship their "undor their vine and hg
tree, and none dare TO make them afraid"
Az the details of present state constitution to claim
for perfection, would be arrogang what cannot be uly
cnmed for any but the works OF Creator who awise
and just while his creatures euing men, liable to
the temptations OF self interest ambition and injustice Ii
may be said truly that all the creations OF (oyCn the
most enghtened) whether IN the mechanical, moral or
mental world imperfect, because he himself mpcr-
feet But does not follow that because OF the imperfect
by OF works that should do nothing but SIT still in
lIstessness the contrary, duty cultivate the
gift of reason, and by its light glmmenng may be-
frame for country the best constitution and laws that
devise and then them II all wise,
Ntuous and Just each person IN the community would be
law unto himself but it's the case, hence the
sy OF laws restrain the wicked and unjust punish the
guilty. and insure due performance of the duties Of
srffty nfIaro and
What tax upon your time and in the form of egi-
laiye executive and judiciary departments would be saved,
we were WISE virtuons and JUST and being entails
upon the necessity of government amongst
Government then is choice Of ovils-it is a lesser
evil than the unbridled sway OF each member Of the
community. Ii is upon our vices Ii is
IA compromise between the conflicting wills of
individuals and classes sprngng from seshne and either
real supposed conflicts Of interest and in this country,
where force hiss share the formation OF several
governments state or federal all our Institutions found
ed upon compromise.
We all know the serious conflicts OF opinion which exis-
ted in the which framed present state consl
tuition, the subject of the distribution of political power
the several natural divisions OF the state, side
insisting that the aggregate white population OF the whole
state should possess the power and in equal degree
Al that time the property of all kinds, OF the Blue
Ridge, bore small proportion the property OF that
ridge, whilst the people also, OF the ridge, had
amongst them species OF property cooured slaves
large amount whilst very few owned by the inhabt
of the Aegany. The delegates OF the Blue
Ridge insisted IN the divon Of the political power that
w,
should be scheme Of representation based upon white
persons and properly combinsd aud the west that
should be based upon waite population alone regardless
OF property OF all kinds whether III the shape of coourod
slaves lands, any thing else. The delegates the
Valley country, that is between the Blue Ridge and Alegs
ny mountains, took SIDES with the and
doubtful whether that convention athu numbering u
mOrgs the chet talent OF the and best PATROLS
would separate without agreeing upon thing. But
here again resort had 10 the chief element of-
NATION OF alIiree governments TO wit, spirit OF compro
mise which last is but another for enlightened sell.
interest, and the result u compromise which fixed
arbitrary of representation amongst the four
natural grand divisions OF the state which ratio bis-
ed exclusively upon either Of the ultra claims the parties
at the outset OF the debate with provision giving power
the Legislature. years, reppporon repre-
sentation, thirds Of the legislature concuning.
Tnese remarks have been suggested by the fact that
portion OF western brethren have during the last
held convention, and have, the present session OF
legislature, pettoned for law organize another con-
vcnon and for tho further reason that Of the people
Of the district have expressed desire TO know my opinion
OF the propety OF the call Of another convention. have
examined the proceedings Of that convention and also
memorial before the legislature, and given to them my
best reflections and must say that there nothing in Ell
Their which would time TO unite in the call
OF another convention.
Ny first objection Is, the impocy Of frequent changes
in fundamental law, well ia that of ordinary e
gsston Much Of the value Of human institutions and sys.
tens depend upon their antiquity and has appeared
for years past that throughout whole country there has
been over-aclon in legislation We build up and pull down
before time has proved the value worhessncs Of the
scheme workmanship material. Secondly so TAR rs
have gathered the complaints Of those avourng
ton, 20 wit the people west Of the Aegany mountain
complain Of peculiar practical evil growing Of the
provisions of the constitution, but liability evils
because equal Of the white population Of the
mountains have less representation than like
the They do not say that thy have been wrougot
injured by the legislation Of the but liable there
10, whilst the history Of the and its legislation wal
clearly eyinco thatu the shupe Of benefits conferred
cuinr g. them they greatly gamers. Witness the
appropriations for the benefit OF that section, actually paid
by the balance Of the improve their country and the
special aws enacted by the legislature quiet them n thc
land esthe last Of which has done more, and il doing
more 60 advance the prosperity OF that region than any thing
else that has been done for them in the last quarter Of
fury, and for which they mainly indebted
man, distinguished ieOw-C citizen Benz Watkins Leigh
In theory there would to be- wrong. Whilst you
do not discriminate between individuals Of the
account Of property why, they ask discriminate between
EccuOnsi The answer Is plain As between members O
The same community, secure them section, you secure
them AZ individuals and there is need Of discrimination
10 hciween ihemseyes But between the sec1ns hodIng