Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-08-01

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"';''' - '''a' so'.ai "fter III which, ana l.,
which, we exist n citizens. euoronnnJ ne
SURRENDER with threats o,yrnecance il e. ,r,;.i
ahd WHY proiiel, OF l!eGcy i Sc yiel1 >, -,
answer them Il becomes men wIl.. arrfs,;,,. ,io
liSh'3 Transmitted 10 Them BY rir sins. liz, vo
understand our ri.hs. and interests i, T., ,i.c
same they were n the formation of III. n,sscn,
Constitution, an! iEat We ions, deem tho ..u,r.m,
Ice, contained therein as unrra. on:h le ~ ,n.,.
man adequate 10 on: protection: ,Eal We wil
dDlic py ard maintain The co,Epromsrs al no
/ 'on>iitntion, and making, with firm union
among ourselves demonstration OF Tho .I,e,nt,
w h"oM We possess ~ u forever diSpcl lie DE-
I'SIoh uhdrr which ;hey l,hor. who s.1sncct ~. ~
'npintntaa OF make calculations. u. On, 'iyisi,r,
fe.ow ii!Lcrs. Tie rfopo.;iiu.. 10 Ics,,or
III older 10 reconstruct a Government nn.l -
ahy community under any circumstances e;v,.
pause 20 lhc ltlecIin2 and prudent mind. Co
eibh'th' y thr frame work, tic skeleton. jiclt
ana lnsrnsl!e. uuiil filled out v the iiy;ng ;nrr.
us OF men, which glow ;.inunt il in their in.
place and proportion i, become. liz d,,f.,
i'"""', insinc! with lie ana charged with i!:.
supper! ard Pir;, cicn 81 iIianS?Ed delicate ami
s.hsihNe !!2hS. The dissolution iIic idea 81 III,
"isNo'n'ion OF an artificial creature lhns endowed
performing luicions al such lirh Importance.
l!'enh5 on 10 nth iheir rights, and ut The same
u'ie guaranteeing he enjoyment ui them CON
/ Hrncsel ~ society, AMI yet in lis turn rcc,,
'trucias and Pcrpc;uatng society, rani.ol i. con.
'cmpaed, escrp, with alarm and dread. DO
Vcrhmehi deliberately dissolved, anrihilsrc
/ WIN HE hope Tia, itom i,e ashes. ano,herpay
arise, ol amplcr capacities iof good oi higher
lei'eciioh-Who can give such assnf?ncc4 Is
I INC construction OF Government a task Of easy
execution Hho can saw thai when once to
Vernmeh IS sci aside, and UNDERMINED nassions
ana Jarring interests convulsc s0c!em men will
nave the good !llnnc 10 discover. or The temper 10
a3np', Iust ana harmonHing compromises ofriaht
ahh come again Under the restraint Of lave
We may assume here, that lie assembling 81 q
convention, and lie unsuccessful c;!o. 10 form
new consultation, would he lanlamount 10 the
abrcraon ol The existing one. Al cas, surh =
catastrophe may well seem noi improbable 10 the
anprehehsonS oi an alarme., and sa@acous pa-
liolism. A Convention for he. Reorganization
/ Of Government is revolutionary body. Han
riv heretofore il ha. been known in these States
- a reacei"i and beaeiiccni agent 81 revolution
Bat, ! mist be remembered. thai il has for hr
NOS idit, lttn employed = f.iGjm defects isfcrd
upon ty He COMMON c1:.stH! Il The people Can
ih, Lc Fredicalel OF tie Con.cMlion ho@ no.
pcsed 10 be held VIII lis members assemble
10 carry out The we'll aSceriaiua, snd harmonious,
VIII Of The Citizens Of this Commonwealth as 10
The great innovations sought 10 be mae1 Alas.
itiloW-citlzeES, We have 10 such Indemnity n.
ms, asains! ca!an:ous results from this reriIans
experiment upon tie welfare and The vcrv being
~ iae S'air! Lett not c1civ. ourselves, or lie
deceived Il: clher. Let Nc Tcrce;y., and declare.
thr fact tfat Ibis Convention wonil IL formed .,
inrn actualed. nay controlled, IS sectional ara
widely cohI!aflahl vieW: on inieies.s cl lflnsccn.
uaDt magnitude, GIVING Use IT, questions which
nc at The very foundation oi Government On
which either parry corcei"irs there could lie no
equivalent f.: concession, MIGHT deem comrro.
mise impossible, and BE- satisfied with 70 resui,
bu; victory. Amid tie terrible discussions on
natural all sucia. rights, which harlnoni.e "a
well in practice but arc made in theory H. con.
Hict The cxch".' IaarG ar,l The UncouSed feeling
ci The Convention and the People s.i,o can e:y..
assurance Of The safety ol the STATE! II those,
who are clanoioGS FOR change, nee. defeat, viii
hey, alter having oil hci .!e an acknow-
le,ismsn, 81 the radical f,uira.> a. the p.e.
sent Constitution IMPLIED in the vcly call OF
Contention, and a!!er bc;ag lltnaiel bv long con.
temptation aud h:TCe discussion &; ihcir supposed
grievances and The disappointment. al l,cif hoee>,
utdre The itFy d! !hcir hears and rc.uri L. heir
aiIes lance 10 that Constitution which they he'd
ssri:cn s. haii 10 overthrow, On the o:hel hand
~eai those who would see, 10 he slihvcr:ion If
The present order oilhine. The srhyeTeion al ti.cir
meni d ' Wl Hay Eat VII 1f9 9 VS. s as'
and with all their mi1, cuntsE..2d a, one Tat
would b. bur lille better Than Il i;rifny. These
arc awful consider d!ions cllow-c.iisrn>, but they
are consideration: which rou Cannot pei i,o1i
Won. They lie al The very e.try Ia this su!.jec;
They aiise oul of,hc peculiar ani ialnutahlc Re.
lalions OF Eastern ana Western pirgin;a.--;ea-
,ions giving Use among olhcra, 10 that fearful
question 81 the relative weight IN government OF
numbers and property; or lGt hl lni tis sal more
fearful question, whether property shall have in
government, any weight. These reflections, am!
these anlicipalions OF The irreconcileable views
TIA, would divide the Convention, arrest lls anl
ought 10 he met and removed from our miass Is
The advocates Of the measure il they ale them.
selves so bold as 10 he free from snoh apprehcn-
s:ons. Why, ai.er ali, should such peIls lie in
cured! What arguments, citizens OF Eastern
Virginia, have been afforded 10 ii!nce you 10 PM
in jeopardy he institutions under which You live
and the rights yul ENJOY under them? You are
loii lhe4c cln he no danger in The measure alihe
.imr proposed-,hat OF taking The sense Of the
people on the call If Convention; Ina, there i,
neither treason 10 the people nor menace 10 thai;
rights involved in The simple passage oil al ct
Of the Legislature, submitting 10 the people Them
selves the question, whether ~ not Convention
shall be held, and that there is nu necessity or
alarm and action noE' among The opponents ci
Convention, as The time they nay slow their
opposition is on the vote un'irr The acl taking
the sense o! the people. This argument is >n-
| ,.hislcal and insijious il seek 10 make u d!-
ference between being in !aior Of an a! 10 lake
the vote OF The people On the call OF a Convention,
ana teins in favor q. calling Convention, when,
IN truth The man who i. in lavor Of an &c; taking
The vote Of the people will mosi certainly, when
that vote is taken, vote for Convention. Be on
vutr guard, lelICw-ctiZ:ns- hatlle is 10 be
| fought on this preliminary GROUND, AMI they,
| who would persuade YOU 10 Tie contrary, are en-
deavJring 10 disarm yea, that you may linen he
an easy conquest for them. II you are opposed
10 Convention, why desire Law taking the
vote on jig Does it comrou with The iiGni." 81
| The Stale, or is j; consistent with lis tranquility
10 defer 10 and consult the ireul humors and The
| querulous temper OF The times, hy formally ask
! ing each OF her citizens whether she ball any
longer bear authority over bins Have you
causes Of complaint What are theyl Are
they practical, or are they theoretical and anclnl!
| Are they frivolous or are they grievous and IN
iolcrahlc' Ii they are oppressive, why have They
| mol had tongues True il IS, that some oil You,
| probably all Of you, have Some objections TO the
present Constitution, i1f The evident reason, that
none could be formed against which there won't
no, be objections. Some OF you you'd reform
The Executive by looping oil me Council. Wa
nv OF You would take away The night 10 vote OUT
OF The county Of he voters residence; while
some OF you deem The provisions in regard 70 The
RICH, Of suffrage obscure. IRE county cour sya-
TEN presents grave ohcctions 10 many, whilst 10
others The chancery juIica!nre seems imperfect;
Yet, even as 10 these faults, there is ~ no means
concurrence Of opinion.
Fellow-cilizens, are not all these minor defects,
and will you, for such causes OF dissatisfaction
aid in subvcing Government. under the btne-
ticcn, rule OF which YOU have lived in such secu-
riiy This, however,s not precisely the cues
ton 10 ask. nor is il .he one yod have 10 consider
That question is this, 10 vii VIZ FoA G5Gndo1'
he 2rewm Constitution, ard Gccr% ore m0ts IA
nm ~ poar Hssieyn breiiy.n? This question IS
I nrsenar. with momcn,ous considerations. Be
! fore proceeding 10 answer i. bring before your
formed IN Convention held at the instance Of
he western people. !, was he unhoPed-ior re-
/ sui Of arduous toll, Of anyiaui delibera'on. Il
was the ark Of safety offered, after despair had
4 ri. gfNr ,v,c "a