Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-08-12
which the Commons. aner repeated e~vasions an

ulo =! DIiusI oppression upon TUG coiuHleS, IA
Their than rish,,henselves BY abolishirg he forms
10 which they had been accustomed Ilia, class
unon whose ears the bold thunder Of Parties Hen.
~ mast have rcverberaied, when he called lis
countrymen 10 arms, with scarcely less 0tas.onish.
men! and oil panic than had The lastdreai uumpc,
oil the angel summoned them 10 the Judgment bar
oi God-in a word, thai class which, relying upon
Her own capacity 10 continue present en~joUmeHis,
or upon a kind Providence 10 relieve them Of
c1iSi'hg eriS, never fail 10 array themselves
against every measure of innovation ard reform,
and thus they nerve the arm Of power uplillcd 10
smile Them, and relre:ua,e tyranny a. 4 baEeiul
Inheritance upon their offspring. Now, Messl>.
Editors, il any should lie disposed 10 doubt the
truth OF these remarks, | beg them TO heaiken 10
me Declaration OF lndependence-"and, otl0d-
HstR, al etTtrieH6. kaM sdora that H,anhtad 0fe
mere dfSpo!ed u snCcr arAiie cris ar suGtrajlc,
hna 10 r,sh McmMtrsS. Ly 0bdisiing Mc forms 10
maich they me accnaomcd." And 10 furnish a
single example Q! this truth, solemnly promulged,
upon The teachings of a0H l~rp3nace," by our
wise and saeacious forefathers. We see the reo-
pie Of Rhode Island yet %clinging with reverence
and devotion 10 4 form Of Government contained
in a charter, granted by Charles The Second, I'm
ne srace N God," "a ".LiH Cla,k," ami 'lac ,cst
~ he purcaoSe,s @nR Ise Inhabitants Of ou Llaud.
cahed Ra0dc ksad, and DC rca al tie CalOau Of
Pfortdeace Fluctuations mite .Narragangt Bap.
IN Ncw England ~ america" So ,ha, notwith
standing The separation Ol the Colonie. from
Great Britain, BY a signal and successful Peyo-
iuiion, and the establishment Of tree and Repub-
lican Governments, il all cf them emaEaiing d.
rcciiy IT IN The sovereign people, The frcemcn OF
Rhode Island yet adhere. with fond attachment,
TO form 0i Government prescribed by "A British
King, and Srac!ou>ly bestowed, as yopai boon
IInnn tEsDt net a. N. mr. 49, al n. q 49,. 800.
tree and sovereign State.
The Constitution OF Virginia. however. which
we propose 10 amend, does not come 10 MS hal
lowed by any charm Of antiquity. or con,ecraled
by an association with the heroic deeds that
achieved our Independence nor does it present
Tor our consideration those principles Of Justice
and equality upon which the Temple of Liberty
alone may endure The ravages OF lime, and DEFY
alike tie storms Of faction and the assaults OF
usurpation. On the contrary, while il has not
the vencrallon OF age, neither does il possess any
merits Of principles Or ii %nslice, 10 challenge our
appreciation or confidence. The former Con>,i.
Iution provided, that each county should send
two delegates 20 The Legislature, without anv re-
gard 10 The number OF lis population, or The ey-
tent Of It's territory, aud he Guy Of Williamsburg
and The bo9nush Of Norfolk one each. with au-
'hnrily 10 The General Assembly 10 confer a simi.
go - ~ - hlNHI IL t'UF LllltS dUl THIGf.HS
il might deem proHer. Thus, while that Consti-
liiion recognized no sectional divisions, and pre-.
scribed no landmarks al boundary Tor The appor.
lionmeEt Of political power between separate por-
tons Of the State, vei. The practical result Of the
county representation was, 10 give 10 the Easl \
supposed undue pfeponacraDce IN the LEGISLATURE
OYER The valley and trans-Alleghahv regions, aud
much cisconient AID heavy complaints were Tie
consequence. From 1916 10 IS29, these sections
OF the Stale were a!Tayed against each other in
almost perpetual struggles upon the question of
a Convention 10 remodel the Constitution. Fl.
nally The Wcs. succeeded in w~r;nging from the
Legislature 4 bill 10 authorize the sense of the
people 10 be taken, and they decided in favor Of a
Convention for The purpose mentioned. Accord
insly, delegates were elected, and lhcy met in
Convention Al Richmond, on the 5th Of October,
1920. But they met in no Split OF harmony,
concession or determination, bu, brought with
them all The feelings excited BY 4 long and angry
contest, and those sectional Iealousies which had
served 100 faihtally 10 verify he poets view, rs
applicable even 10 4 single Stale:
"Lsnds 'ivId'd by a narrow fiiih abhor each other
Mountains inre. rosed m Ne enemies of nations,
Which bad else, Ike kindred Gust,
Esan mingled into ONE
The session continued 10 the 18Th OF January.
and he debates exhibited extraordinary ability 5;
bur, unfortunately for The welfare, the peace aud
happiness OF The Stale, The deliberations Of the
Convention were marked with d prcL!etcrm!na-
lion, on The part of the Wesg, 10 ceguirr. and on
that of the East. Ia tt,0in he asccndancy in the
Legislature. Ii was nctaing more or less than a
rroiracicd and bilcr %strns.I- between The Two
grand divisions OF the Stale Tor political power !;
and, leaving uut of view those pa,fiarchs of The
former age, whose elevation in public honors and
q nations confidence enabled them 10 cnmpre-
h.Dl ,tuJ II, q An ..~;oI iba r;nL,. otl ;,,.rn.,y r.
The whole STATE, without regard 10 mountain bar
riers and sectional jealousics, q mean Mes>rs.
Madison and Monroe particularly, J there seemed
to prevail but Too little OF that spirit OF mocera-
tion and concession 50 necessary 10 adjust The
conflicting interests, and 10 promote and rerpeiu-
ale The rights, The liberty and the happiness Of our
people. Yet, in justice 10 the gallant champions
on both sides, am bound 10 admit, that they did,
with entire fidelity, represent the known wishes
and feelings OF their constituents. Alter much
excitement and contention, a Constitution was
finally adnp.ed by a vote OF SIS 10 i0-Mr. bod
bridge, Who was opposed 10 il, being detained
from his seat By sickness; SO that, in TACT, there
were only 4 majority OF II iii favor OF lis a,.op.
ton AT the time. That this instrument was not
satisfactory, upon il principles and merits, 10 any
portion OF The Convention, bu, was adopted as 4
mere arbitrary expedlent 10 relieve themselves OF
1OobE'i fll'l NilIbtllIIbIDhNlH- hDl-
Mons, and intended 10 be presented 10 The reo-
pie only as The best they Gould do under the
baleiul circumstances by which they found
themselves teset, | refer 10 a sentiment Of
Mr.. p b. Barbour, the presiding officer, in
his valedictory address, al The moment ui The
final adjournment of the Convention, "Ihat il
will meet tie full and cLtirc 0pprOtatiOh oil every
portion of the Commonwealth, is not 10 be ex-
pecled; but each will doubtless consider, that, had
its interests alone been consulted, The conscquer-
ces would have been particularly disagreeable or
injurious 10 III, others. Whilst, therefore, We
cannot expect that il will be considered by The
people he bea firm Of government that c0nM have
been devised, We may indulge the hope, that, as
il is TIC bsA tic di~oydant opinGm anil conflicting
iRfdts'S OF the Commonwealth enabled us 10
make, it will be received by them in the spirit oil
cancellation and compromise, and lie accepted rs
The result OF thai mutual difference and conces-
sion which The peculiarly OF our political si,ua-
llou Ycnjcred Indispensable" Is not, then, appa-
rent. tina; the Constitution was framed and adopt
ed ty q meagre majority Of u, amid the difficult
Ties OF conflicting opinions and interests that pre-
yailcd-amidlhe mad passions Ibatseemed to rule
the hour-the storms OF excitement. the Stern argu-
men.s, and yet slerner protestations Of uncompro-
missing fxcdness OF opinion and position-lhc
lightning streaks of electric eloTuence-thc
threats Of accounting "nc %iRffcic," and the yet
darker hints Of Fastening The sad ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Of ever lovely and renowned Virginia. .Notr,
that The evil genius of that dark day has depart
Ell from among rs, and The angel Of peace has
come 10 she'd abroad in The hearts otall Vireinia's
gallant sons, Stale pride and b~Iosherly love and
affection towards each oiher-nom, that We have
become oae pccpr in principle and in patriotism,
insomuch thal any attack, from any quarter, up
on the peculiar property OF the East, wonld IN
SANITY cause the gars and gorges ot The noun
lains TO swarm with The ~resolu;e so!diery Of the
West, coming 10 divide The honoTs ard share the
hazards Of common battle field with their East
ern biethren-1or, that our interests, TOO, if not
as yet exactly The same, are daily approx
imaliHg, and will ere long reach The point
of Identification, especially the beautiful and
fertile valley between The Blue Ridge ami
the Allegheny, where, within the last ten year.
prior 10 1910, as shown BY The census, The
slave population had greatly increased, while it
had actually Giminiicd in the East-nDw, while
the whole State is quiel, ard The Yves, asks for a
Convention in a spirit Of moderation. and tie
Eas, SENS willing 10 accord i, 10 them in a spi-
Ri Of justice, ! repeat, The Constitution, which
has served lis purpose, as an arbitrary eSPecieh'
for the occasion, ought 10 b. suhfaired 10 another
49,