Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1845-12-11

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sects 1 10 Convention Of the people; akd, So
complaining, they respectfully request tlk Pas
SAGE ot.a law which shall enable the keopla
tlemselt TO determine, bya direct VOTE rhe-,
iher IN Aeir Judgment the defects alleted are
snch as lklt, or ought not TO be enquiry into,
with viea TO ultimate constitutional redkess.-
This i all tley request. One portion OF Our peo-
pleo object 70 Ne Constitution as il l., whilst ano-
Their approve mas it is the objecfing portion pro-
pose, in this cas- to settle the difference between
them BY consultation and vote, and, ID orderf II
dsrso, they come . you, wboare the common and
confidential agent II both parties, and desire on
behalf Of both, that ron viii supply them with the
necessary Of means. Can you refuse Is there
any one principle of fspresentatiye duty which
viii require you to deny an application like this
Is there any one which VIII authorize you 70 in
terpose between the actual parties 10 the Govern
ment, and say TO them, that they shall MOI, with
Your consent, have any conference whatsoever
with each other, nor declare any direct opinion
whatsoever upon = subject, the whole Of which,
with one single exception, they have absolutely
Preserved from your action and retained for their
lownt Nay, looking TO far lower grcund Of OBJ
litigation and duty, it may be emphaiicAlIy asked
whether there are any considerations 81 political
texpediency even, which can demand Of you to
forerrule and repulse this request Were it
competent for the Legislature to act finally upon
the subject matters to which this application
relates, the case would be entirely different
But as it is not, as it can do no mole than
take the initial step for the people themselves,
TO whom the right of deciding upon them, With
Lbs. me due rescect for that
body to-suppose, that this step will be refused,
and an inauspicious and infamed st1ie of public
feeling be thereby needlessly hazarded The
Constitution having prescribed no mode BY which
its provisions generally may be altered or abolish
led, has yet declared, in its Bill of Rights, that
lsmaiority ofevery community hath an indubitable,
unalienabie, and indeeasble right to reform, al
ter or abolish" its Government sin snch man.
liner as shall be judged most conducive 10 the
public veal"
Here then. the whole subject by express recognition
of the highest authority Is committed the people and
made their own Ii is one, therefore, which the egsa-
ture cannot ultimately CONTROL and which should have
desire to control delay By any injudicous
denial Of legal facilities when the public mind as rea
dy consider and decide upon as it now For these
reasons and for Others which orbear to introduce re.
commend to the Legislature the passage Of law author.
zng vote OF the people of this State be taken at the
next general election, upon the subject Of calling Con
vention to revise and amend the Constitution and the
passage also off provisional law regulating the oganiza-
ton and other matters incident 10 slch Conyention
Should it be the will Of majority Of abe people 70 re-
lqure one. =
Without going at all into the yarios objects of Con-
stutonal amendment, for which Convention IL want
ed being forbidden TO do SO by the necessary limits OF
this Communication, il is admissible it least TO express
the ardent hope that the principal one in Kew rear
ranged AMI amended basis of representation may be so
accomplished as TO obierate forever he political dy
sions which the present Constitution has fixed upon the
state and To consolidate people, u all quarters by
relationships Of interest and feeling well as Of govern
ment kndlier and stronger than Iayeyer
them before. And this doubt not can be done unass
there is unwse adherence 10 extreme demands and
done too TO the benefit and safety Of all without the So.
atoh on the hand Of any rights OF persons or Of pro.
perry or the surrender the other Of any cherished prn-
ciple Of government
But to tbs end, the Commonwealtn,st be treated ms
Ia whole, and whole, incapable OF being divided into
separate INTERESTS and separate parts BY Constitution
wRatev er, which can be expected endure. Pacifca-
ton and union the only basis upon which Consttu-
ton c9n securely and firmly stand One Of the greatest
eEila"hich fgina has encountered IN her internal
goyerImctit, winch has done much to impede her pro-
ess TO humble her fortunes and control The early and
spicous promise of her destiny has been lie want OF
felt and absolute unity amongst her people She has
long, in many particulars of government and legislation
been divided Commonwealth, struggling with the ieal-
onsies of eonending instead Of u4nphing in the a.
chieyments and power of harmonious and united fami-
y Let her be no more and let il not be Al This honr
when all her hopes demand that she should be thoroug
" cordially and ipdvisbly one that some new element
of dscord Is to be fastened upon her; some new line of
separation TO be struck through her territory and thus
through her peace and the tnse hRtry0f her govern
ment be painfully marked BY the tears Of The patriot and
the scorn oil the wise.
| = .l.
Since your adjournment the great national measure
which was then pending for the Annexation of the Re-
Ipuhic of Texas and the admission of il as one of The
States of this Union, has received the full consent Of
the people of that Republic and has otherwise bsen con-
summateds far require only the ratification of our
Government to render il final and complete and this be-
ing no more than confirmation of the terms first con-
scented to, and then submitted by itself il will doubtless
receive fully and in good faith Regarding the measure
therefore, in fact accomplished and regarding IT,
oyer In its entire range Of effect timely and bene
cent contribution 70 the strength, security and general
blessings Of our Union, congraula,eyou and with you
our common country upon it, Nomeasue since our Re-
voi1aonay day. has given either such illustration OF
zuchan impetus to our principles Of Government this
and none, IN any age nor amongst any people, has
cured fer country rich acquisition by means SO
honorable to ITSELF or SO void Of injury and Of stirble
offence 10 Others RI
The territory which we have heretofore added
to our domain, and from which State after State
has been successfully formed, has been acquired
| by the force and virtue Of MONEY only. But here
an empire larger than France, and as delightful
in its natural endowments Italy, is given to us,
and given upon the single condition, that the
community which bestows it mSy have the privi-
lege of blending its destiny wiSl ours, and have
the magnificent dowry it has brought us placed
Forever under the government bf our principles
and our people. On all sides ct US, and in all Pc
RODS Of the world, we have the spectacle of ma
tons surrounding themselves with bloody append
ges Of conquest and crime. But here, for the
first time, is conquest effected by the power Of
principle and example alone here is the solitary
instance Of an organized people, strong in all the
elements Of government and seIfprotection, and
allured to career OF national independence by
as inspiring motives as were ever addressed to an
ardent national ambition, yet freely giving up their
separate existence for the sake of union with
another. BY this extraordinary surrender of their
country to US, the capacity of our Federative sys
tenn TO bear an almost indefinite extension, with
out impairing the value ofsthe whole, or the adj.
ministration of the particular parts, will be tho
roughly tested, and with new proofs, as doubt
not, of its augmented title to our. confidence and
Support. by this act, too, vast region, Of the
highest political. commercial and military import
ance to US, will be rescued from all the possihili-
lties Of foreign ntermeddling, aud thus the self
protecting power of the Union be increased, and
the field Of American institutions and American
government be rendered wider. aild stronger than
ever. .tH
Whatever the divided judgment Of our people
4 upon thisgreat measure, it maybe safely trusted
to its own results to vinaicate Aelf safely trust.
Jed 10 its ultimate effect upon tho grandeur Of our
country, and the extension to oiheY lands, which
it aids of the libsrty spirit Of this 10 disspate all
4 4 ~ 5. u