Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-08-28
pEFoRM CONVENTION.

xarv ANAL one. We have no doubt mat Inc
nsucitv of numbers was mainly owing 10 Tue u'-
certainty and confusion OF the public mind as 10
be,;me and place of holding the Convention'-
Various suggestions were made, chans'"s VI.
original plan OF The Berkeley Reconnaissance
in thi, conflict Of opinion, few WEEKS "
fore the meetirg, doubts arose whe'nef 'ne
Convention would assemble. For this reason'
doubtless, many counties tailed 10 appoint deie-
oa,es Blu, il cannot be concealed from view,
that another reason why this Convention was
so ,hinlv attended, was the want OF harmony oil
opinion among the people OF The WesI themselves
where the Convention question has been pr'nc'-
pally asitated To show the various sentiments
Of the delegates present, we make few extracts
from the remarks addressed 10 the meeting oy Inc
several members:
MIR VIM. Kinney believed the attempt 10 get
nm another Convention this year would be VAN
and iruiiless. He was, therefore, Tor referring
,he matter 10 the members Of the Legislature
friendly 10 reform, al their next session IL was
rho decided sentiment, he said, OF large numoeI
nf The most intelligent friends Of Convention 10
The West. that il was better 10 postpone all farmer
ac,ion on the subject until after The census oil
Js5) and he was TOR referring that mailer 10 The
decision of our friends in The Legislature
MIR. Geiser followed in support Of the recon-,
mendations Of the Committee. He considered
the suggestions of Mr.. Kinney, ii carried ou, as
a virtual hauling down Of the Convention nag
He was opposed to them, therefore ana was iuI
continued and perseveriHg effort and agitation
unit, the objec, Of the friends Of Reform was &C
complished. N,
Mr.. Jacobs of Wheeling, (who, when called
10 the Chair had stated that his presence was
rather accidental; he had business at Richmond,
and il suited his convenience 10 come this way,)
next took the hoor He called the attention Of
MIR. Kinney 10 the fact that the resolution oil the
committee proposing another State Convention
was in blank, and that the lime for It's assem-
blape might be fixed as we'll after as before the
mee,ine Of The next Legislature. (Mr. Kinney
here minated that il the Convention should be
postponed until next summer, he would snTren-
der his obiec,ion) Mr. Jacobs then continued
his remarks lie said he had not heard o! the
GREAT contest in Augusta last spring, until nc met
with gentlemen few days ago al Lewisburg,
who told him Of it, The question OF organizing
a Convention on the white basis, he said, had
not been discussed much in his section, but he
believed that majority OF The people would be
in favor of il. For his own pall, ne said, he
was for urging forward the cause OF Constiu
tional Reform, with the spirit OF a freeman anda
good conservative.
Mr.. C. Johnson, IT,, said he heartily concurred in
the view. presented by his friend, Mr.. Geiger.-
He wished The people 10 lake prompt and decided
action, and back their representatives in The de-
mand for their rights.
Mr.. FL. w. Shelley also expressed himself in
favor Of present action, and the assembling OF
another Convention before the meeting OF tbs
Legislature.
Mr. Deneale, OF Rockingham next took the
floor on the same side. He scorned The idea OF
referring the matter TO The members Of the Leg;s-
lature The people were the proper persons 10
attend 10 this business Theiracton would have
more weight, he said, with our oppressors. His
constituents were fully aroused on this question
Tcsss6X had drawq he sword and thrown away the
in the ranks OF the great army OF RciormcIs. Ii
there was, the GLORIOUS triumph" here i'll The
election last Spring might be pointed al khe sad)
as humbug got up Tor purposes ofpersonal ag'
grandizement.
The blanks in the resolution, directing the call
of another Convention, were then filled with the
End of December, and the town of Siaunion as
the place, and the report Of the committee adopt
ed.
The Augusta Democrat, after explaining The
causes of the limited number OF delegates, adds
Convention question in earnest, and mat Inc
presses favorable TO The cause, throughout The
Stale, will buckle on their armor and shoulder
10 shoulder, push forward a cause tranght with
so much interest 10 the great body Of the people,
and let not the jeering launt already thrown ont
be repeated. We have among US many Wiz
ginians, 100, who are unirendly TO any change
in our rotten and absurd Consitution-who
would be willing to lei The West remain as she
is-and not even give her citizens road b.
which they may gst their produces 10 market, or
by which they may be able, with more conve-
nience. 10 go 10 their neighborhood mills. We
tell the West Augusta is with you-her late vote
is evidence OF that fact, ii any be wanling-and
were her vote to be taken over again, The malo-
riy would he largely increased. We feel no he
stancy in saying this"
But in addition 10 this difference of opinion
among the friends of the Convention In the West,
az 10 the best means and most favorable period
for obtaining reform, they also differ radically in
regard 10 the objects they wish TO effect by Stale
Convention Some of them are for "lhe whole or
nome" They will agree TO no compromise. They
demand the "whi,e basis" representation or no
thing On the other hand, there is large number OF
reformers in the West who, seeing the impractical
bity of Obtaining a Convention upon these ex-
treme terms, evince a just spirit of compromise
and though not Obtaining all they desire, are viii
ling TO agree 10 the basis oil taxation and repre-.
senlation combined in order 10 effect the other
important reforms which would be beneficial
TO the whole State, East and West. Many
months ago we republished the proceedings
Of the citizens Of Marshall county, which pre-
scented this proper ground az the true and
only one upon which Convention could be
called, and could work out wise and judi
cious reform of the evils which all sections
of the State complain Of We deem this
the proper moment 10 republish similar
manifesto of the sentiments Of respectable
portion of Ohio county, at Philadelphia
The discussion Of The question in The Legislature
last winter-lhe votes then pronounced-the
olive branch OF compromise held out by The
East-lhe whole history OF events since the
question was agiiated-all go TO satisfy US
that, il we are 10 have Copvenlion il must
be based upon compromise of feelings and
opinions. Wehave already expressed our views
on this question. The East will not, and cannot,
SURRENDER Tue VITAL queSliou VI REPRESENTATIVES, ioi
which portion OF the West so exclusively con-
tends. In it are involved The sacred compromises
of the Federal Constitution and the rights
and safety of East Virginia. But we shall
say no more al present. In few days we
shall republish the proceedings OF the reicrmers OF
Ohio county, with an able aud sound introduce
tory article from the Wheeling Argus, enforcing
their views. From the same paper we shall also
lay before our readers strongly written COM
municalion, sketching the principles of the fur
different parties in the West in favor Of State re-
form. While We are not acquainted with the
facts sci forth in these articles and are, therefore,
unable to agree to all the expressions OF the wri-
fers, we DO NOT hesitate 10 avow our aequiescencs
in the broad principles Of compromise therein