Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-11-19
foa the srAuSroN SPECTATOR.
REFORM CONVENTION ADDRESS


NO. Nv.
Mr.. EDiroR,-The object with vhch ON, 40.
was to consider the peculiar doctrines md r,Icv ~
our "Reformers," disclosed in ,he;, $780, ~
the numbers already published il was INV a;r, =,
caution your readers against attrbutnu to them. an
peculiar. opinions which they hold in common with
all the friends Of Convention. If tb,.. ~r;,;a..
are sound, and calculated to secure the
and favor of the public, the advantage sbonld nm,
accrue exclusively to the "Reformers ,; and. on tho
other hand, if they are unsound, and deserving oS
reprobation, it would be unjust that the ssRef6m-
ers" alone should incur the Odium.
The great and leading division among the friends
OF convention is in reference to the basis Of repre-
sentation In the Legislature, some advocating ba-
SIS compounded OF white population and taxation.
known as the "Mixed Basis, - while others prefer
the basis Of white population alone, known as the
"White Basis'' 49,
The advocates of the White Basis are again sub
uNlueo, ana IL Is one Of these subdivisions which
constitutes the party known as ssReG,rmers ,,
The precise line OF division between tho .sR.
formers and the other friends of the White Basis
was defined with great clearness and ability in vour
editorial OF last week, and must be permitted N
appropriate your classification of the points of differ
cnce.
The first of these is as TO the grounds mon
winch they rest their claims to their favorite basis
OF representation. The ground assumed by tb,.
,'keformers" is certainly novel, and SO far as
know, belongs peculiarly to them. They seem TO
claim representation upon the White Basis as ma
tural right, to which is attached sort of Divine
sanction they call it ''that equal participation in
the Government which God and nature had award
cd " u.s."
1t Is difficult to understand precisely what is
meant by this expression. | will not do the COM
.i''ee inc injustice to suppose them to mean that
'ic natural state Of man was i'm representative de-
ihocracy, I'm which, by divine award representation
wa, WAS oased exclusively upon white popuation
heir language, 1t is true might admit of that con-
suuc'ion, Out proper respect for them rs the cor
gan OF their party, requires that we should seek
ior some other Interpretation.
understand them, then, to base their cl,;,, 49,,
on principles of equality Equality of condition
certainly furnishes just foundation for claim IN
equality or right and all that was necessary 10 tho
clear establishment of their claim was to show that
lhls equality of condition now exists amonp the diff
ierent portions OF Virginia in regard the rights to
NC Pro'ectcu, ana the interests 10 be affected by Go
vernment. This, however is not the eouatv n
winch our "keiorners" refer, and upon which thew
seek to found their claim. They refer to the canal
ity (which God and nature had awarded" I'bev
appear TO the great fundamental principle that al
men are by nature free and equal and from it thew
er, oy process OF reasoning which only the '.ni
tiated,, can understand that representation upon
the w hlte Basis Is natural right.
would venture respectfully to suggest to the
committee The importance of giving the public the
oeneht OF their course of reasoning upon this point
ior IL would seem, that if the premises assumed
establish any thing they establish too much. This
natural equality, II 1t ever existed extended TO all
men, without distinction of or color and if il
is to be made the foundation of claim of right it
must apply alike to all. If representation is to he
given In Virginia upon the broad basis of the natu-
RAJ ia equaity OF man, 1t Is obvious that the White
Basis Is not the one which must be adopted
III, however, we suppose our ''Retomers'' to
In baya CHI
clearly that representation upon the White Basis
was natural right, (which God and nature had
awarded" 1t by no means follows that it is right
which may now he justly asserted. Government
IS constituted by the surrender of natural rights;
and when our Government was formed and a diff
erent basis of representation adopted this natural
right to the White Basis must, of course have
been abandoned The committee foresaw this oh
Jecton, and, to meet it, they assume another posi-
tlon, which is no less peculiar than the one we
have been considering.
They inform us that ''equal representation upon
the White Bass,' is right which cannot be allie
nated-ln the language of the address, it is ssthat
snare In the Government, which by the very terms
OF the Constitution itself, is their ndubitable, una
henable, and indefeasible right
III then 1t has been alienated, the alienation ia
void; and the right still exists in full force the Con-
stltutlon to the contrary Notwithstanding
these doctrines are sufficiently startling when
considered solely with reference to the application
which our ''Reomers'' seek to make of them but
when considered as general propositions, affirming
without Limitation qualification that the natural
equality of man is right which follows him through
all the compacts of Government, and is, in its ma
ture, 'unaenable and indefeasible,' they strike
me as marking the utmost limit of ssmodern pro-
gress."
II these principles are to prevail, what becomes
OF an institution which our ''Refomers,'' in their
address, propose, for considerations to defend
against world in arms'2 What becomes OF
our Federal Constitution, which is founded, in its
most essential features, upon denial and disregard
OF them and what becomes of that fundamental
principle OF free government asserted in our Reyo-
luton that it is the right of people in the forma-
ton OF government, ''to lay its foundation on such
principles, and to organize its powers in such form,
as to them shall seem most likely TO effect their
safety and happiness?
!he full force and effect of these principles will
be better seen when they considered in connec-
ton with another doctrine contained in the address,
VIRGINIA.