Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-03-19
COMMUNICATION.
roR THE SPECTATOR.


Fos THE SPECTATOR.
=, ,a
Mr. Eoitor,-in your paper OF the 9Th inst, noticed
communication signed MANY Voters Of Long Mca
dow, IN winch II Is hoped that Will become cand-
date 10 part this county in the next Gene
raj Assembly Of Virginia.
call, so unexpected, from respectable source de-
mands respectful reply. "Many Voters Of Long NIea
cow" consider my political opinions well known to
large portion Of the county. In this am disposed to
think, they arc mistaken | am inclined TO think that
neither the man. his opinions are generally known
the people Of the county. IL is true that on the sub
those of majority of my county racn. In earnest de-
sire for wen regulated system of primary school c,
cation am with them. But in regard TO question
Of much importance. and which fear will cause
the Convention question: my opinions arc at variance
with theirs Indeed my views upon this subcct have
been termed "radical,' "utra." eagraranS and for
aught know, "Aiany voters'' will SO consider them
am aware that MANY persons consider the Convcn
ton question settled for years to having gotten its
ouieus during the session of the Assembly lust term;na
led know too Thai some advocates Of a Convention
are disposed TO wait until 1850, or co. when they saw
we viii be able to the East the basis question
with n "moral force )" which they cannot resist Had
sucb been the language of the patriots of 776 when
ssting principles they said ,paif I'M
ill 1896 and then we will meet the Mother Countr,,
with omoral force" which she cannot resist. when
think YOU the colonies would have emerged from their
vassalagc? When think YOU they would have snrnnr
into national existence How long would this HAYS
been the land of the free, "'" '"'' nave
There are those too. who consider the Constitution
an instrument loo sacred 10 he touched IN, y,S c J
mcnt save for the dircst nccessity and that such
.;tv docs moi now cxst While think that tr;v;ai H.;
fccs in tho Constitution wouId NOT ;ustrv the cali Of
Convention for their amendment am Of the onnion
that ,bcr Is oncb in the IN, ,h, a
;ust;rv spcb n call fever the nconI,, Of V;rn;. III
rcspcc for the present one thcv had mn war;, rr.a
for H. II was considered better in some rcsno, sL
the old one TO therefore adopted NOT as rfct
instrument of the kind but rather n, 81 60 iI.s
evils ~ '"
will briefly attcmp TO po;nt ont son,c of Tho 5c,
of the present Constitution and in doing en- 7 Iii s
touch on the basis question: There arc ,hos =;
county now who arc the strenuous r ~, '
cd basis change having recently CONC oyer ,hn .sm;;.
Of their ,lrcamsS And what is often asked ;s h
the mixed basis? Dvcsted of learned laneuaoc abon,
proprictary rights Sc IL amounts IN tL;s. IN 49,
IN Virginia species of propcrtv fslowcS fron, h;S
considerable portion of the revenue of the Stat, i; H.
rived and by far the greater part of This nroncrtv
held in Eastern Virginia Now the ne oplc of The Eo.,
fear that, il the West gain the ascendancv in the
laturc this property will be subjected IN onrn sa
unjust taxation. Hence they claim for II
TO a certain cxtent not il is true bv giving Soho o
Cudgo a i'm the Legislature but nv g;y;ps ,L no,
OF the State in which they serve weiobt and nowr a.,
which its white population would NOT ent;tIc II WI,
is this species ofpropcrty entitled 10 c;nent
leges Is because il has tended more TO advance tho
prosperity Of the State than any othcr3 Lot hc rcI.
tive position of Virginia amongst the sister States oc tb
great Republic If Slave property is 10 give
political influence, why not horses or lands mr. an,,
other kind of property And if nroncrt,, I, 10 -,
power, why give it directly to the ndiy;du,Is hoL
ing that property instead of rivinu IL 20 th J;;,
country in which is held Because the anti rcpbl;
cansm Of the thing would be too papabe TO he federated
What would you think were an individual n nrnso,
himself the polls and say, ssNr Sheriff
ty five fellows, and am, therefore entitled IN svtnn
votes record them in favor of Mcssrs r. and AT >,
Would every freeman be startled AT sucb an otr,
upon republcanism And yet the very principle which
il carried out would lead this result is masked on
concealed in the mixed basis believe that tho vn,o
of freeman should be equal to that of anv other free