Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-04-15
ADDRESS
Iothc Voters Of the Senatorial District, composed
the Counties Of .augststa and Rockbridge.

ton, which assembled at Greenville OH the 10Th day
of March, as candidate to represent the District
composed OF the Counties Of Augusta and Rock
bridge In the Senate Of Virginia. Believing, from
numerous applications which had been made TO me
personally, and information derived from other sour
ces previous to the meeting of the Convention that
the convention faithfully reflected the wishes Of
decided majority Of the voters of the District in Sc
Letting me, accepted the nomination.
With the call for the election Of delegates to,
and the organization of, the Convention. had no
agency, and took part whatever. The honor
they conferred upon me was unexpected as ii was
unsolicited and unmerited. Being called on under
these circumstances |, who had received so many
evidences of the confidence kindness and good feel
ing OF my fellow citizens of Augusta did not feel
myself at liberty TO disobey the call, though it
should be attended, rs it will be if am elected,
with sacrifice of feeling and private interest
That my nomination should not meet with the |
approval of all the voters i'm the District is not sur
prisng. certainly never expected that it would.
and, therefore, have not been disappointed that
some individuals, though trust they are few and
far between, have dissented from my nomination
In doing so they have but exercised the right which
belonged to them as freemen, and do not com
plain. am gratiiied, however, to find that even
they, as far as am informed, have not assailed my
private character, or taken exception to my course
While had the honor of representing, i'm part, the
good people OF Augusta in the House of Delegates
Having accepted the nomination. it is due to
those who are asked TO conlide SO important trust
to me, that should say few words as it regards
myself and my political opinions. To my fellow
citizens OF Augusta this might be considered unnc-
'cessary.-l was born and reared among them her
people have known me long, aud known me well
they have often conlided their private as well as
public interests to me. How far may have sue
ceeded In my cndeavours to discharge the trust con-
fided TO me, is for them to say III have been SO
fortunate as TO have faithfully and truly represent
nH 81, 4 i
proval at the polls.
10 the voters of Rockbrldgo, feel more particu-
larly called upon to make known my opinions ON
some OF tho leading and most important questions of
the day. Here and there among them, | can grasp
the hand Of friend, and recognize the face OF an
acquaintance, but to most OF them am personally
stranger was very DESTROYS TO have visited and
addressed them in person before the election, and at
one time had hoped 10 be able to do So but engage
ments, which | had come under before had any
expectation of occupying the relation now do to
them, call nae from the State, and will prevent me-
fear, from returning in time to reach Rockbridge
before the election.
AS to National and Federal politics. will say,
that since enered into public life, have aboured
and cooperaed with that class of politicians called
WHIGs.-i have gone for the men and measures of
that party. Nethng has occurred TO change nv
views III regard to the latter and believing such to
he the decided sentiment of large majority of the
District, it will be my duty as it will be my plea
sure, on any questions coming before the Senate if
should have the honor of seat there, involving
the maintenance OF the measures of the Whig par-
~. 10 sustain them.
With regard TO State politics, my public speech
rs and my recorded votes will show that have
been in favor of the call Of Convention to amend
our State Constitution. That there are great de-
fects IN our present Constitution, all must admit
detects, which experience and change of cream
stances since It's adoption, are every year making
more and more manifest. One among the greatest
detects of the Constitution is, consider the basis
OF representation, if, indeed, il can be said to have
any basis. was an active friend for the call of
the Convention which adopted our present Consti-
tuition. In the selection of Delegates to represent
this District in that Convention their sentiments
on the question Of the true basis of representation
were sought after and obtained The gentlemen
who were elected Chapman Johnson ESQ., Gen
b. e. Baldwin, Gen Mccoy, and Samuel M'D
Moore, Esq, } avowed themselves as firmly and de-
cidedly in favor of the White population, and
venture the assertion, that able and distinguished
as they were, they could by no possibility have OBJ
tanned seats in the Convention from this District
mad they entertained or expressed doubt to this
being the true Republican basis of representation
and they all endeavored to carry out the pledges
they gave on this subject in the Convention. |
went with and for these gentlemen them and my
views on the question have undergone no change.
At that time there was division of sentiment a
was with no little surprise, that found in the ex-
cited canvass which occurred in Augusta in the
spring OF 1876, growing out of the votes given by
the Delegates Of the County on the question of the
basis OF representation i'll the organization of the
proposed Convention, large and respectable
minority opposed to these views. Painful to me as
1t was to oppose the reelection of our worthy mem
bers who had given the votes above alluded to. |
considered vital principle was involved. and felt
constrained TO lend my humble aid TO defeat their
re election desired to see Western Virginia. at
least, through her Representatives, present an un
broken phalanx in favor OF the White population as
the true basis OF representation, and ] believe she
did at the last session.
But il it could be shown that the arbitrary rule
(for 1t was nothing more conceive,) which was
adopted by the Convention in 1880, was the pro-
per basis OF representation then, it by fol-
lows that 1t would be now. Y ct the bill which
the East proposed substitute for that Of the
West in 1916 went, ifI understand it correctly, to
affirm the proposition that the representation in the
House Of Delegates should be taken the basis of re-
presentation in the proposed CoDvention--thus ask
ing that the West should disregard, in the organi
zajon Of Convention, her great increase over the
East in population. wealth, and taxation since 1890
To such a bill could never give my assent
With regard to the proper time for pressing, or
agtatng the question of the call of Convention,
is known, there is considerable diversity Of opin
ion even among Western citizens. In view of this,
have thought that it would be, probably most
pedient to postpone the agitation of the question Of
she call OF Convention until after the taking of
the census Of 1850. when, it seems to me, we can
present our claim for the call of Convention, ac-
companed by evidence of such an increase of popu
laton and wealth, as will render it impossible for
our Eastern brethren to resist il; yet if the friends