Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-08-09
E,or the Enquirer.
.ro cANn1nArEs FOR THE &C

nn,n,rrs FOR THE CONVENTION.
Con-, mcn.-AlIhoueh / address you collectively us =
wolds / have to say may n' y u al am = conredc SO much
YOU. As one Of the people; 70 MluNi w." 49, ~ "vnre . : nv
80 r,yv, and Of wisdom, ! take the hoeriy 10 cApless ny
modification at The considerations P!eseneu Y ~n'bonored
~ indnrcmcnts TO abandon tIne-trled ana hihe-ionoieu
:, .n5 nsoras 10 a reckless radicalism. The Appeals you
,n,to IN ones renacity TO political rights, by such lleiu.n,,
reference 10 "dhc capacity OF the people ior seil-GTtc.n n y
~ "a = ,hc least, entirely out Of place. Ihey SAVIOUR
more of the Icmagoguc than OF the statesman. n " " M III
dresses YOU is cmphatically one OF the p~eopic-one VINO mm
noxcr ,o,ocIv Weld any political right that can, in the nature
If ,binns he enloycd bv the people. but "lLt slShiiies 'hI
arhoris,n, "The people are capable OF se'i-soVeinmenai
when the people in the aggregate cannot cAc'cls; u &c, s"" -.
function OF government. or come any nearer 10 IL lhan au-
min;sIe,ins Iynch law at the will OF a sovereign mob! III
deed, il would seem that this high attribute OF popular soy
erejgnty is, in The opinion OF some, all that Is meant oy seiI
.royerno,cnt. The utmost extent TO which The capacity OF
the peoule for sel.govcrHmcnt can be exercised, LOT an!
nr,c,icoi nurposc. is in Judging of the faithfulncss and com
I n,tcncv of their representatives by their acts, and IN dis
cardna The unworthy and rctaining those who are worthy.
This is all we can do. We must of necessity depend uron,
AGENTS II perform the various functions Of government, ahG
we mus! have agents 10 represent us IN the most impol'.h'
work of forming a constitution. Hhai then 90 you, Geh.,e-
men, who are brough. out or come out as cand!dltcs ioi ine
convention, mean, when you tell US we are capaoc VI sen,
uo;ernlncnt and III the same time call upon lis TO choose yo"
10 make n government for us! Do you mean 10 guy We AZ
capable of choosing agents TO upturn anc KNOCK ~ Iete'
our constitutions. reconstruct and newly yarnisl IL up a@eihi
and, when the work is done, however badly, there Is no -
sponsibiIity. and get. in your Judgment, we are mol c.pa'ls
Of elec;ins men to the legislature, aneiatle 20 ua, 10 VOL
can be entrusted the appointment oil u governor, Juose9' w
Reconcile these gluring inconsistencies IL you Cdic
Ii is becLnse uf my confidence in the capacity 81 lhe l"?;
ole az VIRGINIA for self-guvernmcni, in the OILY SenSc ~
which lba, hackneycd phrase has any meanin. u All '.
because / am one OF the people, thu; J believe ihcy VIII "
their faces aonins, tine restless and ambitious p"iiticl'is w.
would make material innovations on the present o"'''
ton. 90 so,,a in the
One of the favoritc hobbies of aspifanss 10 q Gu ~ a s
cop ycniioo IS popu!ar elections oi Governor, JUICES, ". :"
vy,ot baoU 10 be sure. To confer upon us SUCH : ph''' . J.
This Remember that j; is very ELS! aid yer! ~, - ~
mouth Of some 10 say, "i.t the people do tis a,'. '' i" ;,; :,
do that" bat let US, The people, see hoT t'is ana Una -, -"
donc Say We have - elect 4 Jaocc 10. this is''.t' l'i."
rico &c.) From M overlooking and 'iish'co d ' ~ ~
have some ten or a dozen ~ more cainiaa" .. - -" = :" -
friends. One il elected by n plurality of vo'cs; II NH -
kv one-te.t:l of al the votes given III tie d!St'lc. nv w.
we may have for our JuGge a Genas"9Sc .ns'ctu oi ~ ~ a -.
imist. Is this he way i. which our keiofhnois oa,l
the capacity OF the people for scli-gove' nineh,! w. ~,
YOU drop the LinimoSt ani try aeaiG, al .hic6t We w
people would have o;he. uses for OK .'ie; Ni"' ~ WV
ION Of Judge would DC u jubilee for loa.ers.
All this wi,l apply with equal force 10 the election D. ="
vernon b. the People, or that election mus, Always .i.n4
about a yiolen; struggle for political power. inv saiie. au
,using, intrigue and corruption wou'c 'oiiow. we .ne pc"
pc shall then have the glorious privilege el e"elc:si'g y"
capasity for sel-goyernment By votlng. ior one or .ne c'ne
of the nominees % IL party caucus 81 inc hle!aocrs u ''
Legislature, or OF 4 convention clecfe'. by cross-''au an'
pin.siiop politicians. Had you not better lei our representa-
lives in lie legislature elect the Governor h' ohcc ana -
done with il. than 10 test 80 Grieyousiy our capaoh? LOT sen
Government and tax our time go severely Ia no good PR
pose? oo. !,
Gentlemen. think what you are about 10 40 LOON "
consequences. / for one 60 against all Radicals;
Yours, CCklloo.
August 9Th, 1850.