Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-01-22
POLITICAL.
PUBLIC MEETING IN PowHATAN.


Al an adjourned meeting of the voters of Powhatan cohn-
~, without distinction Of political parties, who are IN favor
of a call of a Convention OF the people OF Virginia, held Ill
their Courthouse, on Monday, the 7th inst, for the purpose
of expressing tfrr sentiments on this subject, Dr. ADnef
Crump was ca!lcc 70 the Chair and " .llian +. Royal was
appointed Secretary. The proceedings were opened By Il
few remarks from the Chair in relation 10 the business of the
meeting; at the conclusion OF which the committee, appoint
ed at the original meeting, held a, December Court last, with
instructions 10 prepare something for the consideration al
this meeting, presented, through their chairman, Mr.. Hilary
Harris, the following preamble and resolutions
Our present heterogeneous constitution has now been III
operation nearly twenty wears, and Il majority Of the genera
ton who formed it may be supposed 10 have passed away
Ii was ushercd forth 10 the world with all lis imperiectIonS
on its head, as the result Of a compromise, as the best that
could be done under the circumstances. Sectional Jcalousies
had SO interviewer themselves into the Convention, that The
ORIENT fundamental principles of Democratic government,
contained in our Bill OF Rights, was i'll Il great degree lost
sight Of in II general scramble Tor power, and Tile raSalt al
their labors has been a signal failure 10 produce n coHstitii-
zion adapted 10 the wants and circumstances vi our people.
We trust that, at this time, n better feeling pcrvades our com
munity. and that we can now meet in a spirit Of liberal con
fdence and OF %brotherly love, prepared TO sacrifice our sec
tional lealousies oa the altar vi our country. and 10 give 10 our
people q constitution worthy o. our renowned old Common
wealth.
We will now briefly advert to some of what We regard a.
she most prominent objections to our present constitution.
and then poin; out tho principles which should guide Us in
the formation of a new one.
constitutes, of itsel., sufficient grounds Tor the call oil a Con-
vention. II is a departure from all principle-it is neither a
personal nor a property qualification, and has led 10 a scene
Of ~traficing in votes, and Of double voting, which is revolt
ing 10 the senses OF every intelligent and rejecting patriot,
Added 10 this il has put il in the power ot the towns 10 con
troll the elections in all the surrounding counties, and there
by 10 disfranchise those whose night il is 10 govern IN mat
tiers, purely local, and in which the foreign voter can have
no real interest.
We find in our midst a body familiarly known as the coun-
~ court. This body, seliconstituted and seli-appointing,
sacting with entire Independence of the popular will, is Ia IN,
daily exercise vi III" highest functions appertalnlng to civil
government, and uniting iii Itself, Legislative, Executive ana
Judicial powers.
Their power OF taxation j. unlimited and uncomfortable,
for specific purposes. They sit in Judsmen, on our liberty
and our property. They dispense a vast patronage by virtue
of their appointing power. They constitute. 10 all intents
and purposes, a strictly independent Judiciary-they are not
dependent on the people for their office, or their continuance
in Office, or amcnable to them for the manner in which they
discharge the duties of their office; but, on the contrary, have
the power of appointing their successors. How long shall
we continue 10 sacrifice our rights aud our liberties 10 Eng
lish p~reludices2 Ii this feature flour constitution has any
thing American in il, we have failed Ia see 1t.
The organization of the higher Courts Is no, without oh
lection. The trainers ut our present constitution, IN tneii
zeal for an Independent, have given " an irresponsible Judi
ciary, and have left IA without a remedy, when can remove
from the bench, the INDECENT, the aged ana The mhtcie-w
have reaped the fruits of it in crowded Gockets, delays ana
yexaiions which almost amount la a denial ot justice.
Against the Legislative department oi our Goverhislch'
complaint is !oui and universal of excess Of legislation. ou'
statute books abound with laws that are mere dead letters
useless. ave, worse than useless. Amendment has beer
heaped on amendment, until many OF our laws nave become
PERFECTLY inexplicublc. This can only be rcunedied by bicn
NAL sessions OF our Legislature. These, while they wonl,
exert a happy influence on cur legislation, would be productive
of immense saving 10 the treasury. The appointing power
as NJ present exercised By til, Legisla IRE, ~ highly objection
able. individual responsible. " is lost when shared among e
large a number oi persons, and that nilnocr exposed To the
influence 0. largo metropolitan cities. The Executive OF ou
State is almost without power and without patronage; ms
powers might 10 enlarged aud his sphere o. usefulness
extended. The Executive Council IS but "a hitn wheel to
wagon" u mere su .iusage.
For these reasons, and many others not enumerated, WI
desire the call of q Convention ID altor our State Consti'u'
ton. Therefore, be il resolved,
LIST. That Col. Henry l.. Hopkins. our representative II
the present Legislature be, and he is, hereby instructed To tsS
his best efforts 10 procure the passage OF u law authorizing
the sense of the people OF Virginia 10 be taken on ne suolcc
of calling a Convention.
I'd. That we re-assert those principles contained in our Bill
of Rights, and handed down 10 us by our Revolutionary ain
cestors, as the only solid ground on which we can form ou
social compact, and the only true theory of Republican form
Of Government. Il,
I'd. Thu, we confde in the capacity of the people for eel
Government. and think &; unw;se 10 delegate powers 10 others
which they can conveniently exercise for themselves; there
fore, all elections to important offices should DO directly made
by the people. ,
9TH. Tha, The right of suffrage ought TO be extended TO al
free, white, male citizens of sound mind, above the age Q
twenty-one years, who shall have resided in 'hs county Of
town twelve months previously 10 the election ri which they
offer TO vote, and that no individual shall vote in more than
one county.
the Legislative, Executive AMI Judicial, should be separate
and distinct, and ilat neither should exercise the powers pro-
periv appertaining to another, and that fidelity in tho officers
10 fiji these various departments and a speedy despatch 0
public business can be secured only ny n limited term OF
service.
and resolutions by the mover, they were. by the Chair,
again read, and the question on the adoption Of the former
was, with the exception of a single voice, unanimously de,
cided in the affirmative. The question was then propoundeG
on the resolutions conjoin,ly, when they were adopted with
out a dissentient voice. =,
On motion by Mr. Thomas S. Henuins. 1t was resolved
that the proceedings OF this meeting be signed by the Chair
man and Secretary and be forwarded 10 the editors OF news
papers In Richmond, with a request for an early publication.
On motion, by the same, il was resolved, that this meeting
be now adjourned. ABNER CRtMP, Chairman.
WILLIAM E. Royal, Secty. =.
y. B. The inclemcncy of the weather prevented a full
meeting, but we are confident that a MAJORITY oi our fellow
citizens are with las.
BRAVO. CUBA GIRLS.-A contemporary informs us
tina, tho Creole girls at Matanzas show much more reyolu-
tionary spirit than the men. A letter says, "They irown down
,he government officers, WON'T dance with an epaulette, or n
Good ba, nor buy ANYTHING IRONS Spanish shop. A young
Ams,;can named Cooley. who has a small dry goods store
,hars !. Etejv 10 make fortune. for they will Grade only with
hin; i'm Ha has been Obliged TO take a larger stbre and replace
his fall purchaser