Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-03-02
To the Frceholders, and all other Constitutional
Intere in ihe (InlLn NH NJ ILnnrica

ly submitted TO, ana acCuesced most unjust and IN
sultng decision against of your sacred constitu-
tloual privileges.
Under the provisions of the late Constitution of your
State, you entitled to two representatives in the
: House OF Delegates One, and sometimes both OF
whom you selected from that part Of your county lying
within the corporate boundaries of Richmond or from
such other portion OF the county as your judgment ap-
proved.
To this long continued practice the voice of objection
dissatisfaction heard was it until you
had been shorn Of one half OF your influence in the V
gnia House of Delegates (under the operation of the
present Constitution, that const tuona difficulties
sprung up before the dlstempeed visions of two
orthree disappointed political asprants and ockes (who
most dsinteresledy volunteered guardians of the
dear of Henrico) Many OF YOU fellow citizens,
doubtlessly, well recolect that at the meeting Of the
very first General Assembly, under the Constitution
the seat OF your distinguished and Uery talented dele
gate contested, upon the ground that he resided in
the city of Richmond, and that legislature the dis
ngushed for intellect and purity of character that
assembled in the State being composed OF many OF the
burning lights who had borne conspicuous part in the
formation OF the Constitution decided that Mr.. Leigh
was entitled to his seat as your representative. Could
an enlightened and unprejudiced body of men have de-
clded otherwise The present Constitution withhods
from you none OF the privileges which you enjoyed
der the former, except that restricted to de-
egate. Is the Constitution OF Virginia fixed, sta
Bile, fundamental lawi is il an unneaning thing, sub
ect to be changed the action Of any and every NAL
content demagogue in the State, by the law
making power OF the STATED Will it be commended at
this advanced age of history that legislative edct
is paramount to the Constitution which gave it exist
ence! Are constitutional provisions regulating the
rights OF the citizens OF Henrico or any other county
to be altered by the enlargement cutaling if you
please, OF the corporate limits of the City OF Richmond
or by the change OF residence of any single citizen of
said county! Ii the law-making power have the right
to say that a man residing in the City OF Richmond
shall not be eligible to seat in the Virginia Legislature
as the representative OF the people of Henrco then the
same power may dictate in what particular nook of the
county they may take representative from. Will any
otthe especial friends OF liberty contend for such
an absurdty? Fellowc citizens, suppose one Of your
selves residing (as many OF you do0 upon the New Kent
or Goochand boundary OF your county, should for the
purpose OF educating your children for any other
cevaoe reason, take into your heads to change your
residence and you should actually move your wife and
children INTO the city OF Richmond, the very centre of
your county, your freehold farm being still retained
does such an act take from you any OF your constitution
al rights or render you less qualified understand or
less to be relied upon to guard and protect the rights of
your late neghoos or OF The people OF the county!
1our county seat and jail within the corporate limits
OF the City OF Richmond, The clerks of your county
superior and chancery courts, with number of the ma
glstrates and sheIls reside within the may be
Injected district These were facts known the mem
beers OF the Convention Fellow citizens, the sensible
men who revised your State Constitution did not re-
strict nor did they design to restrict your range of
choice to any space short OF that within the boundaries
between the counties OF Chesterfield on the South
| Goochand and Hanover on the West and North and
New Kent and Charles City the East-had they in
tended, they would IN many words have said so or
had there existed reasonable ground for such con-
structlon those venerable men who called upon
as tWere to revise their own work, would not have az
firned your undenabe right to select your representa-
tive from the City OF Richmond as you had previously
| done.
Fellow-citizens the city of Richmond in the coun-
ty OF Henrico, tor jury duty and every other concei-
vable purpose, say few would-be very knowing men
but Tor that OF all others 10 free and independent peo-
pie the most valued and important the unrestraned
privilege OF selecting Whomsoever may suit the ma
Joty OF them, to aid in making the laws under which
they, themselves and their offspring are to live There
are TWO htt words used In the Constitution, only
10 the whole OF that instrument, which could lead any
but little minds astray they follows: ELECTION
District Feilow-ciZens, you recolect under the old
constitution, the counties of New Kent and Charles
City were each entitled to two representatives. whereas
now, the two counties are entitled but one 1t would
have been nvldous, it dctatoral to have despna-
ted in which OF these counties the delegate should re-
side, and stl more so to have said what particular
section OF the county he should live; avoid this the
members OF the Convention wisely and Justly provided
that the representative should reside within the election
district" Again the counties OF James City and York,
and the city OF Williamsburg, who We're, under the old
constitution, entitled to five representatives. are now
together, entitled to but delegate. And to pro-
vide Tor this change in the representation of these three
several interests, the Convention modesty introduced
the two little words election district" leaving the cues
ton OF particular location with the electors Of the two
counties and CITY, then merged in the election district
citizens, you will very be called upon TO
say whether or not you will have a Convention 10
amend or reform your present. very imperfect State
Constitution Should majority OF the present voters of
Virginia (about which will not allow my mind to
doubt determine in favour OF the call Of Convention
that body will assemble in your Capitol, in the month
OF October next In view OF the violation and utter dis
regard OF the provisions OF the existing Constitution as
applied TO the tree electors OF Henrco and in antcipa-
ton OF the contemplated Convention, fellow-citizens
present myself before you candidate to represent
you In the next House of Delegates If you are not
now prepared and willing that theinsuting decision pro-
cured by designing politicians against your freedom of
choice IN the selection OF candidate and represent
tatlve, then come forward | invoke you, and rebuke
these eternal intemedders men who have as little inter
there IF
the same number in the entire county Fellow citizens
the city OF Richmond is almost in the very centre of
your county, and your interests interviewer with
those OF the citizens OF Richmond that malice itself can
not lntict blow at the prosperity Of the one which is
not Immediately experienced by the other Who are the
people OF Richmond, my fellow citizens? Are thew
not OF you! Are your fathers and mothers brothers
and SISTERS sons and daughters there? Are not many OF
your nearest and dearest friends there! What separate
interest is there, there be- between you and hem2
There is none; and none but those who live upon the
excitement OF oupreudlces and the passions OF our
nature, Will contend tor such ridiculous nonsense In
concuslon take pleasure in saying that your present
most worthy representative, Mr. Lancaster who has
been 10 your service for number OF years has been
most faithful In the discharge OF the important trust con-
flded to him. and feel that hazard but little when
say that he has given but very few votes if any single
one which his Judgment did not approve. Never am
confident, did ne give vote, that he did believe was
directly, or remotely, to advance you and your States
interest Would to God could say as much Of anoh-
er Observation-Disclosures should not say misrepresen-
tatVe-whom many OF you, my fellow citizens, contri-
buted by your votes to put in the responsible position
which he has held for the last four five years This
you have done, whilst you were admonshed by myself
and others, in the most public again and again
Fellow citizens, you had legal right do what you
did, and whilst shall not myself complain feel certain
you Will not pay so dear for your confidence and kind
ness again for many long year to come What is the
present condition OF your treasury and your State i'm
provements!
Your Public Treasury has been very nearly drained
OF every dollar OF the heavy taxes OF the year lS49 and
l apprehend, for | do not speak from the record that |
money will have to be borrowed by the State author
OF the proposed Convention our State debt and |
present liabilities amount to the enormous sum OF |
twenty millions of dollars. Your internal improve
ments are all, or nearly all, in unfinished condition.
and very few, if any, paying interest," into your State
cotels and your only really State improvement aban-
doned that thousand and roads might be made to
take the trade OF the Valley and Western portion ofyour
a l1.Al.a Il. Il.