Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-06-02
Public Meeting.

AL ineetihS OF large and respectable
portion of the citizens of Bedford, assem-
bled in the Court House, on Tuesday, the
9th Of May, 1851:
On motion, DR.. Robert A. Clement was
called to the Chair, ard John M. Reese
appointed Secretary.
The object of the meeting was explained
by John Goode, Jr., Esq, in a few pointed
and eloquent remarks, who offered the fol-
lowing Preamble and Resolutions, which
were briefly discussed by w. NJ. Burwell,
Esq, and John Goode, Jr, Esq, and then
unanimously adopted:
We, portion Of the people of Bedford,
having noticed, with surprise and regret,
the course pursued by three of our Dele
gates to the Reform Convention, upon the
momentous question Of the Basis Of repre-
sentation, deem 1t our right as well as our
| duty, to make known to our representatives
the views and feelings, of a disappointed
constituency. We deem it a right, because
whenever an individuals clothed with the
Representative trust, he is expected faith
fully to reflect the will, and vigilantly to
guard the interests of those who have hon
ored him with their con6dence-we regard
1t as duty, because, we confidently in
dulge the hope that it is not yet too late to
recall our wavering Delegates to a just
sense Of the weighty responsibility that
rests upon them, and to a recollection of
those pledges and promises which they roll
unfairly made, when candidates for the
sufrages Of a people whose wishes they
now seem to disregard, and whose interests
they are plainly misrepresenting Be it
therefore, Resolrcd, by this meeting:
list. That, inasmuch as 1t is fundamen-
tai object in every good government to fur
nsh adequate and permanent protection to
property, and to guard the rights and in
terests Of the minority againstthe encroach-
ments of the majority, the Basis of Repre-
sentation should be so fixed as to secure 10
the tar paying portion ofthe State suff-
Gent majority in the Legislative depart
ment of the Government to enable them to
control the appropriations Of the public
money-to say whatamount oftaxes should
beraised, and when raised, how they should
be applied.
I'd. That, in our opinion, and as we con-
fidently believe, in the opinion of an over
whelming majority of the people of this
District, the citizens of Eastern Virginia
ought never to surrender what is common
ly called the "mixed basis Of representa-
uon"-that is, representation based upon
white population and taxation combined,
IN such ratio as to secure to them full,
adequate, and permanent protection.
Sd. That we consider the so called COM
promise, reported by the Committee of s,
and adopted in Committee of the whole, as
nothing more nor less than an entire and |
complete surrender, on the part Of the |
East, to the unreasonable demands of the
West
4th. That, our faithful and consistent
delegate, Chas. Henry Lynch, has by his
firm and decided s5urse, shown himself
well worthy the confidence reposed inhim,
and richly merits the plaudit-"Well done,
good and faithful servant"
9th. That wehold the right CONSTRUCTION
sacred, and believe, as a cardinal point in
our faith, that the Representative is, at all
times amenable to his constituents.
9th. That, as the most feasible plan Of
fully, the sense of the people, |
Committee of IL be appointed by the
Chairman of this meeting, (such Commit
tee being authorised to appoint other Com
mittces at the different precincts in the
county, whose duty it shall be to prepare
and circulate amongthe people of thiscoun-
ty, for signature, papers embodying the
sentiments contained in the above resolu-
lions, to be forwarded to our Representa-
tivcs in the Convention for their guidance
and instruction.
7th- That copy Of these proceedings
be sent 10 eachof our Dclegatesi in the Con
vention.
sth. That these proceedings be publish
ed in the Bedford Sentinel, and that the
Lynchburg Tirginian and Republican be
requested to publish them
In pursuance of the 9th resolution, the
Chairman appointed, Benz. A. Donald, Jo-
seph Wilson, John Goode, Jr., Z. c. Burks,
Col. John w. Holt, Jas f. johnson, John
Goode, Sen, VIM. w. Reese, Green b.
Board, Ro. G. Bell, Nelson A. Patteson.
and Elliot Lowry, as said Committee.
RO. A. CLEMENT, Ch'mn.
JOHN NJ. REESE, Sec'ry.
We are gratiGed to learnthat two blocks
Of granite, cut from the topmost rock of the