To the people of Virginia.
Fellow Citizens and Brethren: Through a sanguine love for the welfare of my beloved Virginia, and feeling that there is not enough of true patriotism in our State Convention now assembled, to direct our little bark, Virginia, into a proper port, I, an humble and an illiterate farmer of Prince George, will venture a few suggestions which, I hope, will be of some importance to them, by way of showing them what they are through their self-love, and what they should be through pure philanthropy and true patriotism.
I will premise by saying that most men at this day are so fond of worldly honor and popular favor, that many of them would almost sacrifice their country and their God to obtain them; hence an envy and a jealousy have sprung up in the human family which choke every thing calculated to benefit us as a people.
It really seems to me that if our Lord and Saviour were to descend and to go into that Convention and offer a series of resolutions as pure and as immaculate as the driven snow of heaven, there would be some one presumptuous enough to rise from his seat and offer an amendment.
We have too many would-be smart men; they have ruined our country by making a grand display of their acquired folly, at a cost of from four to eight dollars per day to our State and Federal Government.
I, for one am tired of such a useless tax, and will now suggest a form of government which will rid the people of it and them.
I propose that Virginia forthwith declare herself independent of the Federal Government, and then that every county in the State of Virginia declare itself independent of the State government — each county taking care of itself; every county will be taken care of. Justice being the law, and magistrates enforcing it, we shall have no need of learned ignoramuses to legislate for us.
By throwing open our ports we should make friends of the world, and have no need of standing armies, nor Old Abe as President.
Our postal affairs can be much better conducted by express companies, on the insurance principle.
Respectfully submitted by
P. S.--Let him that is opposed to me challenge for debate;
Those that take sides with me will promulgate.