Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-12-17
REFORM CONVENTION.

1t will be seen that the House is disposed to
carve out business at once. The proposition for
Committee to report upon the propriety of taking
the sense of the people, as to the call of Con-
ventlon, coming from the source it did excited
surprise and distrust among the Western members
We think they manifest an unnecessary suscept-
bility. We regard the call of a Convention as no
longer debateable matter, and are firmly convin-
ced the East will best consult its own interest. by
offering no opposition. The approaching census
will PROFESSIONALLY be the guide for the apportion-
ment of representation, whether the white or the
mixed basis be adopted. Common sense and JUS
tice demands that it should be, and we cannot sup.
pose that Mr. Finney entertained the hope. of IL
ducing action which should have reference to the
census of 1910. Wehave no objection to see the
question submitted next Spring to the present quail
flied voters of the Commonwealth. We believe
twothirds, perhaps three fourths, of them would
be found in favor ola Convention. 1t must come
it may not be next year-nor the next-but
come it will in a very brief period. The spirit OF
the age and existing grievances require that re-.
efficient Judiciary was one of the main causes of
the call of the Convention in 1929. Who can
deny that similar state of things is, at this mo-
ment, causing thousands to favor Convention,
who might be else induced to tolerate other defects
complained of in the present Constitution The
right of suffrage must be extended. We believed
twenty years ago-and still believe-that there
is no intermediate qualifcation-that the alterna-
tive of a freehold vote isunivefsal suffrage. That
a worse system than our present franchise could
be devised we do not believe possible. More
power must be given TO the people. Virginia has
boasted, vociierously, of her Democracy, when
there was the least possible infusion of it in her
insttutions-when, in fact, disrust of the people
was written on every page of her Constitution
This inconsistency between theory and practice
cannot longer be tolerated. The direct action Of
the people will be insisted upon. 1t was con-
sdered the height Of wisdom in the Convention Of
lS29-'30 to resist innovation. Men acquired re-
nown, in that memorable body, for the ability and
success with which they baffled the popular will.
Instead of lending their fine talents to the work OF
undermining the Constitution, and so suting it to
the wants and lights of the day, that no further
change. could reasonably be demanded for many
years, in spirit of mistaken conservatism, they
patched up, in a ridiculousand unseelnly manner,
the old edlfce, without reference to convenience
or taste, and the consequence is, that, at the end
of twenty years, dissatisfaction with the work Of
their hands is greater than it was with the time
honored and moss grown fabric which they at
tempted to repair. 1t was predicted when the
present Constitution went into operation, that il
would not last agparter ofa oentury-that Fro
phecy will be fulfilled. We do not now speak OF
the basis of Representations Its importance is eve
ry day diminishing before the progress of Internal
Improvement. Had Virginia been true to herself
in this great cause for twenty years past, we
should now hear but little of the supposed diversi
ty ofnterest which prevails in the different re-
gions of the State. Our own Railroad, the extern
tons of the Canal and the Blue Ridge Tunnel, will
go far to make us one people, and to render the
basis of representation really of little practical
import.-Lynchb,ug Virginian.