Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1849-09-10
V L n ID L G. A Il @ II
From the Spirit of Jefferson.
Constitutional Reform.

constitutional Reform.
JAMES W: BELLER, Esq.,-Sr: | occasional
ly meet with individuals whom | have known
TO be warm and ardent friends of Reform, com
paratlvely careless and Indifferent now, and the
only reason assigned by them s-s'hope deferred
naketh the heart sick'i-the repeated fainre of
their efforts to obtain from the Legislature ra-
Spouse to their reasonable petitions II is true
dlsapponfmellts and cold neglect are we'll cal
culated to dampen our energies and to chill our
hearts; but from the almost impenetrable dark
ness and gloom often surrounding us and n1r
undertakings III this life, suddenly burst forth a
glorious light to cheer and animate our hearts.
and bid us to look upward. Let no one elespond
be OF good cheer-"dare 10 do right. and trust
the rest to Goa,7 and remember the work in hand
is no chlld's play Consult the pages of his
tory-those silent but powerful monitors of the
past-and you will there learn prominent lesson,
you will learn what a strong Virginia writer
says, is literally true-s'the work of reform, does
not ordinarily lead Through the paths of pleas
antness and peace.o 1t sunders many ties; il
sewers many friendships, and brings a man in
conflict with many ofthe most relentless and vim
dictive passions OF OR nature But we must all
choose part in life, each one according to mis-
own sense Of what is right and proper; and he
IS unfit to occupy the position OF a MAN far less
that ola Statesman, who, when the crisis for ac
ton arrives and he believes the true interest of
his country demands Reform, does not march IN
to his work boldly and fearlessly --regardess Of
all personal consequences to himself, and indiaer
emf even to the judgement which the very COM
munlty which he seeks to serve may form of his
motives and actions. This is the tme spirit in
which toact-this is the resolution which nerves
the heart and accomplishes great purposes-tls
is the spark which was struck from the flint of
| the Revolution, & formed the beacon fires which
lighted the path Of our fathers to liberty and indie
pendence-aye, indeed, it is the lphtnning's flash
which gleaneaf from our own Washington's sword
the vestal fire that burned so brightly upon the
heart OF our own Henry. Then do not despair
/ '!m despeyandum1 on-fight ever. until
your ends be accomplished, or We De cut down in
! ssthe last ENHANCEMENT Of liberty" five would
be successful, let lis learn 10 labor--in the Ian
ouage Oh one OF Americas most inspiring poets.
would say to keformers-one and all
Sin the worlds broad field of battle,
/ In the blvouac OF life,
Be rot like dumb driven cattle
Be A HERO IN THE sTR1rE!o
endeayored N my last letter to you, to advocate
! the plain and Ok; fashioned Republican maxim
that the majority and the majority only have a
RIGHT to rule in Republic, and that any material
departure from that rule rendered the government
an Aflstoefaey or al Olioarchy. The doctrines
which Il advocated in that communication are no
new doctrines to the advocates OF Reform in Viz
ainia they are the doctrines which have beer,
repeatedly urged feom i7ao--the date Of the frs,
efforts at extlrpatlng from the governmental nsti
tutlons OF Virginia the aristocratical or ogarchia
| principles which have rested with such crush
ing weight upon her prosperity and greatness
The Staunton Reform Convention. which assem-.
blea in the month of August, 1916, and which
was composed on many of the moet distinguished
men OF the State, aid among whom I may men
ton the late Judge Henry ST. George Tucker.
Chapman johnson, James Mcdowell, VIM c.
Mvss, &c, passed number OF very strong reso-
ulons, and addresseda powerful memorial to
the Legislature, from which extract this para
graph to show the views entertained and advo-
Gated BY the Reiormers OF chat day, in the East
and West OF Virginia. They say. 'SPassine O.
yer many lesser evils connected with and iusep-
arabic frem the existing Constitution, they are
satisfied ON the present occasion to confne their
alteration exclusively to one not doubling that
the same remedy which Will be applied to it, will
at the same time he extended to epe,a principle
III the CONSTITUTIONS fhmscGl to tie rights md hap-
pness ct the people. No doctrine haa received
a more universal assent than that in a Republican
government the 'piH Of the majority shqH be IT,
t1ac Of the land, And yet in State, Boosting O
the pure republican character of ite institutions
this first and fundamental principle Of republican
Ism does not east, Ter the government of the Com
monwealfh IS actually IN Mebonds Ct the sa7nerstu
and what is still more pernicious to, the genera
interest, in the hands Of a minority inAaJitiue {
particular section Of the Statc The General AS
sersbly, then, are respectfully requested 10 re-
commend to the people Of the Commonwealth
the election of Convention to alter and amend
the defects Of the Constitution And in doinp
| i Inpf1 x-h ~,
OF representation will be adopted, and sucl
modes of election prescribed, as will ensure Il
every part OF the State, weight in the Conven
ton to pc assembled ,propcrtioned to itswhite popu
lation.
SUCH was the language of the Convention o
1916, and which ls an interesting scrap from the
history OF the Reform movement in Virginia -
What effect this Staunton memorial had we may
gather from detached history contained in one
OF the able speeches of the late DISTINGUISHED
Philip Doddridge, decd, delivered in the Conven
ton OF l829-30. He says-s!Since the yea,
lI9o, scarcely one session passed, in which peti
tons We're not received in the General Assembly
praying tor a reform of abuse in this representa-
tion) particular, and.in the law of suffrage. From
the counties OF Patrick aud Henry those petitions
We're as regularly looked foras the commencement
OF the session. In 1915, bill was bought int
the House OF Delegates, for making "a new ar
rangement of the counties in districts, Tor the
choice of Senators, on this very abused whit,
basis, AT that time two-ffths of the free whit,
population, We're represented by four Senators
while the other three-iths had ieenty. Thu
inequality was sensibly felt by those of our citi
zens who lived West OF the Blue Ridge; and i
is impossible for any gentleman to resist the con
viction, that from that inequality there must have
resulted much misrule and practical evil. Ever,
eXertion was made by Western members 70 ~. =.
that bill. Every effort, however, failed IN.
bill was nailed to the table afterthe second read
ing, and although motions were repeatedly mad
to take 1t up Tor consideration, they were scorn
fully rejected by silent vote.
AT this tme 1915, there was not, in the House
one Eastern constitutional lawyer, who did nc
MAINTAIN that no Legislative act could chang
lhe districts. They urged that the same powe
that made the constitution, had ordained the di.
trets, and that they We're as sacred as the con
stltution itself, and could only be altered by