Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-01-28
For TIE VINDIcAToR
CONSTITUTIONS REFORM.

Mr.. Edhor,-We are pleased to see tllat you
are still a faithful Waterman upon the tower,
sounding the tocsin whe;a an enemy approaches;
and we are more especially pleased that You
have been among the very first to take up the
subject of Constitutional Reform-a subject
Taught with the most important consequences
to Virginia The energies of this old Common
wealth are being reused from their long slumber
by the mighty influence of the public press. 1t
has been with regret that we have seen Vir-
ginias most gifted sons departing from their ma
tive State, because they are unwilling TO brook
the arbitrary control of d sovernnien. in which
they had no voice. while those deprived of their
natural rights, still remain, brooding gioomily O.
yer their losses, pning for the enjoyment of that
liberty of which they have been debarred the
possession, and which they still hope to acquire.
We cannot deny that when you first embarked
in the laudable work of Reform, that there We're
many who treated the idea with contempt and
many in this county openly opposed it, But we
now see "what a great matter little fire kin
dleth" BY your untring efforts in exposing to
popular gaze the gross evils Of the present Con-
stituton, and the great advantages that must re-
suit from correction of those abuses, you have
drawn to your aid the masses, who have felt the
CALLING yoke of oppression, and who had never
before been properly pointed to The mode and
means Oh Tellel. Manly VI luoSe "li0 ledteu tIe
subject with neglect, aye, and even opposed it
as being tanatical and visionary, are convinced
of their error, and some, probably from motives
of self-interest, have been dragged over by the
irresistible force OF public sentiment Let them
come; it is never too late to discard error and
embrace truth. This is bit additional testimony
to the fac. that a free and enlightened press is
one of the greatest securities to popular rights.
Let the eternal principles of truth be kept in full
view upon the highest pinnacle Of the great
lighthouse of national liberty-the press. Let
the yestal fires never cease to burn until they
have consumed political error. oppression and
fraud, the last vestioes of British monarchy, arts
tocracy and superstition which have been trans
mitted 10 Us from down -trodden England The
principles of the revolution Of 'f6 will never
have fully finished their work until Virginia is
free. More has been accomplished by bold
and patriotic press attacking error in high pla-
ces, than could have been accomplished by
bloody revolutions; and a reformation achieved
by the presentation OF convincing truths, is al
ways most thorough and permanent. Stay not
your hand, until the great colossus, error, is
broken down; and there has been erected ON its
ruins beautiful temple 10 the Goddess OF Liber-
ty, and my word for it, you will be sustained by
an enlightened public.
You deserve and have Our thanks for what
you have done; and we would here take occa-
sion to exhort every lover of liberty to rally to
the support of tie press, the great palladium Of
our rights, We would that your sheet might
enter every house in the Commonwealth, and its
truths into minds of every Virginian. The art-
Giles published in your paper over the signature
of "Potomaco are of inestimable value, That
writer has collected vast deal of important
matter, and has reduced it to so small a compass,
that every one can avail himselfof the benefits
of his researches and become familiar with the
whole subject of Constitutional Reform"
AUGUSTA.