Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-10-07
MARTINsBURG Va, TUESDAY MORNING, OCTOBER I, 1851.

forced by the tumultuous cutlery Of the peo.
pie against the then existing restrictions upor
the right Of suffrage to modify that feature q
the government very materially. Yet they
/ did not cstablish universal suffrage. nor did
/ they alter the restrictions relative to tic age
requisite to qualify man for public Office.
The ancient conseryaiismsoi Virginia. was
thus felt and seen in that Convention. aad
! the Constitution which it formed bot tie
times were changing, and soon those features
became unpopular. and in oar last Convention
"a body composed Of new generation
they were condemned as worthless or ii,inr-
ious We now have universal suffrage ard
any man who is qualified to vote is qualified
to be member Of the House Of Delegates.
and Of the State Senate, also when he has
reached the age of twenty five years
Was this wise change We think it most
certainly was. For the old policy was clear
4 ly injudieious under the circumstances that
characterize our situation. We are sarroun-
ded BY Young and rising States which furn-
ish tempting theatre to talent aud energy
Of every species. his cause Of itself was
sufficient to produce emigration. But we
did nothing to eGuaieract its effects. On
the contrary. We helped it materially. And
by means, which we shall nov point out.
Oar Literary Institutions PREF are our. + sa:h
for professional aud business lie hy tbs fine
that they become citizens They are tecn
forced to serve probation If ssa.c E9c or
ten years, The Constitution saws that they
are not TO be trusted with The business 81
government, and, business mon. tahinr tie
hues of their thought from their public insti-
tutions, say that they must prore themselves
before they can be allowed to NEEDLE in any
other matters. They have then to wait. to
shun all temptation, work bard at nothing or
with the natural foudness tor excitement,
which characterizcs the young mind, give
themselves up to the pursuit OF pleasure =
but the enc gc:ic. ambitions and selt,reliant
man, conscious OF his Qualification ior a more
active and rolier cancer, leaves his home.
and the friends Of his south TO work out 4
high destiny under more congcu;al institu-
tons.
Nor is this tic only effect Of oar anciert
policy We see It's injury to us not oaly IN
the numbers that go but also in It's influence
upon those who stay and await the telnlina-
ton Of their tedious apprenticeship they
spend those years. during Which their char
actors are receiving stamp ard impress for
ali tine to come. either in idluess and dis
sipatioa or an abstract study. 1Hey are
not cQHed uroa aud forced 20 be cctire and
practical members Of society. ard thus edti-
Gated for real usefulness; but tey BECOME
What Virginiaus notoliously are--a risi0n-
arg, slotttat aud aHpr0gyesSite population
Is this fancy! VIC appeal to every man
OF gotd sense aid keen observation for its
truth, aud feel assured that cur view viii be
sustained We do not say that Young men
ought 10 be preferred above those who have
experience aud learnipg we a. not contend
that youth qualities man for the discharge
Of responsible elatics. But we do say that
the education Of our Young men ought to be
chaaged. They ought to be made to feel
that they are of importance, Chat they are
looked to, cared for and sustained. They
ought net to be driven from amongst us as
unworthy Of public Or private trust Our
people should iccl pride in them, should sec
to it that they have something to do, some-
thing to think about besides and better than
the idle and deinoralizing search after pleas
pre. If this were done, new energy would
be brought to bear upon our progress New
lie be Infused Into the body politics as well
as social We Should see no more talented
men leaving us ard going away to add lustre
and glory to the rising greatness OF other
States
We shall resume this topic ia our next, and
discuss the future prospects Of Virginia in
connection with the change in her organic law
to which We have alluded above yaehJurg
pirgiaiaa