Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-10-23
THE NEW CONSTITUTION.

To-day, tomorrow and the day after, will be
made up graver decision than any to which the
people of Virginia have ever come, except on that
memorable day. the 29th of June, l776, five days
before the Declaration of independence by the
Congress of the United Colonies, when, in their
Convention at Williamsburg, they adopted re-
publican constitution by which this Colony be-
came free, sovereign and independent State.
The Convention of 1S29-3O merely erected
halfway house, in which the people have been
content to dwell for twenty.one years, the period
in which mankind, by almost universal usage,
arrive at he age of maturity.
The new constitution recommended by the
Convention of 1850-51, is, this day, to be sub
mitted to the votes of the people at the polls. 1t
is we'll understood that proposes radical funda-
mental changes in all our internal polity. Its
grand principle is DIsTRUsT OF PUBLIC AGENTS
TO APPOINT OTHER PUBLIC AGENTS; for this we
take to be the proper form of expression for the
abandonment Of elections by the Legislature and
The adoption of elections directly by the people.
The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney
General. the members of the Board OF Public
Sheris, Coroners Clerks, Attorneys and Justic es,
are all to be chosen by popular vote. What
is, perhaps, still more important, this popular
vote is to be so extended to embrace every
citizen of the State, resident in it for two years,
and in his county, city or town for one. Are the
minds Of the people prepared for these sweeping
reforms Will they benefit the community /?
Will they contribute to the prosperity and glory of
our beloved Virginia? These are the questions
which every one ought honestly to put to his con-
science to-day.
| Our reaeers do not need to be now informed
as to our opinions touching the merits of the
notifications Of the Constitution, upon which they
are to pass their Judgment. During the session
OF the Convention, We freely and frankly declared
our views concerning most of the topics that were
discussed in the body. OF the extension of the
right of suffrage, and the general policy of pop.
ular elections, we have been the Jealous advo.
Gates; and we now do not hesitate to express
the confident belief that under their influence
Virginia will put on new life, and will spring
forward with an energy heretofore unknown in
the great race of States.
The "amended institution has some features
to which we cannot deny our objections The
principal OF these is the mode in which the basis
OF representation is dusted. But this question
we think it must be considered, has really been
settled oy the Convention itself, and does not re-
qure to be determined by the popular SUI ffrage.-
The East contended that it had the just right to
retain in the fundamental law, the principle of
mixed represen tation, without submitting that
principle to the majority of voters The submit.
ting of the question involved the whole merits of
the contest, and the authority of tho Convention
to submit it cannot be impaached. By submit
ting 1t, therefore, the position of the East has been
abandoned; and it would be idle for any man to
vote against the new constitution merely on
account of his objections tothe arrangement of the
basis The Western majority, it was always per.
fectly well known, would vote for the ratification
OF constitution which would secure them the
great point for which they battled When that
point was finally carried in the Convention we
at once grounded our arms, and advised the
Eastern members to make "a graceful surren
DER" rather than higge about the terms of
nominal compromise. In conformity with the
same view, we now deem it not only useless,
batunwise, for the people of the East to make
the basis settlement reason for voting to reject
the new constitution. The question is alread
decided against the East, and, as nothing like Sc
cession, or resistance in any form, has ever been
thought of, it is plainly betterand more grac GUS
to regard the basis controversy thing of the
past, and to vote upon the new constitution only
with reference to the great changes, or reforms.
which it will establish.
Approving these changes in the main, we for
one advocate of the mixed basis, whose fidelity
has been proved by his works, hope the new
constitution may be ratified
The "Spartan Band" are hard pushed indeed,
just as the election comes on The ENQUIRER