Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-23

fec OF enlightened craftsmanship 10 secure U tAcn us
proprate influence but to give the absolute control &c
neither.
The political condition of tho Northern States presents
a striking illustration Of the evs incident to the pre-
ponderance of the element Of labor. In the early pc
RODS of their history these evils we're not so apparent
az thew have sicce become Their population sparse
aud the western territories eorded convenient outlet
for their restless citizens labor in demand at bigh
wages property easily acquired, and consequently
the line Of demarkaion between labor and capital was
not stric y drawn because the aborer OF to-day might
readily become the capitalist Of tomorrow But Wihn
the las. twenty YEAR, marked change has taken place
! in the North. Population has become dense, and inc
ssetyvalge afforded by emigration to the western terri
torias has been greatly DISTRACTED Wages have mol
kept pace with the Of subsistence and the dlheu
Of acquiring property has increased The tendency oil
new condition Of things has been 10 divide society
into distinct classes and to array the one against
the oiher THIS tendency 10 conflict between laoor
aud capital has already manifested iscf In many forms,
comparatively harmless, it is true, but nevertheless
o,afv iadicatiye Of spirit Of ceronsness which must
in the end rpen into agrsrianism may be seen IN
the system Of free schools by which the children OF
the poor are educated az the expense Of the rca IN the
various forms Of exemption, and homestead Dis IN the
popular cry Of 'anl for the audess," and homes for
| the honeleas In FourieIisn and communism in the
hlbitual disregard Of the ordinances OF religion,
and OF the nxtution OF matrimony and more distinctly,
| 10 the form of abolitionism.
The radical principle Of aboli,ionsm is agrarianism
It war on property, under the mack OF simulated
philsnthrophy The property selected the Of
attack Ia held exclusively in the Southern States and by
comparatively small class Of citizens. Hence 1t was
sunposed to be the most dcfenceless But this only
the beginning Of the contest II ia war on the out
posts OF capital, which will soon be followed BY
more formidable assaults on the owners OF land aud 9TH
er species Of property History teaches that when num-
hers nunchecked by suitable constitutional restriconP,
have the control, agraransm or despo;ism must soon
| follow.
Il, notorious that already in most Of the Northern
States capital is forced obtain temporary security, by
noynp tribute 10 labor Money constitutes an inpor.
tant element in their elections. Bribery OF voters is
matter of every day Preparatory to every
political contest large sums OF money are subscribed
by capitalists or exlccd by levies on office holders for
tho purpose Of coup!ng the voters; and the journals
of the Federal Congress disclose the disgrscefu fact
that Northern members of that body have sold their o
| cial votes for money.
But this system Of prcfgacy and corruption can only
serve TO postpone for time, the rrepressioe conhct,
which under their forms Of government must eventually
cnsua between labor and capital The masses will not
he slow 10 learn that the poy In their hands aud they
will not scrupe to for their advantage They
will not be content with the bfibes avshed by uoprinc
pied parsaus but under the lead OF graceless deIna
gcgues, they will act on the assumption that an property
IA robbery and that the greatest good TO the greatest
number" requires the division Of property among the
down-trodden millions.
The agencie, BY which these mischievous ascss may
be rendered potential are universal suffrage and the
election of all officers by the drec: vote OF the people
The former gives controlling power TO men who have
the least interest in the community and the latter rem
ders that power eecLua by giving direction to the leg
isla,ion and administration Of the government.
In the opinion OF your committee system OF govern
ment can ef rd permanent and efectual security to ne
liberty and property which rests on the basis OF unilm
ted suffrage aud the election OF officers OF every depart
mept of tho by h direc. vote oil the people
The tendency of such system !s, to demorslize the
mass,s TO encourage the habit OF oceseekneo foster
corruption at the polls and to place unworthy and In
competent men in positions Of trust and responsibility
These however, the vital principles Of the social Or
panzatcn of the North and as before stated their Bit
ter fruit, arc already in Of rapid dsveopement
In the Southern States conservative and ration-
a. principles still prevail This Is DUE mainly to the in
stution of slavery which constitutes partial resIc
ton on the right Of suage. In the North, men OF eve.
ry class aud condition Of life are entitled TO VOTE In
the South all who in condition o servitude are ne.
,ssarlly excluded from the exercise OF political prvi'
lspes and the power Of the country Is welded by the
more intelligent classes who have permanent interest
| In the we-beug Of society.
Slavery also constitutes an efectual barrier against
that tendency to antlgcnism between labor and capital
which exists in the North There capital ia the casual
EMPLOYER of labor and is interested in diminishing ts
wages Here capital ia the owner OF labor and nstur-
| alIv seeks to enhance its rewards
Virginia ia now in the midst Of revolution the re-
sus of which no human sagacy can accurately foresee
Il is our duty however, to meet the crisis With all the
prudence wisdom and conservatism that we can COM
mand aud to guard far as practicable against every
| probable danger.
II s,ems now to be generally conceded that the fra
me-s of the present Constitution made too wide de-
p,rure from the conservative principles which were
cherished by our revolutionary fathers Smitten by a
desire to follow in the footsteps Of Northern politicians
they Incorporated into cur organic law many OF the
f,sl errors which overthrew the Federal Government
and must in few years. lead TO the downfall Of the
whole fabric Of Northern society They have engrafed
on our Constitution those Northern ideas OF unlimited
suftsgs and universal popular elections, which, as has
been already shown, are rapidy or'ing tue Nornern
States to agraranism.
The dissolution OF our political connection with the
old Uniou has effected material changes in the relations
of Virginia which should be maturely considered in re-
viewing her fundamental law. Under the old system,
she vas in the centre OF the Union In the new con
fejsratop she will be one Of tho border Stites How
Far This fact NAV esc. the institution Of slavery within
her limits cannot yet be determined. But, 1t Is the
plr of prudence 10 guard against all such conngen'
cies It may be that the slave population will b. VIII
| drawn to some extent, from tho Northern and Wee
tern portions OF her territory and their place supplied
by immigrants from tho North, to whom il would not
be safe to con6de the destines Of Virginia by enabling
them through the elective franchise to choose the
men who to frame, expound ana administer her
laws. ..s.--.
In view OF this condition Of aairs, your committee
regard as vitality important that the Constitution OF
Virginia should be amended as to impose wholesome
restricion on the right Of suffrage, and to diminish
the number Of officers TO be elected nv the direct vote
OF the psople In regard to the qualification Of voters
shere has been from tho foundation OF the republic,
much diversity Of opinion. While all conclrred in the
idea that the should have permanent interest in
and attachment to- the community, statesmen have diff
fered as to what instituted the bestevdencs of that
interest and attachment
Under the Constitution of l776 the elective ftsrchse
was restricted freehoders the idea that those who
owned the country should govern II.
In 1880 Il WAS extended to housekeepers and heads oil
families who had paid the tax With which they
had been assessed for the next preceding year.
At the last reysal Of the Constitution, in 1885, all
strictons, except to citizenship and residence wer
removed and all white maes above the age Of twenty
one years. allowed to vote whether they had beoI
assessed with, or paid any tax, or not.
In the opinion Of your committee, this was an unfor
tunate change in the Constitution It has introduced
large class OF sonstle who have but little In
forest In Tho and who do not in any de