New-York daily tribune., 1865-10-18

the front rank Of battle and 10 tbe State OF Virginia
their grand old mother. X Esus Asw.yer s.Sssda gss
peace, and TO- avoid ste,nsI wrnnsHne. unesb there
were two seeions Of the present Fs1,sits.on Of ne 10
tho Right of Suffrage and Il contained n the rst clause
of section second. article first and says The electors
in each State shall have the quaifcatiors requisite for
electors Of the most humet0is branch OF tho state
Legislature This is too general-too democratic.
We must have some higher standard--some property
qualifications for map should have the right to vote
who is not interested pecuniarily n tho welfare OF the
country The other Objectionable feature in the Con.
stituton as argued by Mro Montague. Is contained IN
the first clause Of section eight article l. declaring sne
power of Congress TO lag and collect taxes duties I'M
ports &c. This was absorption OF all the power OF
the states rather II was such IN Indefinite statement
Of the authority Of the General as 10 Sccs
sion continual conflict OF authority. "A strict State
rights man as am said Mf. NJ, 4 would Infinitely
prefer central government with conspiidated powers
such as Alexander Hamilton adyocated to he present
FORM which Is neither one thing nor the otlerTneher
fish nor fowl-a mere botchpotch Of varying elements
liable 10 the absurdest constctou by eet OF petcg
ging poitcisls To expunge these Objectionable fed
Suffrage TO persons who owned real estate-to subdue
the radical agrarian democratic elements aud TO oe'
fine precisely the rights Of the Stateswere duties IN
saSsns %psn ss SS So I'D
Their of this generation should OF Least neip 70
fashion the destnies Of tho of
I" Mr.. Montague concluded with On eloquent perora-
tion recalling the glory and honor OF Virginia, az ips.
trated in the past and more recently In TIE blooay
ordeal Of thewar just concuded and Appealed 70 ,ne
yonth 10 follow the examples Of Washington and Lee
both natives Of the Immediate paighborhood. For hn
self he said that s felt sorrow for anything that ne
bad done. nor did he know OF any hon1rspe man man
towards and hypOcrftes who were crinalng 70 aha
fswnine about the powers that be. with words OF
rerorse and contrition.' nm %
Considering that Mr.. Montague has been
oil his life aprufessiug Democrat. we are more
surprised atthe bluntness Of his statements than
at the unsoundness Of his views. That he should
dislike the Federal Constitution, and wish to
see it shom Of its more important and valuable
features, Is bpt hatutsl. We. venture to soy
that John C. Calhoun. with all his show Of de.
votor TO the Constitution, rightly cosstrred,
died in his fathers faith that the greatest mis-
take his State ever made was thai OF eyer adopt
ing and ratifying that instrument. But that
Mr.. Montague should 90 boldly assail Popular
Suffrage, insisting that only owners Of real
estate should vote, does surprise us. Heknows
that Virginia only enfrapchised her landless
sons few years ago, and this by.a Convention
wherein his party had large majority and thai
the poor whom he would nos disftanchiss have
never voted amiss except under the guidance OF
richer men Of his own political faith. If you
search through all our past history, you can
find no election carried BY the votes of poor
men in way that Mr.. Montague can consist
emily deplore. They were not the ragged por'
ton Of the Southern Democracy. but its well.
clad leaders, who inaugusated the late disas'
trous Rebellion. f.ar.4r' F., 'I-H ~
We regret that Mr.. Montague has not word
to say in favor Of Popular Education. To edu'
cate the poor, not disfranchise them, is the true
cure for whatever Is most vicious in our politi.
cal system. Make them intelligent observers
and independent thinkers, and the ambitious
leaders who have led our country such dance
of death will be shom Of their npisused power.
We trust Virginia will 60 forward, not back
ward, to greatness, prosperity, security, and
lasting peace