The national Republican., 1869-01-20

eration, that since the close OF the war the |
chlsement and disability OF any kind, |
under government whose legislative and ju. |
dieial departments and whole local organiia. |
classes whom 1t is sought BY the proposed con. |
stitution to exclude from evety. position OF
trust 70 the state: We claim with eonhdenCe
OF law and order has been as fully maintained,
and that the functions Of good government
have been |. well performedin Virginia as in
II Is believed that article IL, section 1, para
graph =, would disfranehise not less than ten
ciuding all those whom the people have been
accustomed to trust In public employments.
Article Z. section would disqnaiify for
e.yy oa TS nSf 81 s VIA. sss
people OF Virginia who would otherwise be
eligible, and would, In eonneetion with section
hfee ,, Of the same article, extend the like dis
T Il Z believed that tRst there % /. NO advocate Of
universal negro suffrage who will not agree
time, IL is a fearful experiment, requiring for
can be brought to its management, and II 10
participation In State or local goyernments at
this time so large q portion Of those, who, by
experience In public Affairs, are atted to deal
with this great problem, would be unwise and
We earnestly declare that, in our belief, It
would be wholly Inconsistent with domestic
the lives, liberty or property Of the great body
The provision q article IL, relating to church
policy Of Virginia, which restricts the owner
ship o. church property in amount and con
CATION. The purpose is TO enable "eeoiesiss.
to the legislation Of the Stale and against its
| Virginis from the local copgregations who
versy iuiI Of ali tie combined 6ittsrness Of
party and section and sect over every Presby-
terisn and Methodist church building In vir-
ginia.
| to leave to legislative enactment or modihea-
| tion the whole OF the cumbrous machinery for
SSieh SS S our z sssy a aSatsea to
| the condition Of the State, and II nxed In the
constitution will be a cause OF embsrrassment
public peace and the harmony and good order
The population Of ylrgipi. /. very .par.sly
and unequally distributed over the territory
| Of the State, and the physical and geograph-
iGal features OF the country are such as to
render soI Ss s1y sso'fr Ts
most we have been able TO do, thus far, Is to
make the counties the points Of local govern.
al county 90 tSu ocSHO
and direction of the local government and
police,
|
| OF SO large a political element so unequally
| distributed as to result In the complete pre-
ponderanee OF the whole white race in one
section OF the State, and OF the colored race IN
another section, we are very earnestly OF opin:
| Ion that any system OF local government and
under lie fae ut s.S
| districts, will naturally incur the distrust and
excite the apprehensions Of the local minority
| and tend to collisions calculated to impair
personal security and to endanger the public
| peace.
| OF local taxation and education, In regard to
| which we are satisfied that the proposed sys-
TEN will be found unequal and inefficient in
its operations, and in It's results intolerably
expensive and oppressive.
The solution Of these difficulties, which we
propose, Is to strike the whole Of this system
Legislature in which all localities, Interests,
and classes will be fully represented to regu.
late the whole subject BY laws which will be
ct all times open to mobilization and improve
ment, such as experience may suggest or the
public interest may require.
The next modification proposed by US 10 to
strike out the provision In article II relating
laws now in force In Virginia provide for
homestead and other exemptions prospective
In their operation. The provisions Of those
| laws are believed to he not materially difere mt
from those In the proposed eonstitution, ex.
cept In regard to past indebtedness, as to
We ecSe fssn wh .hs
United States. The chief Importance which
we attach to striking out this provision grows
the people, whose necessities already Incline
| them to look with favor upon any sugg eation
Of relief from pecuniary obligation.
| The only remaining suggestion OF modifca-
tion is as to the maximum of taxation for
local school purposes In article 8, sections.
1t will be observed that we have made no
objection to the school system proposed, ex-
eept so far as 1t depends on the local organiza-
tion to which we have referred.
| No objection Is offered In any quarter to
the establishment Of a thorough system OF
public schools, at least as rapidly as the pro.
posed constitution requires, and although we
| have asked to strike out the mode Of local
ihcation which avoids any diminution OF the
amount to be raised by taxation for public
In suggesting the notifications referred to
| we by no means wish II to be understood as
eoneeding that the proposed constitution Is
fects In other particulars, but we do not un-
interfere In such matters further than may be
required by high considerations affecting tho
integrity OF the Constitution and the estab-
llshment OF justice and domestic tranquility.
We have, therefore, eonnned our objections 70
such an Interpretation.
posed yirginis constitution which this Con.
seryative committee will ask Congress to
Ii. Il. LASS. Bill entitled "An act providing
for an election In Virginia"
Amendments suggested to the consideration
i First arendmenti Strike out the Who'll,
: Of the hrst section after the enacting clause
and insert In lieu thereof three sections, al
n That the State of Virginia shall be enti,ls,
"a and admitted to representation In Congress
&c as State Of the Union when the voters OF tn
j. said State, who at the time of the electio
N hereinafter provided for shall be registered an
a qualified as SUCH In compliance with the act
Of Congress known IS the reeonstructio
Y acts shall have agreed to and ratified the con
Il stitution adopted by the convention which me
in Richmond, Va, on the Sd day OF December
A. d. 1851, subject to and In accordance with til
l. conditions. and notifications hereinafter dc
clared and proposed.
Sec. 2. And Be u further enacted, That tn
foregoing section 10 subject to the followin
fuadsnehtal condition: precedent, and shal
o them are fully accepted by the voters OF VII
n giniA At the said electioni
l. The constitution OF said State shall neve
be SO amended or changed as to deprive an,
citizen or class OF citizens Of the Unite
4 states Of the right to vote In said state, VIII
=, are entitled to vote by the constitution thereo
! herein recognized, except as a punishment
y for such crimes as are now felonies at common
Q laws whereof they shall have been duly con
yc'eG under lave equally applicable to al
!, any alteration OF said constitution may b,
= made with regard to the time and place o
residence OF voters.
!, ., That in the adoption and ratification O
i said constitution there shall be omitted there
{ from the following parts and provision
thereof which in The 9Pini0G o. the Congress
l. right, and tend TO retard and prevent the res
n toration Of that harmony and good win anon
!. the people which are among the chief ohjectl
j j. The provision for disfranchlsemen. ant
8 disqualification contained in article 3, sectior
l, clause 4, and In section OF the came article
q and that relating to church property In articl,
9 II of said constitution.