Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1871-07-22
Rel kelex county Mags Meeting.

In pursuance of call, published in The pa
pcrs oftbe CooHty, Mass Meeting Of the peo-
pie Of Berkeley county was held at the Court
House In Mar,iusl urg on Saturday, July 18th
inst, for tie purpose cf considering the pro-
pric'y Of calling a State Convention to amend
aud reform the Constitution Of the State.
Co. JOHN b. HOGE was made President
Of the meeting. Col. IIogc upon taking the
chair, addressed Ihe meeting in very forcible
and appropriate terms.
A Committee Of two from each Of the seven
townships of the county, appointed by the
President with instructions to report. whether
it is expclient to hold at this time, Conyen-
ton to reform and remodel the Constitution Of
this State and if SO, to indicate such changes
and modification in that instrument, as may
more efIectually protect the rights and liber-
ties and promote the prosperity aud happi-
ness Of the people.
The committee having retired for the pur-
pose of considering proper action in the premi-
SEES, returned, and through their chairman,
Hon. C. J. Faulkner, reported, I'VE have
not room for all the resolutions. but take
the following from the official proceedings
Res,jre3, That TT Is EXPEDIENT to
hold Convention, at an early day, to reform
and remodel the present Constitution Of this
State
Resolre7, That the experience Of the last
nine years, during which time this COnStitu
ton has been in operation, has very satiSiac
torily shown that it has been powerlcSs to
protect those fundamental privileges, which Of
right belong to the citizens Of every Free
Government.
Res0lce3, That within that period, more
than ten thousand of TIE native born citizens
Of this State, have in a period Of profound
peace, without trial or conviction for any Of
/ fence, by er post fIci0 ordinances, been de-
| prived of the right of suffrage, and reduced to
the condition Of aliens upon their native soil.
Il is true this obnoxious provision has been re-
Gently abrogated by decisive expression Of
/ the Popular voice but the relief thus afforded,
is attributivo exclusively to the altered aud
/ improved temper Of the Public mind, not to
I aNN AAANANAh fAAANe ttt tA4N NhANAANNtAAA anu
[ that such measure Of vengeance should for
four long years have over-Shalowed the lJber-
/ ties of this State. shows that we are without
that Protecting Power, in our organic law,
which it is the great purpose Of written
Constitution 90 guarantee to every citizen Of q
Free Government.
Resoired, In further illustration Of said
proposition, We refer to the imposition of q
reir0Spectire political test oath, and through
its iustrumeutality, to the deprivation Of many
native born citizens Of the right to follow the
occupation and business to which they had
been reared to the denial to them of the right
to sue for the redress Of civil wrongs in the
Courts Of Justice TO the denial Of the right Of
dpyc0l from arbitrary and illegal judgements
and DEGREES in the inferior Courts to their dis
qualification as Jurors In all cases civil or
criminal; and TO their disability to hold any
Office of profit trust or emoumeutn this State.
It cannot be said that these were mere acts OF
Legislative Usurpation The Supreme Judi
cial tribunal of this State has declared that
this whole series Of disabling and diSqualify
iug Gets were passed by the Legislature under
powers conferred on it by the present C0nsti-
ton Of this State.
ReSOlced, The frank, open and manly sys-
TEN Of rjra r0cc voting which has been char
actcristjc Of our people from the earliest settle
ment Of Virginia, and which has ever been re-
gariel as one Of cur most cherished iustitu-
tous, should be restored and the secret bal
lot under which So many frauds may and have
been committed and concealed, should be
abolished
Hon. C. j. Faulkner, before presenting the
Report Of the Committee, addressed the meet
ing at considerable length He passed in re-
view the proscriptiye legislation of the State,
under the present Constitution, and demon
stratej The necessity of reform in many i'm
poraut particulars. HIS speech as well as
bis explanatory remarks upon reading each Of
the Resolutions, contained in the Committees
Report, was a mercicss arrammcut Of the
Radical party, and with an cloquence that
carried conviction to the minds Of all, he point
ed cut the loueutable deficiencies Of our pres
eut organic law, md the wrongs which bad
been ard could be inflicted under it.
Mr.. F. was loudly and repeatedly applaud
cd throughout tie delivery Of his remarks and
uuon their conclusion the Report Of the Com
mitt2e was unanimously adopted.
On motion the meeting adjourned.