The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-09-11

assailed the instrument, had led the people
| to examine its provisions and having done
so. rejecting their self-constituted. teachers
with their teachings, they voted for a con-
stitution which they understood and APP
proved. vi
THE PRINCIPLES EMBODIED IN THE
| CONSTITUTION.
In this instrument the people of Virginia
gave emphatic endorsement to the great
principles of human equality and popular
government, which form the distinctive
tenets of the Republican creed. Among
the principles which they endorsed by their
votes, were those which follow: '
AU men are by mature equally free and
independent. Art. !, sec. A. Lsls a5ss.
| Al poacer as rested IN, and deriped from
| the people. Art. j.. sec. 4. j.
/ No man or set of men are entitled TO erclt-
she or separate eDaol,psents orfa1yileges but
a, consideration Of public services. Art. |,
sec. G. -< .ea, t,esrs,4 I'D 5i,. z
| AL elections ought to be free, and all men
hdring sufficient evide,,ce Of permanent IN
terest IN, and attachment to The community,
haze the right of suffrage. Art. /, sec. s.
| Slavery shall not erist IN THIS State. Art.
I, sec. 10. Al. ..s ..slta Z
AL citizens Of the Stale are hereby de-
clared TO possess eg,tal cirH and political
rights and public privileges. Art. /, sec. 20.
Ecey person before entering upon the
discharge Of any function as officer Of this
State, shall sacedr that, he aciU support and
maintain The Constitution Of Tie United
States, and the Constitution and lacs of the
State of Vnginid, and that her ecog,aizes and
accepts the cirl aud political equality of all
men before the ldic. Art. 3, sec. 6.
These provisions are but another form of
, expressing the creed of the Republican
party. We are sorely yillitied and traduced
: in Virginia by writers and speakers who
have more words than knowledge, more
defamation than reflection; but the head
and front of our offending hath this extent,
; no more, that we faithfully advocate the
principles of politics which the people Of
!, Virginia have sanctioned by vote Of
twenty to one.
The Constitution of Virginia is an embodi-
ment in another form of the Thirteenth.
Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments.
= The Republicans are assailed with jargon
: of abuse from press and rostrum for faith
. fully supporting principles. which the VII.
; ginia people, by a most emphatic vote, have
q ordered them to support. ionrsl
| Is IL uot tliic tllhI SuCH paIIot-llhc ouC
:, cries should cease. t.,
CONSERVATIVE PLEDGES OF FIDELITY
|, TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION.
AT the time of the vote on the Constitu
:, ton, Legislature and a Governor wer,
. elected by the people. 1t is notorious tina
. the persons elected, up to the time whel
!. the State was admitted into the Union
y were vehement in their protestations 0
= fidelity TO the Constitution in all its pro
' visions. A committee of the Conservative
!, members Of the Legislature, which went t,
p Washington city, signed a formal paper
y which was laid before Congress, in whicl
~ they 'spledged themselves, and those the,
represented, that the Constitution of Viz
= gnia, voted for by the people on the 9th G
y July, 1869, should be faithfully carried on
~ in letter and spirit" Upon the faith G
= the vote given by the people on this Con
stitution, Virginia was admitted into tn
= Union. The Constitution thus became
y compact between the State and the nation
a treaty which cannot be set aside at tn
= caprice of the State. 1t was an under
y taking Of honor by the Virginia people; an
= an abrogation by them of those features {
- the Constitution, in virtue of which Virgini
y, u reentered the Union, would Justify the ns
'0 ton in reducing the State again to the col
dition of dependent territory. '
Fl In Virginia, fidelity in politics has a
ways secured the highest respect Of tt
ne people, whether the opinions faithful
a, maintained were popular or not. But tn
IS party which calls itself conservative, ha
d, reversed this rule. 1t was elected to pow
e- er by claiming to have adopted the gre;
it, principles enunciated by the Republica
~ party of the country" Its representative
he frequented the lobbies and avanues
It. Washington in the character of Republican
he Congress conceded the admission of IL
State on these professions, and on its al
ad proval of the provisions of the State Coz
Of stitution, which these selfstyled 'sRepubl
n, cans" pledged themselves to 'carry out
he letter and spirit" Yet these men no
IN scout the very name of Republicans al
'st prescribe those who have manfully stoC
Le, to Republican principles, though detra
ms ton, tribulation and evil report. Are b
n. trayal of principle, treachery to pledges, ia
as siication of professions, hollow pretence
a. moriwealth on such poor pleas as those
m which Conservatism defends them? Cor
la plant is made that the national governme
lie does not prefer to office, native citizel
rs, identified here; but even if this we
ity true, would it be strange that it should
zen slow to do so, when so many Of the lea
sic ers in our State politics boast of decepti'
icy and treachery towards the national autho
1t tiles as commendable policy? Is
TX strange that their course should bring
tu- native loyalty under distrust?
69 Contrast the platform by which tt
lily party obtained support in 1869 with tn
IN which its convention of the 30th of Angus
nd 1871. has lust nut forth, 2i h 'N'-