The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-02-27
The Cenvention Question:
WINCHESTER, February %, 1879.
A. yoy,b,,o,H Djsnnfch

kdtfOr o. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Hsf :,
Dear sir,-I have read with much satisfae'
ton your editorials opposing the call or
convention. However, Objectionable Inc
Constitution may be, and certainly Is IN many
respects, it yet contains a provision by Wnlc,'
the Objectionable features may he amenaeu,
or entirely expunged, without the expe s,e
and dangers of convention. such lhouI,
cations as may be demanded have only 10 We .e
passed by the Legislature, and suo1nitleo y. "
the people as the Constitution provides, W
secure such amendments or eXpurgatlonS Us
NAV be desirable. BY this mode we can &c,
cure better constitution than any we coulu
hope for at the hands ola convention thousn
composed Of our wisest and DeSt men, ps-
cause. in this way, each measure sIanus
upon its own merits-eacn Is cohslueie
and voted upon separately, mdePeli'
dent of all other sections, whist IN constl-
tuition to he adopted rs whole we are COM.
nrIled TO take the taTes with the WheaI
more or less)-what is bad to secure tne soou.
As. then, every defective branch IS Wltliln Tue
reach of the knife thus furnished us, why,
ask. the necessity for convention: Like
YOU. | have never yet heard one good reason
assigned. On the contrary, we nave every
reason to apprehend unnixed evil TO resuit
from it, besides the expense and the reasons
above suggested, which Of themselves shoulu
be sufficient. l will mention few others
worthy of consideration With your per
mission assert that whilst majority OF the
press appear to sustain the funding Dill pe-
vond all question, seuen-tenhs OF the peol!e
are on the other side, and demand us
modification. The attempt to tn"alI
their will has but increased their ue'
termination to accomplish their oDlect,
and they are prepared to go further now t ,,,
when the Legislature assembled. lhen IIes
would have been content with inc Iepe.t' VI
the reccivability of the coupons 1or CaAes las
the Walker bill provides) and the paymenI
of four or six per cent, provided IL hecessi'
tated no increase of tdres. But now, sup
pose the House or Senate bill becomes law,
which should and would satisfy reasonable
men, and a convention Is called, can you or
any other intelligent man question but that
the financial question will be brought for
ward as leading if not the absorbing issue
in the canvass. Repudiationists of State as
we'll rs private debts will make the welkin
ring with their specious arguments for
relief. True, intelligent men know a
convention no more than q Legislature
can impair the obligations of a contract.
The language of the United States Con-
stitution is, ono State /" shall pass
any such law, &C.; but yet, unfortunately,
our people are not all intelligent, and many
who should know better think sovereign
convention omnipotent, and would take the
chances of doubtful schemes being sustained
by the courts for the sake of the time gained
before they can be declared null and void.
Then, again, for other reasons, it would be a
most inauspicious time to convene conVen-
ton, It cannot be denied but that even the
so-called Conservative party is strongly I'M
pregnatcd with conan,untsts-men whose prln-
ciplcs for want of them) are far more pernl-
cious and dangerous than even those enter
tanned by the avowed Radicals. The last are
purely political; the former social. Capital
in the hands of others, rcspcctablllty OF all
kinds. is their especial adherence. Paying no
taxes themselves, if in power they would lm-
pose such upon capital as to drive 1t from the
State. This is no compliment to the people
of Virginia, but it is the honest truth.
There are thousands of just such men in
every city and county in the State. Time
only is wanting to correct the evil, but I'M
til that time has come the fewer elections the
better
A greater curse could not beflll the people
Of Virginia at this time than convention
a Pandol1l's box, without so much as hope
left after the evils it would entail upon us.
Let the Legislature appoint a commission,
saw twelve, of our ablest, truest, and best
men-tor instance, such lnen as Marshall,
Conrad, or Parker--from one section of the
State, and let them revise the Constitution
and propose such amendments as they may
deem advisable, to be reported to the next
Legislature, and by them submitted to the
people in the mode provided by the Constl-
tuition.
With an apology for the consumption Of
50 much Of your space,
am, respectfully,
A CONSERVATIVE