Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-04-09

1871; carried a call for the Convention Nv.
August, 1871, and that they are now copsti
tutionally represented in this body by their
votes cast in October, 1871, how could he
now apply the axe to the destruction of any
of their existing political rights without vic.
lating every principle which he held sacred.
and for which he had been battling for the
last seven years.
He, (Nir. F., had commenced this war
against prescription, and had continued the.
battle until all its strongsholds in this State
were overthrown and demolished ..War
against prescription" was the Shiboleth of the
conservative and Democratic parties until final
victory crowned their arms. This Conven-
ton was one of the first great fruits of that
victory; and now. here upon that very altar
winch liberty and reform had erected as the
shrlne OF her worshipers, appears that same
eSl, spirit or prescription against which we
,'aa oat''ea Tor so many years, and which is
turing on to that grave in which our oppo-
nents lie buried. He, (Mr F. y came here
the sworE enemy of prescription he came
here to eradicate and eliminate from that svs
tenn every trace of that detestable policy to
batter down all unjust, iuvidous and arbitra.
~ determinations among his fellow citizens:
to place every citizen upon the same platform
of civil and political rights, and to trust to
the genns of free and popular governments to
rectify and redress every evil that might re-
suit from the broadest> concession of popular
equality and popular rights.
This hostility to the eligibility of the
colored man to Office in. State like West
Virginia, when their numbers are so few, and
their power sn weak, is broad declaration of
want of confidence in the intelligence and
capacity of the white race for self. government
In what district! in what township F? in what
county OF this State, can negro be elected
to office, except by the votes of white men
And it he be that ignorant, degraded and
uncivilized creature which gentlemen repre-
cent him to be. was it not satire upon popu-
lar government was it not an impntatiop of
the deepest character upon the virtue and in.
telligence of the people to suppose that he
ever could, through their influence and votes
be elevated to Office.
lie (Nlr. +. was not much given to pro-
fession, but he had ever cherished an abiding
confidence in the good sense of the people,
and in the success of free government Sad
indeed. would our condition be if ANYTHING
should occur to destroy that confidence for
our eternal destiny is fixed. and popular gov
ernmcnt in its broadcast and most Unlimited
character. is, and forever must be- our condi-
tion. We have embarked, freely and DELHI
erately upon the broad and tempestuous ocean
of popular sovereignty.
"Dark, hcaving. boundless endless and sublime,
With no magnet to direct our course, no shell
ter from adverse storms and currents but in
the virtue and intelligence of the people. IF
these fail us. then indeod shall we be shin,
wrecked, and the cngnIfing waters of anarchy
and despotism will forever bury our proud
homes as people under its surface
Mr.. Z. said that he could not see what
there was in his amendment which any gen.
tleman upon that floor could disanprove It
was literal transcript from the existing Con
stltution of the STATE. He t.ok up that Con
stitutlon upon this particular point, Just where
the people Of this State left it by their vote
cast on the fourth Thursday in April. 1871.
Ihen and there, bv the most overwhelming
vote ever cast in this State, thev fixed the
political status of those persons whose rights
are now the subject of our consideration. He
adopted 1t just as the people impressed their
supreme and sovereign seal upon it, on that
day. He added nothing, he detracted noth-
ing from their imperial decree. IF, under
that decree, these people had acquired con-
stltutional rights. his amendment reaffirms
them ifunder it they have acquired doubt
Jul and uncertain right, or no rights at all.
his amendment docs not extend it. He stood
upon the voice of the people as there pro-
claimed and announced, and his amendment
simply demanded that voice, so solemnly
and authoritatively proclaimed, shall be re-
spected and obexed.
IMPORTANT ExpERIMENr.-An experi-
menting Detroit chemist took a piece of