The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1875-02-11
WHAT DOES r MEAN:

tie conditions implied and expressed in the
following CLAUSES of the Bill Of Rights OF Vir-
xinia:
THAT this state shall ever remain q member
or the United States OF America, and that the
:,enple thereof are part of the American nation,
nd THAT all Attempts, from whateversource orup-
whatever pretext, to dissolve said Unon.or
to sew T. said Nation, are unauthorizet and ought
tn b.. resisted with the whole power OF the
State.
That the constitution of the United States,
and the laws of Congress passed In pursuance
thereof. constitute the supreme law OF the
land. to which paramount allegiance and ODE
dienoe arc due from every citizen. anything in
fke constitution, ordinances, or laws of any
state to the contrary notwithstanding.
fnthese clauses of the Bill OF Rights, the two
Ideas that confronted each other in the late
civil war are embraccd-the one of secessiof,
negatively, and that of the perpetuity OF the
Union. positively. The war was conflict OF
lrt.as, as we'll as of arms The doctrine OF
sstate Sovereignty, to the extent OF seces-
sso.. was maintained by the Sonth-that OF
Consolidation, to the extent that the Federal
power was paramount in determining the re-
lations of the States to the national govern
ment, by the North.
The forces REPRESENTING this latter idea were
triumphant. TIE doctrine of secession was
determined by the Arbitrament to which its
advocates appealed to be foreign to the 'chsrac-
ter of our political system, anhtllat ever here
after the supremacy of National over State
authority should be recognized.
Virginia. after asking to be allowedt to resume
her discovered relations to the national govern
nlent, accepted this Interpretation of the char
acter of our political institutions.
The people, to whom the question was sub
mittetl, voluntarily recorded their affirmation
at the ballot-box by two hundred thousand
majority; and upon the assurance OF the good
faith of this declaration, the State was invested
with all the immunlties pertaining to a co-equal
commonwealth in the Union. The contract
WAS Incorporated into the fundamental law of
the Ssate-hc1ged around and covered over
with all the sanctions that honor, manhood and
Traditional integrity could possibly imp ose.--
1t stands to-day as a solemn pledge Of the
purpose OF Virginia to maintain her assumed
national Obligations, and as a touch-stone of
her fidelity to the good faith implied.
MISUNDERSTANDING tfiCoG ltlCO1GICfCl ltCt D
these solemn pledgcs-thesc cath-bound OBJ
ligations-we are now called upon to consider
the deliberate proposition to strike from the
Bill Of Rights the clauses we have cited-to
brsak the faith that attaches to them, and re-
puslate the conditions upon which State su-
tonomy was secured. --
The Committee Oh Constitutional amend
favor of striking the clauses alluded to from the
Bill of Rights. anl stripping the Constitution
OF these features recognizing the results of the
war, and the conditions upon which Virginia
row hollis her position as State in the Ulon.
rllerc TIT, occII public discussion OF the pro-
prlety Of this increment, and consequently we
are not in possession OF the reasons that are adj
vanccd for this proposed perf:lious violation OF
the public faith OF the commonwealth.
We certhisfly arc not aware OF any new de-
velepshents- auy oppressive innovations by
the other party to fle contract, that would JUS
Gffy this faitIllessness to our daty and obliga-
iions in the premises, and we can conceive OF
40 provocations, even remotely considered as
likely to occur, to relieve the committee and
the party it represents from the suspicion of
perpetrating an act That will stamp the State
with ncffaceablc dishonor. What possible mo-
tive can be at the bottom of this reckless disre-
gard of public duty we certainly are Huxblc to
comprehend. Itcertainly cannot be, that the
Conservative party of Virginia are looking for
ward to the contingency, when the conditions
embraced in the clauses in controversy will
interposc an obstacle to State action ON nation
al questions, and contemplating a repetition Of
the fatal and criminal fl lacy of 1861, which
fpread destruction and death over the face Of
the country.
1t will be well for the people to carefully and
seriously ponder the revolutionary character of
the propositions now pending in the Commit
tee OH Constitutional amendments, and sfaInil-
iarize themselves With a question that carries
concealed beneath its surface the NEST aggra-
waited disasters that ever sent their crimson
currents over the peace and happiness 81 ii
people-impli6ating in the Interior results the
very existence of the institutions Of THIS coHn-
try. Il Is due TO the people Of Virginia and to
the country, that the meaning Of these insidi-
ei,s and dangerous proceedings be explained,
Aud that a frank exposition OF the purposes
entertained be had.
WHAT NEXTe-The Dispatch, after supper
sing the proposition to make an appropriation