Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-14
Sinai, We Have a Conventions.

In accordance with the requirements
of the Constitution the last General As
sembly has submitted to the people, at
the fall elections, the question, Shall
there be a convention TO revise the Con-
stitution and amend the same ?" The
object OF this communication is calmly
and dspassionately, in behalf of no par
tv. section, or interest, to give some sub
stantial reasons why the people should
vote that there shall be no convention.
As we have lived ever since 1870 under
the present Constitution, amended fire.
quentlv in accordance with the voice OF
the people as expressed in their Legisla-
lures, as provided in the clause relative
TO amendments, it would seem that the
question should be decided in the mega
tive unless the people, or any portion OF
them or even any advocate OF reform,
should complain and point out features
so Objectionable to require convention
to be called at a great expense when the
ordinary mode Of amendment will cost
nothing. But no portion OF the people,
no party, no section. nor even any parti-
san of change, has as yet adduced a
single substantial reason for revision or
change of any section of any article Of
any chapter IN the Constitution as tnow
stands.
In each of the five conventions of Vir-
ginia which have been held in her his
tory there were reasons pressed by argu-
ment and debate, by memorials and re-
monstraaces from the people themselves,
to redress certain definite wrongs and
grievances and TO introduce evident i'm
provements. The Constitution of l776
was called for by our Revolutionary
fathers, and was absolutely necessary
upon the Declaration of Independence
and the separation of the Colony from
the Government of Great Britain.
For many years before its end OBJ
iections and defects III "A constitution,
formed when the deliberations of Its
trainers were disturbed by the clash OF
arms, bad been frequently pointed out.
Mr.. Jefferson in his notes on Virginia
had shown many defects in the basis OF
representation in the General Assembly,
the appointment and powers of the Exc
cutive, and other serious evils in the
practical working of the Constitution.
The increasing population of the State
west of the Blue Ridge continued 10
make the representation more glarlngly
unequal, and the restriction of the right
of suffrage to freeholders was a great
objection with the young and enter
prising AMI to the inhabitants OF the
cities. A large meeting of representa-
tive men. mainly from the western part
of the State, was held at Stanton,
which, in a long and able memorial,
urged the Legislature TO pass bill for
The call from SO many
sources and supported by so many
reasons finally prevailed, and in 1929
a convention met in Richmond, COM
posed OF some of the most distinguished
statesmen in the Union. After an able
discussion upon the whole framework
Of government such difference OF
opinion wds developed as to threaten the
ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the Commonwealth.
General William +. Gordons compro-
mise was adopted, which, without re-
moving many features deemed objec-
tionable, changed the representation in
the General Assembly, by which the
East was deprived of portion of her
previous large majority and the right of
suffrage WAS extended TO leaseholders
and housekeepers and heads OF families
who had actually paid a revenue tax.
This was even then known to be a mere
temporary settlement John Randolph
Of Roanoke, a member, then pre-
dicted in the convention that it would
not last over twenty years, and in his
words, "In the hour Of its birth it bears
the sardonic grin OF death upon its fea-
lures" And such was the result. The
voice of the West, with a large majority
OF white population of the East, de-
string by internal Improvements 20 open
up and develop their land-locked coun
ties and to obtain an outlet for their
and the united voice OF both
East and West demanding universal suf-
frage, aud the election of all officers,
both State and local, directly by the
people, resounded from Accomack to
Wavne. The Legislature needed the
voice of the people, and a convention
was called and assembled on the 18th of
October. 1850. Although the East had
a majority of eight votes when the con
venton met, Governor Wise, who had
been elected as a white-bss man from
the Eastern Shore, Thomas jefferson
Randolph, with several other members
from those Piedmont counties which run
ND TO the base of the Blue Ridge, and
John Minor Bolts, representing the feel
ings and interests of the urban popu-
lation of the State. voted with
the solid West, and the vexel
question was virtually settled by
giving the West majority in the
popular branch of the Legislature. All
parties and both sections agreed to the
reform of universal elections by univer
sal suffrage and some minor changes.
The Alexandria Constitution, which is a
mere copy of the Constitution of 1SjO-'51,
with the exception OF the clauses re-
stricting suffrage to loyal white citizens,
a change OF representation, and the abo-
lition of slavery, was demanded by It's
people upon the formation of West Vir
-ania, and our present Constitution WAS
a prerequisite to our admission into the
Union which the State ardently desired
in order to terminate the military gov
so We have shown that the changes
which have been made in the five Con-
,titntions under which the State has cx-
sted were demanded 10y the popular
voice or by necessity for definite pur-
poses and for specific reasons which can
not be given for the present proposed
change and revision. The question of
having a convention would not now de-
mand a moments attention if the Con-
had not required it to be sub
initted to the people In 1898.
The only reason that has been ever
ldduced was given some mouths ago
when the decisions of the Supreme Court !
Of the United States and the perslstency
Of our foreign bondholders appeared |
about to render nugatorg the settlement !
according 10 the RiddleberPer act. 1t |
was urged that as a convention repre-
sentcd the people in their sovereign ca
pGcity 1t had right finally TO settle the |
debt i'll any manner it thought proper,
either by reputation or otherwise. But |
The recent decision Of the Supreme Court |
in the hdbodS corpus cases of Ayers,
Mo(f IL, no