The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-28
4 BLOODLESS REVOLUTION.
ne Constitutional (tnY nlion Held In
Richmond In 1851.
PERSONNEL CT The HISTORIC BODY
0eme Of the Reforms Accomplished by it
The Election Laws-The Members
Of the House OF Delegates
Elected In 1881.
written for The Times)

as that which took. place In Virginia IN
1851. The State Convention called by an
act OF the Legislature OF lSiJ-5O 10
consider. discuss, and propose new
Constitution, or alterations and amend
ments TO the existing Constitution OF the
Commonwealth" assembled at the capt.
tol In Richmond on the lith day OF -
tober. 1870. and was in continuous Session
until the LIST day OF August, leol, nine
months and a half, with occasional inter
missions OF a few days TO rest us MEM
bers.
memi ers that were not so famous IN
history, as a large number OF the MUS
trious men who sat IN the tviNenuon
TO ratify the. Constitution OF tne Ihl,Sa
States which met in old 81 Johh
church of your city I'm June. l,SS or OF
that convention which assembled In Rich-
mond In october, 1879, TO revise the Coii,
ttitution OF the State. but in respect OF
learning. patriotism, an ability Tor the
work before them may well be ciassed as
no unworthy successors IN s,a'esr.," IN
fundamental law-making. Ana TINS u
saving much for the personnel OF 'ne
Convention OF 1901, when we reneln-
Der that Mlidison. Monroe. ana Jonn
Marshall were members of both the Con-
ventions of 1883 and OF 1879, ana tnat IN
tire first one also George Mason, WILSON,
Carey Nicholas. Patrick Henry, bd iil,in,.
Lee, Bushrod Washington, Judge "Sstne'
James lines. BENJAMIN harrison. lhe me-.
derrick Bland, ard several more OF ohiy
a little less prominence. and IN the con-
yention of is29-'3o along with Madison
Monroe. and Marshall. there were pllss,
Leigh, Tazcwell. T. +. Barbour ana John i
T.Ldolph. Not having access 10 ivl
Of the Convention of 1901, IL would be
inyidious 10 single out names from iheIn-
ory after the lapse OF forty-nVe years
/ have characterized their work as Idu-
ically revolutionary. Up to the adoption
by majority practically una mann mano q;
the people. OF the WORK OF theu na ~,
the Arst Legislature under the new Con
stitution met January II. 49,. sat uh.h
June 7th. in continuous session. ana M
adjourned TO meet again on -\O''r NJ,
q. ls52, and sat until Apr1i ~, 60; anerai
Assembly for about ten months was ~
cessary to put the machinery OF me 49,
government in fun operation undeI ,i,c
new Constitution, which. as peiofe ~
marked. created peaceful and order-
~ but most radical revolution III , n,1
afra:rs OF the state; me ,,,oo Ole mart OF
IN, people could vote from 1917 10 lo'-
were the members Of the two houses Oh
the Legislature. All other officials were
eifher elected by the Legislature, from
The Governor down. or appointed by Of
flcials deriving their powers dltectiy ~, vi
secondarily by and through t me v,e"e s,.n
Assembly and its creations. Judici-' am
mapisterial offices were held by he
tenure. and the primary elective iran ms
WAS only enjoyed by freeh - or hcn.s
Of families PAYING ,anss o. as a ner-
ouisite of the senior magistrate Ol 'ne
county for ;wo years anu 80 ne Nas az,
WAYS an old man. he sold the o'hcc 10 ~ "a
deputy for a good. round sum; anu VI.
same man In each county usually DouSht
n from successive magistrates TOT man.
copsecutive yeA.s, and grew rien OIL us
profits.
PRACTICALLY FOR LIFE.
Clerks Of courts were appointed by the
Judges or bench of county maslsidtcS'
ana practically for life. Nhen ihatls
trate died his successor was aPPoil'e.s
by the Governor. on the nomination Oh
his surviving brethren OF the county
bench and so on through the whole OIL
c,al catalogue. That this ftrm ana sys.
tenn OF nominally republican government
In which the majority theoreucaIy rui tH,
should have continued IN Virginia IVi
seventy-fve years after the yoke OF mon
archy was thrown of. is the most re-
markabe PROOF Di I'M. IN the co, reyolt against
tyranny. and led in the creation OF gen
uine republican government IN Amefl-
ca, but was cautious IN every step sne
took to Ego slow" and "be sure she was
right" before going ahead. But nav
Ing pr1idently felt her way for two or
three generations. she bounded FORWARD
I'm 1851. investing all her free, white adul
male citizens with the exercise of their
birthright of the ballot and with eihsi-
hilty TO ofiice. more than douDnng we
voting population in many counties OF
the State, and largely increasing II In al.
A fair and successful test OF the WIS
dom OF this new departure was had at
once In the election of governor, Lleuteh-
ant-Goyernor, Attorney-General, Senate
and House Of Delegates on December ;,
1871 when Joseph Johnson was CHOSEN
Governor. Shelton +. Leake, Lieutenant
Governor. and John Randolph Tucker,
Attorney-General, and the entire senate
and House of Delegates were elected
The Wigs had run their strongest man
In the State for Governor '.9rse w.
Summers. of Kanawha. Mr.. Summers
had been a leader In the Convention ana
was a an of very great ability and pop
rlsrity, and was supported win enthu-
sssm by his parry o oa m nae ' sgfrase
and continued to be so when sur.aS"
was n ade universal. and their candl-
date was beaten by maJ9T1g OF 70 the me
wings. but Governor Johnson first mes
sage in January. 1852. TO the General AS
semtly. was a document OF sucn SIT
prising ability that II secured Tor nm the
Friendship and support of the lea~ihS
r,er OF the opposition in both Houses
His discussion OF an internal IMPROVE
uent policy, to be based on great ana
compreh,f sive system. was so broad ana
statesmanlike that II was surprise 10
both friends and enemies. ana al one
proved him TO be n man or nuch miner
order OF talents In statecraft, and more
general information than he nal pecn
credited with by his political opponents
in the late campaign. or even by some OF
his partisan supporters who thought no
good thing 'ould come out Of Nazareth.
and to them the mountain cCGutrv OF
Virginia still was Nazareth. That message
is document that even 10 this day may
be read with profit by Nirsinians. "A IL
will over stand monument 10 his pa
trtotism and devotion TO his State, In
spite Of some blunders he made In the
Communication OF the death sentence OF
the negro slave Jordan Hatcher for TIE
murder of his Oyerseer, VIM. 4. Jackson.
10 sale and transportation beyond the
limits OF the United States, an act and
his alleged reasons for IL that created
= great storm in the General Assembly
a. well as all over the state. intensi-
ned. no doubt. by the growing fanau-
cism OF the abolition party In the North.
NUMBERS or THE HOUSE.
The opponents OF universal, free man
hood suffrage had predicted great low
ering In the character OF officials In All
far from this being realized. the gene
raj elections held 10 put the new ma
chinery IN complete working order mani
tested most gratifying popular us
elimination in the choice OF public ser
wants Especially was this true In that
department OF governmental organization
that we Justly esteem. above all others,
the palladium OF our liberties, the Ju-
dietary An al its branches. The first set
OF judges elected by the people through
out the state proved themselves equal.
as whole, 10 any We had ever been
proud OF In the past And | think, from
memory, | can furnish names OF the
House OF Delegates elected In December.
1851. whose high reputation is still fresh
most OF them have gone 70 their re-
ward" With these men | served. ana
have mourned the death Of most OF them
aS that OF friends, and revere me lev