The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-05-16

democrats OF the state met yesterday
afternoon at 8 O'clock in the old Opera
House and effected temporary and per-
manent organization and proceeded to
get down to the work of discussing the
proposed changes in the constitution.
About 400 people, the greater part OF
them from this city, were present at the
opening session.
The meeting was called to order by
Chas. L. Stewart, of tho original COM
mittee, who, by way OF stating the OBJ
ject OF the gathering, read the call.
Mr. Stewart presented as temporary
chairman w. o, Hardoway, of this CITY,
and r. p. Barham, OF the Petersburg
1ndex-Appeal as temporary secretary.
In taking the chair, Mr.. Hardaway
said 1t was the original intention to
have small meeting Of representative
men to meet in hotel psrlor, >but it
was later decided to hold the meeting
at the Opera House. A small movement
might be laughed at, butt could not be
laughed down. he referred to the ridi-
Guile that was heaped upon Calico, and
the scorn and contumely that the Savior
Of the world was called upon to bear.
1t m axes no difference what position we
may take, he said, the movement for the
reform of the constitution has been
started In this commonwealth, and it
will go on and on and on. The Demo.
cratic party will not submit and the
people Of Virginia will not submit to
any sitting OF this great question. We
asked the Democrats to come here and
we didn't expect as many to come as
did. That the governor Is forced to
md two -
sibly results from bad Legislation. The
common people. he said. would not sub.
nit much longer to the Underwood
shame.
IF there ia any odium attached to this
movement I am willing to hear it," he
continued. He was born in the blacklist
county IN the State, where people un-
derstood what negro rule meant, and in
1867 II a man in Amelia county had en-,
dorsed the Underwood constitution he
would have been ostracised. He had
heard that convention denominated as
the greatest aggregation OF buzzards
that ever cursed the world. Those
scallnwagers and carpet baggers had
fastened on this State the most damn
able and outrageous organic law that
had ever burdened free people. He
did not object to 1t because it was
framed by aliens and negroes, but OF it's
many iniquities, which he went on to
enumerate. He referred to North Car
DINA, which was little larger than
Virginia; yet in North Carolina twenty
judges are doing the work that 1t re-
quires 126 judges in Virginia to do.
North Carolina has twenty common.
wealth attorneys who accomplish what
III do in Virginia. Prior to the war
you had no county treasurers. Now
these officers are sucking the life out of
the State like vampires. These aliens
and carpet sgRers made this organic
law to perpetuate their power, but the
people rose in their might and shook
them off.
He eulogized the Democratic party az
the party OF Jefferson, OF Jackson, of
Monroesand Of John W. Daniel, which
elected great applause. He spoke at
length on the Judiciary system and it's
evils and said, you as an individual
have no more control Of the selection of
Judge to try you for your property or
your life than bull frog. The legisla.
tive, the judicial and the executive
branches OF the government should be
entirely separate and distinct. he
favored the election of judges and such
officers by the people; other States had
done 80, why not Virginia? There is no
party that can control this State but the
Democratic party, but she must be
right. He believed that the good seed
had been sown that would ultimately
have the desired effect.
At the conclusion OF his address. Mr..
Hardaway announced the following
com mittee on permanent organization:
X. N. Bell, Hon. Peter j. Otey, Capt. NJ.
M. Rogers, Chas. l. Stewart, a. B.
Clayton and Thos. w. Miller. He then
introduced Hon. 8. e. Jones, mayor of
Roanoke. who made the address Of well
come. In his speech, among other
things, Mayor Jones said: at Ia an old
and beautiful custom to recognize the
presence OF honored guests by formal
and friendly greeting. So, to-day, in
the name Of the citizens Of Roanoke,
tender you most hearty welcome.
ut is said, 'Revolutionists never 90
backward and it can be truthfully
said that reforms, like large bod es,
move slowly.
label had his altar, and the Christian
religion Its GethBemane, and the man
or set OF men who enter into the praise.
worthy work of retrenchment, be It
municipal, State or national, will be
opposed by some crib-fed office. holders,
and not only will they be confronted by
opposition from this source, but sscri-
Aces must be made, even though the
guillotine fall with keen edge on our
necks.
1T we have too many offices let us
abolish them; II the machinery Of our
State government Is cumbersome and
out Of joint, let US modernize it. We
should be patriotic enough, and self
sacrificing enough to omit self in the
noble effort to do the most good for the
greatest number.