The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-25
Virginia Declaration of Rights ana
Constitution,
Editor Of The Times:

Editor OF The Times:
slr.-That Mr.. Justice Brown shouiu
come down 90 Virginia and boast lh ."'
capfol where George Mason's deciaral ION
OF rights Is preserved, that Massaehu-
sets Judge Browns native state pos
sessed "the oldest written form or gov
ernment ln existence is surprising III
view OF the fact that Massachusetts mo-
delled her form OF government on tH'-
Of Nirgiia three years after the latter """
given TO the world the first written con-
stitution of n free State. lt ~ idle 10
speak as does your correspondent -
b" OF the Connecticut colony or lgsN as
q "renublic" I'm the sense OF q free state.
Virginia had her charter somel ihe ue-
fore the date oil the fundamental orders.
The ordinance of settling the constitu-
tion and form Of governments IN Viz
ainia" was brought over by Sir Francis
Wyatt I'm 1921. and two years earlier III
1913. Sir George Yeardley held az James
town fho first Colonial Assembly on the
American continent.
n IS true that the Virginia constitution
of 1916 was amended twice before the
late war began between the states DuI
each time there was placed before It,
untouched bv the later constitution
makers the immortal declaration OF
rights. the prototype of Jefferson's decla-
ration OF independence. IL was lelt LOT
the enemies OF Virginia and OF the
South. the execrable convention or l'0''
to lay profane hands upon the declafa-
ton of rights and so TO dlstort II as 10
make 90 q disgrace 90 the statute BOOK
of Virginia. and a laughing stock 10 lne
political student. Tor IFS manifest neon
pruties and absurdities. IL Is eNlraoiuI-
nary that Virginans after RIDING, them-
selves of "the most obiecuonaDie lea-
lures of this Infamous constitution 10
quote from your correspondent ahoulu
be willing 20 have the declaration OF
rights remain 'the thing OF shreus ana
patches" 10 has become. tx was "heh
our dear old State had lost an soVer-
eighty and liberty after her Woiiu-la-
nous struggle for independence as one
Of the Confederate states OF America IN
.1SGi-lSe5. that the constitutional shack
les were put upon her which she sim
seems to think herself p0weriess TO put
Off. Has she not the same rights IN the
Union to-day that Massachusetts pos
sesses. Has not one Of the sons OF Mas
sachusetts complacenty told as that her
declaration OF rights remains just as IL
was adopted in 1879? Can we forget that
It was through an unjust war waged by
Massachusetts, and other Northern
States that Virginia was bound hand ana
foot under military despousm Whiie
aliens and negroes defaced and rewrote
her declaration Of Rights and constitu-
tion2 Compare article III, OF the genu-
inc declaration OF rights with article ill.,
Of the spurious paper for an instance
OF a patch" OF the most hagrant char-
acter Has Massachusetts or mas any
Northern State stuluhed its declaration
Of rights b such a palpable reducto al
absurdam2 il Virginia and the other
Southern States have ceased to be com
munities" in a Federal Union and are
only conquered parts Of an American
nation" then the case IS the same with
Massachusetts and every Northern state
and Massachusetts, has no right TO haunt
her unamended declaration OF rights In
cur faces with its boast Of sacredness
and antiquity Like Sampson or Old
I'm pulling down the pillars OF state SOW
ereignty upon others she has involved her
self In the same ruin. II. however the
"unalienable" rights which belong unal-
terably 10 communities or states as was
first declared In Vlrginia's famous State
paper. are the propert Of the Common
wealth or Massachusetts,. than are they
equally the property and heritage or the
Commonwealth OF Virginia. But States
which denied 10 their fellow States the
exercise OF these rights still unblushing-
~ proclaim them as general principles
upon their own banners without gloss
or emendation. just rs the first received
them from Virginia statesmen, while Nir-
gin.a herself forsooth. sees her own decia-
ration blotted and disngured By the very
tenets she had repudiated an this same
character. VIII not Nirginians demand
OF their legislators that they restore M
them the declaration OF rights, as II came
to them from George Mason and his fell
low patriots? Let IF. p. b" and Mr..
w. w. Scott write thus TO appease the
insnlted shades OF George Mason and his
nlustrious compeers"
or should we not expect TO see;
Henry throw down his eloquent sword
And clang it against the granite,
And Mason tear up the bill OF rights
From a people unworthy 70 scan ~"
X. NJ. r.
Alexandria, Va, Max g, 1895 80.