Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-04-13
THE MAY CONVENTION.
BIRDvILLE, near Petersburg. Va,
April 10. 1899.

To Messrs. John F. Rixey, Henry e.
Stuart, ClaggeJt B. Jones, A. j. Mon
tague and others
Gentlemen-As one of the demo
cratic voters OF Virginia, have been
greatly interested in your open letter
of the 26;h of March inviting confer
ence ''for the purpose Of adopting such
measures as may be deemed best to
promote the election OF Senators of the
United States by direct vote of the peo-
pie, and until this result is accomp-
lsbed the selection OF party senatorial
candidates by some popular method"
While your communication is ad.
dressed TO the democratic votes of
Virginia" 1t has been suggested that a
limitation or selection was intended by
| the language of the concluding para.
graph
ITO such democrats as hold to the
principle that the people are fully ca,
pable OF choosing their Senators, and
who are willing to unite with us in an
effort TO secure TO them that cherished
right.
From such Il distinguished and sin
cere source, am unwilling to attribute
more than Ii rhetorical rouudness TO
this language, deemiGg it impossible
that any Virginia democrat could be
believed willing to impugn The capacity
OF our people to choose their own Sen
ators. The concluding language EN-
phasizes that no logical distinction was
intended, as no right can be cherished
that was never enjoyed.
The submission of we'll considered
plan for the election of Senators OF the
! United States by the direct vote of the
| people Of the several States has for
many years commended itself to me.
sm unwilling, by the effect of verbal
| tinesse or otherwise to be placed in n
position OF antagonism 10 snch move
ment. also approve the widest dis
cussion OF such proposition, whether
| through the public prints or on the nus
tings or by private caucus.
Such discussion, while it might not
Immediately lead to an adoption of the
proposed constitutional amendment,
would at least enable its supporters to
escape criticism as to a possible per
sonal interest, aroused by haste and
careless preparation of facts.
/ While imbued with 8 reverential re
spect for the founders of our constilu
ton, ! am not of those who believe
that any one or all OF them spoke or
was capable OF speaking the last word
7 OF political wisdom. could not differ
from their well considered conclusion
without distrIsting the inclination OF
my own mind. This is the general at
titude OF the people of Virginia.
Then, therefore, Washington, Madi-
son, Randolph, Mason, Blair, Jefferson
and Henry are quoted by gentlemen OF
position and learning in behalf OF n
public question, the general mind is at
once pronounced in its favor. Judge,
therefore, OF my disquiet upon consider
alton OF a communication TO the demo
crals of Virginia, the general proposal
of which met with my warm approval,
TO De unable to end that any OF the il.
ustrious characters called in our be-
half hsd embraced our side of this con.
tenlioD, bur so far as they seem to be
recorded at all, had spoken and voted
on the contrary side. Remote from IL
Oraries and historical students, I must
speak sub JUDGE.
Section 3 of article l of the Cons.i-
tuition OF the United States is as fol-
lows.
the Senate OF the United States
shall be composed of two Senators
from eacn State, chosen by the legisla-
ture thereof for six years, and each
Senator shall have one vote"
This is the section under coDsidera-
ton for amendment. Without advert
ing to the plans proposed by Pinckney,
Hamilton and others for federal con-
sitution, this section took its origin in
the 5th resolution proposed by Mr..
Randolph on May %, 1877, in the Phil
adelpnia convention which adopted the
federal constitution.
Mr.. Randolph's 9TH resolution was in
part as follows:
THAT the members of the second
branch of the national legislature ought
TO be elected by those of the first, out
OF proper number OF persons nomi-
mated by the individual legislatures, "
| &c, Sc.
On May 81 this resolution was con-
sdered and Mr.. Randolph being called
oG to explain-"He observed that the
general object was to provide a cure for
the evils under which the United
States labored that in tracing these
evils to their origin, every man had
found it in the turbulence and follies OF
democracy; that some check therefore
was to be sought for against the tend
ency OF our governments, and that a
good Senate seemed most likely to an
swer this purpose"
Mr.. Wilson, of Pennsylvania, pro-
posed that Senators should be elected
by the people, and MIR. Madison, Of
Virginia, antsgonized this idea.
/ On the whole question for electing
by the first branch out of nominations
Dy the State legislatures
Massachusetts, Virginia, South Car
/ DINA, aye, ..
| Connecticut, New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, Delaware; North Caro-
| lima, Georgia, no, Z.
On June Z this question as 10 the
election of the Senate came on to be
further considered on the motion OF
Mr.. Dickinson, of Pennsylvania, THAT
the members of the second branch
ought to be chosen by the individual
! legslature:.'
Whatever attitude OF opposition can
be attributed 20 the Virginia members
of the convention 10 regard to this
proposition is familiar to every consil-