Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1899-03-29

The declaration OF Thomas Jefferson
~ am not among those who fear tn
people" need not have been preserved
| to assure US where the judgment an'
sympathies of the Founder Of Democ
racy were placed on the question; no
can it be doubted that Patrick Henry
the matchless defender OF popula
rights, approved the judgment o
Washington, Madison, Randolph, Mas
on and Blair, who cast the influence
and vote of Virginia against the cleo
ton of Senators by the Legislatures
and over whose better judgment thai
provision was incorporated IN the
Federal Constitution. The sentiment
of the great virginians Of that day
| without regard to party, approved the
election of Senators by the people, and
it may be affirmed without hesitation
that confidence in and reliance upon
the people to govern themselves is in
herent in the plan upon which God
built Virginia manhood.
Serbs OF SCANDALS.
It is not to be denied that the Senate
OF the United States contains stat. smen
Of high ability and character, but il.
must be conceded that the average in :.
tellectual and moral stature OF its mem
bers is growing less end less, whilst
the intellectual cultivation of the mass
es OF the people attains daily and daily
higher stages. Who does not know
that in many of the States the influence
Of great corporations is more potent in
the election OF Senators than the senti-
menls OF the mass Of voters; and how
often have the Legislatures chosen
those scarce y known to the people and
defeated those whose election the peo-
pie had le..re d? The senatorial cleo
tons and contests of the past aud pass
ing year in Ohio, New York, Penpsyl-
Vania, Delaware, W st Virginia, Wis
Nebraska, Utah, Nevada, ali
'ornia, Maryland and Montrna present
/ close series OF hideous L andals SAGA
,s shock the moral sense Cf he % II.
ny, while at the same time furnishing
lew and indisputable testimony against
he wisdom Of plan capable Of such
RESERVATION and abuse.
But this question has now passed be-
'ond the argumentative stag'. Upon
the minds OF the people are firmly
made up. The House Of Representa-
YES OF the United States has repeated.
and by an almost unanimous vote
assed resolutions to amend tie Con-
tuition so as 20 give the people the
ght 10 choose their Senators, but the |
cnate has often stifed those resolu-
ons in committees, not daring to dis ,
1873 them in open session. well know-,l
G that to do so wolld be to sign the
'ath warrant OF many Of it's members
piring to reelection. This sullen g
d defiant silence on the part Of the
ne6ciaries of the vicious system is in
elf convincing argument that the
NEEDY has been too loug delayed
my of the States OF the Union have v
rough their Legislatures called upon q
ngress to submit to the people of 9,
, States an amendment to the Con- No
tuition giving them the right to elect D,
,ir Senators by direct vote. In ca
lifornia more than nine-tenths of the b,
Iers Of the State at recent popular th
ction voted in favor of a change, and sr
hin the past few weeks the legisla- 90
'es OF North Carolina and Missouri
animously passed resolutions in
uctiDg their Senators to support
olution to so amend the Constitu-
D. In the Fiity-second Congress
Hon. William j. Bryan, then a :
preventative from the State Of Ne. .
ska, introduced and earnestly sup .
ted q resolution 10 accomplish this I
at reform, and, within the past few
eks., the national chairman OF the f.
mocratic party, himself United =
ties Senator, said: :
I am in favor Of tie election Of sena J
J BY the direc. vote OF the people. !
, changed my Sisws s,ppa thissab.