The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-04-07
DIR. CHANDLER
AT THE COLLEGE.
He Delivered a Fine Lecture Last
Night.
THE GREATEST OF CONVENTIONS
That Of 1920 30 Contained More Able
Men Than Any Othcr-Thc Ear
1y Aristocratic Features
ofthc Government.
THE GREATEST OF CONVENTIONS


cultivated people heard him and his adj
dress made a most favorable impression.
DR.. Chandler announced that he pro-
posed to speak upon the aristocratic
features Of Nirginias government before
1880, and TO give an account Of the strus-
gle between the arlstocratic and Demo-
cratic forces in the convention Of 1920.
In speaking Of Virginia in colonial times
he said:
In colonial dhys we find her always
loyal colony but ever ready TO resist
what appeared as tyranny. Her people.
through her burgesses, were always op-
posing any step, on the part OF the royal
Governor. which seemed intended to check
freedom or self-government. There T.
one great political principle which has
always been dear to Nirginians. that
principle which asserts that every people
has the right to govern themselves. or
In other words, the principle Of self gov
eminent. SO IN colonial times when the
royal governors tried 10 force the House
OF Burgesses into measures not pleasing
To the Virginia people. her Bursesses
would I'm boldness defy the Governor and
the English king. The cry Of privilege
would be raised by the Bursesses. just
as in England it had been raised by the
Commons
A DEMOCRATIC PERIOD.
Or. Chandler then commented on the
government under the London Company
from 1919 10 1924 and claimed that IL was
more Democratic than The English gov
eminent. He then passed 60 the English
Commonwealth period and said that VIZ
ginia was more Democratic from 1862 %
1900 than from 1776 to lSM lie claimed
this. because from 1862 10 1890 the colony
governed Itself. and free negroes ana
indented servants besides. an froemen.
were allowed 10 vote. whereas from li16
10 1870 the suffrage was restricted 10 free
holders by which one-half % the freomen
were disfranchised With the restoration
OF the Stuarts. came more aristocraiic
Influences. and IN 1910 suffrage by an act
Of tho General Assembly was restricted
10 freeholders This was repealed hv
Bacon. but the franchise IN 1871 was
again restricted at the command NJ the
King Charles II. wrote TO Sir William
Berkeley: you shall take care that the
members Of the Assembly be elected Only
by freehOiders as being more agreeable
TO the custom Of England. TO which YOU
are. as nigh as conveniently, 20 conform
yourself ,.,...
spottswood. however. In ZIP in writing
To the Board OF Trade, had said that
the Virginia representatives were worth
less because OF the free suffrage, ana the
Board of Trade authorized him to restrict
suffrage still more
The system Of representation. Of con-
Quoting elections. local government ETC.
werf shown to be copies of English IN
stitutions.
MORE LIKE ENGLAND.
DR.. Chandler said: From 1860 10 l"o
virginia was growing each day more and
more Ike England. The planters oesii'
TO live like English aristOcrats. lhey
made politics their profession ana tt.eu
I'm every way to have government llNe
the English government. You must never
overlook this fact that Virginia was
lesser England: and her government III
l77e. was pure aristocracy, in when
the poor whites had no voice
DR.. Chandler spoke at some length
upon the aristocratc features OF the
government in 1ss6, ana OF the DIVISION
of the State on political questions ia
mediately after the Revolution. Broadly
spealing there were two parties. inc
Eastern and the Western. The Eastern
Marty held to the Constitution ana ue-
sired TO continue the aristocrauc gov
eminent. while the Western party wanted
= ,omplcte change whereby all the Off
GERS Of the state could be elected by the
peopIe. The principles of the western
.inIos and would undoubtedly have been
accented ny the Eastern people except
for the fact that there We're eight slaves
In the east to one in the west. when un-
enual distribution Of slavery caused the
eastern people 10 fear that slave pro-
nerty. the government once being In the
hands OF the masses. would be heavily
taxed For years the Western party tried
hard 10 get a constitutional convention,
and finally in 1879 succeeded.
FAMOUS CONVENTION.
The famous convention OF $50 and 1880
will always be remembered by all Nir-
einlans. DR. Chandler said. 1t ~ pro
bable that there never assemtl led IN
these United states "A state Convention
in which there were so many distn-
s,,ished men. This con, EFT on has always
been regarded az the greatest assemb
of intellect ever head upon Virginia sol.
In This convention sat two ex-Prcsldcnts.
Madison and Monroe; honored ChicI
Justice John Marshall; also John TN er'
Iittleton w. Tazewel. James Pleasania,
william Il. Giles. benjamin Watkins
Leigh Philip l.. Barbour john W. JoAe7'
Abel F. Ipshur. John Y. Mason. ana the
Great John Randolph. These men were
leaders Of the Eastern party. Phihp
Doddridge was the leader of the western
marty. and had as his supporters Alex
ander Campbell, John Il. Cooke ana
Lewis Summers.
lanes Monroe was elected president on
the convention Madison was 100 IN
firm and deaf for the position. IL IS III
te,esting to remember that Madison Was
the only living member OF the convention
80 80 and one of two OF The surviving
members of the Federal convention VI
1857. .-... 0ro,osod
seven reform propositions;
~ That represent auoh III 'he
iature be apportioned according 10 INC
white poptSiation OF the state
01 That suffrage be eN'ehoeu 10 a.,
free white men over twenty-ohe years Vi
age. - oo,,d,c,cd h,,
ballot 80 oioo,oa ~.
the vote of the people.
GN THAT the sheriffs be elected by the
people. .u ., c,ato ha abol
ished. H., Ia o,oo,oa
by popular vote. ,.,....,
All of these measures were defeated
a. the eastern Nrginians were in con-
| troll of the convention.
WESTERN MEN ANGRY.
The western members became very
angry. and threatened 10 leave the con-
vention and TO organize new state
They denounced the Eastern Nirginians
as tyrants. and quoted Jefferson TO show
| that Virginia WAS not worthy Of the