Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-05-17
THURSDAY, MAY II, 1900.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.


movement which Is now being pushed
by a certain class of politicians for hold
ing a constitutional convention and for
changing the organic law of Virginia
No more dangerous political movement
has been made in Virginia since its birth
as a Commonwealth. Its chief purpose
is to deprive large class of our citizens
of the elective franchise, and to place
absolute and permanent control OF the
State in the hands of preferred class
TO accomplish their wicked purpose the
Machine press and partisan leaders are
making desperate appeals to the white
people of the State, and are employing all
kinds Of false pretexts as reasons for
committing a great outrage upon popu-
lar suffrage. The movement is heralded
ss one which is being made to crush
wrong and elevate right, but there was
never a more artful and reso!pte en-
deavor to further crush right and COM
pletely elevate wrong.
If the people will only. stop to think and
will investigate they will be convinced that
those persons who are advocating
a convention and a change in our
State Constitution are actuated by unwlse
or unworthy motives. Different reasons
have been assigned for the necessity OF
making new Constitution. Some of its
advocates have claimed that it was neces-
sarv to rid the State from an office holders
and office.seekers despotism. Then it has
been claimed that it was needed to reduce
the expenses Of our State, county and mu-
nicipal governments. A further reason
that has been offered is that it will give Us
fair and honest elections. To accomplish
the latter, the supporters of the conven'
ton movement declare that it is necessary
to restrict suffrage by constitutional enact
ment. They claim that the illiterate voters
must be deprived of the right of suffrage,
and that the so.called better or educated
classes shall alone have the privilege of
voting. No more wicked or dangerous
doctrine has ever been preached by party
calling itself Democrat. The genius OF our
government is based upon the representa-
tive idea, and where the so-called best ele-
ment has absolute CONTROL and is the only
class represented, the great mass Of the
people have no representation and are
coercively ruled by the so-called better ele-
ment. WHAT we want is not govern
ment of the best but government of the
average.
The restrictiction Of suffrage to one
class of citizens is not American and Is
not Democratic. 1t will receive our
State government into a purely arlsto'
cratic form, and is contrary to the Bill OF
Rights Strange to say, the men in Vir-
GINA who are now insisting that only
the educated citizens shall be allowed to
vote claim that they are Jefersonian
Democrats. The great father of Ameri-
can Democracy would not recognize the
Machine Democrats Of Virginia as his
children or opponents of the doctrines
he originated or promulgated. Jefferson
declared "That all power is vested in,
and consequently derived from tie peo-
pie; that no man, or set OF men, are
entitled to exclusive or separate emolu-
ments from the people; that all cleo
tions ought to be free; and that all men,
having sufficient permanent common in
terests with, and attachment to, the
community, have the right of suffrage,
and cannot be taxed or deprived of their
property for public uses without their
own consent"
The declared purpose of the proposed
constitutional convention is to frame a
constitution which will establish an educa-
tiona qualification for voting, and as we
believe, also property qualification, This
is in direct conflict with the teachings Of
jefferson, who believed that all men with
sound minds, who have some brain, who
take care of themselves or others, are of
sufficient value to vote on the men and
the laws which are to govern them.
No more important election has ever
been held in Virginia than The one which
is to take place next week, the oath inst.
1t involves the highest privilege that be-
longs to American freemen, the right to
vote. to have voice in the selection of
the men who in representative capacity
shall make our laws.
IT is the intention of those men who
favor constitutional convention to re-
strict suffrage for the purpose Of placing
all power in the hands of few. 1t is an
evil purpose, and wi be the heaviest blow |
Z hat can be inflicted upon our republican '
form of government.
Freemen of Taztwell county, freemen of I
-: .o,,.a vo,nrselvos and assist in Y