Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-05-18
ONE REASON FOR A CONVENTION.

ONE REASON FOR A CONVENTION.
The Republican press Throughout,
the State has, without exception SO
far as we are able to learn. declared
against n constitutional convention.
The reason which dominates is that
the new constitution will disfranchise
the negr,, and the negro being
Republican, the Republican party will
be the sufferer. This may or may not
be fact. There is little doubt but
that AN educational test will be made
by the new constitution if one is Or
dered, but why should this fall more
on the negro than any one else ? Is it
true that all the ignorance in the State
is i'll the Republican party? Admit
this and that party will be the suffer
er. If a new constitution tended to
disfranchise more Democrats than Re
publicans, there are no Republicans in
this quarter who would not aid in its
adoption. This is self evident. Why
should others be more liberal? We
have had free schools in this State for
more than 30 years and if there be any
who will be disfranchised on account
of ignorance at this day who is to
blame? If education BELTS one for
good citizenship why not make it a test
OF voting? Surely eood citizenship is
shown by knowing how to vote, and as
no man can hold office who cannot
vote, SO ought no man to select officers
unless he be of sufficient intelligence
to hold Office himself.
To be unable to vote will be an in
| centive to education, and it was large
ly. due to this idea, and unanswerable
logic, that Massachusetts adopted AL
educational test for suffrage, and holds
it against any and all demagogical
heresies.
For an educational test we have the
highest authority. and if the object of
the constitution is for this alone, then
the convention should unquestionabIy
be ordered. But the convention has
a much wider field, as we will be able
to show before the day of election ar
rives. In direct point, here we cite
that General Grant in his sixth annual
message useses these words. "Educa.
tion of the people entitled to exercise
the right OF francise, regard as essen
tial to general prosperity everywhere,
and especially so in republics where
birth, education or previous condition
of servitude does not enter into ac-
count In giving suffrage" If he re
garded this as fact. why should not
suffrage be limited? and that be was
an advocate of such limitation is
proven by lis own words. In his sew
enth annual message so potent was
this thought in his mind that be again
vigorously expressed himself on the
subject. He said, I'VE are republic
whereof one man is as good as another
before the law. Under such q form
of government it is of the greatest i'm
portance that all should be possessed
of education and intelligence enough
to cast vote with right understand
ing OF its meaning. A large associa-
ton OF Ignorant men cannot for any
considerable period oppose success
full resistance to tyranny and oppres-
sion from the educated few. but will
Inevitably sink into acquiescence to
the will of intelligence whether direct
ed by the demagogue, or by priestcraft. y
Backed by such high authority as this
we propose to speak. We need not
look for authority to Democ ratio
sources which would be classed as
partisan by Republicans, for the wis
dom of this convention. Such as we
quote above was written thirty years
ago and written by the supreme ruler of
The Nation, to the people of the Nation,
uttered by General Grant when Pres
ident of the United States to the
chosen leaders of the Nation in Con-
yress assent led, andwhen he who utter
ed these words was regarded more as |
King than as a president, and when his |
sway was so universal and absolute |
hat utterances emanating from him
were received with such respect and
7eneration, as have seldom been ac-
corded to any man in modern times.
Believing that General Grant then
Uttered his true sentiments, believing
hat his sentiments were true, when
Uttered, and are now true, we deem it
wisdom on the part of the people of
|irginia 10 follow such teaching, and
It the same time wisdom on the part |
i those at whom the enemies of edu
alton are proclaiming this constitu-
Ional convention Is aimed, to assist
o calling such convention, that it may
ut education above ignorance and /,
ice in Virginia and SO uplift the
tate that the day of demagogey and ,
which General Grant so
luch dreaded, and which are bound
D obtain in the midst of ignorance,
lay be forever hurled from place and
over.
iMPuDENT TRUSTS. y
We wish to apologize to our readers t
u the paper upon which this and the | q