Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-27
TWELVE PAGES.
FRIDAY. APRIL q, 1900.
TO THEM THAT CRY "UNCLEAN''

The Virginian-Pilot is no admirer of
shares in the contempt and disgust
with which the trainers of that docu-
ment are regarded by Vlrginians. Yet
good or bad. the State has been govern
ed by 1t for years. and Legislature after
Legislature has adjourned without ex-
ercislng the perfectly clear power of
submitting amendments thereto.
1t may be admitted, if any desire II,
that every line and syllable OF the I'm
derwood Constitution are repugnant to
good public policy, dangerous to the
peace of the Commonwealth and humil-
Eating to the pride of the citizen. Let 1t
be granted that this Constitution and
every provision OF it are polluted by its
origin. And yet to-day we find it ser-
ously proposed that the Democratic
party in putting a new constitution in
force shall take advantage of a most
disreputable feature of this disreputable
document-the feature that permits the
ipse dixit of convention to make
Constitution binding on the people,
Il
the Democratic party. writhing under
sense OF the disgraceful origin of the
Underwood Constitution, to drag from
the closet this grinning skeleton of
carpet-baggery and swear that it
blooms with beauty and glows with
perennial health? After more than
thirty years, is It to justify the politi-
nf
men" by deliberately approving of their
brutal contempt of the rights of the
people as clearly shown by this provi-
-Sinn2 Is II TO curse the scalawags of ,6S
while st profits by their knavery? Is it
to go before the people of Virginia cry
Ing "unclean. unclean," and yet with a
proposition to take advantage of the
sins of the unclean thing?
One OF the severest indictments
brought against the reconstruction re-
gme-an indictment that will make it
odious till the last page of our history
shall be written-is that 1t disfranchis-
ed many OF the States most enlighten-
ed citizens. Yet the carpet dagger"
submitted the Underwood Constitution
10 q vote OF the people. Shall it be said
OF the Democratic party. that in nut
ting new Constitution in force.i II dis
cranchised ALL Virginians by refusing
them the privilege OF voting For or
Against" such Constitution?
One of the main reasons urged in fo-
vor OF amending the constitution Is that
there Is need to qualify the suffrage.
Is It Democratic doctrine that a "cote
RE OF men be empowered to disfran
chise whom they will. without the as
sent OF the whole people? No polit;cal
party can be better than ito nr,rc,-
pies. NO political party can escape res
possibility to the people. a politicaI
party can survive defeat and be strong
IT can not survive moral cowardlce If
there Is need to qualify the suffrage
let the Democracy frame such oualif-
cation as Is needed, and going before
the people stand or fan courageouslv
by its convictions If it is afraid To
trust the people, it can not expect the
people to trust il.
There Is enough of opportunism and
or tfme-serving. without the Democracy
OF Virginia increasing the output. II is
practically assured that the Democratic
State Convention will declare for new
Constitution. Let il also declare that the
new Constitution shall be free from any
stigma of the old. Let 1t state lis DUR
pose to submit the new Constitution to
a vote OF the whole people for ratiflca-
ton or rejection. TO do less is to lay
itself liable to the same criticism that 1t
has passed ON those who despised and
dar1tsd the people OF Virginia. and