Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-25
CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION.
Former Conventions Held In tho State of
Virginia aud tho Prospects of tho Future
First Ono Ever Assembled.
(From the Evening Times, of Newport
NeWs.O


News.)
Probably no man in the city of New
port News, and, in fact, few in the
state of Virginia. are more thoroughly
posted on the subject of the Constitu-
tional convention than is Colonel
Marquis Jones, the well-known attor-
ney of this city. AT the request of the
Evening Times, Colonel Jones has pre-
pared an article on the subject, which
is given below. which will doubtless be
read with the greatest interest. 1t
covers not only the future, but all the
conventions ever held in Virginia. in
Guiding the first constitutional conven-
ton ever held. and is very instructive
as matter of history, as well as being
intensely interesting at this time. Col
onel Jones article follows:
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CoNvEN
TION.
The complex system of a Federal
government or. to speak more exactly,
oil the government of Federal States
is, when the checks and balances are
properly adopted and kept so, the
nearest of perfection of all human gov
ernments. 1t is founded on the immu-
table principles like the law of the
universe. that equal forces operating
In adverse directions will produce sta
bility.
The state governments are denomi=-
mated governments of unlimited DOW
crS-that is to say, the State govern
nhents can exercise any power which
III is not prohibited from exercising by
the State Constitution and by the Fed
eral Constitution-while the Federal
government is a government OF limited
powers-that is to say, It can exercise
no power that is not expressly or by
pam implication granted to it by the
States in the Federal Constitution; and
so the power granted by the Federal
constitution may be denominated the
political centrifugal force Tor the force
In feeling from the centre) and the
powers not granted but retained by
the states the centripetal force Cor the
force impelling to the centre) and if
these two forces are kept in exact
equal intensity, we will have absolute
stapilty in the government We have
deemed the reference to the foregoing
fundamental principle as timely, for. as
we are taught in that great (if not
greater) State paper, the Virginia Bill
or the blessings of liberty can be pre-
served TO any people hut by a firm ad-
herence to Justice, modera ton temper
ance. iruGality and virtue and by a
frequent recurrence to Fundamental
principles"
On the 9th day of May. 1776. there met
in the old city of williamsburg the first
constitutional convention In the history
OF the world-the first convention. that
by written constitution. placed limita-
ions upon the exercise of power by
State government. 1t is true ii was
not chosen for that specific purpose
alone. but 1t was u convention of sovcr-
cign powers. with no Limitation upon its
powers. and the duty of the hour.
thught by hitter experience. was 10
secure the liberties Of the people
against the encroachments OF a tyrani-
cal government The storm cloud of
war had gathered over the thirteen
colonies, and many and dire were the
forebodings of the patriots, as they saw
that II must inevitably burst upon their
beloved State. There were men gath
cred there whose names have become
household words in their own country.
and an inspiration to the patriots of
all countries and all ages. Patrick
Henry. whose blazing star was now
reaching Its zenith, was there: George
Mason. the profound philosnphlc think
err and the author of the Virginia Pill
of Rights. was there: james Madison.
the exact logician, who was soon to cx-
hiDit his marvellous powers on % still
larger field, was there and Thomas
Jefferson. If not the greatest. easily
primus interparcs, the great apostle of
civil and religious liberty and of
human rights. was there From such
a body. guided by such leaders. there
came the first written constitution ever
devised by man, and from their hands
Virginia sprang. like Minerva, from
the head of love. fully armed among
the free States of the world
There were other men such aseCnri-
bald Cary in that body who have i'm
pressed upon our State their greatness
and nobility OF soul. But time and
space would fail to tell Of all their
deeds-their names and fame are
suCrpd hprttagu of tire old curnrUuu-
wealth will 1,ta OH
as human being aspire for human
rights.
On the 22d day of June. 1776. the first
written constitution. famed by an in
dependent political society. was unani-
mously adopted.
Under this constitution the people
of Virginia lived in freedom and happi-
ness for fifty years"
The second constitutional convention
met in the city of Richmond on the
9Th day or October, 1929. With the
probable exception of the State con-
constitution 1T was the greatest body
of men that ever met In n delibcrative
assembly Washington. jefferson
and Mason had Joined the Silent ma
jority." but John Marshall, the unrl-
vailed jurist, and James Madison were
there. The venerable ex-President
James Munroe was there. And there
too. flashed the erratic, but brilliant,
light of the genius of John Randolph.
of Roanoke. There, too. was John Ty-
Ter, in the ed year of his age But
the men who showed that time had
furnished worthy successors to their
illustrious predecessors were such men
as Phillip Dohnrdge, Robert r. Taylor,
John Cooke, Chase F. Mercer, Chap
man Johnson. Alexander Campbell,
William II. FitZhugh. Briscoe G. Bald
win, Benjamin Watkins Leigh, Abel p.
Upshur. William Il. Giles, Robert Stan
ard. Philip z. Barbour. John w. Green.