The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-03-28
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
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| OoNSTITUTlONhL VVN VENIAVN'
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P. L. Barbour)
70 nv Fellow-Citizens of the county
Orange:
In compliance with the promise made
in the announcement ofmy candidacy for
the honor Of representing you in the Con
stitutional Convention about to be held, !
herein outline briefly my position on some
of the more important questions that
will come before that body.
That pure and intelligent electorate
il essential to the well being and perpe-
| tuity of our government, and that an
| ignorant and venal electorate IL not only
aconstant menace, but certain poison To
the body polite, are principles universally
recognized and our experience OF over
thirty years in Virginia with unrcstrct-
cd negro suffrage, emphasizes the demand
for the practical application of these fun
damental principles OF all sound ana
stable government, in remodeling our
Constitution. am in favor Of eliminnt-
ing this ignorant and corrupt vote, and
believe that il can be accomplished with
out infringement of the Federal COnstitu-
ton. BY written Constitution, Nirginia,
first among the peoples of the earth, set
the example, and led the way, whereby,
free people put restraints upon them
selves. in the exercise of supreme power,
tO the end that the cOmmon-wcal might
be promoted, and we would show our
selves strangely wanting in those high
qualities that characterized the fathers.
il seeing clearly the dire evils that exist.
we failed. in the exercise OF aclear, sound
Judgment. and a broad and patriotic
regard for the good OF the whole people
to apply the remedy.
Ii may not be amiss to state that this
same question was before the Constitu-
tional Convention of New York in 1921,
though in miniature only and that the
debates therein show that most OF the
ablest and most thoughtful men in TINT
body held the same views that we do as
to the unitness of the greater part OF the
colored voters, wisely and safely to en-
ploy the right OF suffrage, while the Con
stitutiOn that was promulgated by sald
convention contained restrictions on the
right Of suffrage applicable only to the
colored man; do not desire to exclude
from voting any worthy and intelligent
colored man whose interests are identi-
fed with the State, and who would be
entitled to vote under the wise and
wholesome restrictions Of the Constitu-
ton az it Is likely tn be adopted and |
think it is our privilege and duty az well,
and in the interest of that harmony that
should exist between all the peoples OF
the State, and in support also OF the alb
solute soundness of our position on prin-
ciple that we etappear, the TACT that in
this movement we are actuated by no
feeling of hostility to the colored man
but by profound conviction that the
ballot is being used by the great body OF
this vote to their and our detriment,
and that it is for the common welfare,
and this alone that we seek TO exclude 1t;
am opposed to the Acknowledgement OF
any white man entitled to vote under the
existing Constitution. Ii Is doubtless
true that many of these have abused this
high trust, but these are the exceptions
and not the rule, and it is hoped and be
Iieyed that under new order of things
the public sense will be more alive to
the evil. and that such cases will be rare.
favor the incorporation into the new
Constitution, of n provision that will in
future disfranchise any man that is con-
victed of selling his vote, or of buying
vote.
1t is generally conceded that the solu-
ton of the question, "who shall vote
under the new Constitution, il the para
mount matter; that other question,
"how shall we remodel our government,
State and county, so as to secure equal
or greater efficiency with fewer officers,
greater simplicity, and largely reduced ex-
penditure," | consider OF well-nigh equal
importance. That this remOdeling OF
our governmental machinery on more
economic lines is essential, is obvious to
every thoughtful mani that it can be ac-
complished without the sacrifice of eff
cheney. confidently believe II we will
but dispense with every unneces-
sary office, reduce the salary Of
every officer now receiving more than
he should and cut OFF every expendi-
ture that is not necessary or proper
and this would most earnestly advO-
cate. Just how this can best bc done
must of necessity be considered
ms whole, since certain agreed
data must be the basis for the cOnstruc-
ton OF the residue of any governmental
plan, that is TO say, it must first be de-
termined what instrumentalities (ofIices,
etc, shall be retained, and what dis
pensed with since the duties belonging to
those abolished must be assigned to OF
distributed among those retained, and
the powers OF those retained so adjusted
or enlarged MS to meet and discharge the
added duties 1t is only in the light OF
facts and figures that the wisdom or un-
wisdom Of this or thatsche OF govern
ment win appear. and we must needs
wait the gathering and tabulation OF
these facts and figures.