Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-07-11

the sovereign people, III l0p"DhO 9''O"'"
not be required to take all oath of fidelity
to some superior power before entering
upon the discharge OF the delegated au'
thority to frame the organic law of the
republic
The very character of our government
implies that all law, organic and statutory,
should conform to the basic principle Of
republican government which asserts the
civil and political equality of all men. The
Bill of Rights, the Declaration of hide
pendepce and the Fourteenth and Eff
teenth Amendments to the Federal Con-
stitution all embody and assert the doc
trine of civil and political equality. IN
der the Reconstruction Acts, that have
never been declared unconstitutional the
State of Virginia WAS required and agreed
TO frame a new Constitution, admitting
the civil and political equality Of all men
and the new citizenship established by the
Fourteenth Amendment. The new State
Constitution was so framed, was ratified
and confirmed by the people, was accept
ed by Congress. and, upon the faith OF The
pledges made by the new Constitution,
Virginia was restored to the Union. Hav'
ing ratified and accepted the 18th Article
of the present State Constitution with
full knowledge of its permanent binding
pledges. it did and does bind any subse'
Quent body of men claiming to lawfully
represent the people Of Virginia or Its
sovereignty, when undertaking to modify,
change OF reform the organic law of the
State. This compact is not only legally
binding, but the good faith and conscience
of the people are pledged to respect and
keep it. Colonel Cameron feels in honor
bound to keep the pledge of his party,
made in convention at Norfolk, to submit
the Constitution which is to be framed to
the people, but does not feel that he and
the other members of the convention, who
claim to be supreme, are in honor bound
to keep the pledge made by Virginia as a
condition to her restoration to the Union.
As to Colonel Cameron's second propo-
sition or apothegm: There is no one to
whom a sovereign is responsible" Every
law.making as well as law.eXecuting pow
er-soyereign by right or sovereign by del
egation-is required to acknowledge re-
sponsibilty or accountability TO the nat
ural, inherent rights of men who have or
ganized themselves into state of soclety
for the protection Of their natural or God
given rights. The delegation of a power
means service by the one to whom it is
delegated; and service means responsibility
or accountability, not only to the source
but also to all individuals whose rights are
to lie seriously affected by the exercise Of
the authority
The third proposition: 1.-THE idea Of an
oath implies the existence of a superior"
This is true We will not undertake to
dispute it, but will deny its application to
the Constitutional Convention in support
of the claim that it has no superior. AT
two points in his remarks the speaker adj
mitted that the Consti ution of the United
States is a superior authority or power to
the constitutional Convention, and at one
point be admitted that the Convention
was answerable to the people Of Virginia.
How can the convention be supreme, if it
is limited in its authority by the supreme
power Of the Federal Constitution, or how
can the convention be sovereign and yet
snswerable to the people?
Colonel Cameron has admitted that the
Convention has two superiors-the Federal
Constitution, and the people from whom
it (the convention) derived its power. The
admission of a superior implies the neces'
sity for taking the OATH
As to the fourth apothegm: "We are
the people, for the purposes set forth of
framing the Constitution. To whom then
shall we swear fidelity except to ourselyes?"
This apothegm, which is made an inteTog'
atory, is answered completely by the two
admissions of Col. Cameron, that the con-
venton is limited in its power by the Con-
stitution of the United States, and lis
answerable only to the people from whom
it derived its powers" These are admis-
sions that the Convention has superior
and that it possesses only a delegated pow
err. At certain stage of his remarks Col.
Cameron undertook to demonstrate that
the convention is sovereign and supreme
because of the manner in which it was
called into existence. He said:
"Now, my friends, we come to the
point: When did this convention come
into existence ? AS an integral part of
this body, may | make an illustration with
great reverence When the Maker Of us
oil of tho comnletiOn of his creation of the |