Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-07-04

change their views.
THE contention of Senator Daniel, Col.
Cameron and others that the Convention
is sovereign, and owes no obedience to
either the organic law Of the State or OF
the United States. is absurd If their con-
tention be true, the convention, invested
with supreme power, can proceed to make
constitution which will violate all exist
ing law and presidents, declare it to be
the organic law of Virginia without ratih'
cation 10y the people, and subvert every
principle of our republicans form of gov
eminent. This would necessltate actual
revolution on the part of the people to
relieve themselves from the outrage intic-
ted by their servants and representatives
in convention called to frame, under ex'
isting organized government, a new or
amended constitution.
- After the war between the States~was
concluded, it became necessary for the
Safe of Virginia to regain admission to
the Union under what are known as the
Reconstruction Acts. All the seeded
States had by their Legislatures, refused
to ratify the Fourteenth Amendment as a
condition precedent to their admission to
the Union. This was soon realized to be
an objectionable blunder, land later OIL the
same States ratified the Amendment with
as hearty alacity as they had rejected it
the preceding year. This ratification had
followed the adoption of the present Con-
stitution of Virginia, which declares the
Constitution of the United States to be the
supreme law of the land.
By the adoption and ratification Of the
Fourteenth Amendment the citizenship OF
Virginia was placed upon an entirely diff
ferent basis. Before the State had seeded
men were primarily citizens of Virginia
and incidentally citizens of the United
States. Under the provisions of the Four
teenth Amendment National citizenship
was created, which was to supplant the
citizenship originating in or derived from
a State. This citizenship was not only
created but its protection amply provided
for. The new kind of citizenship was es'
tablshed by the following provisions:
"All persons born or naturalized in the
United States and subject to the jurls'
diction thereof are citizens of the United
States and of the State wherein they re-
side"
This provision was placed in the Consti'
tution to prevent repetition Of the as
sertion of the dangerous doctrine of State
rights which subordinated fealty to the
Union to fealty to the State. In fact 1t
was intended to effect a complete change
ia the nature of citizenship and put an end
to any assertion Of the rights Of States as
contended for by the seeding States.
The conduct of the present Constitutional
Convention is dangerous and revolutionary
in that it is an assertion of State-rights in
the face of the Fourteenth Amendment by
restoring citizenship to the same position
it occupied before the Amendment was
adopted and ratified. It's conduct is also
revolutionary in that it is the declared
purpose to violate that provision which
says: "No State shall make Or enforce
any law which shall abridge the privileges
or immunities of citizens of the United
States"
This provision is a positive inhibition to
enact any laws which discriminate against
any citizen or class of citizens.
1t is clearly the duty of the members of
any constitutional convention held In
Virginia while the Fourteenth Amendment
is part Of the Federal Constitution, to
take n oath not to violate the provisions
of the law Virginia solemnly pledged her
self to uphold as means Of being restored
to the Union.