The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-02-24
The constitutional convention.

The fSOnS11tf1tsOuSiAN |ohSS''esO..s
Editor The Times: ,,.,,..
: Sir.-ls there any Limitation TO the pow,
~. of III. approaching constitutional
Tonyen.son. save the Federal Constitu-
tionp Viii il not have the right TO pro-
,,ose IN The people the adoption Oh an
51n,i,c,y ,,cw organic law The pol'ty OF
.fis may be quite different from the one
now - force in the state 10 'tlsesi'''.e-
f-on,d il not adopt SUGGESTING ana aoHis.
ory features in the place OF its Prese ,i
mandatory provisions? Would 1t not De
,,,isc,. for us to simply suggest what we
5bi,,k would be best for our 1uiarc &c
ZION than to say Self. sou shal! 90
md shall not do certain Things III u
1,rc before our future needs and require
,nents are disclosed? In formulating GOV
erninent for an inferior, 1t. is cANeuieii.
TO have an abundance of the thou sh.it
and shalt not in its provisions a notaoie
example OF L superior giving laws TO an
3nfe,ior is found in the story of Moses
receiving the law from the Almighty.
BIZ which the 1sraeliteS We're 10 DE soy
crred, which Brightly enough3 abounos III
mandatory provisions
How foolish it would be for us to say:
..No motive power shall ever be used
except steam'' or mo wagon shall ever
be made except after certain pattern,
or mo house or clock or engine or reaper
or plow or anything else except alter
certain pattern or fashion shall ever De
made in this State Would rot such con-
duct SAVIOR strongly of our eccleslancai
creed making age? ! think MAJ GaS en-
tirely cxcusable for making sucn creeds.
because he believed that they came from
an authority which was absolute and all
wise An instance of the 1inwiSdom OF
the mandatory is found in article ], sec
ond clause Of the Bill of Rights. which
reads: This State shall ever remain a
member OF the United States OF Amerl-
ca And the fourth clause declares:
THAT all power is vested in, and conse-
ouently derived from the people" What
an anomaly! If all power is vested in
the people who knows. but that they
to insure their safety and happiness. may
be compelled to seek more conSenial al
lianccs? The twentieth clause reads: All
citizens possess equal civil and political
rights and public privileges And again:
..JAll persons entitled to vote and hold Of
flee, and none others shall be eligible to
sit as jurors.
AS a piece of monumental Jolly in the
binding business. you are referred to ar
ticle twelve, latter clause, second Sec
ton. which is is follows: NO amend
ment to or revision of this Constitution
shall be made. which shall deny or in
any way impair the right of Suffrage or
any civil OF political right as conferred
by this Constitution, except for causes
which apply TO all persons and classes
without distinction"
Let our next convention, then, attempt
neither to amend nor revise this con-
Germ, which was forced upon us by aliens
and enemies. but let it be forever con-
signed to the dark backward and abyss
of time: and let us make and adopt
Constitution for ourselyes-one which
VIII be cognizant of oar present living
End lin SO far as We can anticipate) iu-
tu1e necessities and requirements.
NJ. II BARROW.
Barrows Store, Va, Feb, 1901.