Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-08-01
THURSDAY. AUGUST l, 1901.
VIRGINIA CRAFTSMANSHIP.

In the early days of the Republic, Nir-
ginia furnished patriots and statesmen of
whom she may Justly be proud, and that
did vast service to the nation and the
cause of human freedom. Virginia states
men framed the immortal Bill Of Rights
and the Declaration of Independence, and
they had much to do with framing the
Constitution of the United States, which
approaches most nearly the perfection of
organic law. Virginia also furnished some
of the ablest defenders of the Constitution,
when it was assaulted by extremists and de-
nounced as imperialsuc in its nature. 1t
found no ADLER defenders than Washing.
ton, Madison and Marshall. So fortunate
was the Old Dominion in the possession of
intellectual citizenship that it won the
name of "'the mother of states and states
men" and also that of "the mother of
Presidents.
For nearly three-quarters of a century
Virginia occupied leading, undisputed
position in the councils of the nation, won
by the ability Of her statesmen. She had
given birth to Washington, Jefferson,
Madison, Monroe, Marshall, Henry, the
Randolphs, the Masons, the Rives', Hun
ter, Wise, and hundreds of Others who
form an unsurpassed galaxy in the history of
constitutional government. These fathers
and statesmen who made Virginia famous
in the early days of the Republic, and be-
fore the extreme advocates of state-rights
had tried to destroy the Union, were OF
entirely different nature to those men
who now pose as statesmen here. They
were bold, frank and determined advO'
Gates of what they believed to be right,
and did not try to accomplish by trickery
and subterfuge the adoption of any princi'
pie or policy they originated for furthering
our plan of government. The Bill of
Rights was not adopted for the benefit of
any class of citizens nor for partisan ends,
nor was the Declaration of Independence.
The Constitution of the United States,
framed for the establishment of perma-
nent Union, was not written by the faith
ers nor ratified and adopted by the States
to supply government to preferred class
es or to perpetuate the power of some then
existing political organization. The prin-
ciples of government enunciated by the
Bill of Rights, the Declaration OF Independ-
ence, the Constitution of the United
States, and the State Constitutions of the
original Thirteen States, were so broad and
liberal that they indexed the minds that
conceived, framed and accepted them.
The Virginia statesmen of the ante bellum
DAYS became great and distinguished be-
cause of the principles they originated and
advocated and the manner in which they
presented and upheld them.
Have we any statesmen and statesman
ship left in Virginia A convention is
now being held at Richmond to frame a
new Constitution for Virginia. What was
the necessity for this convention and what
its purpose No one will undertake to
deny that it was called to perpetuate the
control, if possible, of political party.
This is to be done by so shaping the suf-
frage laws that Republicans will be dis.
franchised and the right to vote left in the
hands of every one who declares himself
Democrat. Such is the known object Of
Tile OOuN6nllOug anu " GuCil CuOC lIlC
efforts and brains of the so.called states
men of the Commonwealth directed. To
such a level has the craftsmanship OF Vir
GINA descended. Can it be called states
manship, or should it be truly named ma.
chine politics
We are told that the Convention is COM
posed of able men, the ablest in the State.
We find lawyers of reputation in their
profession, congressman, judges, editors,
and United States Senator all engaged
in lively scramble, to do what? To
suggest suffrage scheme that will nullify
the supreme law of the land This is the
highest test of legal ability and statesman
ship that seems to be applied by those
who are controlling the convention. All
the statesmen have been racking their
brains for plan to disfranchise the ne
grOes that Will violate the tnteentn
Amendment, but in such cunning way
that the courts will sustain the plan. Law
yers and otheIs who have wished to win
regulations have presented resolutions out
lining plans that they hoped would make
them famous, all of them seeking to rob
q class of citizens of vested right and to
degrade instead of elevate citizenship.
The last to enter.the arena of subterfuge
and outrage is the august Senator, John W.
Daniel. He has devised suffrage scheme
which friends proclaim will disfranchise
Republicans without doing the same for