Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-04-05
FOR CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
Thomss M. Smiley Accepts the Call
Extended Him,

}. tOn:-In response to your hAtteriI
call upon me to announce myself as
q candidate for election to the const
] tutional convention, permit me to sa
! that, realizing thegrave responsibility
that will will rest upon representative
! thereto, have been in no sense a
: aspirant for membership in said cor
.vention.
In obedience. however, to my con
ception of duty to the expressed de
sire of so large number of our rep
resentajive citizens, I will make
sacrifice of inclination, and thus pub
licly announce myself as candidate
subject to the hereafter determination
of county and city constituency.
In making this announcement,
should be doing violence TO my owl
feelings did fail to express my appre
citation of the honor you have confer.
red upon me in thus manifesting your
confidence in my ability to worthily
represent you in body whose work it
will be to decide questions vital to the
best interests of, not only our immedi-
ate section, but of our loved Virginia.
The magnitude anG far reaching con-
sequences of the questions to be con-
sdered and decided are of such a varied
and complicated character, that it
| would be unwise for any one to com
NIT himself definitely on any one of
them.
AS individuals we have crude ideas
of what, in our judgment, might be
best, and as there is very naturally
and rightly desire to know something
regarding the views of candidates on
the more important questions, [ will.
In brief manner, state my views, be-
ginning with what appears to be the
first and paramount problem, viz: the
franchise question.
The right of suffrage is made the in
alienable privilege of every citizen of
our great country who is not debarred
by crime from the exercise thereof.
I would not therefore disfranchise
any one except for criminal offences,
but would so amend the law as to
make that man ineligible to vote du-
ring the next twelve months whose
name appeared on the delinquent tax
lists of the several counties and cities |
of the state some months preceding |
any general election. Every citizen, |
however, humble is beneficiary of |
the privileges and safeguards guar
anteed by our laws, and it would seem
that all should share to some extent in
the burdens imposed. Under this plan
no one would be disfranchised, save by
his own voluntary act. at would not
be out of harmony with the constitu-
tion of the United States, and would,
in my opinion. in a large measure
eliminate the vote of the indolent,
vicious and shiftless class as we'll as
give more dignity and value to the
privilege.
l am in favor of the reorganization
of the judiciary by the substitution,
in place of the present system, of a !,
certain number of judges having Juris-
diction over several counties and cor
aud | believe the ends of
justice can be as surely attained by
reducing the number of jurymen in
criminal trials to seven, or at most nine;
establishing majority verdict except
in cases where death or life imprison-
ment is involved in the charge, when
a unanimous verdict should be render
ed.
am in favor of a change in the cleo.
ton laws by which it would be nee
essary to have only one election each,
year, OF possibly one In two years.
l favor the election of all officials
by the people whom they are to serve.
belive also that great many of
the private and local bills now acted
upon by the Legislature could, and
ought to be, passed. upon just as in.
telligenIly by the courts aud that by
doing 80 we could possibly dispense
with biennial sessions of the Iegisla-
ture.
| believe the free sch 7ol system
should be more thoroughly systema |
tized, especially so in country districts.
| am opposed to the division of the
public school funds-that. IS, the set
ting aside of funds collected from white |
persons to the education of white chill
dren, and the amount collected from |
colored people to the education of col
Ored children. Tn ,se people are with |
US through no fault of their own. In
the dark days Of the COS the race was
true and faithful beyond expectation;
let us therefore try to elevate them |
and, by careful and judicious training
of mind and heart, discharge In a
measure the duty owing by the strong
to the weak. I favor, however, the |
using of the school taxes for school |
purposes in the counties from which |
collected.
From my present outlook | am in |
favor of submitting for ratification the |
new constitution to those qualified to
vote under its provisions.
There are many other questions of
that will be considered in |
the convention, the merit of which it |
will be impossible to consider in this
brief communication. Suf-
fee it to say, however, that if it is your
pleasure to further honor me by nomi-
nation and election shall esteem it a
privilege to be kept in close touch with
your sentiments 10 regard to all lead
ing questions as 1t is your interests as
uaIl 40 nv own that q ra iuvOlva6