The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-03-19
judicial departments Of tho state, espc-

ucp1l lllcnLS LINZ Stdle,
$cially with the latter. II
The Constitution ~ Tie Linited States
could have been made an instrument for
the destruction OF the Union, Instead OF
Tor It's gprcservat lion. hal not its early
construction fallen upon those whose love
of country puri lied. and whose wisdom
and Justice ennobled their decisions. To-
those honest and highminled men. who
form the supreme judiciary Of this State
have been committed those needs ard
wishes OF the people, exDi esscd in CONVEX
ton assembl l and from them must
come the final result. 5 lt tss8 Il
'.As our labors are over, n we MAY to-
night Indulge Ia the pleasures OF retro
8spect Il. 81; n S83
iS when last we were here we had not;
had time ( o look a { re work as whole
For months 1t had been our duty tcs
scrutinizc each detail of each subjec. as
IT was presented for cnnsidera i'm. Con-
sidcring closely each day the subject then
before us, ur8rninds were focused upon
that particular subject, and we gave no
4 heed to the number Of changes which
had already been ma de. AS 1t thus grew
we were unable TO yiewsit as a whole, and
see how many and how great were the
innovations we had introduced.
Conservative Radicals.
rs
Looking at It now, rs whole, and
comparing 1t with the former Constitu-
4 tions ofsthis State, we must admit that In
our work we were, to say the least y con-
sservati tive; radicals. Looking at the res
suits. we should rejoice in the fact that
&justifles that admission ~
demands for a Constitutional Com
Eyention arose from the overshadowlng
question OF suffrage. There was really
no other definite, positive call for 1t. Ii
lis true that the people were FESTIVE under
@the course Of legisla ton intsthis State
But II was an underlined dissatisfaction
~ Like All infant CRYING In the night
And with no language but a cry.
g2 While we were really called for one
main purpose, we soon found that It would
be impossible for us to confine our labors
TO that one subject. EARLY In our de-
<berations we were face to face with,
the question whether rye should follow
what have been called the old broad lines
OF the early Constitutions, or should we
recognize the existence ofsdangers OF a
later growth and form Constitution
more adapted to modern needs and hence
more specific in the grant Of power, more.
restrictive in its limitations, and more
preventive Of the growth OF dangerous
power in persons and artificial creations.
siii55"You saw mt to }ad opt the latter COURSE.
%Of course, your critics on the outside,
who neither shared your labors nor your
responsibilities, declared that you were
ignoring all precedents, and descending
q to legislative minutiae. Former Constitu-
3tions, the Magma Charta, and other hoary5
documents, were cited to you as worthy
&precedents to follow. OF course, those
critics, like most men who cite docu-s
.mcnts. which they have never read, were
wrong both in their advice jas statesmen
and their knowledge as students OF his
tory. For one fact stands indusputable,.
that the most distinctive characteristic
i OF the fathers OF Unconstitutional liberty,
whether upon English or American sol.
was common sense. They recognized
clearly existing evils and demanded prac-s
( tical reforms and remedies, ,&
1.-THE provisions OF the Magma ChartaS
are by no means confined to the recogni-.
ton OF the broad principles and precepts
OF constitutional liberty. Z fl y 81
" THAT great grant ofSthe seeds OF Eng
llsh constitutional government conde-s
seconds to prohibit the spuryeyunce of cat-J