Still Blundering

The Planet calls the Virginia Constitutional Convention “unconstitutional.” Whites seek to disenfranchise black people in a way that does not “literally” violate the Constitution.

The unconstitutional “Constitutional” Convention is again in session here, wrangling over its work.
It has attempted to make radical changes, but has from time to time been checked.
The greatest blunder as yet recorded is its action in making the term of office of a senator two years instead of four.
The body was intended to be the conservative wheel of legislation, and serve as a check upon the hasty action of the lower body. This radical movement tends to destroy that very purpose.
It has become so tired out with the franchise discussion that it is being discussed in the party caucus.
The latest reports indicate that they are no nearer a solution than they were at first.
They want a plan to disfranchise the colored citizen and violate the Constitution of the United States, without violating the Constitution of the United States.
In other words, they want water to run down the hill without the water running down the hill.
They want the man to shoot the turkey, without the man shooting the turkey.
They want an act done without doing the act.
They are trying to find a way of doing an impossibility.
Whether or not they will or can succeed admits of no question.
The amusing part of the whole business is found in the fact that the legislature of Virginia and the unconstitutional “Constitutional” Convention are at logger- heads, and the indications are that if the two were left in the same room together long enough that snakelike one would swallow the other.
The body is being unmercifully condemned and colored folks are not the only ones voicing the condemnation either.

“Still Blundering,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed April 24, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/62.