Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-03-19
COMMUNICATED FOR Tur ENQUIRER.
CIRCULAR.
Richmond. Mrrch

Richmond, March 6, 1922
SIR After tedious, and an, afraid the .peopIe
w'ii think, u most Improbable session we have nj
iehg'h brought our labors 10 close-But few sub
Jrc'S OF generally interesting nature, have been
ulsosed oi-but IN truth many such are Iik civ 10
ARISE m any one yeaI.--The mass of business how
ever, Urlncipally OF private aud local c!,aracierO
upon which the legislature was called upou io nct
was immense, and Is likely hereafter, 10 encrease
Ta'her Than to be diminshed-eaving no hone of any
curiaIment of The length of the sessions until The
legislature shall surrender the proper departments
OF 'he government, powers, which conceive, she is
improperly exercising. now exercises movers
which consider as property uertainipo to ,be Eve
curve, IN the remission of fines penalties SC and
VI me appointment of host OF petty officers the ex
LIE ~. ~ eIec"ng some OF whom, often costs more
'hah the salary allowed them. IN like manner il
sometimes happens That $500 or 500 are expended in
deciding whether fine of go ar 80 shall he remit
tu' ~ IS !he more strange, that the legislature should
nave retained IN her own hands this inri6ctHt pow
er when the Executive are already entirsted with
hat infinitely more imporant-the power Of dispeHS-
ing fye AMI death. conceive that the legislature ex
ns "aciof functions, IN deciding upon appIica
''ons Tor divorce--and thus she does too upon ex
Par'e eVidcnce-into,aG ie sanction ofan oaih Evi-
ue"o", "hlch IN aconr OF justice, would not he re-
JeNeu IN an action for The smallest Of mopey, is
"cehed snihcIent TO Justify the dissolution of the most
sacred OF human contracts The only mitigation
OF thIs nnwise OF not unautorsed exercise of pow
erJ IS e TACT, tha II IS rarely abused-for divorces
are seldom or nerer granted-When she shall have
restored these powers to the proper hands, TOR they
were once there) we may expect short sessions and
"o' before: There IS another and Il much better rea-
SON. why The sessions should be longer than they for
mery were--the legislature has lie management
(hhh do not think it would be advisable 10 divcst
themselves OF i oftwo large and Important corpora-
ions the Internal improvements and the Literary
uHds. a due attention 10 these will necessarIv
consume much ti.2e each ear, a nd fha time cannot
u'nk, he devoled to mole important objects.
q 9''gect which occupied much Of oar time
was Tie Mission from the State of Kcntuokv. The
V'yect OF fhs mission induce us 10 say that
hef laws IN relation non esident c,Ders of land
were III conformity with the compact Of separation
nre'ween ihe two states. II IS impossible within the
limits OF letter TO place This subject Jhg before you
out as It IS one great importance and Of very gene.
raj iueresi, will endeayor 70 give YOU snccinct
ana cOndrssed vic~ Of il. BY these laws, when the
Teat owner of lnnd RECEIVERS his pr0peYiv he j. oa-
eu to pay TO the occupant" Ga man who without
rue or Ttc, has squsiied down mon ) the value Of
such improvements ~ lie has thought fit to make
'hs value To he asreralned by commissioners, mp
pointed by Ute court, most Ui whom probably, with
ne cour, nSelf are situated precisely rs the ind,i.
dual Tor e'liom they called upon 10 make tbe an
rtaIseiSent Under such circumstances liie STRANGER
has but lutte chance of iusiice.-AccordngIy il has
happened ~ some ctscs, (and believe IN not few
ihai Tie improvements, they called, on tract
81 Hmd, are valued for Than iiaprorgwenfs and
ioHo together sell iur, and the only loses
MS land-atier having recovered il by suii-jut is
held lnble for the deficiency IL was laws snscepti-
bic OF this sOrt of abuse, and producing such mon.
Sfrods esuits as these, that were called upon TO
say we're founded on principles Of Justice and we're
~ conformity with the provisions Of tie compact
which had for lbs object the protection Of the rights OF
our ci'Izens! IL we refused TO say tlis they asked
us To appoint commissioners, 10 take i,is subject
land his ai0ae,) under consideration Our answer
was tit we could give sanction to their laws
nor could we appoint commissioners, with the limit
ed powers which hers possessed. We were however
perfectly willing 10 appoint them, wilh f powers 10
discuss and settle all matters OF difference between
tlie Two siles.-Ihc purpose for which her commits
sOners here was To- obtain our s,ncton 10 Their
laws to lie used Ia the supreme court of The United
| 5,aies--'n which seit IS depending, involving