Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-03-12

The femoiest doubt, proyiae ,..o people viii
not take the Subject INTO their solemn consd-
Grafton and attempt TO apply some remedy To-
this great and growing evil. Aud during this
period of profound tranquility, when our peo-
pie are all engagedjn their peaceful pursuits,
| when all our fundamental laws have been rs-
tablIshed, when we have had full fine 10 test
their wisdom and policy, what is there that
ought to engage the attention of our iegisla-
ture during session of 80 days could not
every thing be done that ought to he done
within few weeks
shall we go on enac!ing, repeating and IA
mendIng our laws, until no man can pretend TO
understand what are the laws of the land on
any one subject, except those whose profes-
sion IL is 10 understand them?
We have been engaged us an independent
community for the last 10 years in moulding
TO our own wishes and feelings our funda,ncn-
tai laws. Is it not time to pause while. as it
relates to them, until we can test their wisdom
and policy?
We have already had two or three revisals :;
the last was the work of great labour and
cost the commonwealth at least s 10000. Ii
composes two large volumes. Ii has been
distributed IN great numbers and at great ex-
pense INTO every part of the commonwealth
Each individual has an opportunity of reading
II, and In few years our people would be-
come Eamliarized with all the principal laws
IT contains, provided they are not repealed,
and amended, and thrown again into chaos
ana confusion by new race of lawgivers.
In what way, then,fellow citizens, are you to
be benefited by these long sessions of tl,e le-
gislature? What do you get in return for this
enormous expenditure of the public revenue I?
Would it not be better that it should be appli-
ed TO some of your public Institutions, or in
opening facilities To your commerce and agri-
culture When any great public good is to be
eHected-whent the fame of our common coun-
Try is In any way 10 be advanced, then as IA
virgDian-lwoud never murmur at expense
would feel myself rewarded in the contem-
pa.ion of the public happness--n seeing the
permanent interest & glory of my native coun-
try promoted. But the measures which in my
humble Judgment seemed TO have this tenden-
cy,which We're brought forward during the last
session of the Legislature, were all strangied IN
Their b'rth-some of them will take the liner
~ OF mentioning. had supposed that the
interest OF the commonwealth imperiously
demanded that another member should be
ADDED tn the court of appeals. 1t is well
known that one of the members of this court
Ia venerable and venerated patriot. who has
spent his whole life 10 useful services TO his
country,) has been unable for several wears
to attend TO public duties, in consequence of
which, but four judges are left to compose
tilat court If one of these is sick or unable
To- attend, the court of appeals is composed
OF three Judges. In pronouncing their opi-
mons, if one OF them should dissent, the case
is decided by two. This number is not
majority OF the whole court when full, and of
course questions thus decided, are not re
garded as setting the law of the country. To
day my case may he decided one way, when
the court is composed Of three iudScs-to-
morrow the case of another man which ia cir
cumstances is precisely the same, may be
brought before the court when il is composed
oil four Judges and decided differently. or
there may be no decision upo1 il AZ all. in
consequence OF the court being equally divid-
ed. Can any thing be conceived which is
more calculated to excite murmur and dissa-
tlsfaction with all those who are compelled
10 so into our courts for redress of gricv-
ances, than this inequality in the measure of
justice, which would he thus dealt out /: This
high and respected tribunal, is the court OF
last resort To 1t we look for the final SET
Element of legal principles and when case
is decided by il, it should be SO organ
lzed, that the principles upon which ii is de-
clded should govern all other cases of similar
circumstances. But from the present situation
oil TINS court, we cannot expect that thiswill al
ways he the case. Inability to attend from
''NS" "i'u causes lllu5t g. VIII
~ happen. In such cases, where one member is
absent, the decision Of this court cannot set
tie the laws of the country. This measure
was rejected on the score of expense, when
ttco days session Of the legislature would have
paid, The Judge his annual salary. What is
| more important TO us than the speedy admit
nistratiOn of justice? And how much better
is hopeless delay Of right, than total de-
nal OF II? Ii the appointment of the adj
ditlonal Judge could in any degree have ac-
celebrated the Iaborious business of this court
would NOT sound policy have dictated that il
should have been made When we consider
the great Importance of this court to every
individual of the commonwealth-that it in
truth In great measure gives law to the
country-that its decisions are looked IN to-
and implicitly obeyed by all our inferior
courts--that it establishes The rules of proper.
ty, and that from its opinions there is no ap-
peal ISL not very important to the people OI
TINS commonwealth that it should be SO or.
SanIZed, that its decisions shall he uniform
and give universal confidence? This cannot
be The case when the court is composed o.
4 but three Judges, for the reasons which have
before stated. Was it really good objection
to this measure, that it would cost the com.
monweath annually S $500? Was it really
your wish that this paltry sum should be de-
nled IN rendering more complete this all i'm
portant tribunal whilst you are willing to see
expended hundreds of thousands of dollars in
useless legislation Is this the kind of econo-
my that is to make you a great and flourish
ing people, which is 70 preserve TO you the re-
spectahty of your government, and enable
1t to be the means Of your political welfare
and happiness?
Every proposition made in favour of yori
University was Indignantly frowned upon and
received the marked and decided disapproba.