The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-06-18

ii, ar,esuhsisniial The universal ambition
of men In ohfain oiices ondfl lhe govern
ment, is considered by al, aud nleb ih'
disposal of them is in The hands ef a fen
men in zach county, or, greater nafnhr
AT the stat Of government, tr're * gtea
opportunity for intrigue, II not aeiuai hri
berry and corruption. by these means, an
by f.mily friendships aud tdyorlilsm, rs
piring amhifinu. aided by wealth, will OF
ten be successful, IN opposition H. learning
talents, and every other valuable qualiiiea
lion y, rrser,ug this power in the hand
nj tn. people, such evils will he renied.rd
aud beside. This advantage, there IS nno
/ Their of equal Importance. By Tins methot
ef appointment. spirit of republican indie
/ prndcuce Will be- kept alive among them
and consequently u greater clrcuiaiinn %
intelligence. FoI il is II truth of ian lmpor
tant character, that in tb"se parts of th,
l.. Stats where there has been the great
esi share of this power reserved 10 Tho
people, and consequently mOre poiItcn
strlr, there Is found much greater portion
uf Intelligence among them, concerning
their natural aud political rights +; " Incl
renders them Jealous aud foithfnl guardians
Of their freedom. For the truth OF this re-
mark We appeal 10 all intelligent mrn, whu
have visited different paris of our country,
and also for The Justice of the following
Thr Intelligent traveller who visits Virgin
il, is hospitality received, and couvrl ses
with men of talents and lrHuing, from
whom he receives The most favorable i'm
presslons ~ regard 10 the state of know
ledge, virtue aud happiness Of those with
whom he associates. But when he attends
few courts aud elections, where the great
mass of the proplr is IS embed, and IN diff
lrrrnt and more distant counties, he will
perceive thai in some things he was mista-
taken, and will discover, that although he
has listened with pleasure, 10 the most
agreeable lessons of rcpublleauisn, yet, al
these place, strong and distinct features oi
arsioeraey are seen, IN full operation, aud
political knowledge is less circulated than
be cxl rcled. lIav, our political institutions
any influence over this state of thugs p
We sincerely believe that they have, and
thai the little power which is left in the
hands of the people generally has operated
III the course oi hail u century, 10 prodnc.
u kind of morbid Indifference, which la
some instances amounts To a complete
apathy, ia regard 10 those who are dcprip
ed of those national rights hich We adj
tucatc--a state Of society most alarming
in regard To the perfect preservation of
liberty. An aristocratical feature in go
scrnment processing IN recognize the natu-
raj rights OF man, in their fullest extent, is
one of An Odlous nature, ana totally rrpng
nant 10 the very essence of those rights
One of the most striking features in our
county court system, Is undenlsbiy Of that
stamp n select body of men Who are
for llft, possessing those va
rlons powers W. have mentioned, AND that
body only, having the power of adding To
its number, 10 keep alive and full, forms II
uf power and being, unlike
any thing 10 be found in any representative
eo,crnmcnt, aud equal in power 10 any
body of men under any government ADM.
On known aud written laws. As
all features il our government of this char
scter, or, Which are deemed To he in amy
degree repuguant IL IA republican govern
mept, dcarrs" our attention, we will men
Hou The clcl rs of the several courts, who
hold their Offices during life, or good bcha
ylaur. Are the nature OF their duties, of
that high and important character, which
require that Independence of the people,
aud does the exercise of their Office require
ihat calm and icc state of the mind, which
l. necessary in determining abslrnse aud
gal qutsiians, involving all the ductrin s
at constitutional, statute or common law :
/ 50, the prescnt practice is undoubtedly
correct but Il 6thrrN lsr, and If then doc
trlnrs are of y 4ptain And easy kind rrquir
ing nothing morr'thaa care and industry,
II would appear that those lucrative situn
tlons have brn improperly rendered as
permanent as the arduous and responsible
one of Judge. Can this be called re-
pahIean feature Or rather doe-- it not
SAVIOR much of hereditary rank and power.
the darling Of monarchy 1t may be
deemed IA direct violation of the principles
recognized in our Bill Of Rights. Wherein
are they amcnahl, 10 the people ~ This
IS 50 r"pngnani To the general tenor ofthat
venerable Instrument, that il is Il matter of
some surprise, Tat those i1cu who wrote
it, aud who also drew the other parts of our
constitution, should have been drawn in to
such contradictory positions but this mp
pears Ia have been the fact when the whole
detail of powers were distributed, totally
dlsrcgardlpg their general principles, ex
pressed in the Bill IF Rights.
We have thus slightly examined the
three great divisions in our constitution,
aud have cndea,orcd To point out wherein
the powers or duties of the one, or the
other, infringe on those which properly
hrIo. g TO another, 4 also have attempted to
show wherein each has greater share oil
duti, 5 than appeared naturally to belong to
ii. In doing This, we have not critically
examined every puint that presented itself
TO us intending to bring into view those
prominent features oH'y, mud tlre most ev
dent traits belonging to each, and eir.ct
our enquiries 10 those glaring inIiingements
which 10 cibly struck Us on the first view.
II is perceived that the executive branch
Is the weakest of either, and rendered
Somewhat more So by being entrusted to
several hands, which circumstance, togcth
er with that of its appon TN n being taken