The central gazette. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1820-1827, 1825-01-22
CONVENTION-NO W

10 the Legislative Department orour
Government il is objected. first. that i,
is 'oo numerous secondly. that il is
unequal "a system Of representation {:
and thirdly. that tits unjust because of
the restrictions on the RIGHT Of suffrage
he first objection must seem reasOna-
bic enough TO every candid observer Of
facts. The legislatures of our state Of
late wears have been characterised bv
'uiiF'v, an indeci.ion, a prodigal;ty of time
and treasure. which. whether we regard the
measures that have been adopted the sums of
money which have been expended or the time
consumed. warrants us in declaring this, the
most expensive, If not the least useful branch
ct our government. Our system of iurispru.
dcnce has become more and more complicated
as successive legislatures have piled statute
upon statute, IN the vain effort TO give it add
tional light Schemes of commercial and in
tel'ectn9l Improvement have been adopted and
abandoned with pucrile fickleness of purpose
objects of legislative regard. and of Great
national interest have ,anguished and wasted
to decay and ruin. after thcv had been cherish
ed Tor lime by state patronage, and at con
siderable eXpeDse-mcasures have been re-
solved on, and so far effected as TO make il the
interest OF the state TO complete them and
then abandoned as useless or improner h.
honrs multiply The number increases. till
the tax of legislation like The web OF Prnelo
pc. is tu ther from heiDg finished i'm conee
qnenre OF what / done IL cannot be that
this branch OF government is deficient ~ tall
ents or patriotism for in a body % numerous
and honorable as The Legislature OF virginia.
there viii ALWAYS he found men Of ever. var;c
~ and grade Of intellect Then whv is !, )
u IS because. though VIC have many hire .inrs
there are Irw labourers IN the VINEYARD The
~ OF Delegates consists Of conside-rblv more
Than two hundred members its sessions arc
annual, and as the treasury well as the re.
cords Of that body might testify. of very long
duration, Where the sessions of ircislaturr
are 40 frequent, in country not more cxtcn.
siye than ours there cannot be many subjects
OF great importance always requiring atten.
lion The fact is, that Of the dozen scores OF
Jaws winch our Legislature annually gives
h'rth to. great majority arc acts Of mere To-
ca or private tendency. involving no consider
atoms more important than why couple nm
fortunately knit together in wedlock. should
or should not he put asunder. or wbv A r
should or should not be released from - fine
imposed on HIM for violation Of a previous
law Whatever is now done bv orr IepisIa-
lures might be accomplished with more d;s-
patch and at least as much Judgment. iC the
number OF delegates were less: whilc. If VIC
INITIATE the examples of our sister states. per.
haps great deal more might he done. and
done too much more to the purpose The ar
duous duties Of legislation are performed al
ready by small majority Of active. intelligent
members, while the majority arc inactive spec
taiors OF whatever is done srorrd them -
Jhev seem TO occupy their seats for no other
reason than that The constitution requires
.aem TO DO so, Complying with the cctemoni.
ITS OF legislation IN drawing their WAGES and
on'ting them into their pockets Should the
number OF this body increase in the ratio w
which il has hitherto increased and its sces;ous
continue TO ~ moro and moro protrac,eJ. ,hc