The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-12-04

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US leznsd and has flowed. ! sas gFeai poni
gsisss b. fxiug zhsle ies bic, 10 nala tan
iaospenils,,i oi tie hAec'stes. it1 N govern
inuai alailaed On ART ; sii1 fll, this principle
fepefafss ~ ,a appssss afeeiiOn4 and again.i
that vii There leo Fi4ss vie sill feinofaoie
oa.@ concurrence ofthg a gecltife and LegisI-
Tive brBn,iies but we bsee made them md pen
deut OF the nation itself, they ale iffenosable
but by their own body iJt aay 1epfasfiles OF con.
duct and even 10y tl.eir own body ior the hnbe'
eiaties OF ao,1Rs. the Justices OF the inferior
courts self chosen, are lnf life, and perpetn.
ate fhfir own n1dg ia suceeshion forever, SO that
a faction once possessing Itself of tbe seDch 81 a
county can never be broken up, but hold then
| oounty IN chains forever indtssoluile fr' thesf
;asices are the real executive we'll as jud'ela.
~ in all our minor and most ordinary coucefhsi
they tax us al will, I'LL the office Of shenh, the
| most important Of all the Executive officers Of
the county name nearly all our inilaafY leaders,
| which lenders once ngmed, arc removable but
| by themselves. The Jurles. OF Judges OF ali
/ tact and Of Law, when they choose II arc not Sc
lecicd by the people, nor amenable to Item -
| they are chosen by an officer named by tie
| court aud executive Chosen, did say picked
| up by the Sheriff from the loungnEs OF the court
yard, after every thing respectable has retired
from it--~here thenis our ] epubheantsm to be
merely IN The spirit Of our people, thai would q.
blige even a despot 10 govern as rcpubic'nly
owing 10 this spirit and to nothing IN Tie form OF
out cohstitation, all things have gone vel. Bnt
this fact So triunphantly misqio'ed by the enc.
mics Of reformation, is not The iult Of our con-
| stitution, but has prevailed IN spite VI II our
| iuncdonaries have done well because generally
honest men. fHny were not SO, they feared 10
shcw H.
But v be said il is easier 10 find faults Than
to amend them. lido not thipk their amendment
30 difficult rs is pretended, only lay down true
principles, and adhere " Them init xibiy. DO
not be lghiCusd into their surrender by the n
iarns OF TIM itnid, OF the eroakngs of wealth a.
gainst the sscrsdency oi the people. II expert.
ence he called tgr appeal 10 thai OF our IS or 20
government for ID years, and show me whrie
the p.oIlt have done halt the mischief in these
forty years, that single despot would have
done N sihgle year or shew here half the riots
and rebeliionh the crimes and the punlshmeuls
vh;cb hive taken place in any single nation,
under kIngly government during the same peri
cd. Inc tfnG foundaiiou OF republican govcrn-
nent IS the equal right OF every citizen IN his
person, 0nd p, operiy, and IN their management.
Try by this taley, every provision Of our
consutnton, and See fit hangs directly on the
will OF Tho people; reduce your Legislature To
convenient number 10y ii4i, but orderly dfcas-
sion lee very nin alo hghi or pay, uArrcse
bib just a8d equal fiChi IA their election; sub
nit them TO appreciation or rejection al short IN
tervals Lei the Executive be chosen in the
same way, aud Ion the saInc term, by those
whose agent he is TO be; and os,, no screen Of
a counel behind which TO skulk fom rosponsi-
bility. II has been thought that the people are
not competent electors Of judges learned IN the
tan, but do MOI kaow thai this is true; aud II
doubtful, we should follow principle : in this a.
IN many other elections, they would be guided by
reputation, which would not err Oiiener perhaps
than the present mode of appointment. In one
state of the Union at least il has been long tried
and with the most satisfactory success The
judges Of Connecticut have been chosen by the
people every 6 months for nearly two Centuries,
| aud believe there has hardly ever bean an in
stance OF change, 80 powerful Is the curb Of IN
essantrcSpooglhility II prejudice, however, de-
| rived from monac hcHl Institution, Is still 10
prevail against the vital elective principle of our
own aud i the existing example among our
selves Of periodical election OF judges by the peo-
pie be still misttnsted lei us al feast not adopt
the evll ID reject the good of the English pre-
cedent; les us retain amovabty on the concur
renee OF the Executive and Legislative branches
and nomination by the executive alone; nomin-
auohto Office Is an executive function. To give il
10 che legislature, as we do, ID q violation of the
principle the separation OF powers. Il Swerves
the members from correctness by temptation 10
mt igue for olboe Themselves, and To corrupt
bartcr Of Votes; and destroys responsibility by
dividing itamong multitude by leaving nom
nation IN itS proper place among executive
functions the principle OF the dissolution of
power Is preserved and responsibility weighs
With rs heaviest force On a sogc head. The
organilatouof our county administration may
be thought more difficult, but follow principle,
and the knot untes itself: divide the counties in.
| 10 wards OF such size as that every citizen can
| atte'l when called onand act IN person, ascribe
To them the government OF then wards IN all
Things relating to themselves exclusvely,a JUS
tcc chosen by themselves m each, a constable a
military company, phrolg, school, the care
OF their own poor, tjtor own portion ofthe public
roads. the choice OF one OF more jurors to serve
IN some court, and the delivery, within their own
wards OF their own votes for all elective olliceib
oil higher sphere will relieve the county admins
trahon OF nearly AZ IT'S business will have il
better done, and by making every citizen an ack
ing member OF the government, aud in the OFF,
Cos nearest and most interesting to him, will at
zach hm by his strongest feelings TO the indie
prudence of his country, md il S republican con.
Sttution. The justices thus chosen by every
ward, would Constitute the county court, would
do It's Judiciary husinos direct roads and bridges,
levy county and poor rates and administer all
the matters of common interest to the whole
county These wards, called townships, in New
fngiand arc the vital principle OF their govern.
m"nis, and have proved themselves the wisest IN
'enion ever devised by the Wit of man for The
pertert exercise OF self government and for its
preservation We should thus marshal our co-
vcrnnent into--l. TIC General eaeral Repub.
he, for an concerns foreign and federal . lint
OF The State for what relates To our citizens ex-
clnSiSe'y. 8 The county republics for the d,,-
ties aud concerns OF the county; & 1 The Ward
| hepuhiics, for the small, and YET Numerous and
interesting concerns % the neiehborhood: and
IN Government, rs W." as - every oihel hn,i-
ness Of life, 1t is by division and subdivision of
dat es alone, that all matters, great and small,
cdn De managed to perfection, and the whole !,
c'menfed ~ giving TO every citizen personally
rart IN the administration Of the pubic affairs
The sum OF these amendments isl. general
suiirage--2. equal representation in the leeisla.
wr'-~3 anexeoativ, chosen by tie people,
Judge elective or relaovable-5. justices. Jurors
an d.A4 ~. a. Il.