Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-05-07

Tlf
in the Distrio, composed nf the crurtie. Of ged
ford. Campbell y uctingtan,-y hav,nr coa.
senfed TO do so, feel !; duty | ave IN nys.lf
aud TO you, the peoplr. whom acknoAlrdye IN
be The sovereigns ol the baud. TO state nv yies,
as TO the evils which now exist. and IN ,b,
great grievances now complained of bv n ,a;o.
rry Of the good people of this Comm, .nwe,Ith
which evils aud grievances II will be the duty
OF the Convention AS tnr rs NAV be p,actir,bla
10 redress--and In restore To the ciityers of,his
Commonwealth sitrh WI lie ONE laws. IA vii
plare them IN tin situation whirh God and
Natnre seem to have allowed 10 msnkinas
mran equal rights aud equal ibpr,jes-I i
ACKNOWLEDGED by all parlirs or nearly ~ iba,
our present cbu i It'll non Is drfectivc-,n IN, bo,v
TO remedy thni defect seems 10 hp the rfea,
inquiry --Frars are ester aired by SOM, thar
III the hi"nipi 10 better n,tmight l,r uide y2ors,
These fears should think. nlis hit cnsil, Ia, al
hved. under n conviction tait the constitution,
rs amended by law, iS,fo lie submitted ia the
people Tor ihrlr inspe slios and ii approved OF
by naJoruy, WI ne received; ifrejectrd the
present on-tiiu'on will siill u, The law of the
land so hat. in my ophli1n we may br helter.
ed, and CANNOT he ~ors1ed Under such eli.
cums'anccs. th,nle. WE may safely make the
experiment, aud wall the result
Under the existing siate of things. the ,re,an,
constitution takes the power from a l,rae M.
iority of the p'oPie. and puts il IA the hand, I
n small nnnori y, who hhvr aud ..aj cnniioa.
IN exercise thai power, moi agreeable IL ~
publican principles. but TO aris'ncr4iical ones
Hence arises the saying, mat the uig FISH eat
up the little ones.
One of the cyI's n,hSl con,lr,;ncd II under
the present c"n t'tutlon Is the want of ~ exten.
sion of the right of snG'rage. On THIS snl,,ret I
will take as my Guide he sixth art Gle t tn
hill of rights in which il is salt " N II all men
mean cItizens OF , years If age aud upwards
having sufficient cvidenc. # permanent com
mon interest with, aud atllrhmrut Ia the com.
nun ~ shdull nave the risht tot SuIl,agr. aad
cannot be taxed, or dep wed oi Their nrnperf,
for public uses. wlthont their own CONSENT IL.
that Of their representative, 80 elected, mr.
bound by any law 10 which rhrv have not. in
like manner, assentrd for ihc uuh!ir good -
Now, ask IN" qnesioa-Is this thr caSe =
Arr there not Il large numhcr Withid the reach
of my voicc, who a'r rnkrd aud made 10 nav
| them. " no have neiiher In rlsht Of srli' aer
nor representative, aud are compelled 10 pay
taxes. or their property Is taken from them tor
that use, wit hori their own rurSrui II 50.
prom 'uncc such law. If nj UNCONSTITUTIONAL J
unjust. On this point. ! b live there are ma
ny who agrte with me.
To pursue this subject farll"r The Inequality
ofyrprpscntaton Is lon,,lv complained Of
ereeab'y 10 ,ile present constitution, the repte.
sentation goes by ronnlirs Jet them be In % or
small. Each sends two mcmhcrs 10 the sat-
Legislature. So hai the numbr, IS upward. Of
two hundred. 10 make the laws by witch the
ssate IS to be Governed. Nhw, wiI' II he sand
thai the counties which coutam four times Il e
nnmbrr Of the small ones are not entitled TO
more weigh, On the Legislature thsn fhosr
where the number II tbr smallest surely. if
equal representation Is the object, this is not
correct. 10 remedy hi, defect, Jet the STATE
he lail OF into districts 81 rs to make them rs
nearly equal rs possible ir number, agreeable
tn white population, and - rs TO r,duce whai
IS called the lower house, to half It's present
number N less. perhaps. would br better. Lei
each district send two memhrr-and instead 81
the legislatures meeting once IN every year,
let them meet once IN two years, unless there
should he some energpn"y.--Then let them be
convened As they now re.--Shnuld this node
br adopted, there will be = saving 10 the j!afe
of Virginia Of $50, 900 per ion which ~
my opinion, would be no sni saving TO the
State.
As for the Senate With IS one Of he hraueb-
es Of the Legislature, the number consists Of
twenty four members. Thy in my opinion
shood be reduced IN about halffhi number, 4
elected toi no longer time than 'hlse ii the low
er house.
As Irespecas the Judiciary part ofthe GOV.
eminent. IN tend of being e10srn, as they now
are, by the General Assembly md To hold their
office during good behavior. shonld thiuhit
he ter plan for them 10 he chpeen ~ the pep
pie, and not To bod the office 60 l,ugar peri
than nl G,tI l,t T.. b . hntu ia
time for which the President oft.e q. states is
elected, and which: in my opinion, !, better
calculated 70 ensure faihfui discharge OF their
duty, than the present mode OF appointment.
Then, and then only, viii your Judges feel
Themselves accountable 10 i've people (ii"n'
whom they derive their power.) IoI a faithful
discharge OF the duties assigned ih"In.
The county court system rs il now stands, is
said ny some 10 be the best and safest moe oil
coming to justice. approve, yselt. Il the
county courts, bni nOt oi the manner ~ which
they are elected, nor their mode oi dung bnsl-
me-; Instead NJ being srlieirctcd, and then
fa'ing the ri6hi at perpetuniIrg their own bo-
ny, would have them elected by the people,
am! that not for very long period.
w"u'd also compel them, when elected, 10
do business, and not leave it, las il now is.) -
their avn clT'ice, Whether ~ ACT or TO let il IL
lone.-i lhiHh, tsentlemrn. you have seen p
nough of this ahsse of power, aud will think
VII me, that il is high time to make some
change. This flction. TOR so Mr. jefferson calls
IN once possessing itself Of the bench ofa coum
ty. cnn never be broken mp, but hold their coun
~ in chains fore yer.
Ihese justices not only arr as judges. but in
many cases, as il relates Ia tho business of The
countieS they certainly leg date tno-they lay
he county levy. have il cole ctrsl bv an officer
Of their own choice, and one from, their own
body, mean the High Sheriff, aud ifuor so. nv
her Deputy, 10 whom they have sold the Office
IF sheriff They receive as compensation for
heir service part ofthp money so levied. So
long as this state ofthings CONTINUES, we shall
constantly be compelled 10 pay heavy county
eyles.
All public buildings must be kept in repair,
old ones pulled down and new ones bui!t in their
places, new roads and new bridges Aud What
seems worse then all, yGur Comnonw ealih's
Attorney, an officer made by the Court for your