Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-04-25

ton OF policy. And while | see % gtave reason to
reject II in great many cases, where the State
Is small, or It's population enjoyiR equality IF po
h4oGf rtShts, would not admit il the oniy mode or
inc best mode, OF applying the representative prihci-
pho; ana especially. when portion the population
We're denied any active political agency. and were
also SUBJECT TO d!Icct taxation, athe slaves are with
ii population Is assumed as aprincipie, the same
argument az appears 10 mel necessarily proves II
should be the whole population. This is not the OBJ |
lect OF those who DESTROYS or adopting i, II is
the white population alone. IL : not proper under
any circumstances, IN Virginia that this point should
be conceded III the Convention, or elsewhere The
power 10 tax or h5csatc, must remain with the mas
ter, or 1t is gone, and I've temptation TO do both,
would be too strong, to bs associated with = power
IN government to do 1t without the consent OF tho
owner
The subjec. (moperly. 7 thnk) cxci.cs The dccpest
interest IA the eastern and middle country, and mp
prehcnd VIII DC one OF most difficulty. should pre-
Ter greatly TO arrange this question of representa-
tom upon the first plan. L that should be found,
i'm ,rac;cablc, aud the slaves entirely excluded IL
would be- necessary to provide in the Constitutions
that slaves should only Dc assessed and taxed in the
same proportion the land and 10 others included
ii tho assessment than those fit for labor and giving
to the Senators negative upon every question Of
assessment.
Either mode would reduce the House Of Dele
rates from RIA tits present numher) TO 100 or 20.
Economy and despatch are important considerations
IN the formation of government for either of which
the present number is too great
The Senators should he Increased to thirty-six at
least aud the term OF service reduced to three years
They might elect a President from without their
own body he might be the 1t. Governor and ha We a
casting vote. and no other. They arr now at too
great distance from their constituents for their Off
c'a responsibility to he actively operative as the
public interest sometimes requires. The Senate
now consists Of % members, thirteen ofwhom may do
business, AMI they decide by majority of those pre-
sent. Hence it Is apparent, that seven men NAV
pass or reject the worst or the best law, in which
nj M .,s, ~,
not necessary that this should have happened II is
sufficient that it may occur.
Thc Governor should be elected for three years ut
time (not by the people, unless he is to exercise
years; and instead oithe Council of State Sccrca-
ry and the public officers, might be the advisers of
the Governor, when he required IT. or perhaps when
he wanted advising. If, however, tine Governor is TO
nave negative upon the Legislature land there are
many examples oft among the Statesl he ought to
be elected by the people, Frequent and immediate
elections by the people, Indispensable to chasten
aud purify the Legislative power: not necessary il,
executive or judicial power; and perceive no strong
reason to induce the belief, that Governor ofVirrin
la should have any portion of the Legislative author
ty. The character of the State is tormed-her re-
sources sufficiently Developed to bring them within
the range the talents virtue and intelligence of the
Senators and Representatives, 10 arrange, combine
and syscmatIze her laws and policy general and To-
cal.
Strong objections are urged to the present ud;ci,I
establishment of the State in Of It's departments;
and 1t may not be entirely free from objection in anv
They hold their Offices during good behaviour through
out, from the Justice of Peace, to the Court of An
pear aud although liable to mpeachmcnt are trable
Oy the Judges.
The difficulty of deciding what is bad behaviour. is
so great IN general, that there seems TO me no effec
tu7i means provided in the present government to
remedy the mischiefs that are by many OF those who
arc familiar with the practice Of the courts known to
exist. TWO remedies may be applied; election, and
an abridgIneRt OF the tenure Of Office.
Popular election cannot be applied with any pro-
priety, think, to the JUICES. The reasons are va
rous and readily suggested. II is needless to- emu
.ncrote them. And although Justices Of the Peace
are elected By the people in five States (pcrhapsA
incline to the opinion that the other mode is far pref
cradle The only difficulty upon this subject, arises
Il incline 10 beiicvc) from ccntounding Independence
with responsibility. The nudge and justice ought
10 be Independent Of other departments; bat both
ought 10 be responsible either immediately or inter
to the people How, for nslance) could
the Independence ot the Judge be operated upon,
while acting under commission, for ten years, and
until q successor was appointed, | cannot conceive
n Inc faithfully administered tic laws the Judgment
" the count would be the best recommendation FOR
continuing him Judge. If he did not he ought
not 70 De Judge. No man in Virginia could expect to
secure bis election by partial administration of
justice. At present does not follow, when an inn
nnpeachoble offence Is committed, that prosecution
- had.
Maryland and North Carolina provide for prosccu-
lions for Indictment. In every other State Il beicvc)
they prosecuted by the popular branch of the Lc-
gisature or Ivy persons appointed by them and tried
by the Senate or other branch of the Legislature
Here they prosecuted before their brethren ard
tried By them
Several of the States have adopted this plan of
commissioning ion stated periods; and almost all have
provided for removal from Office upon the address of
twOLlrds OK both branches Of the IcUisatre to tho
Governor Some, las Georgia for instnncel have
adopted both and large majority ofthe States have
adopted the policy Of removing from Office upon the
JOINT address vi the Legislature.
would not be understood as adopting decisivciy
any of these modes. / adlucc them to shc,g
that notifications OF tho judicial power have been
made in many instances; and Judging of tho influence
OF tn experiment. by the celebrity of the tribunal
there would seem to be no good reason why we might
not venture upon some alan 10 improve our own
sec 10 objection to have the Judges nominated by
the Governor and elected byont ballot orbo,h houses
Of The General Assembly and commissioned for ten
years Mt tine and TO continue under that commits
~ NM 70 LIT.