Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-04-06


lie aud personal discussion of this imror,ant
subject Nor can his memory possibly he in
urctl bv the publication on The contrary, II
will add ifnny addition ran he made, 10 the
,rensccndan, character Of this Rreat Apostle of
the freedom and happiness of hn fellow cli-
zens.
You mill herewith receive he lcl,ers, which
you arn ~ liberty To publish. nm most re-.
specially yonr friend.
SAMUEL kERCHEyAL.
Frederick County. Va Nov. 81. 1926.
Copy of n Letter received by s kerchevaI, esq.
dated
" MppiieeHo, Jiiy L. 1916.
60 SIR 1uly received vom invar Of lone
! -, with copy of the letters on thu calling u
! Convrn'inn, ou which Won are plensed 10 ash
nv opinion. | have not been IA the habit OF
mysterious reserve on any suhlect. nor OF hut
| ,oniug mp INV opinions within my own douhet;
an the contrary. while In public service sslie
riallv, ! have thonehi the public EMIT ed To
| hanknoss, nnd intimately 10 know whom they
! pniplayed--hut am now ,ctired: | resign my
/ self as n pnsscugpr with confidence 10 those ~
the present helm. mud MI but for rest, peace
aud good will. 1ha question YOU propose o.
equal representation, has become party ono.
! ~ which wish 20 fake ~ public share yet, II
| II he asked for your own SUBTRACTION only, and
not 70 be auo,ed heiore The public, have no
moti,e 10 withhold n1d the less from yop as
| II cnincidcs with your own. Atg'he birth of
onr republic, committed thai opinion 10 the
world III the draueht ~ u Constitution annexed
lo the Notes 90 Niigin,n ~ which provision
was inserted for representation permanently
ruuai The ininurv as the subject ~ iha, mo
m"ni. and uur neSpal icnce Of self government
occa sonej gross departure. III thar d'angbt
from genuine republican cnnons. In truth, the
abuses nf monarchy had go much filed MI ibr
spare Of political rontcmninlion that We ina
gincd evrty thing republican which WAS mt
monarchy. we had not Nrt penetrated 10 Tie
mother pr,uciilo Int governments are r"pubh.
| can only IN prupnrlion ashley rinbody the will
of their people, aud cSprute IL Hence nir
fret constitutions had really no leading princi.
pie N ihfm. hri "npericuc" aud reflection
hnvn but more and more confirmed me IN the
particular importance Of the equal representa-.
ton t'rn p,opnsrd GA that point I zen ! am
eniii ely ~ sentiment - iii your letters and
only lamont TIN, cory right of vepr uanpb
let prevents thrr app"aranC" ~ the noWspa
pers where alone ihrv would b" generally
read and produce general effect The present
vacancy too of other maitcr would give them
place in every piper, and bring the question
home 10 every mans conscience.
But equality of representation. IN both hpn
SEA- Of our lrg,. alure is not the only republi-
can hereay IN the frat essay of our revolution.
sry parrots nj forming c. nstituiion. for let IL
he agreed il,ai government rs republican IN
proportion ne every member composing II hns
| his equal vpirs IN the direction Of it, concerns,
! (not indeed in person. winch would be imprnc
,icablc brvoud The limits 81 n city. or small
| township hun by represen fniives chosen by
himself and Responsible 10 him ~ short peri
DDS and JET us bring 10 the test Of this canan
every branch ofour constitution.
In the I.crislnun,e. the House of Represents
lives is chnsen hv !, IS than haif,hc people. aud
got ~ all IN proportion 10 those who do choose.
! The Senate are still more disrraportonate, md
for long terms ol irrrspons Utility. IL the Es-
ecuttye. the Governor i entirely independent
Of the choice NJ the poop. and Of thrireonfol /;
tho council equally SO. and ~ beat but n fifth
! wheel 10 y Wagon, In the Judiciary, the
! Judges Of the highesl courts are dependent on
! none but themselves. IN Eng and, where indg
| Is were named aud removable M the will of an
! hrcraitary executive, from which branch most
mistulc was frarcd. and has flowed. u was n
great point gainrd by FIXING them for life. tn
/ make thcm iudPpeud"ui Of the Executive. But
| IN government founded on the public Will
this ~ inripc operates ~ an opp'ssit" dreciian
sill removable on u concurrence OF the Exrcn-
tive and Legislative branches bn, we have
made Them independent of the nation Itself,
they are irrcnoVable but bv their own holy
for amy depravifirs nf conduct and even by
thrir own body for the imbecililics nf doiage.
The insic"S ofthe inferior courts are self cbo
sen, are inr life, aud pcrpetnale thew own boz
dy ~ succession forever, 80 that inction nnre
possessing itielf Of the bench of n county can
never be broken up, but build their county in
chains fore yer indissoluble. Yet these justices
are the real executive, as well as Judiciary in
all or minor aud most ordinary concerns
they tax us AT will fill the office Of Sheriff the
most important ofai the Executive Offices oil
the county name nearly all our military lea
ders, which leaders once named are removal
bic, but nv themselves. The Jnries, our Judg
"a ofall fact aud Of law, when they choose II,
are not selected by the people, nor am.nabIe
Ia them they are chosen by an officer named
by the court aud .xecutive. Chosen, did say7
pirked up by the Sheriff irom the loungings of
the court yard after every thing rrspe ctabie has
retired from ii--where then Is our republican
ISM 10 be found Not ~ our constitution Ger
,ninly. In, merely in the spirit OF our people,
that wonld oblige even despot TO govern US
republcany owing TO tbs spirit. and TO no
thing in the form Of our constitution all things
have gone we'll. But ths iact' so triumphant
" mis- quoted by the enemies Of reformation, is
not the frui, Of our constitution, but has pre-
vailed in spite oft; our iuneiionar'es have
done well because generally honest men il a
nv were moi so they feared 20 shew it,
But.it will be said it is easier TO find faults
| than a., amend them. do not think their a.
mendment so difficult rs is pretended only
Law down true principles. aud adhere 10 them
inilexibly. Do not be frightened into their
surrender by The alarms OF he tmd. or The
croak,ngs OF wealth against the ascendency Of
the people. Ifexperience be called for, appeal
n tina, Of our 10 ar % governments for 40