Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-05-04

our present constitution - detective, aud how
i tn remedy that defect seems 10 br the great
inquiry Fears are rniuri nihrd 10y some, thai,
IN The attempt To better II mig hi he made worse
These f.ats, ! should think mn ut easily be nj,
las ed under IA conyiction TINT The constitution,
ss amended by law. Is 10 he submitted TO the
people for ihrlr inape ,ion,- and II approved of
by majority. will he received ifre jeetrd. the
present eansti ution viii still he the law Il the
land so that. in my opnon. may be better.
ed, and cannot be wor,led :-under such cir.
eumstances, | think. we ma, safely make the
experiment, aud Wi, the result.
Under the existing slate of ihincs, the present
constitution takes the pawer from n large ma-
iof,ty OF The people. md puts II IN the hands of
i n small minority, WHO haFe, and still continue
10 exercise ihai power. mol agreeable In re.
publican principles. bn To arisiocraticnl ones.
Hence arises the saying, that the hig fish eat
mp the lutte ones.
One NJ The evils most eninpaned OF under
the present constitution Is thu want oil IN eEien-
sion OF the r~lit OF outrage. On this subject
will take rs my rnidt tie siAth article of the
bill OF hts, in vhirI II Is sui. " that all men
mean ctzeas oil | yrars ei ase and upward,
having sufficient evidence of permanent cum
mon interest with aud attachment, TO the oon
mnn'tv should have the rie hi oil suffrage. md
eannot be taxed, or deprived OF their property
for public osss. without their own consent, OF
that OF their representative, so elected, nor
bound by any law, Ia which they have not. III
like manner, sssenied for the public god. -
Now, nsk the quesilon--ts this the case +
Are there MT "A large nnmher within the reach
of my voire, who are lhzsd aud made 10 pay
them. who have natiher the right oil suffrage,
nor IA representative. md are compelled In pay
taxes, OF thfIr property Is taken iiom them iol
thu use, without their own consent II 80,
prom ounce such law. Of moi unconstitutional
unjust. On this point. believe, there ARE ma
ny Who agree with ne.
To pu Sue this subject farther. The inequality
ofrepfesentation Is lou ~ complained OF. A
ereeabiy 10 the present constitution, the repre-.
s.ntaiion goes hy counties, lei them be large or
small. Ear sends tWo members to the state
Legislature. 50 thai thr number Is upwards oil
two hundred, to make the laws by which the
| state Is Ia be governed. Now will II be snId
thai the cnnnlrs which contain four tunes the
number Of the small onos nte not entitled II
more weight Ia the Legislature ihnn ihosa
where The number Is The smallest surely, II
eqnnl representation Is the object this is mi
correct. . remedy this defect, let tho State
be laid oil lnto districts, So ~ TO maku them rs
nearly e4nd ~ possible in number, agreeable
To white population, aud - rs 10 i.daee what
is called The lower louise. 10 haB IL pfesfnl
number or less, perhaps, would hr beurr. 1t
eabh district scud tto members---aud nsiead III
the legislatures meeiiug once IN every yfnr,
lei thpm meet once m two yenfs, unless there
should be somo emefgen - hen lei ibem he
convened ns lhes NOW arc =-slmuid this mode
be adopted. ihsre viii be Il SAVING 10 the Stnte
OF Virginia nt $4,000 PER session which III
nv opinion, would hr no s.niu laying III the
Staia
As for the 9ennic, which IS one oi the brunch
es of the Legislature. their number consists ot
twenty four members They, in my opinion,
should be reduced IL about hull that number, y
elected ior no longer time thnn ihnse oi the low
er HOUSE.
a. prospects the Judiciary pdll the Gov
einment. instead Of beng chosen. rs they NO.
ar by the General Assembly, and 10 hold then
Ollie during good behavior. should ih,nh II II
better plan for them 10 he chosen by the peo'
pie aud not To bold the Office ior "A longer peri
cd thnn that of four years or less, il being the
time for which The prcsidcnt of - u. StHtes is
elected, aud whlch. IN Any opinion, l. better
calculated 10 ensure 4 faithful discharge Of their
duty, than tho present mode II appoinIn,en
ihen, aud then pnls, will youf Judges trrl
lhemselyes accountable To the prople (frnm
whom they derive Their powef. ioi a faithful
discharge Of the duties assigned thrm.
The county court system rs itnnw stands. is
| SAID by some 10 be The best aud a!rst mode OF
coming 10 justice. ! approve, my self, Of tbe
county courts bni at oi the manner IN which
lhry are elecled nat iHer mode Of doing bas
mrs --Insiead OF bcing rtli-elccted. aud then
having the righl Of p.tpcinliing their own bo-
H.. would nave them elected by the people
md that not for yefy long period
| would also compel tltcm, when elected, 10
20 business and NOT leave IT, (ts il now ISL Ia
illel own choice. whether TO act or 10 let II a.
innr.-i ihin4 Grnltrmen4 ybn hive seen =
nnush OF his abusr Of power, and Win think
vii ne. that ii is hien time To make somr
change This faction. Tor 50 Mr. Jefferson ehils
il o possessing ilsrl al the bench al n conn
". can IL yer be broken up, bni hold their coun
~ IN chains forever
These iasi ices not only act rs judges, bnt n
many cases, n It relates Ia the business oi tile
counties, they certainty Ieglsate too-ihey lay
the county levy. have II collected by nm officer
OF their own choice, ind on, from their own
body, mean the High Sheriff, aud iinol SO. Nv
their Deputy To whom they have sold the Office
of sheriff They receive as n compensation los
their ser, lee n part ri he money So levie6 SO
long as this state al things continues, we shall
constantly be compelled 10 pay heavy county
levles.
All public buildings must hr kept IN repair,
old ones puiled down and NJ" ones pun III their
places new roads aud new hrldges-And what
leems worse than all, y"nr commemorative
Auorn.. an officer made by the Court for your
county, is, aud has been drawn. from the coun-
Nv levy the enormous sim Of two hundred dol
lars per annum aud this snm is pad, rs they
will tell YOU faf SCI Ylea rendered Yes, Gen-
llemrp or attending f,nf quarterly courts III
the year, and .ome other small service. andthen
not always present Wien needed. In addition
10 lhr 300 dollars given by the court, we will
say Tor not more than perhaps one or tw"
weeks service at farthcst, he IS entitled 10 The
LEGAL fees on all cases, which he may gam. and
| doubt no tins EVIL is not very applicable 10
all the connties within this Commonwealth.
Is this Justice Yes, Gentlemen, you are told
by some that our laws wholesome aud that
we, the people 1--we happily under Them We
live. FELLOW cilizens, (and ! should say very
hard. and snail continue 10 do so as long as we