Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-12-08
fREPoRrED FOR THE WHICH,
VIRGINIA. COW ENTION.
WEDNESDAY,. Dec. 9.

Judge W ARsHALL said 1t was necessary TO max,
some change IN the first resolution. He therefor,
moved to amend the resolution, by INSERTING afte,
The words county COURTS the words land in the
Justices of the peace who shall compose the courts
The amendment agreed to.
Judge MARSHALL then referred to the necessity a
Introducing corporation courts. He had thought tc
Introduce them after county courts but an objection
was made that the might induce belief that it wa:
we'd to amend the resolution by adding to the amend
ment first introduced, the words:-
THE Legislature may also vest such Jurisdiction
may be necessary in corporation courts and in
the magistrates who may belong to the corporate
courts"
The Amendment. was agreed to-
Mr.. MERCER then moved that tue committee pass
by the other portions of the Judiciary report in or
der to take up the propositions offered OH Monday
on the subject of the basis of representation. He
Withdrew his motion 10 make way for
Mr.. POWELL, who after stating that he had yes
fefday voted by mistake, moved reconsideration of
the vote by which the word sthc" was stricken from
the first resolution of the Judiciary report before
the words ''county courts" he stated that the eff
feet of the amendment would be to compel the Leg
iSlature immediately TO build up county court
system. He thought this was not contemplated by
gentlemen who moved the amendment. He was
sure it not his intention. If the county courts
be retained, the Legislature will only have to rentI
late their magistrates if the word be stricken out
the Legislature Will have to build mp the whole sys-
tenn anew. He moved to reconsider the vote.
Mr. RANDOLPH expressed hope that the COM
surprised Us he yesterday at the adoption ofhis
proposition He had long considered that the two
main pillars which the Commonwealth rcsts, are
the county courts and the freehold basis of represent
tatiop. He expressed the opinions of others in adj
uIration Of our county court system. He asked
by an eminent statesman, if it was the eff,ct of de-
sign, one ofthose happy circumstances which are
fortuitous. Whether it fio1n design or that
happy chance, it of no Importance. He never
met with person who had lived under the accused
system Of appoIlting Jackson magistrates, teder-
al ma gstrates when federaliss up and repub-
Ncan, when fede ralirts were down, who did not
press lis qualification at our system, and not desire
10 have it transferred to his district He refer
red to the character OF recommendations which were
sent to Washington for offices calculated TO disgust
the country-he thanked God that no one had dared
TO approach him with Of them. He referred to
one triAing defects but declared that if we
abandon this SYSTEM shall leave the country the
mercy petttoggors. IS they who excite tbs eia-
NOR against county courts, that they may become
trading justices and earn by that what the good
sense Of the people refuse them, living. He hank
cd God that the description given yesterday by the
gentleman from Loudoun, and which it panied him to
hear Of the ignorance which prevailed in his part othe
Country, did not apply to any other part of the
Try. When he wanted pair of boots he would not
no to cobblcr, but to master workman. He said
the subject of boots and shoes touched he had felt
the shoe pinch during late decision He expressed
establishment at the quarters whence the opinions of
Mr.. Jefferson were laid before the House. He did
not attribute great weight to these opinions, as To the
opinions of ony other prori theorist He said that
all the arguments used against county courts, would
apply with equal force against jury trials The whole
Of this discussion on one side, au argument against
fact If he might relieve the tediousness Of this de
bate by relating anecdote. A gentleman who with
his lady was visting told her to make haste, the
SUN was down. She said that tire certainly
not down. He told her it certainly wes; that the
set at half past SIX, aud by his witch 1t wanted
quarter to seven. Fills watch must be right, the
neighboThood of man must be healthy The lady
requested him to take look from the window. He
did So and saw the shining in all his glory but
the sun ought to have been down. as the feas of Sir
Joseph Banks ought to have been lobsters-what be-
cause ofthoi souls, he would leave to Sir Joseph and
the diyines. He referred to the mould board of a
plough presented by Mr. Jefferson to the Society in
Paris; and to the ploughs of Connecticut man which
@serebrought here, and which threw the moud-board
Of the least resistance of Mr.. Jefferson into the back
ground He said this showed what the authority of
Mfr Jefferson was worth. Give away, said he, the
county courts and the freehold suffrage, and shall
have nothing left which practical wisdom will value.
lie said the recommendation to Offices now from
county magistrates, publicly given, and this was bet
ter than any others which could be substituted This
system held the State TO her mornings, and whenever
the cable is slipped God knows what will become OF
her, AS long as his hand could be Of any service.
weak it is lie would be at the pumps lie believed
II this scheme given into shall infict deep
or wound on the Commonwealth than had been IN
tcted government since the days of Robespierre
and Mar3t Men OF property, men OF prudence, VIII
not trust such government. He wished he could
have presented his views in more worthy form
more worthy Of HIMSELF ofthe occason and of the
sembly But ,on sum guatis eroun. Ho concluded
with expressing his belief that the gentleman from
Richmond who bad yesterday objected to this amend
nent, had been in the pcast dignifcd attitude IN
which he had ever seen him placed
Mr.. MARSHALL said no man could be q greater
friend TO the county court system than he was. He
referred to the 9Th resolution of the judiciary Re
port; and said if Council should be left to the Co
vernon he would be willing to cede the appointment
of Justices to them if the Committee should take
the other course, and leave them to be appointed by
the Governor by and with the advice Of the Senate
When he came to the fifth resolution, he would move
an amendment to it, which would give to the recon-
lnendation ofthe county courts more importance. AS
to the rejection Of the word "the," he did not deem
that it's effect would be injurious TO the system He
vas much a friend to the system the gentleman
from Charlotte. Unless the Committee reverse what
they had decided, there no other course left.