Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-04-10

whether the executive ana ministerial officers of
tho government ough, not to be elected Immediately
by the peoplelnn
In compliance with your request, state that it has
long been and is not nay opiaion merely but the set
TIED conviction of my mind formed after patient and
laoorious investigation, and on mature consderaticn,
the existing limitation OF the right of suffrage
Is absurd and antirepubcaa and that the enjoyment
OF the right ought TO be extended to large proper
ton 81 the non-frecholders, now held i'm state of
political acknowledgements, without necessity, and
therefore against right. For the reasons on which
these opinions founded refer you to n pamphlet
written in 1925, entitled The Constitution of '76,
copy OF which accompanies this letter They are
set tprth at large, from page "a to page inclusive.
For my opinions the subject of the existing IN
equality or representation and the principles which
should regulate the distribution OF political power
among the difFtreut sections Of the commonwealth,
REFER you TO the same pamphlet, pages to - in
c!usivc--to a pamphlet written i'll February 1927.
entitled The Convention question in 1921 and 10
one written III December 1923, entitled "An earnest
appeal the friends OF Reform in tho Legislature OF
Virginia., copies of which are herewith sent. have
set forth at large, III those publications. the reasons
which have produced settled conviction III my mind
that representation ought TO be equazcd on the ba-
SIS OF white population alone.
take up the fourth question out of it's order to say
that am decidedly of opinion that the governor and
the sherltls ought to be elected immediately by the
people.
/ On the remaining subject "the judiciary branch OF
the Constitution my opinion ia, but it is given with
Ee" uelerence 10 the difficulty OF the subject, that
the following notifications of the existing system
should be engraitCd on the new constitution:
1. That the judges should be appointed by the
governor ny and with The advice aud consent of tn,
Senate.
p That they should hold their Offices during 200,
behaviour, or until removed by the concurrent vote
two thirds of each OF the legislative bodies (not of
quorum Of those hodies) solcmnly approved hv tn,
governor the of such removal to be distctl,
set forth III the resolution of a motion; and
j. That the number of the Judges of the Court O.
Appeals should be fixed by Tire Constitution.
am not aware OF any other desirable change il
the fundamental organization of the judiciary depart
mcn save, only, that there should be no constitution
al court except the Court of Appeals AS to the or
ganlzatlon III detail ofthe judiciary system I con.
ceve that 1t should be- Lett to the ordinary lcgisla-
tive bodies.
repeat that on the subject of the judiciary I ex-
press my opinions with great ddcnce, and only be-
cause am expressly requested to state then. The
subject Is full Of difficulty and consider him pre-
sumptuous politician who does not hold himself open
to conviction on all its important points.
You perceive that have not attempted to assirn n
single reason except by reference for the opinions
have stated. take 1t for granted that YOU did not
expect them. 70 give the reasons on which nv opn-
ions are founded would swell my letter into treatise
on government, which have not leisure 10 write nor
you, presume, inclination 10 read.
am gentlemen,
Very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JOHN r. COOKE.