Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-02-16
THE VIRt1iNIAN.
IyNCHBuRG. FEB I6, 1929.
CONVENTION.

We are not pleased win 'he OH H"ol'eu ny
,b. lesisla,ure--yct ~e think IL was decidedly
better 10 pass one marked even with It's strong
,.a,ures Of INEQUALITY, than to have refused to
,,ass any. If tho senatorial district system
uas deemed most equal, (and il WAS coniended
,h,, bseou,e IL was more SO than Mr.. Gordop's
olan Of graduated county representation,
.bould he adopted in preietence) surely tho
,..,s,,s Of Ie2o should have been consulted, IN
s,ead Of the census Of 1910, as the bill directs
-fo, in that case, we should have approach
"a al III nearer ~ system ofequal representa-
,ion. II is true. the argument IN favor oil ST.
material districts, according to the census OF
1910 in preference to the graduated county
,J,n should not have had much weight, when
The quarter from which it came was taken in'
40 con. idera,ion. The very gentlemen who
denounced, on the foor OF the House,
Graduated county representation, because Of It's
iasouaiifv. following to Warwick one dele.
ra,e. and TO Shenandoah, with twelve times
rs populatio only f,ur) wer' the same who
mad contended, ariently contended for the o e.
~ equal plan OF equal county representation
When Warwick was 10 he pefmtted to nave
,,oe member in the Convention, the gen,lemen
from Northampton, Middlesex, &c. could not
see why the counties which they represented,
with treble the population, should be Hunted
20 similar number though their dislike Of
inequality and their sense oijusticc could not
be aroused to vindicate the cIai~s of Frsder-
,ck. Loudo,n, &c, 10 greater number OF del
ega,es in Conventional than their own counties,
in ,noporiionto the greater number Of their
population When they were 60 be benefited
by the adoption Of plan 81 the grossesi inc
qusily which can possibly exist, (such as n'w
regulates our elections Cor members Of the
House of De,egaies) they were ready to lend
il their influence. & votes. But when, by scaling
the counties. system still unequal, but far less
50 than the other, and which deprived tliem ot
th. expected benefit, WAS proposed, their sen
,itiye nerves could not endure the shock, and
the ball Of Legislation reverbcra,ea with their
suddenly inspired eloqaenee in favor ofequal
Fights
The bill having been passed, however il
should be aGquiesesd in peacefully by the
Qe ,pe-and il becomes time 10 reflect on the
best means of eifectirs the great ends which
the friends OF the Couven ion have so fondly
anticipates, MS III. fruit Of its deliberations.--
The counties opposed 10 Convention will
senI no delegate to that bod, h'wever supe-
rior may he his qualifications, who is no, in
favor OF tho existing government. Does il not
then behoove those counties which are friend
" 10 reform, to pursue a conntervailng poll.
cya We would not, indeed, entirely over
look eapdci,yi in the candidates, and give our
votes to a wild speculative thsorist, merely
because he is 10 iayor of revising the consti-
;u,ion, in preference to a man whose Jndg-
ment might be contdeJ in, but who is oppo,
cd TO the revision. But, we would, before y"-
ling for the latter, require of them such pledg-
cs as wonld put us on safe ground with men
Of honor. Tae equalization of representa- ION
in The Legisature--,ho adjustment ofthe IN.
necessary and odous Executive Council--tbe
reorganization OF the whole Executive DE.
partm.n,, by which The Office Of Governor
should b. rendered more responsible and re-
spectahle, and the Governor himself elected
by the people--and wholesome revision Of
the Judiciary sysie.n--are, we think, impor.
tant, If not absolutely necessary amendments
10
who wonld not pledge himseEfto endeavor 10
obtain all of them, with the exception Of that
which transfers the election of Governor from
the hands Of the legislature to those Of the
people. The election, however, for three
consecutive years. of Wm. B. Giles to that of.
lice has fully convinced US that the legislature
IS AN unsafe and improper depository of tho
elective power-ind besides, the executive
department, of the govern nent should never
he corrected. in any manner with the iegis-
a,ive department, but more particularly by
he ties OF Obligation which the power given 10
Que 10 choose the other implies. and which
never can fail to make the chosen nndnly cub
''''"' WI 'iIc CRUUSCF' we w fht
wise, that the highest executive officer should
owe his election 10 the voice ot the ne oplc,
.a'ry expressed at the polls, rather than 10 n
mall elective body, concentrated in narrow
pace, a"i as certain to be assaulted by she arts
=" intrigue AS they are liable TO yield TO them.
fhen the present constitution was framed, II is
wen known that the har'h proceedings of she |
s"l"nIa Governors had infused into the minds
u the people the most powerful prejudices a
t'"n'i the Executive department, These pre-
"''ces led 10 the provision Civ my the appoint.
'ent OF Governor to the legislature, as well rs
% tue cieation OF thai fungus on The body poll
ici the Council of State II was presumed that
'e power OF appointment, vested in the legisa
ire "oult hold the Governor some what in IA
nd, a, L.,