Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-08-24
~vuUYCArIONs-Fe 70, tas r'rsiaia"

N n EIhti haNAN
ten - hy A member OF Congress OF the
app'aa,a.,,i, delegation. The probability 81
Ma 80 made ia convention In remove The
emu, and seriois nconvenieIces oi the
"'.,. d,vis,ons of Virginia aud Ia engrhti on
-" ,o6,,cai insiil utions such wiser pians as
our ~, sdyanisceously adopted IN o,iief
nave .a..,her with the high land JUST enco-
a.. ..s,osed on the ward system IN Mr. jet
m1 LATER 20 Col. kercheval, ere ted a He
~ .h,a;, more accurate anf minute infpr-
s,;oo of il, origin, principles aud mode % OPP
liz, Though no apology neeu De mdue LOT
en-, vIe sentiments. of arguments Is due to tue
iii and philanlhroplc a"'hof " 'nf co'e"'""''
ao,e - say. thu il was not, originally. inten-
ded for pub'icH'ion' H.. t..;,ora,,, !,
~ nali,ics of Virginia, and trusting that It's
nv aa,;on NAV he not without benefit TO the
po'nmnoi,y. | place il al your disposal.
Lynehburg, Aug, 20.
rhese Wards, called Townships, in New
r.,l,,d are the vital principle of their govern
mems. and have proved themselves me wises'
;"vsn,ion ever devised by the vii oil man tor
,ms ,erfp CT exercise of sell. g%oyernmrht and for
il. oreseryation."-Jferson
WARD OR TOWNSHIP SYSTEM.
The institution Of that sort of Corporation
uIlsd Toms in New England, was almost Co
.,al with The first settlement of the country.
nras not the result OF any scheme or device OF
nolitiral philosophers, but sprang from the
character OF the first settlers, AM IRON TIE Cur
cnnsi rcps in which they were placed WIN
minds chiefly intent on a celestial coantIy,
they unconscions'y laid the foundaiioh Oh the
visssl earthly institutions.
n may seem strange that these pilgrims
Sb,nld 90 ahead of he philosophers and states
men of Their day bun i, was not their wisdom,
- ve, altogether their religious spirit. though
,bcy mad an homes, zeal and n high sentiment OF
colts ,cfiice, which gave to then INSTITUTIONS, AT
6rst. their peculiar organizaiion-much less TIE
nrociplr Of improvement and spiiit Oh reform
ybich lives AMI grows in every new genera
4,oo They came here a COMMUNITY, but II
wa, a community OF knowledge and OF moral
purpo,e. aud, in some respects, such as had
never existed before. The necessities oil their
new situation brought them 10 the sober real
t;s oflife but thew were still n community !
acomnunity of dangers & Of tolls. OF counsels
and efforts but the principle and purpose
were not changed. II WIS sill the action OF
fhe common mind for the common good fall.
They had come OUT with the Intention of
maliap a permanent set,leinent, and their first
ohi,ct was 10 obtain of the natives sufficient
niantilies of sIituhIe land FIR the purpose.
Good lands we're OF more Importance TO them
for cultivation than 10 the Indians Tor hunting
Their purchases were. therefore, for the mos,
p,,t. upyn the rivera, and open meadows,
wher ever they could find good land of slti
cient extent to make farms for a competent
number Of etilers TO constitute a church ahu
snpport u Minister. These purchases wt:e
of unequsl extent, and 'paraten from ONE an.
other, but the inhabitants of eac,i lew settle-
- -. 49, Ia, A &C 60 III A. 81 ahftIly
were authorized to gather a church and settle
a Minister. For a short time, all the raeinen
assembled at one place for The choice OF Gov
ernor and assistants. but this Was soon found
incouvenient and the several settlements "irc-
ted Delegates TO IN ct together and advice the
Governor aud assistants III "A" TRANSACTION OF
public business. A early as 1852, certain OF
those settlements elected delegates i" TO advise
the Governor and assistants about Rising d
public stock, SO as what they shoald agree up.
on should bind all" This is, probably, the
frat representative body upon thi, continent.
mIe the House Of Bulgessrs in Virginia had
an earlier inent.
In process of time, larger trac Is were obtain
ed from the Indians by conquest or purchase,
which were generally laid ont into townships
ofsix miles .quare. The extent of the town
ships was liked rather with n view TO parochial
Convenience, than for municipal purposes and
il i. fonnd that these purposes wou!d admit of
larger townships " it'll lat much Inconvenience
IN The inhabitants. The ordinary business OF
a town, for a year, with all the elections, can
be accomplished M two public meetings, "here-
IN the voters can attend W thout being absent
rom their homes overnight. With Us il is not
found Cumbersome, nor Is il a subject OF com
PLANT with those who are oh sed To travel six
or eight mites twice Ii year TO attend t0"nmeet-
tggs.
Besides the townships, there are also plan
taiions IN Massachusetts These are particular
territories defined by law, The inhabitants Of
which were vested with certain powers, aud au-
ihorized t. choose certain officers by tue Pro-
'lncial Legislature. lhe constitution oil the
commonwealth recognized their rights, and
provided fer their gHins in their votes ior
Iounseliors aud Senators IN the plantations
where they resided and other person., living
IN places not vested with plantation powers,
were authorized to give in their votes for the
same officers in an adjoining tnWn.-Ihe prin-
cIPHl powers OF the plantations pertain 10 tina
assessment aud collection of taxes for the sup
port of schools, aud he making and repairing
OF roads. II il should be thought best not 10
include the less inhabited parts Of your state
Within The limits of townships, provision might
he m aie in one Of these ways for securing tn
the inhabitants the exercise OF their po,i,ical
rights, though from their situation, they might
not be able TO avail themselves OF al the jrect
advantages enjoyed by lie Inhabitants Of
'owns,-l do not perceive that there are great
ef pm. seal obstacles agaiost th- establish
men' OF towns in your commonwealth Than a:e
presented by the mountains and hard SOIL Of
New England.
lhe history OF the towns in early times,
"ou'd shew, IN some instances, the exercise by
'"em and their officers OF some very ex,raorGi.
naly powers. These were the effect, IN part,
- 'e!r peculiar circumstances, aud, in part, Of
W. S.lth and character ofthe times and the
'"e"' ihu lime ofthe revolution. too. the
people availed taen elves Of thir municipal!
organization for raising men and money for
t"c pno'ic service and Committees appointed
: mem assumed to exercise, upon ihdiv idu-
as. powers above the laws. and justified ouly
= "e eAlgencIes of the times. This shews 10