Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-09-22

thue court party well as the big court party who
are resolved to elect him at all hazardsthey cdn-
and II IS the great favor that tie sItu quo system
these courts hnG IN his eye, that makes all these st
lated gentlemen so devoted 10 his beng engaged,
for at least one more drama. 1t is quite natural and
hope II will be admitted To be- quite natural for
tho PLAIN and simple men, who wish 10 sec The scales
of justice come to a balance little more promptly
hereafter to their best endcavors To keep him OIL
the boards this once and in IL future time, that lac
may neither impede their hopes of judicial reform.
nor falsfy hts solemn promise OF retirement. But we
shall not dwell much upon the proofs ct his par
tiaiity to the rested rights OF the erecuticc and the
dietary, as we have the evidences of his hostility
to general suffrage and equality Of representations
In fact they not huIdredth part numerous;
for, having lost the fight these fields of wordy
combat and threatening acknowledgements of the state,
1t IS probable his energies became somewhat para
lzed with despair, and ma DO him resigned regard
TO the rest lei the wilful republicans take their
course But, some how, the classics would say 9,
like ANGUS, he seems be reboundina with
strength from HE fall, and means TO make desperate
hight again, If he dupe friends enough out OF his
natural enemies pit hin for, of real original friends
to his political principles. he can have few none of
the yoomanry of this country; and without their assist
ancr' the court party about the city will be made
quate to his wishes. We will proceed, however. to
give some idea Mr. Lcigh's sulogy IF the srecutive
branch of the old constitution, pointed by Mr. Hen
derson of Lpudoun.
Mr.. Henderson said-"The gentleman, TO whose
remarks have heretofore alluded gave n fine
picture OF e1ecuce excellence; aud finished it, by
forming shat harmless erecutipe had zoe,
that great portion Of The people actually did not knotO
toto The Governor scds" Is this desirable, free
people, protesting to be intelligent, and taking
terest IN their affairs, not To know vho their
Governor Isl and to b. feicitated upon it in this
semblagc Truly, the gentleman has placed the so
verelgn people in mos dreamy and beathed state!
Sir, wish to them from this unmcply torpor
( 1t exists | wish the people may know their Co.
vernon. and that the Governor may knou the people
Mr. Jefferson, in his notes on Virginia, states, lin
prDh hama l,u
tressed, 1t was proposed IN the House Of Delegates,
to create Dictator vested with every power, egis-
atve, executive, and judiciary, civil and military, of
life and death. over our own persons and our
own properties: and IN June, Tvs again under Gala
nifty, the proposition repeated, and ,rnntsd
a fetc rotes only Of being nassed! :" is there
living man who will doubt the tcisdom and patriotism
of the Legislatures of 1875 and 1881? Surely the
that we can give no good reasons for thr we
recommend, as not that man." page arr
Now what says Mr. Leigh about the election of
shcriffs, &c? MIR. Naylor, of Hampshire county,
will bring him out.
Mr. Naylor sad-'It is essential TO the charac
ter OF republican government, that the people with
whom or IN whom Is all the power, should have he
appointment OF all their officers. public unctIona
RES either directly indirectly. Now, there is not
an officer in this government. so far. entirely
removed From the control of the people in his appoint
mcnt or otherwise, as the she If. They have no
gency IN his appointment, either directly Or Indirect
iy BE Is a creature entirely of tho county courts
and the county courts cafe theuSeices. They per-
petuate their own body, and what is termed ine
rum imperio They have also, by long usage up
proptated the Office of sheriff To themselves. They
have 5us, much right appropriate the ccrkshp
10 themselves. They have established order of
things among themselves, by which they take this
Office a kind of rotat And II the unIver-
sui PRACTICE, with every of those magistrates to
sell 1t for the highest price they u:tan; and
some instances, as l have been Informed, this has
been done at public auction. This has raised up
another class of differs called deputy shrrrfIs On
account Of the illicit gains which are to be mrde IN
that office, many Of those who farm It, give for
than the whole fees would amount 20; which is
maniiestly done upon the calculation of lndctnnyipg
themselves by pecuiGtion and e1GciiOnS one shape
another, from unfortunate Debtors TO q largo a.
mount. Yes. sir, by these means the msforIunes nf
the unfortunate are every day aggravated to an
,reme degree. 1t may be inquired, why not
those REGULATORS punished? Why is not the law put in
force against hem2 The answer ls that the only
persons put the law IN force, always 90 much
in the power of those usurers and eSor onrrs that
they dare complain. 1T the sherlffs elected
by the people. these enormies could not and would
not take place" &c &c. (page 436
sMr Leish (page 5o3 noduced the subject ooun!v
courts and ine powe to H,d his aIsTent IN opposing the
ogunize1 had done any injury and that the appoint
men OF sheriff ought continue IN their bands compensate
Themselves for their services"
w'l advert brief samples Of ur. Leisns sympathy
for the Judiciary and particularly the chanelors Bhr debate
being upon the limitation Of the term osoVice ofhe judges
dr Leigh said [page 1885, "Tum now, pray you, New
York from whose institutions are to borrow this nPrave
ment IL mistake suppose the gentleman from
he does that Rent and Spencer both removed by
limitation Of age twas the constitutional prOViIioa but
a revolutionary deeapation by which Spencer teH He
conrenfionzd Of office We going eonvenfonise
JUICES THE NeiD York had the grace
abolish the chancsTy; and thus Kent left
political death the age Of sixty He is superannmated
judge, and remains in full possession Of 0r capacity
&c. awe have of instances Of English judges retaining
the foil vgo Of their minds seventy even
eighty yean-and have history Of Virginia bench
confirming ike state offaCts"
Mr. Leghs deyoedness the vested rights Of the
bench possibly be accounted for in part by his exclusively
professional habits which thus alluded his words
when discussing the subject Of dsnemhemeu Of State
debates page 1871 lie avowed that GH the little knowledge
he possessed and al his habits Of thinking ereo pro
tsaonni habits of thinking confined questions Of
municipal law and justice and itte suIsd to the
aud DISCUSSION OF great questions ul state which
greatest reach and the widest range Of thought"
Ia fine, when the amended concluded on
by the convention and the question taken
be referred for adoption TO the feehoder alone per
sons admitted To the polls Mr.. Leigh voted nlinorig
Of ~ OF the whole convention, against referring
JfshoderS (psge 892 And, Notwithstanding Mr. Lszhs
defeat ~ Of his views Of policy for Virginia psTcu
larry In the held dedeH TO hIs heart 10 which integrity
Of the state secondary consideration, yet the
constitution has been adopted almost by reclamation cast