Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-04-13

II such details, that it generally takes
longer time 70 dispose Of a rejected bill,
than to pass an adopted one.
we have rarely known more questions
brought up-brought up, on both sides OF
the House. and by the wings as often,
u not ottener, than the other-and some
times, under strong suspicion, that they
were brought up, and the debate spun
out, Tor the purpose Of wasting time. It
IS the remark Of an experienced obser-
yer, that he s'never saw a Legislature.
which worked with such good will--es-
pecially for the last six weeks. The
previous question was sometimes called
nearly ten times day and generally
by the Democrats"
A variety Of important questions came
up, OF were thrown in, which coHtribut.
ed to the consumption Of time. The
legislature assembled under peculiar Cir
Nmstances. A general complaint of dis
tress had gene forth amone the People.
The Treasury was exhausted. The pub
lie debt was threatened with reputation.
A new apportionment OF the Congress
ionaI Districts, happening cnl y once in
ten Of years, was 10 be effected. These
movements condition Of the Pub
lie Works. schemes TO relieve the peo-.
pIe.to I'll! the Treasury 10 relieve the pub
lie in,proveme alone sufficient.
with tie ordinary business Of the session,
10 occupg considerable space-but, in
addition to these. extraordinary cues,
lions were thrown in.
The most prominent Of all the subjects
in discussion. was the faith and the con
dition Of the Treasury. The Legislature
could not, without disgrace, avoiI an in
crease Of the taxes. They had to choose
between Reputation and Taxation -
and virginia Patriot coald scarcely
hesitate upon the alternative. 81 had
rather pay to the last cent, than see our
mother State disgraced"-such are the
memorable words of "The Goochland
-Overseer'' such was the manly SEN
timent of The Representative of the peo-
pie. They had two various alternatives
before them. They had to increase the
old taxes, or levy ne" ones, or to do
both-Ihis question itself was new and
sufficient to Occupy much OF the time oil
the House. The Democrats were not
satisfied with laying the burthens Of the
Government upon land and labor alone
but looked out for new subjects. They
found them in capital, that had hitherto
escaped taxation, Or which had been
most unenuaIiy taxed. And in the adj
iustment IF the various subjects and va
rious rates, upon principles at least new
TO Us, and complicated and difficult in
themselves. much attention was requlr-
ed, aud much debate was excited. But
it was net alone in adjusting the rates OF
a new tax BILL, that the time slipt away.
They had also to pass new bills. embla-
cling the manner Of collecting the new
subjects. and regulating the duties Of the
Commissioners Of the Revenue.
The Apport;onmert Bill was itself a
new question of nc little Complexitv.-
1t was connected with variety of sec
tonal aud party Interests. PROJECT after
.proiet vas presented, reported. and dis
cussed-@nd days passed away, before
an Apport;onment could be adopted, by
the two Houses.
The Stay or Relief Laws were also
presented in great variety OF forms
discussed, and finally rejected. The
proposition to extend tie jurisdiction of
Magistrates to $50. was presented, time
after time-referred ito commttees-re-
ported on, then Observation-Disclosures a
whole day devoted to each pTeiet-and
finally il was shpwrecketi in the Senate.
All these relief measures were the char
acterstics Of no particular party. Each
had its partiZan, its advocate. Itsivote by
ayes and noes-without regard TO po!iti-
cal distinctions.
Attempts were made to relieve the
Banks in various forms--and among them.
the issuing Of small notes.
Bring all these questions together
throw in also the variety of Bills and
resolutions that were reiected-aI!ow
something for the number Of new mem
bers, to whom the privilege is always
granted Of throwing off little surplus
steam-and who will wonder at the pro-
crastination Of the session? Yet tht
Wig will still cry out-Abuse of Office
Waste of tlme-Cruc,fy them! Cruelty
them Turn them out, and put US Ggal
ln-aIthough, without having several o
these very complicated and knotty ques
tions to deal with, last session, they Sc
within three DAYS Of the lenih Of the re
cent session. Even the Compiler, witt
its various complaints against them, ant
with its list Of debts and credits, IS more
Just, and much more liberal, than th'
Wig. sit was in session {says tbs
constant observerD much, longer than II
ought to have been, and that is gronnt
q for serious complaint. They were ION
ger in session than the Legislature tina
preceded them-(hut adds the Compiler
we will notrsaY they did less business
for they had to reapportion the Congress
sionaI vote of the State, increase the tax
es, and to deliberate upon the personal
feuds of Fauquler. which last absorbed