Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-09-28
RICH NO Nd, Va.
Friday Morning. September %. is4o.
INSPECTION LAWS AND COUNT
COuRTS.

n The Inspec,ion Laws deserves pafdco!d' d.
,o,,;on Thos. who read il will be surprised to
find how trjhng mailer has k'aa'cd '"e Nn-
.ns. eYci,sment which has lately prevailed
-, ,be Wing presses concerning County
Courts.
Hinder the present laws, these Courts have Inc
,,ooinm.n OF certain classes OF inspectors, ana
the Governor of others. II was propossa 70
make The new law uniform, and 10 give me ap>
poin,ment OF all inspectors 10 one or o'hei o.
these authorities. The Wing members Vo'ea 6"
uassc for the Courts; the DemocsaIic members
were divided; SOM, according 60 'heir impress
,ioos Of expediency, preiering the Courts OH
ore The Governor Fiudlng, however, In The
end that The Wings made the mater parry
oueslion. they determined 10 vote ia favor o.
giving The appointments to the Governor. AS
cerlaining this, Mr.. Scott lose IN the House. ana
in a long speech, denounced The Democ;anc
,a,,v as monart h;cal in lis ,cne's and propen-
sites and reviewed the history oi paihes III the
Union 10 show thai the "so-cailsd" Democracy
had ever favored The "Onc Man Power" "h'ie
his own party had as constantly advocated the
popular cause.
Seeing their leader make 50 serious mater
Of this ,ri1pg question Of Inspeciorshps, Inc
whole Wing press of the Stale imagined they saw
in it a mighty issue; fancicd the Common.
wealth 10 be in mom.nlors crisis; Inc cnure
fabric of County administration on the point Q!
demolition, aud the liberties oi Virginia about to
be swallowed up in the cone Man Power IN
the tyranny Of pity monarch. The k"h poho
Wing belook itself, seriously, 10 The oeeaes Il"
Convention, and quo'ed thefefrom many columns
of speeches, delivered b. distinguished mcmos'S
of ba, body in lauda!ion of County Courts, q
Justices OF the Peace, Of Family Benches, anu
Republican institutions in general.
we have never thought it worth while to
combat, with particular pains, this haiiucinal'on
of the Wing press, seeing sha, it was altogether
harmless in its tendencies, ard not conceiving
il possible that The public miad could DC seri>
ously alarmed fer the saiety OF county courts
by anything they publish d. Tue question: whe-
Their these courts should appoint inspectors. 10
more concerned their existence, than the cues
ton, whether tho Executive should appoint
them, concerned the existence OF That Deplrt-
ment; and as it had stood firm for many years
without this appointing power we felt assured
that they could stand likewise ii disesied oil 1t.
The question presented By the new law was
whether ,plieia! tribunals were proper repos'-
tories for er.eutv powers AL appointing pow
til
yery different question from that which nc
Nhig press endeavo.,d TO make of i, namely
whether County Courts should cxis! a! ali
As merely iu4icia! ,Iibl as ihss' courts are an
ancient and valuable Institution, an csas'in'e
an essential par! Of the State Judiciary. Incy
had their origin in the Old Common Law, aaa
could NO, b. abolished w!.nJG, causing ina abfo-
gallon OF many OF lhe mos. excclIen, provisions
of that venerable System. As lsd!c a! tribunals
they will sand, We lraS, as long as the Com
nonwea'h, ana rs long as Tie A nsto Sex II race
with watch !hit origin Is cocYai, shall exist. r.
COMPLAINT has ever b,rn p,ale a8Aias III m IS
judicial tribunals. No hardship o: i;'irFg ca'
-osnn s-~-- J,....e-e 1t rist"u' "ec8i' -
in justice is sure - b. faallgcba:r'd,
Bot, besides these judicial lnac'on', !tcY have
exercised since ID. revolutionary Ell, nial'y o'te'
functions executive in IN III nauie, as 70 "iiet
OF course ieir action isiila! ADD w,lhoul afp"al
The powers OF appointment whcA they have
heretofore held ate some Of lhe,e. tney tce'Vs'
these extraordinary powers III tie infancy o. 'n'
Commonwealth, during lie heat .! line reV'ia
,ionary struggle. wh.n al government: excep
that OF Inc county administrations was SuspendI Il
and when there was no other repository to; taea'
powers bul The County Cour!s. The magistrate
of Virginia were Ter lohe time remarkable To-
their high peIsonai character ard integrity, and
still sustain this reputation il maEy comics 0
The S,a.e. Owing 10 III 5 lac, the extraordinary
functions rcposed wilh tacm OF necessity. daring
The Revolution, have been Continued 10 ,ien, II
compliment, since Bat, Of la;c years, ia many
counties they have ceased 10 deserve their et's'
nal character, and have used The powers o! lhei
Office Tor personal, for family and f.! patty par
cosss. Especially have many oi these benches
hayibs large Wing majoIities, abused 'Ee.5 ONO
for depressing aud oulsasag the Demccra!ic CT
iiz,ns of their Counties.
HINGE many Democratic nc.a 'sfs Q; tac L.
eisla,cre iuciincc to The proposition 10 center M
anpoiu,nen; u: ilspsc.vi. up3n lha GoPerao! III
s,ead OF upsn County CoufsS, l!misi 3s Us ofe
ration was Another reason ter Tie caa2Se va
tina. these inspectors, although residing ia town:
ond c;,i,s. exercised iaeir Ciiee grun produce
from the wholc State, Eod IS tae Interests OF III
public a, large were thus avvTea in ihtiT aifuIi
msn,. il was considered tia, ihe Governor, rep
reseuling the en,i;c people Of The Commo1wcaitii
wa, more proper repository OF This power NAL
County or Corporaiiaa Cou"a. whica ;cp:eseH-
ted the Interests Of oulY tue ;o:n' "'iagcS owe
which their jurisdiction extended.
B>sdss these Considerations, having Sfecia
reference to The question before ih.m, there ~e!'
others OF a general nature which iae''ntt Dcm1
cratic membcrs 10 favor 4 iEopoSiIl'n 10! nc
stric,ins he executive aud extraordinary tune
lions OF these courts. Taey are s.li.apPom'e
bodies. in which respect the ancien. p!ov'sioa q
the Common Law requiring their election y
freehUldtIS OF Iuc Coa"''~s n'' 49,"
Their power of sel;-appoia'men' rests exclusive
upon The assumption OF theit inco'up''oli''
and uncharging, perpetual ia'es'!'y-an as
sumption which is al war with every TepnMi
can idea and all human experience. Ihis oaneia
power furnishes 10 venal.;y, when oace Secu'ihs
a place upon county benches, MEAS 81 ?etps'u
a,ins itself wi;hou, the possibility .; pteTen!ion
Blu, this power is not more extraordinary tnan
another which they hold, viz: the L's'sa'ir'
power of lcvyins taxes upon the fsop!e. lhoS
may exercise This power for any purpose, anu
upon any pretenss whatever, without the slightest
regard to the opinions, the wishes or The interests
Of those who are Obliged 10 pay their !evies In
vain may every man il the county demonstrate
against the folly or The inqu''y 't TIC act
~ ,:. - ra1,,es er;.,. uni r III. sun isr the