Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-08-05

1N W ~ $50
duties for all; they should be responsible TO all:
when their election is confined to a small nor
ton OF the community, it is easy for them 10
keep fair weather with those few, whilst thew
may habiluaIIy neglect their duties to every
body else am also for electing the Governor
by the people, and abolishing the Executive
Council
l am either for abolishing The County Court,
or greatly modifying il by diminishing its num-
bers, and otherwise, and for electing them for a
longer period than mere m inistera officers. es-
pecially it Judicial duties are assigned them. and
Tor allowing them moderate compensation for
their services, so fixed as to remove all ternpta-
ton to stir up litigation. The County Court
system was derived from our Mother Country.
and was a paJt of her Monarchcal Institutions.
Under that system, their services were gratui,ous
because they were to be performed BY gentle
men, whose hereditary wealth and PRIVILEGES
conferred by their system, enabled them to do
so without further equivalent. But as the aboli-
ton OF rronogeniture, has greatly subdivided
property with Us; and rendered large hereditary
possessions unusual, and as those whose property
would enable them TO devote a potion of their
time TO the public without compensation. have
generally acquired their property by habits of
industry; which habits are almost certain TO be
devoted to its further increase. ii is idle any Ion
ger to rely on gratuitous services, the perform
ance OF W hlch are indispensable to the general
veal
The truth is, it is not 50 much matter of sur
prise to me that the Justices have omitted to
perform fully their duties, as that thew have so
| long performed them TO the extent they have
without hardly any other obligation than the
holding of the office.
Under the Constitution as it now stands. the
House OF Delegates alone has power TO originate
Bills The Senate being only permitted 10 act
as revisory body.
AS all large deliberaive bodies like the lower
house; move slowly, the consequence is that the
Senate generally for upwards OF month"; after
their organization, have nothing TODD. aud thew
generally get leave to go home until business
acted upon by the lower house is ready for them.
But towards the close of the session he business
has so much increased OH the Senate table that
they are constrained somewhat to act upou it in
| a more hurried manner than is consistent with
due delibera,ion.
Both these evils MIGHT be cnred BIZ giving 10
| the Senate the same power TO originate Bills, ex-
cept money Bills. thai the other House has The
sanction OF both to every law would still be re-
quislte which is all that is required, and as to
which acts on Bill first is totally in material
The length OF the session would be considerably
diminished in this way and considerable expense
avoided. This change would be calculated to
secure wiser system of legislation
| am iii favor of Biennial Sessions of the co.
islature II may fairly be presumed that our
system Of laws, having some OF them been
tested by the experience OF ourselves and our
mother country, from whom we derived them,
| for centuries, and others of our own adoption,
having been the subject of repeated revisals,
have arrived at such degree of perfection as. at
least, not to require that eternal tnkerine which
they are now exposed to, particularly when ii is
a conceded maxim, by all wise lawgvers, that
the certainty of the law is of at least as much
importance as its Justice and policy
But in order to effect this change. it Will be
absolutely necessary, according TO my expert
ence, that another reform should be adopted,
which is: that the Legislature should be strip
ped OF all power to pass any laws of mere To-
cal and personal bearing. They should be COLI
fined to legislation OF general concernment.
would refer to some other tribunal The adiullica-
ton OF all claims against the Commonwealth
all petitions for divorces, and all applications
tor acts OF incorporation, besides various others
OF similar character, under some general law
prescribing the objects, terms and conditions,
upon which they should be granted or decided.
This last change should be effected indepen-
dent of its adoption with view to Biennial ses-
sions, whilst the Legislature is confined TO sub
lects in which all are interested, all may be ex-
pected to pay that degree OF attention necessary
TO enlightened legislation for all W oud incur a
responsibility to their constituents from which
they could not escape. But with regard to
merely personal or local questions, the case is
entirely different. Who would expect that a
! body composed OF 1874 members, should exam
inc into the documents and other evidence of a
claim which not uufrequently amounts to less
than $50, or in the merits of petition for dvor-
ces OF parties they never saw. They are COM
PEELED in such cases, in nine cases out of ten, 10
act upon faith in Others and not unfreouently
those others interested in misleading them. On
the subject of granting divorces if we are TO fol-
low the example OF other States in this coniede.
racy, as we are now doing, the matrimonial
contract, upon the sacred character of which
the whole system Of human virtue hinges, that
compact will be as fral as any other
| am in favor OF apportioning the representa-
| ton in both branches of the Legislature upon
the White Basis and the white basis alone. The
question between the east and west upon this
point is now an open one. The first Constitution
after the Declaration of Independence (which
was the original contract) in declaring that ma
lorty had right to change the Constitution at
pleasure would seem to settle it forever. The
alleged ground OF our eastern brethren claminga
greater proportion of the representation than
their white population entities them is wholly u1-
tenabie. They say that it is to protect them
against undue taxation, particularly taxation for
purposes of internal improvements they owning
much the greatest proportion of property, partic-
ularly of a certain description. Now have no
faith in any system of government that does not
afford ample protection to property, for ifproper-
ty rights are not safe, no other rights can be
long safe.' But as they claim only protection,
can that protection be given in no other shape
than in an excess of representation over the o.
Their sections, by the possession of which they
will not only be enabled to protect their pyoperfv,
but at the same time to control and govern tho
rest OF the State in every other respect whatev-
er, whether it has relation to the protection of
property or not. Protection being the end aim
ed at, the means ought to be, it would seem,
strictly limited to that end
Ifthis danger really exists, that means can be
devised which will afford ample security against
undue taxa,ion it seems TO me does not admit of
,1a,1d opI Thor ton mt b.-i 49,.