Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-08-20
M MI

nerS, Constabiey. Clerts and other otFcers
The Constitution "! Virginia provides that the Shcris
and t'"onrgs shall bc Nominated by The respective County
Counts, hnd wh'n approved BY the Governor sha! be COM
hi >-ion,d hy hia."
The love oi change is areat ha il may perhaps
lie dcned an objection to this system, that it has prevailed
in lirsinia for II great ieng,a .. time.
Our Justices formerly called Commissioners. 1t
enacted in 6ao y that the Commissioners oi every county
should recommend three the Governor and Goun-
Ill who should elect such Sheriii3 Of those
mcred they should think most lii Tor the place; and in
606l tha, the Shcriii's place should be conferred tie
'fs in commission. and devolyc commission
rr in subsequent allowed the Governor 10
commission such one ol The three fccomondcd rs 10 hun
should seem meet: and allowed Sheriff. To be- continued
in office lwn wears.
In Virginia. is general rule prescribed by statute that
no office ~ To be sold or M arn but OF ,s luc
Shellly is excepted. \ Sheriff il noi prohibited from
selling letting 10 farm The depuation o his office; subject
lower o control in the Sheriff, (and in the County
Lairisl The Deputy Sheriils.
Ry long usages, the sum received by Sheriff. from Il
Deputy whom the oicc is armed is allowed 10 be
oye by him. as his compensation (ind his only sonpcnsa-
nom performing the duties of Justice c The Peace in
C"urt and of Court. Tais after serving Justice,
nearly whole lifetime Person sometimes receives one or
| two thousand dcllara BY means Of the Sherliialty
No can with easDn say that more il .liis paid
or lie performance o The duties o Justice than ought Ia be
paid. But the of compensation is sometimes OBJ
rcicd
ann satisfied ni The justice OF making sudden change
in There Justices in office, who have
for many years faithfully discharged their official duties
without compensaon they have done in III. expectation
their turn, they would derive reward from the
Scrialty To say that they ahall have neither this re-
wad any other for her past services, is measure o
ues ouabc progrcy regard the present mode ol com
as.tiHg Justices far less Objectionable than system OF
payng them fees for al their services That SYSTEM hope
nd trust the people of irgina will never consen'o adopt
II b. not adopted the neN question Is shall he Justices
hereafter appointed b: pai al NIL ii they are Ia be paid and
ar. not have The Sheray 10 farm the only other way
paving Them all suitable, would be out OF tile county
levy tile form ol salary per diem allowance. doubt
whether This way the compensation would be airer Than
present: am not myself aware o any such evil from
the present mode paying them calls for such change
may bc Thai such Ell. does exit; aud perhaps ii may
| ha uropor make such Il change.
II he mode nj paying justices hereafter appointed be thus
changed perhaps il would not then be improper To engrat
on tie Constitution provision that person shall lnn!
tin, time ol his filing within six months after he shal
have been in he Office OF Justice, be appointed In office
appointment 10 which l. made 10y The couftio wnch aic
Justice brlonged.
With snch precnnlion against abuse, do VIII
hc County Courts might not appoint Sherit!s and Coroner-
~ well n conStables.
know that many persons in favor o having the Sher
Ills elected by the qualified But the only reasons
given by them in favor OF snch change which seem 10 nav
any force arise of the present practice oi iaing m
Sheriff = office. The system OF elcctng the Sherli oy
vote Of the people suppose vel! be adopted unes
there be some compensation for the justices otherwise thn
y the Sheriialty and il auc compensation be provided
,en the justices would no longer have any pecnnary IN
rercst in e office OF Sheriff. il would be very safe 10 eav
=, hnn, To select tit and proper person 10 i the Office
Il We know how ditcuit has heen in Pennsylvania an
some other States in times Of rerunary pressure, TO 81
Shers appointed by the people 10 collect the taxes as close
States to rcpniiaon This circumstance mas some ihli'
cncr with in prefarrng appointment BY the court
Hut what most operates on me Is the desire nave TO
rid Of the trouble and agitation and loss o time which mus
necessarily be encountered by The people II they have man
elections make. regard these things rs serious evil
and believe ;n not al all singular in this opinion.
this il evidence in the recent letter oil the iit
vn5rs of PochatGn, TO Mr. jFinm Gd wings ana Den
ncrlis Joning in it. Al the same time that he opposes
multiplication OF elections by the people, he truly says thu
person better claim be Of the people 'na hin
sell As Of that body liz protests, rs do, against al
sch unnecessary buren being imposed upon u.s. In h
evidence that the virtuoIs portion oi Inc connun
y-lhose who busy minding their own bisness-hh,
any snch inordnate desire for great increase OF The nun
+ har ui elections by the people, some al the politician
= would have lis think. But evidence quite The contrar
Observe the of of The poor In county IL
expense Of the poor which they have 10 provide Tor - OIL,
niVut half the an,oun, OF the whole County ie'y Ana
laws very carefully provide Tor elections OF these oversee
by the people. But who attend the elections tnier U
law ii many votes arc gwen IN District
County Court is make the appointment; and IN lar
number of the counties the County Courts invariably
the appointments because ii the failure Vi the people 10
tend the polls The people thus voluntarily leave ihc pow
of appontmeni in the hands o the Iusticesthese very il
J. ;e ground that they self chosen for life and perI
c tule their own body in succession foTererp
And provision be made for the election by tho people
ID Coroners we'll Overseers OF the Poor the result
rot be materially different unless unfortunately the numt
deaths from violence should increase in the county
i'd gh is said 10 have done in the city of Richmond
The people, believe have desire 10 be everlasting
tened about elections When such measure is broug
them large number OF those most capable OF exerc
III ing the right of suffrage wisely, will stay at home In whc
.aais the election will then be THROWN leave II 10
lc counlrymcn TO determine 80
Jealous as Mr. Henderson wns the Convention OF Il
have the Governor elected by the people, he TOOK care
defend himself the suspicion of bis being of tnai ca
Is "f which in 1850 have such numbers II am ho' >
he oue of thos, Jealous and minnie politicians who wn
continually teaze the citizens Of The country win the eli
ZION Of Consabes and all the little machinery Of pace.
r. dsspise it," ,h;r
n Iwish were generally despissl now One OF two thin
lie elections by the people They mast be at the same ime
D. NJ different times If at different times the better part OF
community will become tired being thus continually tesz