Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-07-26
ron THE ENQUIRER
To ae People II Louisa, fIurcnna and Goochiuad.

IUEie tOl't ~ I.VuiSJI f1uTGHHu nc tIOOCftdHu.
f~ElL0w-CITi2ENs
Ec!ng candidate for one Of III. three seats which. on The
fourili Thursday in August, are 10 he filled BY you in the
convention thai will meet next October, to amend the Con.
| Siiiution If Virginia; think il but Just 10 you, and IL my.
s,f. Ia las clearly before vou my opinions as 10 the changes
which NAV be made. No one could Dc more deeply IMPRESS.
% ihan am, with the momtntnns nature of the trust thir
| ask from YOU: 10 one could he more anxious To discharge
j, with crcaii 10 himself, and rscfuliy 10 you, should Won con-
tide it to my hands. Tnis feeling may naturally be expected
- inspire Il becoming zeal for Your interests, and Il becoming
diliacnc" in watching over and promoting them.
In mv opinion.
/. All sane, white male citizens ought 10 be voters, who
have lived a year in the county. and are not paupers or con-
sictcd OF any infamous crime. 10 guard the better against
unauthorized voting, wouli require every voter Ia he regis
tered some short time before the election. No man should
vote more than once, in thc same election.
:. representatives in The Legislature should be apportion-
cd according 10 what's known rs the Nired Basis that is,
with 4 combined regard 10 taxation and white population.
3. Taxes ought 10 be hid upon all sorts OF property, in
proportion 10 value. In other words, taxes ought To be al
raiorsns; ! would moreover require, as Il safe guard against
rash and costly expenditures for railroads, canals, &c, either
4 vote OF t"o-thiEds ar more, OF each House i'll The Leaisla-
tuTc, in iay"7 Of any such expenditure, or that the Legislature
shall abstain altogether from any such.
). The Governor, Judges, Magistrates, Shcriiis. and other
officers, should he elected hy the people: Circuit Judges ty
HI people of their respective circuits; each Judge If the
Conr, Of Appeals by the people of a iist,et forming a fifth
part Of tie State; each justice by those OF a township hun.
bred, or other subdivision Of L county.
5. The Judges ought 10 be elected for n term no, exceed.
ing ten years; and should no, be allowed to sit, after they
arc sixty five years old.
i. The present county courts ought to be radically altered.
There ought 10 be no sell-pcrpetuating body in a Republic
! would extend the jurisdiction Of single magistrates 10 fcy
dollars; vest the other liiigois civil jurisdiction of the coun.
Is courts, in the Circuit Courts; and LEI the justices. or a
certain number Of them, regulate The police and revenues OF
the county, Try slaves, &c. But The details of this subject
may well be left Ia the Legislature.
4. The Legislature ought 10 meet only once in two years.
Even then, is sessions might be shortened 10 n fourth of
their present length, by ~dcpriving il (as the new Cunstitl.
ton of kentucky does Of the power to pass private. and TO-.
cal laws; which always form far the Greatest part os orr
Legislatures enactmcnis or the last Sessions Acts. lOi
are lnominally) OF Il public ard general nature; and -; arc
Groredg OF n private and local nature, Every wear. the
pFoportloa IL very similar 10 this. But of the Acts mammal
ly putlc, ana general, = vast number concern only one conn
~, or neiglbo.hcod, or company.
5. The charters Of Banks, and aft other cor,ora,iops
ought 10 be alterablc or reyocablc at the pleasure Of the Lc.
eislaiure: and stockholders should be- liable, out Of their mi.
vate estates, for all the debts and defaults of the concern "a
in other partnerships. Banks ought also 10 be restricted
from issuing notes 10 more Than the amount of their c,ni,,I
actually paid IN. And provision ough, 10 be made for obl:r-
ms GU! banks 10 issue only notes al higher and higher de.
nominations until, after 81 many Years, none shall be issued
OF less than twenty, thirty, or fifty dollars. But TO make
thls eihciuai, the cooperation OF the ncighborinp STATES
will perhaps be necessary; and The process should he Gradual
ana Siow--as most great changes ought 10 be.
y. me Senate, ms well az the House Of Dc!enates ouoht
10 nc allowed 10 originate laws; except money bills.
~. The Constitution ought 10 contain some nroyision for
lis own amendment, without calling another Convention -
hy obvious and easy precautions, changes for ligit and iran.
slcnt causes might bc prevented. and wholesome amend.
nenis DC obtained, more certainly, more quietly and NOR,
cheaply, than by l Convention.
Against the popular election Of Judges. for \ term nj ton
years VI less. arguments are used which appta ar 10 me dicta-
ted not only by a needless, aud causeless disuusr of The ueo.
pies intelligence, or integrity, but by overlooking perhaps