Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-08-06
FoR THE l,ScrIRLR.

10 Messrs s. q. Uahirop " Gould .iacoj Ha'yriy, II.
| I: Hacs, j. s. Prilly hin D. .Shclpatd laaers,a
Grub5S .noptA B..ler, w. e. Jaiajsrro, II M. iiN
.hlmes $. RyaA james MilousM, Alfred " u!n.on f1.m-
iag Z. Harris and .john H. Ihomas, rotsrs i; te Coa-
rention District composed Of lie counties q CGTcS CITY
.Ner Kent, Henrieo, and the Cuyet Rieio'ona
| Gontlemen:-I have received your communicating IN
which you are pleased alde with appreciation 10 ny
"ng experience in public t and integrity Sci with
request that would myself candda" for tais
convention district with publication o! my opinions VI t
amendments necessary the constitution For y"r Kind
opinion oi .uc allow 10 return yon my thanks assent
your prcrosition and announce that ain ciididate
~ request There two great antagonist principles
in governments, and but These arc, on c one hand
that tie people incapable o governing themselves wise
ana therefor" they axe 10 be taken in tn aad lnased
y one or few under the u kGg, or some o'cr and
meeting the people, much liberty. "a shall not hurt
tln-Ihc antagonist this is that !e people are Judy cl-
pablc oi governing themselves wisely tha; the po"c. Is
rirhtf theirs derived from God and and
ana that there shall DC rnlcrs over them, or ior en, but
y their free choice and appointment "fc are lines
between hostile points some contcrgng II the cnc,
some the other Each principle has lis advocates, cyet
where in sonc,sapc degree Many very good cn
think that lie ieori should nave but h'c 10 90 WIN inc.s
own public affairs, ai i!:G il to others a. appoint: icn-
selves ls in the Counir Cut SYSTEM ~ act IS magistrates,
Or a, the people shodli 'cci >rt oi men IN whom soci
rvolyc the c:oasc .hein .hei- 81 important
rsrratrs luc.cs and othc. officers lily opinion is lii
those who hold such opinions ale III cTo! aad Inc people
whom all laws, ANA for whom a officers are To act,
shoul in every case ii be doac, without iJo
muc, inconvenience themselves, make tnr;r
p,inments upon vel. known and universally approved
|
you want il nN .0nc do ii YOURSELF would therefor"
nave III public officers elected by the peoples except only
those fiscal officers wao from lie nature Of ihiiG' mast
account to the LcsItllc Auditors, Register &c. &c
they should be annually appointed by Ne Legislative
Justices oil the Peace, Slc.is Coroncrs, CnIs'a3ics
Commissioners oi the R,:cnlc and Attorneys for liz ON
monwcu should be cloc, hy the voters Vi the Counties
Districts in which they MAJ Respectively 90 required 10 act
sos, periods ii time 10 be fixed y thu Constitution or
10 be regulated hy law No officer n any kind, shou'i be
eligible 10 the Legislature during his continuance in oilt
the Executive Council should be holsCd aud the Govern
or and Lieutenant Governor sJuld hc elected ~ c people
Tor years the Lieutenant Governor to be Governor nro
The death or ncapacy of Governor and eac! be eli
able for SECOND only Clerks of the county courts
should be td by the voters Of the Counties io pio!
less than eight years other clerks VI courts Should
be- appointed for like period by the Courts Respectively o
whic, they clerks Judges of the Gcnera Court should
elected b. the of ihe district over wlc they "a
preside for period exceeding six yearSludrs al tic
Court OF Appeals would cit during good behavior by the
voters of the State at large removable for ncaparliy
other good cause by avot III t%o-trs o! e two oscs OF
the General Assembly They should be required Ia give tine
reasons Of the court seaim In all causes decided by them
ni In appeals dcnie The gh, OF snllragc should be
tended to al free white men, niilrc or nlraAt citizens
who have resided twelve months III the county dis
lric in which he offers vote and who has paid his or
| the support Of Govcrnmen-and should be al
lowed . give than one vote in The same election
Senators should b. elected !or larger districts than delegates
b certainly not for 81 Gg period as In dcs,roy Their
responsibility 10 people or whilst they have ;hc power IL
cier the rrcne, ty have oo 10 cec the r!h, Legislation
q! the more numerous braneh:they should b. elected
for more than ycarsal soni be equally eligible
TO office and none excluded except fo crime As the laws
now stand for lie Office of Commissioners the revenue
for INSTANCE there hal! dozen classes of render
ei i'm gihe by Legislative enactment. Preachers The Cos
el Physicians Lawyers Tarern Keepers and bcIicyemier
chants ind ownofs. and ol mills m ;n;.i' IL
this office MOI would adopt any bitfry rule !n iispen
sim with thu services of the 0 but i"Ee
the people free select young old, they rLy ti'n
proper That extraordinary genius John Thompson, (Iu
ls) the early agc c Il thought ui match for ina
giant of intellect John Marshall who was double his age
and of living where be oaa rendering great
er services .r country and the worl than Rtco an.
Clay? In yinn The basis oi representation there may al
M doubt will be great diversity of opinion in tho ConTcn
lion but this is 10 BE- hoped will by lnst aud fair conc-
siuns settle down upon mc,na that shall insure jlsl'e'
10 all parts the Commonwealth My opinion Il thi
The entire population of State is the most natural baSi'
,r representation bu, this like every thing mast y!e'
to circumstances four gfea; divisions of the State
arc hardly be expected 10 without compromise "
on this TO Virginia. sexei question lie West will claim -
their ightine men, whilst the will claim for their sih
cws of wara raterna desire 10 all against insc
and rive general satisfaction should in my humble opinion
fix ,pon the federal basis When Virginia entered into '
confedcacy the slaves counted in the Federal enumeration
were very different people from those nf the present da
they were many Of hcn ndiires Of Arcd the mere su'ec'
of traffic and BY entitled the sam: consdera
ton either morally politically with those born and rus
amongst us. If the pillars of this great temple 9" Inft
ule union should moudcr and fall or be shiveTe by sou
modern Sampson and the genius of freedom rcentns s'u