Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-07-24

Wallis w. Wingfe1d, B. NJ. Morris and Geo. I
Peake:
GENTLEMEN:.-lncessaut occupation until yesterda
mas putt out OF my power to give earlier reply
your favour OF the 10th inst
1t Gous say that you deem it "hghly proper that tn
people should be informed OF the views of the nominee
70 be voted Tor in August, delegates to the Conven
ton, especially when there can be no express
immediately given to the agents who are to enact iii,
fundamental laws of the State-and therefore YOU ash
Tor mine concur in the sentiment which you express
and although do not know that shall be one o''tNe
nominees to be voted for, do not feel at liberty &c
, decline a compliance with such request so kindly
made, and by men OF so much responsibility
u1uefstand you, OF course, as desiring TO be inform
ca OF my opinions upon the general principles and car
dlnal points which will engage the attention of the
convention; and notupon the various details which NAV
oe proper and necessary to carry oct and give effect to
THESE principles For presume you do not expect
and certainly should not think it proper that anv
man should commit himself beforehand to anv thino
more han those general principles, which should con-
sutule the MAN features oil the Constitution; and even
M 20 them something must be left to the dscre
.on OF inc lePresentatiye A man
enter INTO reasonable compromise WIN the opinions and
feelings OF others, and get that which comes nearest o
his own views OF right Without this no govern
nent could ever be formed. Every government which
snot despotlc, Is compromise by which all yield
Soelhihg lof the benefit OF the whole In this spirit
should act If in the Convention; and with that view
1.-THE contingencies which may arise | shall proceed
to state ree y my opinions
l. AS TO the basis OF representation Tn a represen-
tauVe govern nent among the fundamental objects of
Whlch is to secure government in which the will of
he people shall De properly felt and expressed and vet
so regulated and restrained that the rights of properv
as well as OF persons shall be protected and secred The
basis of representation must suppose be REGARDED a
the subject OF primary consideration There can he
no hoery the persons OF the people are subject to the
t exercise OF power-nor can there be any
me fruits OF toll aud labor instead of being secured for
he use OF the person who oiled for them his or her
family are liable to be taken, without COMPENSATION
of the use OF those who did not labor for Them or for
'ha oF
anc industry must be sacred his person or he is
mott Ii the government be based upon propertv
enrey persons without property may be denied their
lust participation in the government and opnressod
ana II, on the other hand persons alone be regarded in
the pass OF government property may become insecure
ana agrarlanlsm or communism ensue, which will al
ways end IN revolution and violence KINGS and
Frlnces would never lind any of men silly enough to
deck their skulls with crowns, and endow them with
royal or exclusive privileges if it not for the fear
ereL.aned lor the security OF lite and property under
popular governments. We, in this country know that |
Tear to be unounded but we have acquired that know-
edge with the aid OF written Constitutions and govern
ments properly balanced But even with us there is !
some danger. The war which the fathless bvpocrt- |
cal, tanatical, and yet pharisaca aboltonists now
wage against our rights and safety illustrates and en-
forces the Importance OF so balancing the government
as secure and protect the interests and property as
well as the lives OF the governed from power An mn
controlled majority is no be trusted under the
FORM OF government than that same majority is when
WITHOUT the form OF government it wears The asnec
ana Yields the power, OF mob The wisest PRAYER
Tor man which was ever written, is, Lead us not into
temptation Let not forget its lesson but tie even
our own hands am, therefore, against what is called
the white basi-or basis which recognizes persons only
as the proper foundation for government Our forefa
liners said taxation and representation should 90 tooe
, eay 50 A saX a S HE faa An @ las
sesses large OF that kind OF property which is
the object of assault by all the pretenders phanthro
py in Chrsendom, it may be necessary to throw some
special guard it, that the Legislature shall not
tax it unequaly nor ever upon any preence, interfere
tl tba Of
What the exact form of that guard should be,
prepared say though incline to the opinion that the
best and simplest would be declaration to the effect
stated in the Constitution
2. The Right oil Sufrage-I would extend it to every
who shall have 2att the age OF twenty one years,
next preceding the election, and pald his Stdse'9IAs
county tax tor that time and be actually resident
of the county OF election district in which he offers to
vote And no man should vote more than in
any election. do not require residence Tor any spec-
c time in the county, or other locality In the which the
voter offers to VOTE because lhave great injustice
done the voter by the present requson OF suc resi-
dence without accomplishing, or tending to accomplish
any good. man, for instance, residing in Henrico on
the confines of the city, moves hundred yards into
the CITY short time before eeCon he loses thereby
his right of suffrage at that election, although he shall
have been for the preceding ten years resident Of
the county, within hundred yards OF his new residence
think this is unreasonable and can perceive no cor
responding benefit to flow from it, do not perceive why
change Of residence from one county to another should
deprive of his right to vote he has resided twelve
OF the State and county. am equally clear that man
should not be allowed to take part in the management
and control OF the government who has not thus con
tbued to its maintenance 1.-The does not do it, it must
be because he cannot, or will not, and IN either case
think he should be content with the protection attor
ded him by government maintained by others.
| s. The Judiciary.-This subject has given Virginia
more trouble than any other 1t has been emphatlcaly
her curse requiring does, nearly halt life time
to get a controverted finally adudicated. What
is the remedy-sa very difficult question: at least one
| to be answered with hesitation and dfhdence. The
remedy may in part be applied by the convention, but
it falls for the part within the scope OF the egls-
latue, and not proper to be embraced IN the organ
ic law. Such opinions as have, however, WIN Hee-
Nv express through with great oifdence OF their e
cheney, have witnessed the failure OF many attempts
| to remedy the evils OF our system
would elect the circuit Judges by the people, once,
but ottener than once in ten years Knight be con-
tent to allow the Judge when elected, to remain upon
the bench until he was sxty-hve, but would prefer
them to be elected for ten years. and eegble as long
as the people are satisfied with them. l am satisfied
that by such system, should have more efficient
Judges and strange such opinion may be to some
more independent judges-by which | mean, Judges
acting and deciding more exclusively according to the
right and wrong of the case unaffected by any partially
or prejudice. do not mean by this to assaJl the pre-
sent Judges Take them as whole, and they
are very good judges and many OF them would do no.
nor to any bench. would, II could, perpetuate the
existence and capacity OF some OF them. But am
thoroughly sick Of the life tenure; 1t mmorallzes
drone and coners independence OF all responsibility
Iwould not vote for any Office OF any kind with te-
nure for life am aware that many very excellent and
sensible men, shudder at the idea OF an elective Judi
ciary from the apprehension that the Judges Will be
elected as political representatives are from party ee
inc and opinon-whle others seem TO doubt at least
whether the people qualified to elect Judges at the
polls. confess that do not participate IN the appre
henson, or the doubt The people choose party repre-
often without regard to capacity or qualification, be-
cause the very thing they want party representative;
man who will 60 with his party and follow me lead
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