Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-03-04

concerned, and into which no party feelings
should be suffered to enter.
A CITIZEN.
For THE VISDIcAToR.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS BY THE PEOPLE.
Mr.. EDIToR-Sir: We propose saying a fe.
words upon the relation OF representative and
constituent-the government and the governed.
1t is said in the Bill OF Rights "that all power
is vested IN and consequently derived from the
people; that magistrates are their trustees and
servants, and at all times aInenable to them"
Then we take it, that all power Iegitimately ex-
pressed by a government has been delegated by
the governed for their benefit, and rot for the
profit OF those who govern-the "~trustees and
servants" This simple, though important fact,
is too often lost sight Of by many of our citizens,
and they are wont to look upon public function
aries as their superiors and not as their agents.
Now, while we admire their respect and
obedience to their government and its Off
GERS, we cannot but despise that serviie crouch
ing to the officers, which has given them an un-
due influence. tits the peoples governments,
and the peoples business that are sought to be
transacted. The people are the sovereigns and
the officers the subjects, whose duty it is to o.
hey the mandates Of the popular will.
AS representatives are frequently entrusted
with discretionary powers, some OF them are
disposed TO claim an independence and impor-
tatee which, we believe, are incompatible with
their legitimate province. The discretion with
which they are invested is relative to questions
upon Which their constituents have rot had an
opportunity OF expressing their opinion. and not
bt cause the people are not capable of deciding
for themselves and in the exercise of that dis
cretion it is incumbent upon the representative,
from his knowledge of the bent Of the popular
m ind on kIpffro c,11i,,t- - 80 L.: l.
termination TO what he believes their decision
would be if they had an opportunity OF deciding
for themselves. Hence arises the necessity Of a
perfect acquaintance with public opinion on all
the affairs OF State, and to attain this important
object public officers should be elected BY the
people for short periods and held Immediately
and strictly responsible 10 them.
We have often wondered how it happened
that the people OF Virginia Invested themselves,
almost entirely, Of their political power and in
%fusnce; and placed it in a government having
absolute control over their lives, liberty and
property, without making the executors Of the
law even remotely responsible to the governed.
Is this not passing strange? We know of TO
other way OF accounting for it, than that in
which Mr.. jefferson did, when he said that
many Of our people in the earlier days OF the
Commonwealth supposed anything Republican
which was not Monarchical. What authority and
Influence have the people over the office holders
IN Virginia? In England. the people elect their
members TO the House CT Commons, and we re-
gard them as being down-trodden and oppress-
ed. In Virginia, this boosted land OF liberty, we
have the poor privilege Of electing members to
Congress and the Legislature, which is but the
shadow of a shade better than British rights.
! he officers receive their appointment either
llom the Legislature, the Governor, or by a kind
oil transmission from sire to son. or from the re-
tailers OF official power and authority.
Ask some OF our s%ub-deputy officers to trace
back their connection with the great source of
all power-the people-and ten chances to one
they will not be able to do it. Take, for in
stance, one of our sub-deputy Sherifls, who is
clad with power TO seize property and wrest it
from your possession, in as violent and insulting
manner as he please; who can enter your dwell
ing and pounce upon your very person and drag
you to prison-ask him how he obtains his ex-
traordinary powers, and he will reply that he is
the sub of a certain deputy-ask the deputp
whence he derived his authority to retail such
high and delicate powers, and he will respond
that he purchased from the High-Sherif,, and the
High-SheriI will tell you that he was recon-
mended BY the County Count to the Governor
ask the County Magistracy whence they derive
their authority, and they will say sWe were
elected by our fathers, and they were e.
~ ouI Si"'iuidtueio, WHO were appoint
ed by the Governor in the days of he Revolu-
3ion-then, enquire of his ExceIlency by whom
ne was elected, and his response Will be, II was
elected by the Legislature, and the members
of that body We're elected by the people.
Suppose one of these sub-deputies, shielded
BY the broad panoply of the law, which renders
his person inviolable, should insult YOU, at the
same time taking care not to incur the penalty
OF his official bond; what will you do Moth
ing; But goaded 10 the quick, you must submit
with servile humility. when we think of these
abuses and remember our many boas,ines Of
liberty and popular rights, we are ready to hang
our heads III shame. Let the watchword of Re-
form, then, be sounded from every mountain top
until 1t reyerberate through all The plain beneath,
and until every officer in the State, from the
Judgein the metropolis to the humblest Magis-
trate in the most secluded part OF the country
from the Governor to the Constable, shall be e.
lected by the people and made responsible to
them for their official acts.
AUGUSTA.
For THE VINpIeAToR.
Mr.. Ep1roR--