Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-01-21

nal OF our own conscience. The quotation ele-
ganly adduced few days ago, by he gentle
men from Chesterfield, forcibly applies here
':Qais eau! patyla, quoque fug1t" Self govern
nent the government OF our own passions, ap-
pettes. and propensties, more than any other
Government. contributes to our individual hap
pness. Next to this, family government We
derive much Of our social happiness from domes-
tic government because we are always under
its influence. For the same reasons we are more
in the county Government than in the State, or
United States Government, and more of our
happiness depends upon it than any other
Not merely, because it is higher home, but be-
cause we nave more 10 do with 1t or under lis
jurisdiction. Al! the laws fthe Commonwealth,
reach us through the county Government. No
rn1t,er whence the laws ssorAnlged, they hyst
reach us through the county tribunals.
Now, Sir, the citizens OF any county in this
Commonwealth, have no more control over these
tribunals than they have over the Government
of France or England. They never created the
officers who preside OF the benches of the eoun-
" courts nor the ministers W ho execute their
decisions. We live under Government not a.
menable 10 us nor responsible to Us; because not
created by us. The objections to these tribunals
arise from the manne7 in which they are crea~
ted, from their incompetency to discharge those
duties assigned them, and the consequent evil
influence which they may exercise over the des-
TIMES of county.
heard, with much regret, the gentleman from
Frederick, Mr.. Powell,) rise to sustain them: |
say regret, because have heard him with plea
sure support the most Republican principles on
this floor. But, how to reconcile these tribunals
| with Republican Government, | know .not At
best, they are elective, and most generally ter
inmate in a hereditary aristocracy. How re-
publican can advocate system, which, forever,
puts a comfy under the control OF Il few indi-
viduals, without perfect abandonment OF his
creed, am unable to perceive. And is not, MIR.
Chairman, every county i'll this commonwealth,
BY the SYSTEM necessarily subjected 10 the gov
eminent OF a few individuals by legal invest-
ment
Let us, for example, place before u.s. the erec-
ton of new county. A new county and new
court are by the same authority at once erected.
Some four Or five justices are assigned TO the
bench Of this county, and the county assign
ed to them These justices are to nominate
their successors foYerer. Thus the county is by
an act of incorporation, charter, orby what
ever instrument you may please to call 1t, sign
ed sealed, and delivered over 10 the four or five
magistrates first appointed and their successors,
as far AS all the offices of trust, honor and profit,
as far as the public concerns & interests, as far
as the pubic levics aud their appropriations arc
concerned Or assignable they are all given over
by one general deed of gift to these justices, and
| their successors forever.
There are three influences, interests, or if yon
please, Mr.. Chairman, three sorts of pride, to
which the country is now subordinate | mean,
religious, family and political pride.
The first batch of Justices. we shall suppose,
are either all, Or great majority of them, OF one
religious creed. l care NOT Of what sect. They
are all men of like passions They have secta-
rian interests and they have sectarian pride. Now
if they yield to the temptation, which their sta
| I, o1fro t,f bk,t .ali,,
the sectarian spirit creates and cherishes, Will
they not have The opportunity; land will they
not most likely embrace it., of nominating such,
and such only, as belong to their own party, to-
fill all vacancies which occur in their body 1t
is only necessary 10 show, that they will have the
opportunity 10 do so, 10 prove the system to be a
| bad one. And that mankind are always too apt
10 secure every opportunity Which is thrown IN
their way, to agerandize their own interests, and
crafty their own pride, is too plain and, alas,
too plain TO need either Illustration proof
! Ii is not necessary Tor me to prove, that sueh
has always been the case, and that such must
always be the issue bat that it may be SO, all
must admit. Thus, one party rides lriumphantly
in the county as lar as cont influences are con-
cerned. They are the court party. Ard like
the patented creed and party under a monarchy
they are wont to become insolent and over.bear
ing, I wish TO give 10 opportunity for such a
state Of things, and Ihnst reprohate every system
which thus creates invidious castles in society.
But in the absence Of such feelings, or in con-
neXion with them, there is still more dangerous
domination TO which this new county before us
is subjected. The first lot OF justices may all be
OF one family connection, either related by afiini-
ty or eonsaneniniy. It this be the case, how easy
will it be for them to concur in keeping all the Of
fees in the county in their own family And
if they should not all be of one the same family,
but OF two or three families, how easy for them
under this system te enter into eo-partnershtp
understanding, and by sort OF relation to secure
10 themselves the dominion of the county for
ages! And have not we heard that such, even
TO this day. The fact in sundry OF the old coun-
ties But add to the family the religious pride,
and who can resist theirs united influence!
But there is yet another sort of influence which
we choose to call political, because arising from
those parties and factions which have existed in
all Governments and ever will exist so long az
men are governed more by passion and interest
than reason. Lately il was; and yet in some de-
gree, is, jackson and Adams. 1t has been Fed
eralist and Republican. Now the first appoint-
ment Of magistrates may be Of one political creed
or of another, and thus an undue preponderance
is given to that which is placed upon the bench
without the hope of removal Thus in the origin
al establishment of new country, and a new
court there 10 real suborlination of all the ill.,
terests OF that county, respects Government, to
the influence of either religion family, or poti-
cal pride, cupidity, and ambition, and sometimes
to all OF them acting IN continuation. And IS
this what gentlemen Gala Republican institution!
the best, the very best which human ingenuity
can devise, and which the world has ever seen !!
Next to the manner OF creating these tribunals,
The variety of powers and functions which are
lodged in the same hands, and their incompati-
bility with each other, have been for long time
an object ofserious and just complaint These
tions Of a highly respectable authority, Judge
St. George Tucker.) do not quote his words,
but think give the Substance: Justices of the
bench, says he, as such, may be elected to either
branch of the Legislature, and are very trequently
elected to the House of Delegates. While the