Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-08-20

,,,;is, ,hr stirring events wnien j"i'.'. ~
Gen.et cared the people Of Virsnia are mol sh,c.c'
coun "a in reference TO the action aoou. 10 " ,
organizing schemes of State policy which are urge,
tfai "i' nonlr are wild mpaccabl ana ius,it NV
;h;r The writer has neither t'c ''.c ~. nv It'll
l.S' -, anime MI the proposed reforms IN dc'a: iG
ton TO eAai,no few of them ls the abolition OF the
os courts and the election nj short Intervals .! nss
rates for the neighbon9od business anu u
rd udses and the jurors, too, 10 he all paid Tan
h occurred the favorers OF these schemes "i' vas
amoun of taxation II "ohiu ih.oiSe! . , ,..
rLere are hundred anu MY coHnue9 III .h .'''e
nu would probably be an average number ol twenty
,,s to county. No could think oi paying fhei
less than hundred dollars eaih l"r lelf - M,
,rates Should elect three county Judges Tor eaci
,v yc shall have 10 elect three lawyers suppose W.
coud mol calculate on getting lawyer Tor less man NV
t ~ doars per annun II will make tht
he will perceive that il will require two hundred
and twenty five thousand dollars 10 pay these Judges Then
~ nav the jurors, il would require additional amount
nobah less than an average OF one thousand dollars
acb county This, for the whole State would involve on'
hundred and fifty thousand dollars taxation Ado
these amounts together and il will be found they make th
round sl of sy hundred and sevenyve thousand dollars
nv way of DEPRESSION, suppose the back country ge
tbc mower the East for the support of their schools
and their roads and canals will il involve US in burden
of taxation gevous be borne by people In re-
ference 10 these Judiciary reforms what good will hcy BRING
10 any one nome that know Of except 10 the holders
these small offices, probably none 10 them can PLAINLY
see that these reforms would bring vast deal oi injury VIII
Them very avorite idea have these elections
frenueny three Once then III three ytif
il is proposed 10 madden the whole State with political eN
element the flames of which be famed by an army 81
office seekers The people, battered and beloolei from IN
stump and intoxicating cup in the time adding ie 't
The excitement. What be the inevitable result III al
this Lynch law, mob law, lumutuary violence The Cnl
pepper will probably be- al every day occurrence
The people, attered from the stump with an Idea ol r
infabiiy, imagine they do wrong, tor rof Poph
ror Del is the motto Of the demagoerD and they viii ther
be Just ready follow the lead Of their own excited passions
sworn Judges urics and the somnliits at court ~
Justice; and in primary capacity act the part I"
Judge jury and cNecItlone thus toe often lnNoNh III on
common punishment the innocent and the guilty In add
ton to the Generalization ui the people, which tcsr ne
quenl elections would bring about has occurred tohnl
one what 4 amount of valuable time would be lost h
u.s. the people, tone Of whom Of the most humble al
whom profess to bc) by the change! The loss Of tii'
would perhaps be- more serious pccuniay injury than tn
amount Of taxation calculated above. Three months al
least of every third year. the would he called oil con
,inmay their ayocations Ia participate in the election
ecrng A. consequence their affairs would be neg
eccd and in many perhaps, looked upon as matters
Of small moment IN engage the attention o We Tie pc"
pie whose voice told from the stump, is the voice o
God The manner in which justice has been administered
in Virginia. from The foundation Of the Commonwealth ma!
be regarded model for the administration Of justice io
any people The face of the globe From the unpe tcndn4
magistrate warran, trial. the County Court bench
the highest judicial tribunal in he State justice has beI
metcd with fair and impartial hand 10 high and low ~
rich and poor Shall we then annill1e The system i1
some few small defects As wise would IL be 10 cXtingls
the blessed light and genial influence Of the sun, bccuS,
there may be small spot on his disc II yon make these
offices elective and short Intervals what do you! on vlo
late the spirit Of Tie Lords prayer You place them in temp
laton you tempt them 10 favor those who have favored
them the election, on the other hand To oppose those
who opposed themyou tempt them Ia favor the pow
eul and the popuar and the cold shoulder u The
oppressed and the wrongcd ii the popular voice seem 10 be
against them You will thus be bringing on the good old
mother of us ALL that things when the thought il
not the crv will be every thing for popularity nothing ior
simple naked truth and Justice Let us not forget that there
was such man George Washington, and that he was
of nj ulrc
Let us bear in mind that Washington moderate man
that rather feared the Of the Democratic spirit
He saw the lrghtiu 10 which the too great in
diligence Of spirit had brought the French people And
French politician OF The present day iu!lo hinS me-
YER uttered sentiment than when he remarked that
General Washington stennousy excrcdhsc IL moderate
the Democratic spirit of the American people.
The Cupeper excepted, the wild and demoniacal
spirit of runnad democracy has moi yet reared lis h"rrld
Great within the bounds Of this good old Commonwealth.
Lynch law, mob law the reputation OF public ana private
debts the bowie knife ard the revolver not yet in our
midst But let us have care thai an organization 81 society
in the train OF which these things c'c followed IN oiher
communities may be followed by the same state 81 things
here Like causes produce like effects.
Bat 10 return the point from which We have somewhat
Giarcsse After all This heavy To the time The morals
and the money the people shall we, by the proposed
change get better Judiciary than we row have th'nH
not Who seeks the office o Judge or Justice nov" Nobody
These Offices offered 10 those Who l. - supposed
will discharge and who do in fact iscurg the duties with
fairness md mpar,iaitv But make the c'anse and VINO
will fiji these offices! Active crctionccrs politicians
by trade w l them and seek iicm WITH ii! the arts ana
appiiaEces OF the demagoguc
Do the people G Virginia mean Ia perpctrae injustice T."
wards worthy ard respectable portion o HE people oil The
State! believe The magistrates I'll ls county courts
have served the with idelytlrlr only reward has
been the appreciation of their fellow cEcns, and the re-
mote contingency of The Sheriilliiy VIII you suddenly
break nm the system and thus take from them lie only
ward for long and faithful services! II change must
have will il not with the justice and modcra
ton of the people Virginia, ill The vacancies hry
occur in the county Courts by popular election ana lei the
magistrates now hold their Offices during goal behavior
and have the contingency Of the Shcrlay rs their only
reward for seryices The objection 10 the county courts Is,
uhouah in my opinion very futile onel that they are
BODY but by this arrangement that obec-
toni ohyaird The long OF their offices secures
their impaay aud get clear of the enormous expense Of
a maid u,gstracy and the Generalization and injury o too
frequent elections. Nobody disputes the right oi wc the PEG
ple make proposed changes but H. the sober Sc
cond thought think the welfare OF the State would not DC
promoted b. Them we have equally good ri@not to make
Them We have perfect right 10 say that the county court
shall stand u.s. notwithstanding unlmporant ihcor"
teal objection its orGanizlton II we are well assured
that il il The Court have, for the discharge o!
the duties deyoyet H. There certain reforms which
we believe would be w.oesone-wc will only name
one or two The world being governed TOO much and our
legislation being complex aud varying biennial ses-
sions of the Legislature believe would be one o those
useful would be the extension OF the right
of suffrage. These being named we positively know
OF no other which would be anything more than change
merely for the sake of change. LANCASTER