Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-07-29

and then preserved that size think it not improba-
BILE that the county of Loudouu may yet be divided
The counties of Albermarle and Rockingham and Au-
gusta all Of which counties of reasonable sise and
which would not by any means see dismembered of
single particle of what belongs to them Now, un-
less provision like this is inserted in the constitution
you will find applications coming here from different
quarters of the commonwealth to divide those old and
respected counties by demagogues by individuals
who want to enhance the value their property in the
vicinity of the place where the court house Is to be
tablished. PLtsylvania will be divided Halifax will
be divided and all the respectable counties almost
Greenbrier yes sir, Grsenbrier will be divided and
you will have county seat located ut the end OF
Droop mountain Let us then put into the constitution
provision that shall prohibit this lnschievous system
of dividing counties Let rather put into it pro-
vision authorizing the Legislature to maganntc half
dozen of them and throw them into 1t would
take four or FIVE of some of them to make respectable
county in population and territory 90 for uniting
instead of separating, for do not believe, at this time
there ought 10 be more than four five counties
formed in western Virginia at all. After this num-
Der is established think the counties in that sec
ton OF country will be Of reasonable size do not
therefore, regard western measure, but rs State
measure of good deal Of Importance. ! regard tie
continuance of the counties OF the State IN their pre-
sent size n matter of very great Importance. pre-
sumo my friend from Mecklenburg will have to have
his county divided if there is not constitutional! pro-
vision to prevent it.
Mr. GOODE 1t has been tried and it could not be
done.
Mr. SMITH Well they will continue 10 petition
until they will weary the legislature and gain the
object hope it will be the pleasure OF the Con
ton to insert provision in the constitution which shall
prevent evils like this.
Mr.. WILEY. Will it now be in order to strike out
the whole amendment with the proviso
| The CHAIR An amendment ta the amendment is
now pending which must be frat disposed OF.
Mr. WILEY. Well should like to accomplish
the object in some manner. l will remark, in order
der that Imay Justify the position which take upon
this subject that believe the policy of making small
counties is very pernicous 1t smy opinion that
il many Of the counties now existing consolidated
it would be better than to multiply ones. be-
eve by this division of counties to SO great an extent
lis the disposition upon the part Of the Legislature seem
likely carry it, that the moral force. the political
force aud the physical force Of the counties Is dmin-
hed Just IN proportion you diminish its population
and its The expenses Of the commonwealth are
greatly enhanced by the subdivision OF its territory into
new counties from the fact that system of OIL
cers-prosecuting attornes sherfS clerks and the like
10 receive compensation of the public contributions
Aud rs in mercantile companies, or manufacturing
companies, where number of Individuals center
their means and thereby accomplish greater results
than they possibly could BY themselves with their IN
dvdual means By preserving large counties greater
results can and will be accomplished and greater ad-
vintage to the individuals inhabitin5 those cnmI
ties than could he attained by smaller ones Nevcr!hc-
less it seems to that the true rule by which we
should be governed s that counties should be neither
so large as be nconr enien so small as to be too
feeble to attain the advantage of county organization
1t is worthy Of remark that the territory oil Virginia
already divided into one hundred and forty counties
enough in all conscience, in my opinion, to accomplish
al the purposes of convenience. desire IN conclusion
to say that consider this matter of creating new coun
ties rs one which ought be left to legislative dlacre
ton 1t should be left the judgment of the legsa.
turc to say when it is proper that counties shall
BE- formed 1t alone can judge correctly for Mt the
HI a. he
brought to bear upon Particular which We can
not possibly anticipate. Ny view of the is, ~
have said that ought to leave the matter to the
discretion Of the legislature and the discretion OF the
people making the application
/ The question then taken upon the amendment oil
Mr. PRICE the amendment to strike out five hundred
and fifty" and insert FIVE hundred" and It was
Ijccted
NJ CAMDEN now offer my compromise. laugh
ter that no county shall be formed OF an area o! less
than four hundred square miles.
| MIR. DENEALE.i / concur fully IN the remarks OF
the gentleman from Kanawha. MIR. SNIru) in all lie
has stated relation the advantage of having arg
counties and the enbarrassmeuts That occur OIL ac-
count of counties being too small But anticipate the
engraiug of that principle into the constitution will do
more towards breaking up old county organizations
than ANYTHING this Convention do. If an express
sion of an opinion upon the part Of this convention
codd have any effect, to ME that the cngratt-
ing Of this principles into the constitution IL al IN
.
counties The county from which / come has area
of nearly twelve hundred square miles, yet do not
think there could DC successful attempt made to
break up her county organization as II now exists
There is one thing to which wish to advert before
it down. have great respect for this body as any
one can have | think it's members are entitled to much
respect for their wisdom and delberstion, and must
saw there has been little bumcombc used here as III
any BODY ever saw, but expect to Ind Just as much
intelligence and just much virtue and patriotism IN
Sc pto | caa hpr, nd
am therefore perfectly willing to submit this question
10 the good sense and discretion of the general
bv uutramuleed by constitutional restrictions
Mr.. GOODE really think with all Difference that
gentlemen disposed to regard this question without
reflection think it is conceded BY al that the leg
islution Of the country has been improper IN many
respects in making counties inconvenently small, even
in the There now pr positions before the Con
vcntion for the analgamatlon of some OF the Counties
and vet lin face of this fact gentlemen are ready 70
leave this matter 10 the legislature unranlmelled,
and to allow this process Of division to go forward
a it has done heretofore without restriction My OBJ
ect Is to prevent the agitation Of these bitter Questions
Of controversy, which arise frequently in the counties
connected particularly with the subject of division of
counties desire to settle the question Now, can
there proper mode than that proposed in this
section which provides against the formation of
counties
The gentleman from Monongalia himself, though adj.
verse t6 the proposition pending before the COM
mttee though opposed the introduction Of any
sutonal provision, has depicted the evils which arise
and will continue to arise from the formation Of new
counties. 1t is not my purpose to dctain the house
now with the consideration of these topics. | have
had occasion in times past to consiucr them under
/ different circumstances. Great evil must result to
society from the agitation Of this subject, and from
the Adoption and establishment of very small counties
would not have adverted to these topics had they not
been touched upon and brought forward 10y the gentle
man from Nonongalia i'll n form which thought wor
,hv the attention aud consideration OF members Of this
| body.
trust that it will be the pleasure OF the committee
to reject tine proposition offered by the gentleman from
Harrison county organization OF only four hundred
square miles is too small There many counties in
the State out Of which many counties might be form
ed with an area of four hundred square miles. gentle
man residing in the west has informed me since this
discussion has sprung up of one county which would
be susceptible Of being organized into more than eight
counties with the area of four hundred square miles
each 1t seems to unwse that any iuan here should
contend that county should be organized upon an
area of less than six hundred square miles. Every
man whoiresides in small county feels that his own
influence in society is effected BY the dminutivenesa of
the coun.y in which he resides, and every man who
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