Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-04-15

BAT u. CHAlSElaS, 'cCIet".!.
Far Ms Enquirer
TO THE VOTERS OF THE CITY Of RICHMOND.
Ycn ar. required, Wednesday, ar III. aiP:l'r
O, rejection OF The Proposed amencn,Ets - the CE'ref I"
our civ The questions inr"TeI in Your Grcson aF1 100
mna,;ao to he ghy consid. red ipu hu'li g.:e iheii
vor secue consideration: an weigh we'll the
Of Tie proposed changes. ~
Tie election BY the qualified voters, o nearly ali the OH!
cers NJ ,e civ is doubt recommended your favor b.
the consideration, that it In CONFORMITY 10 TN" democratic
ncnr that people should az, Cor thcsrvcs III all cases
where il is practicable Tor .hrm to 90 s." IL" sen'd Pfn,
,pir will should in all cases prevail Is acknowledged oy us
all But does not necessarily follow that the VIII OF Tie
npoe is not carried out BECAUSE they employ representatives
or AGENTS 10 attend 10 the public democracy Is
NOT less democratic because II Is representative III Its char
ac,cr Ac,ag for ourselves Is lndlraas employ agents
henev.r wr deem IL interest 10 do and regard lclE
acts 40 our In like annr the acts ii agents select
ed bv and responsible 10 the people, 10 all lnithts a
purnoscs the Of the people srvcs; an II Is or no
latter to determine, w!sther they would be- most likely I"
nrooc their BY uctiug for themselves collectively
or by decsang Others the power o. acting Tor nen. !!
prr democracy exist only by the direct action OF the
psopc themselves why is it not proposed That they should
assemble in mass at stated periods and pass the necsS
sary ordinances for the government OF th= CITY u
II would certainly be practicable, though very nconvc-
nien, and for obvious reasons highly lncApecient,
for the people thus assemble ard egsaG for themselves
But let us enquire what benefits likely rcsul, from the
election by The people Of the long lis. OF officers who have
heretofore appointed By duly authorized agents. the
Hastings Court and City Council! Whatever each voter
NAV think Of his competency 10 select OF his interest
ring into and weighing well the qualifications OF The
Of candidates for The Offices which annually
10 be filled, is 1t probable tina; We he people, shall make bet
Ter sccctinns THAI have heretofore been nadc There
certain officers it is both in State and city
ncnt Of sufficient dignity and Importance 10 command it
attention and direct action Of The voters. Oar Mayor AL
derrlen and Common Counciimen Of This class. But
when the people shall be required 10 elect the Su?e.nten
dents the City Gas Works aud Water Works the uage
Manager of the City Poorhouse the Mcasurcr vi grain and
long list OF officers too numerous 10 specify is il probable
that the duty will be well performed
those whose special duty il is To examine into quaca
tons Of the candidates and make the cecon Let the duty
devove upon the people Of making hese appointments and
there will Le annual scramble Tor office. Numerous tie
kes involving probably The politics OF tie candidates will
be proposed wereby men will DO elected to office who would
otherwise have been thought Of Instead Of the calm
debera IL udgmcn. O! the constituted authorities the city,
acting the beat information, 10 the fitness OF cand
dates ANONYMOUS busy bodies and hawng politicians will
frame your tickets and control your elections The calm
rcfccng portion Of the community, Of the unavoia
Bile Of things, will give themselves trouble iGou
your elections and 60 10 the polls And how is it
possible that very large majority of US can De sufficiently
well informed the qualifications OF the many candidates
for the petty citlccs which annually 10 be
le.l Most OF u. who may go TO the polls must nccessa
y be- governed BY the repes, nations OF others and while
the elections will be made by the people nominaHy they will
in TACT be- controlled by minority and be regulated By
fcc, whom the people would have delegated the
trust OF representing them either as Aldermen members
OF The City Council.
There many OF who believe that Mayor should
be elected BY the people, and that the Office is III sufficient I'M
poranCe command the serious consideration %: the
of the city voters and full expression OF their sel
ments 10 the individual who should fill it. Ii such be
wish OF the people, let the question bs fairly submitted
them. Let application be made the City Council TO have
poll opened for the purpose OF ascrralnng the sentiments
OF the that subject and il nnJury be- found in
favor OF tho change city delegate will find no difficulty
in procuring the desired amendment In the charter In like
manner The Of the voters may be taken other
amendment which may be proposed for consideration. But
let each amendment which may be proposed 10 city chat
be- submitted sngly and voted separately it,
merits, and adopted by the people, before city delegate
shall be regarded authorized 10 present Ii 10 the Legs!a-
ture Let amendment not previously asked for by
mixed up with other changes which, submitted separately,
would probably be rejected. At present. then let
the proposed amendments 10 city charter Let
Tor while and take p:G&r measures 10 O3tain full and
fair expression of the Hr;!.eis vi the people before the
meeting of the next Legislature, every amendment which
may be Offered Tor adoption. When this shall have been
DONE the minority though defeated will ut least arq"i.s9c
in the will oil tho majority. VOTER