The republic., 1851-08-11

its contraction; which sum shall be part Of the
sinking fund, and shall be applied in the man
ner before directed. The General Assembly
is not allowed otherwise to appropriate any part
of the sinking fund.- or its accruing interest, eX-
cept in time of war. insurrec;ion, or invasion.
These limitations on the power Of the Legis-
lature, and designations Of the precise method
Of imposing taxation, have been drawn with
great care and with an acute knowledge of the
tendencies oflegislativs combinations. The con-
vention seems TO have entrusted the fiscal faith
IF the State TO future Legislators, with an ample
allowance ofauthority to justify the imposition
of taxes or the creation of debt for objects Of
State Importance, and promotive Of the general
welfare, but to have lnterposed insuperable OBJ
siacles to the abuse of that authority for local or
lllegitimate purposes.
The Legislature is limited to the transaction
1fbusiness strictly legitimate to its department,
and deprived of the right to exercise concur
rent jurisdiction with the courts and other tri-
ounals. OF course, the very large amount of
business of private nature heretofore before
;he Legislature will be very much reduced, and
his will contribute much to enable that body to
perform its duties during the biennial and spe-
| cial sessions TO which it is to be hereafter
limited.
But the great change in the constitution
| If Virginia, and the important conformation TO
| The experience Of the other States of the Unon
is in the choice by popular elections of all the
\ administrative and municipal Officers of the
State.
| This is plunge which Virginia has taken
with some misgivings; for the ancient argu-
ments of popular compatibility have been re-
| produced and urged very strenuously. Since.
however, the earlier discussions upon this sub
| iect took place in Virginia, much that was
speculation has been confirmed by historical ex-
perience; and all those great States whose
example in enterprise and prosperity she is now
so earnestly adopting, have long since shown
hat popular intelligence, popular liberty,
md popular progress is promoted by the con-
slant discussion of local and general issues
which ever attend the election of officers by the
people. 1t has been shown that, so far from
people being led away by passion, or seduced
ny appeals to their venality, they are rem
lered more conversant with their true in
erests, and more vigilant in promoting them.
fhe system now adopted, for the first time in
Virginia, like the Township System of the north
4rn and northwestern States of the Union,
emits to the people in their primary capacity
the duty of performing all those functions of
ocal and municipal governments which can be
egitimately or justly referred to them.
The elections of those officers who are to
-xercise the powers of taxation, or to ad
minister the local interests of each county,
will excite discussion. This will elicit and
iiffuse information. The adoption by com
,nunites of road and school systems will
promote their happiness and wealth, and
the consideration by the voters, of the ques-
lions of domestic policy involved, will edu
cate them upon the subject of their own
interests, and make them emphaticay a
self governed people. All that can be done
within the sphere of primary Legislation
will leave so much less for the government of
he State to perform; and we do not hesitate
% express the belief that the reasons why the
Legislatures Of the North hold generally short
erms is because all that can be doae in the mu-
nicipal divisions Of the people has been already
| done, leaving comparatively little exercise for
the common authority. We think that the poll
~ of encouraging this elementary exercise of
legislative and judicial discretion in the coun-
lies or communities of State has another in
valuable effect IL counteracts the tendency to
centralization-to that congestion of power
,,-b; ok - 9Th e
,us. This should, we think, be counteracted ac-
cording to the analogies of science by encour-
aging the circulation in the extremities, and
his the system of county and corporation cleo
ions by the people, copied from other States
and embodied in the constitution of Virginia,
| will, in our opinion, efficiently provide for.
But it is to the general elections of State Of
| ncers that we look with the most confident ex-
| pectations Of advantage to Virginia. State
tickets make State issues. We may expect the
| candidate for Gubernatorial honors to make
| known his opinions, not so much upon the in
'erpreted Intentions Of the mighty dead as upon
| his own intention in regard to the Central
railroad, the James River canal, the Virginia
| and Tennessee railroad, or the connexion be-
tween the ocean and river ports and the pro-
ducing interior. Instead, perhaps, of lumin
GUS disquisltion upon States rights, he may be
compelled to say whether he is in favor Of
steamships; and in the midst of an eloquent de-
annexation of the North for taking practical
possession of the territory won by the common
blood and treasure of the South he may be
interrupted by polite inquiry whether he is
willing to demand share of the lands thus
acquired to educate the ignorant, and increase
The compensation Of honest labor by diminishing
the cost of transportation to the farmer
| We should think that such issues, thus
forced upon the applicants for public favor, will
! do much TO bring about in Virginia, as it
does elsewhere habit of examining great
questions public interest, and Of establishing
| practical and progressive policy which is ne
| cessaTy 10 restore her lost rank in the sis