Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-07-08
Amendments. to the STATE constitution.


The almost spontaneous direction Of the public min,
to the necessity Of reform in the organic law aupi
eOus Of changes which experiences has demonstrated Il
be necessary 70 the salvation Of the State However
men may differ other subj.cs of public concern, al
shades OF enlightened and impartial opinion concur il
this that the present frame Of State policy is destruc
tive OF public morals, eorfupng in iis C,et upon III
character and conduct of public agents worrying an'
annoying in is ineesant appeals for the exercise OF Ia
elective franchise, and, 10 up all in word deerId
ing 10 the franchise tsel which has converted into
matter Of bargain and se-a melancholy truth which
all acquainted with the conduct Of popular elce
tons must acknowledge while they blush to confess !,
Tue new tendency Of public thought must be hailed Nil
the hveest eradication BY every lover Of bis country
IL required great movement hke the present to purify
and sxalt the public sentiment aud iii it above The
level Of the demAgogue-a CONFUSION in the body
polite vas necessary The election OF thsFErus which
oorrupts IL in the natural body emetes admins
tered for the expulsion Of the poison of disease. Lei
the constitution be restored its original brightness
lei The model Of George Mason DO studied aud the ira
principles Of regulated freedom be thence edueed
reasssrted-and that vii be good enough, OF ITSELF Il
make Us welcome and revolution.
In q survey OF the political waste aud devastation
which surround IA, over which many muniments Of
private right mAoy Prscedents Of public liberty L,
prone In ruin none Of the Vandalism called Reform
shocks the eousiderats mind with pain than th,
prosTation of the Judiciary. Against the calamity OF
eorrup. and dependent Jadcilry in vain did Marshal
warn US IS the dirsss evil which angry God could il
Aict upon sinful people HIS intercessioa staid the
plague for the time Ba. the demagOgue has ever since
been busy at his vok His serpent trail beirays itself
over the flowers Of our Eden His acts, with the sFhit
Of Yankee imitation-hat spirit universal NheIher il
the walks OF literature Of morals Of politics and
manne's-hAVe Left Us but faint veS,ges of that august
inst,uton-the best fruit of the Engish revolution ard
the once valued result Of Own-a learned pure
iaapsHdsAt mAgisracy in whom might be sSfsly cor
6ded justice between man and man, and the ultimate
guardianship Of the constitution itself We have made
Ocr Judges elective for limited terms-:hat Is psHd
the appointing poSer, at short intervals and thai
pOwSr executed BY unlimited suffrage and thus have
We destroyed at blow the distinction in government
held sacred At our foundation between what should be
conservative and permanent in the system and that
which Is properly rsprsSeatativs-between the power
that administers aud that which makes the w--the pre-
ssrvatve check and the motive power CT the poica.
machine To be consistent in folly when judges became
an elective and So necessarily representative body
should have declared and provided for the exercise OF
the right Of risdeiio1 BY the electors That right has
received it ia true formal expression But he surely
Is scareess Observer has never put his head into
courthouse since the blessed of reform who dces
not feel with shame the accurate reflex which the
Beach with more or less Of Deviation presents Of the
humors OF the crowd that surrounds it-that its CID
authority has asd-ts dignity departed-Jhe very
and mAapers both Of bench and bar been lowered and
abased all of the free and easy order from the hig'
e., to the loy es Ands there a emulation
prey.iupgn disregard of the imposing spirit Of auihOity
which ought be- and once The genius of the place
Look too, to The mode of appointment. Each county
in an electoral district (Or perhaps fTagmeu: OF an
inert and uniaerssted population in EACH presents t.
peculiar CANDIDATE perhaps little, If az all, known be
yond his neigEbOrhOOd. Votes 20 at haphszird-many
voters staying at home from sheer eAr.esness of the
result The srgest county often elects tie Judge and
he goes forth Stranger in the rest to make acquaintance
smogE his constituents, to cater for and gather
'yol1ea opinions" he may. What must be the effect
Of al this upon the bench and upon the bar from which
the bench must be recruited-a bar which, losing
respect for the Judges very soon and certainly loses lie
ON Let the question be seriously asked, liberty
he e or private rsh secure in such state OF things
And whAt wonder that have the record Of Virginia
Jo1se ruling 70 Jury that if loses bank note
and another uds it. the finder unless he explains hos
be came By it, shall b Asid 20 AGVs StSls@ h
Ii nav not be Amiss to look back TO the care with
which our predecessors preserved, that which have
ru.hessly thro-n Ausy-Jadieisi Independence. We
u turn first 10 the history Of that country from which
We have borrowed most had nearly said all, Of the
valuable presidents Of liberty Under the Ssuarts and
before the English Judges held theiommissons az the
pleasure Of the Sovereign and in the reign Of the las
and mos, etestabls Of that udieialy blind AID faied
rAee occurred the memorable attempt oil the King to
dsVease a! his will with the obligation Of acts and STAT
u,es of the realm bat be found he bad against him
the whole sense Of Westminster Hall The power Of
removal and appointment however summariy remodel
Ell the JsdicAry aud brought il TO sanction this
throw Of the constitution soon however, to be followed
With the overthrow Of the tyrant himself. Among the
permanent provisions of the general act Of settlement
the fundamental charter which settled the English con
stuton on is present foundA;on) uas that which es
tablshed that the commissions Of the Judges should be
"iag good behavior their compensation, too, before
unGIed and dependent on the Grown, was placed on
srm and certain foundation. HeneefOrward the
English Judiciary became ind PsRdsnt, and with that
Independence has grown its power to gsArd the rghs
Of the subject from the injustice Of the Crown,
protect the Constitution and the laws from the yran-
ny of faction aud check the Legislature itself when DIS
posed from the force Of PassiOa the temptation CT in
teres TO inrosds the Constitution In the first loS
and purity Of the love Of freedom newly acquired ~
sitution thus beneheent sure to find cherished
place in al the American Constitutions In Vr
GINA Constitution th- fret written Constitution for
free sovereign and independent State which the history
of The world had yet called forth it formed the Obi
Of seduOus In their known Jealousy OF executive
poser the appointment Of the judges for life, good
behavior, and With fixed compensation not to be d.
minihed vested in both Houses Of the General As
semblv acting jointly and this wise institution PfodDS
tive Of every good result expected from it, held Az
ground for long period against al obectors and amid al
csstudes disehArgDg It's functions to tho admiration
all thinking men bu, doomed at last TO fall (st Us mop
irretrisvAblyl before the rags for novelty and t
wAnton love Of change which dsdAin respect Tor all TIA
chershed and venerated by the uses statesmen 'n
world has ever known.
Death OF Col. Dreux, OF louisiana
We much lament to have TO record the death oil IN
gallant Lieut. Col Dreux Of Louisiana, By shot ir0i