Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-11-22

intcrritv, er1nness, ard wisdom; ard tho
mode Of selection Is best, which will mos, ri
fpctuallv accomplish this end. The govsrn
mrnt from which We have recently stuarated
furnishes abundant proof that the wisest anr
best men arc not always the pnPu!er iaTorite>
r. determining the mode OF selecting Il 'ers
il seems 10 your committee tia! SH'!& ler"I {
ought to lie had to tie nature Of t;." lntrs
they will be required to dlschar.e NJ rn!'
can Lc prescribed which will be ircc from a!
objection, hut your cnnH''ice h''le". tnat /
would &c safe 10 as.;llrn 1t:a- I'll Hcl,iutIc'
lfiaers shanld he IA c'r': t'y ihe lr.rnir. I'D
that those whoara To :ulG esscs!trs u S"aiciG
trusts should be ch'Stn ty .rilnc'l!:i,'
agents. There seems 10 be coed rca,n tor lhis
distinction. Legislation Affects tee riG:i!s aht
liberties of the whole people c"ntc;iruy.-
Hence those who exercise legislative nHw-i<,
should be elected by direct vote Of the pg9
pie, ard bn dependent, for thsi- contlnnanc'
10 Office, ur the sill of the people. But judi
cal and executive otlicerS, beng entrusted viz!
the duty OF cXp0undInS and Mountaineering Ii:
public will, ~ rxprcssc" tErnngn :he icGis!a
lurc and in applying la% to inlIsn:c:l Case
hare i.N Issioas u pe.;>rHl whi@a d3 uot ccm
Germ the people ut large, att :ash; @9t th IL
Affected by their wishes. AtIeT iaws ais !'@,s
ed by the Legislature, (Which sneal;' !Jr liz
soe pie rights accrue to, aud n::s. n%s arc "a
Cured by individuals, which. ongn! To b'
icarlrssly and faithfully ex=':hlrG, With
out regard to the wishes Of mnj':
ty Of the people. 4 Judicial "Ecer, Wit
would be Influenced by popular clamor, il tbs
discharge Of his appropriate i'!ncuon", wGuin
Justly incur public contempt - also, an rse
cu,ive officer, who would la:l 10 enforce q la"
because il was unpopular, wcu!;: merit tie se
vcrcst condcn NATION. Tho resycn:ihiiHy o
,he$c classes of tfhcsrs, Is, not tu 'aa peoFlt
directly, and therefore tnere ~ TO good rras'H
shy they should De chosen directly By tmt
people All experience proves 'hat t5e c::i!!
class Of pubic servants, VINO car ce h5''s /" d
direct ard practical responsibility, by tna pt0
pie, are those who rIGrclse Legislative iancuors
The people can, ard d. judge Correctly ol lhc
wisdom and eypedlcncy CT 4 general law, tu'
it IS not 10 be expected, that they would iN'm
An enlightened opinion in regard to the jud!-
cial exposition, or executive application uI it.,
IN particular cases. The loruicr requires 0ul..
.hc exercise OF sound judgmcnt ana discri IL
nsling common sense; the lastcr demands !c
gal l.aining familiarity viii! pretedents anc
4 gcccral knowledge 81 thr principles o! judi
| ciul decision and executive aciion. The ott
| Involves the consider ,liiyii uf tho la;2 IN is
.,sneia! aspects; ihr rlIer Tv4n'rss :: m'nmi'
investigation o: .nGiS Sr:usi Cases. ::i;ciI t,'
public vii! rarely, if ever, 5c '.!t:.ar dispnstG
or competent - make
| Your committee aTa as:are HAT ;hsIe L
something captivating to Tie Ecll love Of l!.'
reop!r, in the !lia Of s!ceiuS lhe!r nwa 1iiiGtr
J &! ever; grade, and maDy will doubtless b
! funGd TEo will seek to persuade them that ii
is essential 10 their freedom, ::;"t they Stout"
continue to dp'so. Parasites ala ai?cl}: - |.
! found around the fountains of rorer. ]" noa
archics, they cXhibi. thcT selves az c4urEicfs.
in republics, as lhose who assnn!r 10 i;e lh'
peculiar friends Of the people. lnte!igen
men, however, will perceive, tnut even nnrc:
our present Constitution, the people real!!
have but little to do with the election CT Ii,
higher classes OF officers. The power to e!ec
exists more in narno than in fac! Tne pecu!ia'
| friends Of the people take care to relieve hen
| of that trouble and responsibility.
The iDculty Of making rho!cc ol snl!ab'.
| cand,da arising from rant 81 kaG" -
| By the people, If The character ami Iual'fc.
iiors o? n p!r#nts compG!s q res 1T IL mr'n''ra
| sing conyentions.. These c5nrent;aas sutsion
| tigi!y mako the elections, ana leave 30 ID.
pron!e the comparatively unimpor'ant !aHcli -
o: rallfyiny wilut has been done iar lH"n: t.
E3dy o. irresponsible, and cltcn ip!! u2:H Hcj'
thy mtu 1t was through the aS"ncg u: sv::
an assemblsge that the present Executive o
the United Ststc:; was imposed On t:.a cnHn';:
and your committee dGubt i! ;s.c i:g@r,ir
of vennI politicians, crId hs"o tey:ss & az.
other, by which such mischcTpas reaai
could have been accomplished.
AS a general rule, 1t would &c Dirci sa'r.
for the people to elect, in iHe mode pri scribe.
or len, representatives in w:,nas ability, IN
tegri:y, and patriotism they could COZ t j., snC
leave 10 them the duty, not merely vi i'AuIns
the laws, but also ot selecting Tic hish=:
officers, tc ezpound and execute them.
ELECTION OF GOVERNOR.
fn regard to the br&t ,ii1tt q: ,:c?;ing IL.
Governor some diversity Of Sentiment ;la
existed among the mcu.h",s ri tho :s,;r.Ial'ee
| Tho mai ,rty ncne 70 the c;>;ai":l ,:,aI Il,
should be elected BY the direct vo:e @: Ii.
people, as now provided by the Consultation
The minority believe it wouid be better i
return to the ancien. lnGdc Of cecsln. hy lA'
j)int vo.o of the General Assembly.
| At lhs time tho election e Gn"efrGr vas
| referred TO the people, it was, probably. not j.
would canvass the S;a.e 10 obtain votes irr A.
oftl Ice which had been tilled By Henry, : H.Isc..
and Monroe. Il Way supposed that pmhli.
opinion would concentrate, wi'h9u. {! tR :pI,y,
upon some distinguished sialcE!nan, ard !ha,,
| by the sp0ltnnc0u; aC!ion o: the people,
without solicitation on his part, b" would is
elevated to the chief magisracy. But. "A, tt:i-
| expectation has prored drlusivr, aad the r1ac
-oE ,.,E;r h,.
become too firmly established. tD BE- srcsarGrd
| portion Of yonr committee believe that a!lnns:
any change would b. beneficial which won!d
relieve tho Commonwealth CT ~ eYi! ot Elicis:
magnitude.
j will he generally conceded thai tbo Coz
ernor of Virginia should be 4 man ot mature
age, Of enlarged expersacc ot varied attain.
ment Of calm wisdom, Of uESull.ed purity
and Of manners and Gcirortwen. calculated ~
command universal respect
The minority Ct The committee believe that
the General Assembly nf Virginia, regularly
elected under the authority Ui :, represent
ing the whole Commonwealth, acling lin
der tho sanctions Of m official %. !, wuuhi b"
| more likely to make Wise seiec' III "f p Gov.
ernor than an excited convenL:i OF i:res!et.I,-
sblo men, selected and c1nye1.:; fnr pAr::z
puTpQSCS Ttslt Atiicu ~ ~ VA pun
b!llty 10 the constituent 11dy nor BY iae uS-
legations Of az oath. Win si.GF = con"rn'io;I.
availability Tor Gn active and .ucccss ul rqn
vass, would bu locked % il preference - ti;r';.
moro solid qualifications wrch Hcre lae :e;!S
nf fitness in the esrliec ani .l.r days o. the
Republic
ELECTION or JUDGES Asn 7. ..rsE or cFslcE.
There seems 10 DO general occurrence OF
sentiment in al! parts OF :ta Commonwealth,
that ell judicial elections rari: e"nsidsrH'rns
should be dsregaI ded. The cTnine es justice
should never be solIed b: Tho du2, Of rsrt2!
conflict. Judges should b. selected c!usi'=ly
with regard 10 their purity q: character ard
judicial qualifications; and, when chosen, lheJ
should be elevated above every Influence which
might tend to bias their judgment between
parties litigant Their te'.Irs of nticc should
bs sucn as to make them Independent OF pop