Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-22
ATIatOcrats.


Our respected cOtemporary of the Enquirer corcurs in
the general wish for alterations 10 State Con-
stimaon. I: comedies that present system is too
Democratic, and that Rpg5liean features should
be infused into it. Ia this conueIon, it specifies the
elections of all the petty officers Of the State and the
counties By the people yeIgous harrassng and mis-
ehevous bu: takes occasion to enter special protest
against the proposition for reyving the coanty court
system OF Gsorge Mason, Of magistrates without pay.
holding their Offices during good behavior and filing
vacancies in ID ir own body. Tnis system it contends,
ia arstoraic and should have admission in the Con
s,ituou Of fee people. We know the odium convey
ed by words and there few Of usye TO AmsTi-
can than that OF aris,Ocrat And yet, il We lo,k
beneath the surface AID examine closely our condition,
there is no foundation whatever for such feeling amog
u.s. In Europe sis,ocrat is institution, invested
With great and special privileges in derogahon OF equal
y and the rights Of man. and transmitted through sire
70 son from age age. Nothing Of that sor; possible
in our country Here the whole drift: of habits and
institutions is the other way Nothing is stabls-nOthpg
survives a life time-notbing ia respectable from An
tquiy Rapid and eeaseless mutations the order Of
the day. Rich men die, their estates distributed
and their dsscsndIuts pass from tho roll of the wealthy
Without special privileges, backed by statute OF en-
tails and pmogenture an aristocratic body is imposs
bic in any country.
pure, unm1ed Democracy hes nevor worked well
anywhere. /. has invariably degenerated f7s. into
anarchy and very soon afterwards fallen into despotsm
To correct this tendency to dissolution and ruin, the
representative feature has been introduced The pee
pie the supreme power in every State agree to delegate
portion Of their power to limited number Of indiyi
dual. They may selec. al these individuals them selves
"a Ne are row doing under our present Constitution
which the Eyg,irer thinks is too Democrsic-or they
NAV choose the mos. important aad leave to them the
task Of selecting others for subordinate petitions This
was leading principle Of the George Mason Constitu-
ton. That distributed the appointing power among as
many as possible that abuse Of power could be ia
tai Or srOly mischievous ard in every case the ap
pOnee was responsible solely to ne lav for the faithful
discharge Of his duties It is wonderful no. completely
this great and eadisg principle Of that Constitution has
passed rom the MINDS OF our public men, Under It.
the Ian ves supreme and al officers responsible only TO
it under the Yankee system which has superseded it
the nan who bestoEs the office s looked up TO as the
lord audmaser The epdauoy Of this system to gere
rate svcophancy and 70 substitute the surserveut tools
Of men for the fearless administrators Of the law.
We desire to see toe old spirit of liberty aud iude
pendeDcc and Loyalty to law which distinguished the eff
cers Of our old Constitution revived amorg US No State
ever had slch officers those which Virginia possessed
under the cid regime. Toe Clerks and the Magistrates
in particular surpassed; and their fame will
long survive in the glowing and imprisoned elOquence
Of Watkins Leigh. But they were selEconsituted and
fell before the everg fury Of the age. II there were
even spice of arstocracy in the mode and OF
their constitution, We in consideration Of the practical
results, would excuse it. The system under which they
vera was borrowed from England where has
existed thousand years. and contributed little the
preservation Of liberty in that country. It tiled here
for rs years and judging BY its fruits nothing we have
tried since, or ever will again. will compare vitht
In our judgment the present mode Of electng and
paving Magistrates il Que Of the most objectionable ea
lures in our existing Constitution. The election of
Sheris il bad enough-in fact bad that Il will cure
itself The State to get any revenue will be compelled
to make a change in that But there is something pc.
euary revolving seeing Justice dOled to the people
by the shilling. Il dogrSdes the ermue and briggs law
itself into contempt, And while il falls in the object Of
It's institution il has increased the public burdens and
dIused venal olise seeking mania throughout the
community. With the old county court system revived
and in full yigor in every county in the State Virginia
might defy forever the demoyalzug Influence OF Yam
kee notions The little faint of aTistocracy about IT, IL
there be any, will heahful tendency, and aid in
correcting the either Of democracy or eespot-
isn As to the estabshmeltOf arisocracy, thst is
tbs las: thing to be aPprehended this Continent. We
may run Wild in anarchy, sink into despOtsm but an
arslocrlcy is an imPOssibility.
10 connection with this subject take the liberty Of
publ hing private letter from distinguished gentle
man and lifelong Democrat, from South side county.
We are persuaded, TIA; public are not up 10
the temper Of the people These desire important ard
radical changes in organic law they with all the Yam
kee Innovations which incorporated by the Conven
ton Of 80 70 be stricken from the Constitution. Let
not the Convention be afraid respond to the popular
wish
NOVEMBER Is, 1861.
Although sensible that my opinions of little i'm.
portancc any one write tender you my thanks
for your sfJrts obtain amendments the State Con-
s.ituton.
i concur with you in thinking that the republican |
principles OF George Mason irfaitey preferable to
those which have been adopted since 1880 The deduc
tons Of and the results Of experience ought TO
oonvinoe impartial and refecting that universal su
frags and the ell elton Of nearly all officials BY the peo
pie are incompatible with the permanent existence Of
good representative government The political power
Of the Commonwealth should never be welded by the