Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-05-18
HARPING UPON ONE STRING.

The people must not be misled by the
exaggerations and declarations of the
opponents of reconstruction while har-
ping upon the only string they
have left to play upon-the county
organization clause of the Constitution.
The real and hideous denominations
of the Underwood Constitution are
the acknowledgements and test oath
and they may be considered
as having already fallen under the
pressure of the sound opinion of the
people of Virginia; because when these
are removed no sane man can doubt
that the absolute control of the govern
men! of Virginia is placed in the hands
of Virginians. If any person can see
any other mode under Heaven by which
this great, paramount and desirable OBJ
ject can be accomplished, let him at
once declare it; and abandoning all 9TH
er theories and so called principles we
are ready to go Tor it, and endeavor to
influence the people of Virginia to go
for it. ...
But in our position there is no other.
We have the power to secure the sup
remacy Of Virginians, because, without
disfranehisement and without test, all
can vote and all can hold office. That
will be secure-will it Motif the con-
stitution shall be adopted in July?
And that is the great object. Good
government will follow as sure as the
seasons follow on the return of the sun
to our temperate zone.
Our readers know in detail our objec-
tons to the county organization article,
for we stated them in yesterdays paper,
where we also expressed the opinion
that the Constitution should be adopted
Notwithstanding. For the evil is not
unmixed with good by any,means. Some
years hence, when the State fills up
with population, as we hope to see her
filled, this system will not only be ne
cessary but benefcent. Our county
organizations must necessarily be expen-
sive in any event; of course, the town
ship division, when carried out, will be
more so. But what is a township?
The city of Norfolk is one already, the
city of Portsmouth another. The town
ship of a county will embrace larger
area of territory, but in most instances
not larger number Of people. These
two cities have separate courts, separate
magistrates; attorneys, clerks, collectors,
inspectors, uperintendents of schools
and of the poor, and the numerous Off
Gals belonging properly to a township,
and which are provided by the article
in question for the townships thereby
| constituted. What benefits do they de-
rive? A far more efficient and better
government, doubtless, than they could
have if they were included in county,
and simply governed by the regular
county organizations heretofore subsist-
ing in this State. The speedy dispensa-
ton of justice is not among the least of
these benefits, and vast saving of ex-
pense, and we regard our common
school system as one of the most bene-
hcent fruits of the township principle
as applied to our city. But we cannot,
in the limits of this article 90 into a
general detail; there are serious objec-
tions to the system, in our present con-
dition, and we are unprepared for it;
but still it Is not unmixed with good
endwill have to be adopted at some
day. SSH
This county organization, article VII,
section s, provides that "the General AS
sembly,at its first session after the adop-
ton of this Constitution, shall pass such |
laws as may be necessary to give effect |