Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1869-01-21
The Consolidation Of TOwnstips.


In our last issue we mc.-.y adverted to the
fragrant and she.reiess wrong committed by
the late Legislature of West Virginia on two
thirds ofths people Of Jefferson County by the
consolidation Of four Of its largest townships
into two. OF course it is needless to say that
this. ike an the other numberless outrages Of
which we have become, Of late years, the un-
happy victims, had its origin in the brains Of
unpiaciplel politicians who do not hesitate
TO break through all the restraints Of decency,
Justice and law to establish their party suPre-
macy.
Although, in order to secure this eOuuty for
all their party purposes, the leaders and mana
gers Of the Radical party had resorted TO whole
sale disfrauclisement, excluding from the right
oFsufrage men whose loyalty they did not and
could not call in question, but whom they
could not induce TO commit the crimes they
themselves revealed in, yet there was an i'm
portant branch Of our local government which
It seemed no amount Of tampering with the
elective franchise could place in their hands.
We mean the Board Of Supervisors Of the
county. Il is true these leaders generally ma
nagcd to accomplish their designs whatever
the barrier opposed by their Board; and here
notwithstanding, in the use Of power conferred
upon it by the Constitution Of the State, this
Board often awarded as the returns Of the vote
required, its certificates Of election to othOrs
than the candidates Of the Radical party, still,
by the aid of a Judiciary, which, we regret to
say, has shown too great willingness to rush to
the rescue Of its party friends. the most lucra-
tive offices Of the county have always been
filed by Radical ncumbents.
The obstacles thus thrown in their way be-
come too troublesome longer TO be tolerated.
The process Of curtailment Of the number Of
Supervisors is applied and the difficulty i'm
meiiately vauishes.
It is true the Constitution Of the State re-
quires that the townships shall be laid of as
compactly as practicable, with reference to
natural boundaries, and containing, as nearly
as practicable, an equal number Of white po-
"pulation; :" but what is the obligation Of the
organic law compared with the importance Of
the success Of the Radical party?
It is true that by the provisions Of the same
instrument "tbe Board Of Supervisors Of each
county, q majority Of whom shall be a quorum
shall, under such general regulations as may
be prescribed by law, have the superintend-
ance and administration Of the internal affairs
and fiscal concerns Of their county, including
the establishment and regulation Of roads, pub
lie landings. ferries and Mills" or in other
words. Is constituted local Legislature, en-
dued with most important powers, and as such
should be a purely representative body, yet Of
what worth now are the sacred rights Of repre-
sentation when they lie across the path to Of
fetal station and emolument?
The right Of representation was always
claimed by our ancestors as a precedent to the
right Of taxation. A denial Of 1t ledto seven
wears bloody revolution, and finally, and as
events have turned out, perhaps unfortunately,
% separation from the mother country.
A grosser violation Of this principle could
not well be conceived than is committed in the
division Of the county into townships on the
plan Of the recent act Of the Legislature Of
West Virginia Practically it places under
the control Of about one third of the people Of
the county, a legislative organization, armed
with the power 70 tax, almost at will, aud
without limitation, the other two thirds. Nor
IS this the only wrong this scheme viii inAict.
Under the new arrangement the jurisdiction Of
each Of the Justices Of the Peace Of the now
townships extends from one end Of these town
ships TO the other, so that parties to judicial
proceedings, whether suitors or witnesses, are
liable. by compulsory processes. TO he dragged
In many cases, over one half the territory Of
the county 10 attend 70 the most tnfing affair
that may demand their presence in a Magis-
trate's Court But we, perhaps, have no cause
70 wonder at these inconvenience when we re-
feet that they have been imposed upon US by
the same agencies that transferred the county
seat from the centre Of the county 70 its ex-
IRENE border, aud has placed under rcquisition
two railroads and a stage line in travelling
from where our forcfathers twho were fools
located it TO where the modern Solomons and