The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-08-23
county and corporation Judges in this State

during the past year, demonstrates the fact,
that the statue Of justice, which forms the
central figure of one of the allegorical
groups which surround the statue of WASH
ington in Capitol Square, was designed
by Rogers in the true spirit Of prophecy, as
well as ofhigh art the goddess has torn
the bandage from her eyes, and her scales,
instead of hanging in nice balance of right
and wrong, lie on her lap, as something
little needed, and seldom used; while the
unsheathed sword is firmly grasped ready
to execute swift and relentless judgment.
Partisan registration and election laws
are administered by partisan officers; and
partisan jury law is administered by par
tisan judge, who afterwards presides over
his own partisan appointes in the jury-box;
in every selection Of a panel, disregarding
the plain provisions of the constitution he
has made oath to execute and defend, by
ignoring the right of our colored citizens,
to sit upon juries, or, if unfortunately
charged with crime, to trial by an impair
tial jury. With some honorable excep-
tons, the scale of justice in vogue may be
described by a paraphrase of an old line
What in the Democrats but a choleric word,
In a Republican, is rank blasphemy." .,a 3.
But important as is the duty of the next
General Assembly in reviewing past legis-
lation, and impressing the spirit of
our constitution as well as its letter
upon our statutes, another duty
devolves upon them of grave responsibility
and extreme delicacy--reform in our State
financial policy, SO as to bring public ex-
penditures within reasonable public IN
come; to meet ourjust obligations, without
cruel and oppressive taxation. I'D
The true starting point for this
needed and necessary reform, is in the
General Assembly itself; by seeing to it,
that public money is not paid to those who
perform no public service, that time is not
wasted would that nothing more substan-
tial had been wastedD in obeying the be-
hests of corrupt lobbyists, and sitting in
judgement upon the merits of rural claim
ants for the privilege Of enriching them
selves at the expense of the State. -
! Having laid the foundation of a wise and
necessary economy in the expenditures of
their own body, the people at large will
look for the Inauguration of reasonable
mot parsimonious) economy in expenditures
for support of the State government, which,
under Democratic auspices, have assumed
proportions of portentous magnitude.
There is before them the still greater, and
now far more embarrassing question: the
Public Debt of Virginia. l.'i.,. T.
That the funding bill must be amended,
even its most interested friends admit to
repeal it, is out of the question; to suspend
its provisions, doubtful, both in legal and
financial point Of view; but to strike from
it some Of. its most obnoxious features, and
so amend others, as to make its operation
equitable, and obviate both of the disasters
with which in its present form it threatens
general ruin or repudiatioaa--is whatthe
people expect of their Representatives, and
is the plain duty of these representatives.
1.-THE interests involved are vast and deli
cate, and the action of the next General
Assembly on. this and kindred measures
will start Virginia upon the much boosted
but little travelled road to prosperity of
which we have heard so much-or sink in
dividuals and State into endorsements
from which it will be difficult to cxtricate
them.
For the proper performance of these high
duties and responsibilities, we need men of
honesty, integrity, firmness, and-capacity.
We trust our Republican friends will cast
about for such men and when they find
them, nominate and elect them, disregard
ing the noisy claims of demagogues, or the
more insidious appeals of mercenary poll
ticians. tY 4te tt vrY'-.3