The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-04-18

To The Editor of The State Journal:

To the Editor of The State Journal:
The act recently passed by the legislature,
consolidating the six townships OF Fairfax
county into three, is deservedly unpopular |
among all thinking men of the county, ir-
respective of party SO much so that nu-
merously signed petition was sent 10
the legislature, praying for its repeal, ana
the author Of the act, / understand,
promised to use his influence to that end.
1t is an experiment which may be tired IN
other counties beside Fairfax, and WORD on
the subject may be in season. SUCH legisla.
ton is blow aimed at the first principle OF
Republican government. The act IN ques-
annears To have been to influence in some
way the poltical status of the county. 1t
is not. IN fact, the act of the legislature,
hut of Mr., Thomas in the Senate and Mr..
Sangster in the House; for what do mem
bers from other parts of the state know or
care about the internal affairs of Fairfax
county? Thus it is in all local legislation
the legislative power is practically
given to two or three men, while
the responsibility is divided among as many
hundred, who can in no way be held re-
sponsible to the people of the locality
affected by the law. This surely is abuse
of power.
Allow me to read to these gentlemen
who are directly responsible for this change
and to those also who intelligently or care
lessly supported it, a single paragraph
from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson
to Samuel Kerchlval, dated July II, lSl6
an authority which they, of all others,
ought to respect:
"The organization of our county admin
istrations may be thought more difficult
But follow principle, and the knot untle'
itself. Divide the counties into wards Q
such size as that every citizen can attend
when called on and act in person. Ascrlb'
to them the government OF their wards Il
all things relating to themselves exclusively
A justice chosen by themselves in each,
constable, military company, patrol,
own portion of the public roads, the choic
of Jurors, &c., will relieve the county ad
ministration Of nearly all its bust
ness, will lave it better done. an
by making every citizen an actiy
member of the government, and in u
affairs nearest and most interesting to hi
will attach him by his strongest feelings
the independence Of his country and its n
publican constitution. The
wards. called townships in New Englan
are the vital principle Of their government
and have proved themselves the wisest
vention ever devised by the wit of man +
the perfect exercise of self-governme
and for its preservation. We shou
thus marshal our government int
lst, the general federal republic for {
concerns foreign and federal; 2
that of the stats for what relates to o
own citizens exclusively; Sd, the coun
republics for the duties and concerns OF t
county, and 4th, the ward republics for t
small and yet numerous and INTEREST,"
concerns of the neighborhood and in &c
eminent as well as IN every other busin'
of life, it is by division and subdivision
duties alone, that all matters, great Q
small, can be managed to perfection. A
the whole is cemented by giving to eve
citizen personally part in the administ
ton of the public affairs"
Now this township organization IS vall
less where they are so large as to make
difficult and burdensome for the people
meet for the transaction of the public bu
IS, when to find a town officer,
magistrate, supervisor, registrar, or oil
officer, one may have to make
Journey of fifteen or twenty miles.
township should contain more than to-
or fifty square miles, and then should
as compact as the circumstances '
permit. If six miles square las Jetfers
proposed) it would be better still +;
greatest distance to the center would Il
be something over three miles. The I
square miles of Fairfax county should
divided into eleven or thirteen TOWNSHIP
which with supervisor from each wo
make board or county legislature Q
respectable number, representing ev
neighborhood in the county. Upon
local legislature should devolve all 4
powers and duties not strictly of judi
nature, now exercised by the county jut
Upon the whole, | should prefer
the legislature would not repeal
b. act, but rather leave future Republ
Y legislature, among the many necessary
of reconstruction, to make thirteen to
ships instead of six.
JEFFERSONIAr