The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-03-28
evening state 9oarnal.
FRIDAY EVEN'G, MARCH 49,
preparing for Defeat.

The Democratic politicians of Virginia
are panic stricken. More than SIX months
in advance of the nextgeneral election they
are preparing for defeat. knowing that
The peopie Of the state will vote them out
of Office. they have 80; to work to extend
their their terms in all instances IN winch
Il is'possible to give their high-handed pro-
ceedings the least color OF legality. Inc
legislature is their convenient instrument,
and Governor Walker appears to be willing
to render whatever assistance ne can. Ihe
Renublican minority is so small that 1t can
only protest, and from the proceedings OF
House of Delegates on Saturday last 1t
would seem that even this poor privilege
has been denied.
The Legislature is at present engaged IN
an enterprise which, il persisted IN, Will
certainly bring trouble, the design being to
forestalI the action Of its successor, which
will very probably be Of a different politi-
cal compiexion. The constitution OF the
state provides that the county judges shall
be elected by the legislature, the two
houses meeting and voting in joint sesslon;i it
also provides that the legislature Shall meet
on the first Wednesday in December OF each
year. The terms of the county judges Will
exp;re on the 31st Of December, and the con-
stitution contemplates the election OF their
successors by the Legislature then in ses-
sion. and they must be commissioned by the
governor then in Office. The politicians,
however. who are unwilling to risk the
chances of a popular election, are deter
mined that these hundred offices, which will
become vacant during the session of the
next legislature, shall be filled by the legls-
lature now in session, and that the new
Judges shall be commissioned by COVER
nor whose own term of Office will expire
before the judicial term begins. We doubt
whether such legislative absurdity has
ever before been attempted. Even the
rival houses of Kellogg and McEnery IN
Louisiana would be ashamed Of such q
fraud.
In order to get rid of the constitutional
provision which requires the legislature te
meet on the first Wednesday of December
a Joint resolution was passed postponing
the meeting Of the next legislature till thu
first day Of January, 1874. We do no
think that either Pinchback or Warmotl
would recommend the abrogation of con
stitutional provision by joint resolution
They may not be great lawyers, but the,
are too wise to suggest such a provision a
that. Yet this is precisely what these vir
ginia Solons, who claim to have inherite'
at least the traditions of great states
manship, have done. The constl
tuition has been suspended by simpl
resolution, and tile election for judges !
now going on with all haste. The Republi
cans asked that their protest against thes
proceedings might be entered on the jour
nal, and permission was granted. On til
next day one of them made strong speec
in opposition to the outrage, which so irr
tated the majority that they threatened
have the protest stricken from the recorc
and probably this has been done. In tn
meantime Governor Walker is said to b
preparing commissions for the judges
!. fast as they are elected.
We are of the opinion that these gentl
men will not get much for their pam
The new legislature will be elected at Il
time and manner prescribed by the consi
. tation. II will meeton the first day OLD
cember, as the constitution declares
shall meet, and will proceed to perform Il
duties which devolve upon it as leglsl
tive body, among which will be the electi'
Of one hundred county judges, whose col
missions will be signed by the Govern
then in office. All this will be done wit
out any reference to the fact that majt
ity of the members of the new legislati
body may be either Democrats or Repu,b.
cans. The higher courts will decide VIII
election is valid, and what judges are
titled to exercise the office. -Bdlttm'
american. ltE