The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-09-03
Progressing Backward.

to the State Constitution to be submitted to
the Legislature and then the people for adop-
ton or rejection, met at Orkney Springs, Va,
last.wcek. There were preseat, Messrs. Thorn
as. of Fairfax, and Kirkpatrick, of Campbell,
! OF the Senate; and Messrs. Dooley, Stuart,
! Taliaferro and Boydkill, OF the House.
! The Committee thus constituted, agreed up
on the following amendments, to be disposed
of as indicated. This summary was taken from
| the Richmond Dispatch, to which paper it was
communicated by telegraph from Lynchburg
the home OF Senator kirkpatrick, and it is stat.
ed the amendments were prepared by that gen
| tlemani:
| First. Present preamble of Constition to be
! omitted.
Second. The Bill of Rights to be restored
as drawn by George Mason, and adopted in
| 1776.
| Third: Transfers clause recognizing aboli-
ton of slavery from Bill of Rights to the Con.
stitution.
Fourth. Makes the prepayment of the CAPT
ton tax necessary to the right of voting.
Fifth. Requires voting to be open, and uivQ
roce, and not by ballot.
| Sixth. Abolishes the registration of voters.
Seventh. Extends the Governors power to
pardon Sc as to embrace the penalties against
dueling.
! Eighth. Reduces the General Assembly, so
| that the House of Delegates shall not exceed
1 one hundred, and so that the Senate shall not
be less than thirty-five, nor more than forty
members.
Ninth. Prohibits any person from holding
| a lucrative Office, and ministers of the Gospel
from being elected to the General Assembly.
Tenth. Makes the sessions of the General
! Assembly biennial.
power to provide for the government of cities
| and towns, strikes out all Of article 9Th rela-
tive to that subject.
| Twelfth. Limits the jurisdiction of the SUI
preme Court of Appeals to cases involving
| 81, 900 and upward.
| Thirteenth. Provides for district courts OF
| appeals.
| Fourteenth Requires circuit judges to be
elected by the jontvote of the Senate and House
| OF Delegates Jrom persons nominated by the
! Governor.
| Fifteenth. Provides that the number of cir
cult judges may be so increased that the circuit
| courts may do all the business now done by
county and circuit courts.
| Sixteenth. Requires that circuit courts shall
be always open for appointment Of Executors,
Administrators, &c., and for the transaction
OF such other business as may be prescribed by
| law.
Seventeenth. Increases the capitation tax
to two dollars. and dedicates the whole to the
support OF free schools in place of all taxes on
property for that purpose.
| Eighteenth. Requires that on the passage
OF every act Of the General Assembly the ayes
and nays shall be taken and recorded.
Nineteenth. Provides that future amend
ments to the Constitution may be made by
vote OF majority of both houses of the Gen
efal Assembly and their ratification by the peo-
pie.
When this Committee was appointed by the
Legislature, we expressed apprehension that it
contemplated radical changes in the constittl-
ton. We have here the verifcation of that
opinion. We need not, however, entertain
any fears that the revolutionary features of this
batch OF amendments will be more than repor-
ted, to the body that created the Sub-Com-
mittee. The Legislature will not dare to so
lar forget the source Of its existence and the
power that wills its organization, as to formal
~ submit to the people the question of adop-
olOH VI lCJCCGlOI Vi IilG 1OurIu anu pFODO-
sitions. ,Ncr will it fail to hesitate before it
endorses the suggestion that circuit judges are
| to be selected alone from persons recommend
eddy the Governor. It must be remembered,that
this is government of the people, that the re-
sidium Of Its vitality is with the people, and
that they will notconsent to transfer their pow
ers and rights to the fallble Judgment, too fire.
quently controlled and directed by narrow
preiudices and personal likes and dslikes, OF
one man, though he be the Governor of the
State. Nor will there be quiet submission to
the entire abolition OF the County Court sys-
tenn, and the creation of twice the number of
Circuit Judges, and an increase Of the circuit
terms
Without going into an elaborate discussion Of
the various recommendations Of the Committee
and presenting the various objections that sug-
gest themselves at the first glance at the pro-
gramme, we may broadly assert that this is not
| a reactionary age. The popular mind is being
educated up to the exercise OF the rights per-
tanning to citizenship, and the people will not
voluntarily relinquish the regulation of mat
tiers directly pertaining to their interests, upon
the mere bidding Of few men, who whatever
| may be their social and intellectual standing.
are mere atoms in the political organization,
entitled to just that consideration that any 9TH
er of the same number of men are, who hon
estly seek to do their duty as citizens.
MARROW GAUGE.-The Rockingham Regis
ter of last week announced that work had been
suspended along the entire line of the Narrow
Gauge Railroad. This is misstatement A
letter from highly intelligent and responsible
gentleman informs us that the sub-contractor
had thrown up his work; but the contractor,
MIR. Jonas A. Lowenbach, Immediately com
menced operations and will push the enter
prise with his accustomed energy.
We were somewhat surprised and incredu-
lous when we read the notice in the Register,
and thought there must be some mistake about
it, We had been assured but short time ago
that the Road was in very favorable condi-
ton, with ample resources for present demands,
and with prospects in the future the most as
surfing and satisfactory. We had no reason to
question this, and were therefore doubtful as
to the fact as stated by our cotemporary.
z We regard the Narrow Gauge as very i'm.
portant enterprise to the Valley of Virginia.
It will do more to develop new wealth. open up
rich mineral, pastoral and agricultural coun-
try, now entirely isolated from market. than
any other undertaking. we have evpr had We