The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-02-12
Petersburg Charter.

|
GINA last week, and thercfUfe cdnnot exam,
inc lis provisions as We should Ike to do
before expressing an opiuion. We are sat.
is6ed, however, from the information we have
Of its character, that it is unconstitutional
and that it is the reckless and despicable
spirit of party persecution and despotism
that is at the bottom Of it. We know moth.
Jag Of the condition Of the city government
OF Petersburg, except what we see stated 10
the papers as to its financial m management,
which is favorable. We are cognizant sf nc
wrongs psrpetrated by the city authorizes
and therefore can form no excuse in our
mind for the interference by the Legisla.
ture of Virginia, in the. municipal affairs of
that town. tits q dangerous precedent,
suggestive Of possible outrages ow aud here.
after tina. will bring woes uunumbered upon
communities. The Senator from Rocking
ham, DR.. Mofstt, it seems, from the report
Of the proceedings on the bill, was the prin-
cipa, champion Of it, while the Senator from
Augusta, Judge Cochran. vigorously cppos-
ed it in two hours speech. Both efforts
are spoken of as very able, and we have
no doubt they were, but no outline Of the
points made or arguments advanced has been
given. We shall Withhold, for the present,
such remarks on the bill as we may have
to make until we see the full text Of it
We cannot conceive, however, how the legis-
lature can empower the city Judge to APP
point a; commission which shall virtually su.
percede the municipal authorities elected by
the people, without violating the Goth section
Of article sixth of the constitution. Any
legislation designed to take from the people
their plain constitutional rights, must neces-
sarily be fraught with mischief 1t is de-
spotic innovation upon guaranteed immu-
mites, and should be met With stern and re-
lentless condemnation and resistance. We
hope that our appreheusions are not we'll
founded, but if We are mistaken in this, we
shall not be slow or choice of words in the
denunciasion Of a measure pregnant Of SO
many evils by reason Of the precedent.
The alusion of the indicator Of last
week to the admission Of the West Virginia
e lbers Of Congress to their seats, must
certainly have been made without knowl-
edge of the facts as presented. Being &C.
quainted with both ofsthe gentlemen who
were contesting fer the seat from I'll q Clarks-
burg district. we paid some attention to the
facts in the case. They are both Democr ats,
Mr.. Wilson, however, supporting Greeley
and Mr.. Davis, declining to support either
Greeley Or Grant. In the August election
there was full vote cast in that District,
OF which Mr.. Davis received majority Of
800 or 400. At the October election there
were not 4, 1000 votes cast in the entire Dis
trict, all Of which voted for Wilson, Mr..
Davis declining to be voted for, iuasmuch as
ne regarded the August election as legal
In the August election there were $4,000
votes cast. Had Mr.. Wilson been chosen in
August he would there have rested his case,
as Mr.. Davis declared he would. It was
recognized, at the time, as the proper elec-'
ton, and the October election was only
Matched up as last chance to defeat the
will of the people. The House of Repre-
sentatives is emphatically body Of the peo-
Pile, and how the popular theory could be
carried into effect by recognizing a vote of
1000 against 24000 We cannot see As to
The Two days it was a matter Of doubtful le-
gal technicality which was the proper one
% much SO, that it was at one time almost /
to send the matter back to the |
people. But looking at the substantial JUS
iceof the case, Mr. Davis having received
70 uneontested majority 10 full vote, it
would have been trifing with the popular
viii Of the district to have referred back to
hem a matter 50 clearly determined by their
'otes. Either gentleman would have made
good representatives. They are both men
# ability They both used all their inau-
nee TO secure Republican support, but nsi-
her Of: them. claimed afiliation with that
'arty. 1t was not party matter, so far as
1r. Davis was concerned, for Mr.. Wilson is
S near Republican, as Mr. Davis.
CRIMINAL PRosEcUTIoNs.-Nr A. II.
I. Stuart, Of Augusta, introduced in the
legislature on Monday last, the following /
esolution which was passed by vote Of As
o43. If the resolution becomes law, it
I'LL relieve the Valley counties Of heavy
;em of cost in paying for the criminal pros
cutious In the eastern counties and cities.
here the greateriportion of them occur
Resol0ed, That the committee for courts
f justice be instructed to prepare and re-