The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-12-03
The Constitutional Amendments,

Inc CONSTITUTIONAL AmeQumeuCS
The Constitutional Amendments have been
ratified by a majority OF over $4,000. Tile
changes are about as follows: Magisterial dist
riots instead Of townships; each township be
divided into as many. ipagisterial districts as
may be deemed necessary not less than three:
in each district there shall ke eessed ore SUI
peryisor, three justices OF the peace. one con-
stable, and one overseer Of the poor, Who shall
hold their respective offices for the term Of two
years; each magisterial district shall be divided
into as many school districts as may be deem-
ed necessary; provided, no school district shall
be {crlDed containing less than one hundred
in each school district there shall
be elected or appointed annually one school
trustee Who Alall hold his office three years;
provided, however. that at the first election
Under this provision there shall be elected
three school trustees, who shall hold their
office one. two, or three years; The present
system, Of keeping tip the roads is abolished,
and Of course we fall back on, the old plan.
In each county there shall be elected one
sheriff, one attorney for the CoHlrnonwealth,
one clerk, one COUNTY treasurer, and as many
commissioners 81 the revenue III may be pro-
vided by law; and there shall be appointed,
in such manner as may be provided by Jaw,
one superintendent Of the poor and one county
surveyor; and there shall be appointed, as new
provided by law, one superintendent Of schools:
All regular elections for county and towpship
officers Shall be ON the 18th Thursday in May,
and these officers shall enter upon the dis
charge Of their duties on the LIST OF july next
after their election. All county officers are
elected for four years, except clerk Of the court,
who shall be elected for six years.
The schedule for these constitutional amend
inents provides: That the legally constituted
officers of the several counties and townships
at the date of the ratification Of these anIeQd-
ments by the people, shall continne to dis
charge the duties OF their respective offices UNI
til the officers provided for by these amend
ments shall have been elected or appointed
and qualified. And the Impression is that a
general election will take place pext May for
all township officers, including Representatives
to the Uonse Of Delegates"
we opposed the adoption of these amendments,
and showed then by actual figures that under
them it would cost the county of Augusta
100000 more per annqua thaa it requires for
our County under the present constitution.
The following anti norton verdicts OF some of
our Conservative Contemporaries will prove
that the opposition was l,pt altogether wrong
The italics are our own:
Some of our exchanges sneer 1t the vote Of
this county on the amendments. The ley III
this county before the aoar for expenses Of To-
cal government aosre just tao thousands more
than for the same purpose since. Perhaps if
this had been the case in other counties the all
sensible might have made som5 allowance.
They may yet change their opinion OF dumb
hundred. "-Shen. Democrat.
We confess that we were somewhat surprised
at the opinion of the Attorney General, pubs
lslled elsewherc--thongh we had not. and have
not, given any attention to. the question in
volved. One of the main beauties OF the
amendments as we looked at them, MAS that.
ii adopted, we would have fewer elections; aila
vet the first fruits Of them is to give lis not
another election day, indeed, but one more
contest than we had expected. There was a
vast amount of canvassing and working for the
c]erksllip in some collnties-intleed in Il few,
all other contests were subordinate to it, and
Il congressman was regarded as q very small
matter cennhred with u clerk: and now we
tind we have the battle to fight over again, and
that all the energy and skill SO lately expen-
tled were utterly thrown away. We are glad
we had no clerical ASPIRATIONS G2rdonsrlHe
Gazette.
We have never seen our county roads i'll bet
ter condition than at present:--Our people nave
been fortunate in securing such faithful, indus
trious and Intelligent officers for this depart
ment of their home government. We repeat.
that the present road system (rhough by no
means in accordance with our State constltu-
ton, is the hest one Virgilia has ever had
within oilr knowledge, and we ncw enter our
protest against the Legislature disturbing 1t.
Page Courier,
The protest Comes TOO late. 1t should have
been recorded OH the 3rq day Of last Novenl-
ber Then it might have accomplished un'-
versal good for the '',lear public" Now it is
the useless tears Of the milkmaid.
RuMoRs.-It is run1ored that Hon. john j:
Harris will be made chairman Of one OF the mi
portant committees in the next Congress. His
lONT SCrFlCS, iii IL OA'tihASess Wa,
cntitle him to chat distinction. Should this
turn ont to be true, he will have the appoint
ment Of i committee clerk. at salary OF s2ooo,
and a messehger. OF course, he will select
virslnians, and it would be we'll for those wish
ing positions to file their applications.
1t is stated, also, that Col. w. S. Gilman, O
Richmond, will be prominent candidate fol
postmaster Of the Hotses That position has
lucrative patronage: -.
The name of james W.. I.cweIyn' Of Rich
mopd,is mentioped in connection with the place
of door-keeper of the House of Representatives
That position carries with it about sixty suoor
dinaie offices, which pay well.
1t is further stated, that 1t. Gov. }. j.. Mayre
has been appointed clerk to the Judiciary Con-
mittee OF THE House of Delegates OF Virginia
at a salary of Sc per diem. Such is life, ant
the love of place.
Georgia is reported to have s3S, 900, 900 inves
ted in Factories;and that greater enterprise am
prosperity exist in that State than at any tim
| before the war Charleston, South Carolina
ships more cotton than she did before the wal
While these evidences Of prosperity are bein;
published to the world, the Democratic pres
| is constantly stating faisehoods about South
Gfn prostration, OH account Of s'Ra'lical leslsla