The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-09-22
airI,n,olll Qlspatfh.
6 .r,,RDaY SEPTEMBER %, 1877.
The Elections.

mo- elections soon TO be made, as we have
said are OF very great Importance, ana the
people should proceed to make them
with extraordinary deliberation and free
dom from, al, partisan bias and personal and
nassionate impulses. The present Is crisis
In Virginia affairs. Everything depends
mon the wisdom and public devotion which
pnide the people in making their choice OF
mon to represent them. The State debt Is
to be earnestly and iudiciousy considered !;
the state Is TO be reapportioned to diminish
the number OF members OF the Legislature,
and nearly all the circuit judges are 10 oe
elected, the terms OF the present Judges De-
ing about to expire.
This is work enough to occupy the iaoo-
rious and devoted attention OF the best men
in tbe state. It is most unfortunate that so
many Judges should have to be elected by
one Legislature. We may readily see how
a wholesale revolution. in the opinions OF a
legislative body might give general cast
to the views of the circuit judges. and thus
party purpose might be accomplished
The terms OF the judges should be made to
expire at different periods, so that every
lie legislature should elect some Of them. The
purity OF the judiciary should be as much
as possible protected from the danger OF
party bias. The Constitution should by all
means be amended in this particular.
But. clearly, the people OF Virginia need
their very best men to represent them now.
They eau only succeed i'll electing such men
BY elevating themselves 10 the true dignity
that should distinguish the electors OF the
State. Voters should have something OF the
purity and freedom from improper infu-
encas OF Judges. They should not allow
passion or prejudice or personal consldcra-
ton to impair the integrity OF their act OF
voting. They should resent all approaches
OF an improper character, land exercise their
right with sense OF what is due as well TO
their own dignity and honor rs to their pub
lie obligations.
The time is feariuliy tainted with selfish
ness, personal partisanry, and reckless
disregard OF the public welfare. The voters
should be aware of the ranting politicians
who are so anxious to protect them from
wrongs and cutrages and their onerous
Dubiic burthens. 1t is from these dema-
gosues that the people need protection.
Trust not the men who preach loudly about
the dear people, and seek to ALLEVIATE them
from their government BY representing the
public burthens as things that should not
be borne. Whatever burthens there are
were imposed by the people themselves
through their representatives. Ii they ere
improperly onerous, can they be thrown
Off save by measures conformable to law
and Constitution BY no means. Any
other mode assuredly must end in in
creasing the public burthens and multiply
ing public perplexity and distress. The
people are the government, and uice versa.
They cannot be separated.
The voters can relieve themselves Of bad
measures and undue burthens in but one
earthly mode, and that is to elect represent
atives that are wise and honest, and the
voters can only do this by exercising their
right OF voting in an independent and loya!