The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-02-27
The Constitutional Amendments-Jud
Allen.

The amendments to the State Constitu-
ton reported from the committee for that
purpose have been under consideration in
the House for a week past. These amend
ments, which we have heretofore published,
boiled down, win in effect destroy the bal
lot ane the registration OF births, marriages
and deaths abolish the County Judges and
Treasurers, and restore the old County
Courts and Sheriffs, deprive the Board OF
Education of the power to remove County
superintendent of Schools and take, the
school tax on property from the State and
leave it to the Counties, and remove the
oyster tax prohibition. Gen. Echols offered
an amendment, striking out the clause
which substitutes the old magisterial system
for the county judges, as now, but this was
voted down. The magistrates, as proposed
in the amendments, are not to be elected by
the people, but appointed by the Legisla-
ture on the Recommendation Of the Govern
or-or in other words. assume that the people
; are not capable of selecting their own SER
wants, but that duty must be performed by
a caucus ridden Governor and Legislature
two or three men in Richmond to take
from the people of Augusta county, for in
stance, the designation Of those who are to
serve them in the capacity of a. County
Court. 1t was upon this subject that Judge
Allen, of Shenandoah, the Speaker OF the
House, made some very sensible and practi-
cal Notwithstanding he rarely fails to
do when he addresses the House of Dele
gates, as his head is level upon almost all
questions. He objected to the proposed
magisterial system because it was self per-
petuating, and does not at llsuitth chang.
ed condition of affairs in Virginia. He
objected to the amendment further, be-.
cause no body of men not directly response
BILE to the people should have the power of
laying taxes. He thought the House was
wasting tine in the consideration Of the
Amendments, and hoped they would be dis
missed. and made motion to take effec. on
Tuesday. s
During the debate, Judge Allen declared
against the present method of amending the
Constitution, and said, while he wanted no
storm, nor convention determined upon in
the heat of feeling upon any particular ques-
ton, he thought Convention should be
called to make such notifications in the
Constitution as the necessities and interests
of the State required. This could be done
when a calm prevailed and direct reference
had to the notifications which experience
may have shown are demanded by public
policy. He referred to the mischief which
had been effected through former amend
ments adopted as tits proposed to adopt
these, and especially to the inconvenience
experienced by biennial sessions, as an ar
gument against the unsatisfactory and in
considerate way now provided for changing
the fundamental law OF the State.
We entirely agree with Judge Allen in
the views he entertaiRs on this important
matter. If the Constitution requires amend
ments, and we do not raise the question as
to that atthis time, let the subject be APP
preached as would become people who re-
gard the cardinal law Of the State as of
higher dignity and importance than the
petty partizan schemes of trading polite
ians. Let a fair hearing be had before the
people, and delegates selected from the
wlsest and best men in the State, who would
rise above the tricks and devices of the curb
stone statesmen, who have been running
the politics of Virginia, until they have
pushed her to the verge of ruin. 1t is graf
flying to contemplate the sterling good
sense, manly independence and true Vir-
ginianism OF such men as Judge Allen
There are plenty OF them in the State, and
tits an suspicious indication that the people
are searching for them. They have become
utterly disguised with the little tom-tit pol
iticians, who can aspire no higher than the
caucus ukase, and who shudder and squirm
when they come in contact with true moral
and intellectual independence. The bone and
sinew ofthe countryside toiling taxpayers
the sincere, honest citizens of Virginia, who
are really interested in wise legislation and
wholesome laws, begin to see the direful eff
feet of machine politics, and the character of
the men who are thrown into position by the
working of the machinery, and are earnest
ly considering the necessity of having really
representative men to reflect their wishes
and guard their interests in the councils of
the State. -. so's.