The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-03-24

Do.' '"o .,r uous,
ana 'ne housc VI i'c'es"'e'
OF Delegates. -
---,-.,,. ,.ou
Inc tohowing eo"'nu"..'.'o" a,
distinguished lawyer OF Iide"ater W"
carry more weight with It than would any
,h;rc we ccs,ld ur;te. Reiug rather pressed
."'"o t. - I. n,.co ,r
Tor room Just now We give
our editorial columns:
Sugxestions 60 the Minority In tine
Legislature.
The war which the majority in the Legis.
lature Is making upon the Judiciary OF Vir.
cinia Ia nrotsing the grayest apprehensions
That decisions OF the Supreme Court, co.
ordinate branch Of the State government,
sbeuId be reversed by the Legislature, and
property in Office destroyed by the asurpd.
ton of judicial functions by the law.
making power, startles and alarms us. II
orr state Constitution and Bill OF Rights
the latter now part of the Constitution
which provide that "legislatiye, executive,
and Judicial powers should be separate
and distinct" can be violated and set
at nought In the manner and by the meth
DDS we have seen, is II not time that
the United States should interfere under
the provision OF the Federal Constitution
which " guarantees to every State repub-
| lican form Of governments Is our state
government republican when the judiciary
| Is dependent upon the legislative, and tx
lists by its suffrances Is not our govern.
ment rather m oli9drchy when the Lcgisla-
ture, through caucus controlled by boss,
can violate the fourteenth amendment OF the
! United states Constitution IN taxing ava!
the right OF properly In once "'hou'
due process OF IN"
An oe9dIcay Is oen'ieo W oc a 10TH vi
government III "p'oi INC eupi.inc pow
j. p'acea III lew iahos-h specics vi aTis'
tocracy.| III Manone ana tne caucus man.
ayers DO not supply us with oligarchs ~
equal To any III history, IL Is diincult 10
point out any difference. General Mahone
and his followers appear 10 be ignorant or
reckless OF The principles OF republican
government. His education ana career
were calculated 10 give hun autocratic ana
oIigarchicai IDEAS ne has been ooSStNy u
during all bLs career Doth In ciVii ana null
tary me- oince the expulsion OF MIS-
sey from tne Pari! Mahohes inc
biggest brain lelt, Dut since Dy
education he Is neither lawyer nor q
statesman, we must expect his notions OF
government ana State-cr;ut 10 DE more IKE
those OF King John than OF the Barons al
Runnymcdc. His power IN the State Is the
African power, controlled by white leader
ship. To this African element but little
knowledge of'our republican government
or its theory Of checks and balances has
ever come. Both in Africa and here the
colored man has been accustomed to be
boSSed; hence Malone and his party found
plastic material for their work. What know
they or care they for the true principles OF
republican government? What Will restrain
them from "impairing the obligation OF
contracts" or destroying the judiciary, or
doing anything else at the dictatior OF The
" boss In caucus2 Here Is the danger.
And without nnputing to Malone and the
Readjuster majority dishonesty OF opin-
ion, we say they arc dangerous TO society
and the state. because they are breaking
down i6 political landmarks ana erecting
an ongarchJ on the RUNS. GRANTED tnaV
they nave fight 10 Vacatc or ABOLISH ol1ces
OF legislative creation (Coolcy's Cons.
Limns., .S6), yet they cannot overdue the
supreme Court, nor eau they destroy or
take away offices created ana conferred
by the state Constitution, and whose
tenure is fixed by that instrument. Hence
the attempt OF The Legislature to legislate
the circuit Judge out OF office is illegal
and unconstitutional. The right to "re-
arrange the circuits ana TO increase or d.
min'sh inc numDer Thereon when The pub
lie interests ehaii require IL cannot mean
70 take away tne once ana saiuy OF
circuit luu9eS IN VOCATION OF othcr
provisions OF tne CONSTITUTION MING
caring ,nat !heir salarieS snal NOT be Ill
mlnished during their term OF once; Inc
Legislature cannot " remove " theoe Judges
except as provided IN inc constitution;
ana the "rearrangement can only take
ehecl AT inc expiration OF inc iuoiciai term'
any other cons1luc.loh ilhlcts wrong,
sioLatco ia"s anu CONSTITUTIONS, anu ealihot
~ v : u,ueI .ne pre'cH' 7, INA, inc pun
lio INTERESTS re4u'Ie IL. II thiS Lesisia-
.uIc oaH uhseae .ilc judiciary ~ "rear-