The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-03-09
i a. ri. State will hold you to ac-

people Of this State VIII Eold you 20 ~
Won have given us fatal precedent.
YoI, assume tho right 70 reverse decision
OF the highest court In this state; you oe-
clare that II Is a subordinate but not
coordinate branch Of this government
n YOU can reverse one Of Its decisions
By legislative acts you have ,ue same
power to reverse ever, cccIsIon II bas ever
RENDERED, ana that for political purposes.
Then, I ask you, what protection have we
for life, liberty, and property In this COM
monwealtyy
You have the right by mere legislative
act 20 turn out every criminal now con,
flned In the penitentiary OF this State ana
take from every citizen In this Common
wealth every dollars worth OF property ne
owns. Iwarn yon 10 stop here and now
suppose that the Funder party two wears
hence should come into power, fortunately
or unfortunately, and propose by iegls'a'
tive action tthe proposition that we advo.
cyte. that the succeeding Legislature is not
hound by the act OF preceding onel 10 re.
verse everything we have done; put OUT
all the Judges that they claim we have nm
constit.,tionally elected to vacancies that do
not exist; destroy your boards Of visitors
10 the colleges and the public institutions
Of this State; reinstate the professors that
Won arc now turning ont for political
purposes, and even destroy and annul
the settlement of the public debt,
could our party complain? 1hcSs answer
would be. a. Gratiana said 10 Shylock, -
thank thee, jew, for teaching me that WORD:
The yillainy thou hast taught me l VIII
execute"
risk as q lawyer my reputation, anu ~
an honest citizen OF this Commonwealth,
IN nv positive assertions rs "a senator, that
vol, are now crushing the Constitution OF
this State under your feet for political pur-
poses.
This Consultation was boi., in corruption
and brought forth in iniqnity, but | pro-
pose TO respect il as the organic law Of this
State so long rs II remains the organic law
OF the State. None Of yea have right to
trample upon it unless you are willing to
declare yourselves rs political revolution
lists.
The Joint order of 1872 declaring that
the Judges OF the courts would only hold
vacancies to fill the rneXpircd terms was
revolutionary. 1t was the
DEATH OF THE PARTY
that passed that act.
1t was violent and reyolutionry act OF
the Legislature to assume the exclusive
province OF deciding what the law OF this
State IL. That question was one 10 be
solely decided 10y the Court Of Appeals OF
this State.
Under the Constitution Of this State the
Court Of Appeals is an independent and CO
ordinate branch OF this government. 1t
never was intended that 1t should be d0mi-
mated by political legislation. Whenever
that is declared to be the law Of this Com
monweath tie people have lost their
liberty.
Why has there not been ali objection
made by our party against Two vetoes OF
the Governor OF this State against two bills
passed by this Legislature? No complaint
made against him for vetoing illegal mea-
sures, and yet you denounce the Court Of
Appeals for deciding questions exclusively
within their jurisdiction.
l had hoped that new departure in
politics might have resulted from the sue
cess Of the Readjuster party in this State !;
that the old Bourbon idea in this state
might be destroyed; that the past might
be forgotten, and that the new race coming
up might look to the future and forget the
past. and forgetting all the passions and
the preiudices of the past bury them into
utter oblivion; to teach our children not
to think of the past. but to look hopefully
to the future and recognize one great POI
liticai fact. that we are one nation united
together, bound in one common interest,
and inseparable, and therefore ought to
live in peace together.
To my people whom represent here in
this body I came to assist in settling the
public-debt question. have this to say :
/ do not approve of that settlement, but for
the sake OF peace 1 voted for it.
came here for no other purpose. de-
clare that ! am
OPPOSED TO EVERY OTHER ACT OF TIE READ
JUSTER PARTY
Of this Legislature. I had honestly, inno-
Gently thought that the settlement OF the
public debt was the great question, and 80
l told my people who sent me here, but
when arrived in the city OF Richmond i
soon found that was the least question TO be
considered.
The great question was a desperate and
disreputable scramble for office.
When | found this to be true | took my
own course as IN Independent man, asking
luNOIS hui OulCt llOiu DouNs IOl ioltN
days three other gentlemen and myself
fought TO protect the truest and the best
man in the State, not because his name was
John l.. Massey, but because he was the
recognized best Auditor the State ever had,
and because he was Il representative Of Il
liberal. honest, and independent principle.
He has been slaughtered in the house OF
his former friends because OF his honesty,
his independence, and his manhood.
i here now utter my solemn protest
against the attack upon the liberties OF the
people Of this State in all its insidious forms
now proposed in the Legislature.
I had thought that the party now in
power would adopt a liberal and generous
system, forget the past, aud look alone to
the future, subordinating personal ambi-
tons and the scramble for Office TO the
interest Of the people we are sent here to
represent. l hoped we might yet be Il
great and PHOSPHORUS people.