Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-09-07

carelessness, or vice was the cause, the
crime is the same. 1t reaches back to the
author and propounder Of the scheme.
T. Judicial Circuit and Courts of Ap-
peals-It doubtless seemed to the Pro-
phet that even if all of his devices were
clothed in the forms of law, that even
then disappointment and defeat might
follow, when their constitutional righte-
business came to to be tried by the courts.
Hence the further device of removing
from the Bench of the btate the brave, in
corruptible and competent magistrates
who administered the law, and to place
in their steads the plant and servile in
struments of bis corrupt will.
Many difficulties lay in his way. The
terms of office of the judges had not yet
expired. The Constitution did not allow
their removal without cause, and no cause
could be found.
By gross and wanton violation of law
by criminal disregard of the solemn pre-
cedents which our own highest court had
set, he removed one of the Judges of the
Supreme Court of Appeals, to gain for his
purpose an acceptable majority.
The purpose as to the Circuit Court was
simply foiled. 1t remains, however. an
avowed object in the future policy of the
Prophet, and will be a certain result OF his
establishment in power.
If law makers can be bound in judgment
and conscience in the exercise of their
duties, by such pledge as we have seen
they were required to take, why should
not the judges chosen from the same party
to administer the laws which their pals
have made, be In like manner sworn to
s'vote for all measures as the caucus may
agree upon ?" Can it be doubted that
they would be?
Look abroad over the State, and observe
what manner of men have been chosen as
Judges? Inquire into their previous life,
aud consider how far their moral and in
tellectual character. their learning, eXper-
fence and habits of life have qualified them
for the duties they have boldly assumed
to discharge.
PARTY OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THE
PEOPLE.
It claims to be the ''only original and
exclusive" Peoples party. Let us see.
How, best, could it manifest its devotion
to the people, and at the same time attest
the sincerity of that devotion ?
Surely by submitting for popular APP
proval, by popular vote, those measures
which affected the popular welfare. Did
it do this ?
IT WOULD NOT SUFFER THE PEOPLE TO
VOTE ON THE NEW RIDDLEBERGER
BILL.
The old Riddleberger bill of 1879-s0, in
it's II section provides for the submission
of the measure to the ''ballots of the quail
fled voters of the State who shall desire
to vote upon this act.''
The new Riddeberger bill of February
14th, 1882, contains no like provision, but
carefully omitted such.
The old Riddleberger bill contains on p.
%, "W hereas it is confidently believed
that the people of this State will never &C
qulesce in any settlement which shall OBJ
ligate them and their posterity to pay any
part of the interest upon the public debt
which accrued during the war and the
period of reconstruction
The new Rildleberger bill p. 2-5, in the
tabulated statement of the public debt
with interest to July 1. 1882, embraces
"the interest upon the public deut which
accrued during the war and the period of
reconstruction and the items constituting
the total deduction of $13 S48, 905.25, are
not of war and reconstruction interest,""
But the ''dear people" were not per-
mitted to pass upon the question of the
change.
THE PEOPLE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO
VOTE FOR THE GENERAL COMM IssION-
ERs OF SALE.
The right to do so was pointed out and
urged by the Democrats in the House and
Senate 1t was suggested that the peo-
pie of the several cities and counties
knew better than the Governor in Rich
mond could possibly know, of the ualifi
cation and responsibility of the male in
habitant, who shall be empowered to sell
their lands and hold their money,
But ali the people In their unapprecia-
tive dullness might not discern those Pc
culiar qualifications or the duties, which
would be obvious to the educated percep-
tions of the Governor. So the people could
not be trusted with the matter.
IT WOULD NOT SUFFER THE PEOPLE OF
THE SEVERAL CITIES AND TOWNS to
VOTE UPON THE AMENDMENTS TO THEIR
RESPECTIVE MUNICIPAL CHARTERS.
Lexington, LovettsvilIe, Lynchburg,
Norfolk, Portsmouth, and others of the
cities and towns through petitions signed
with names whose number and character
entitled them to consideration, earnestly
protested against the amendments propos-
ed to be made in their charters. That The
object of these amendments was 80 to
"gerrymander'' the municipalities so as to
increase the representation of the party,
in the city councils, was scarcely denied.
But whatever its object, the people, for
whose common good it was demanded,
we're not to be allowed an portunity at
the polls of expressing their opinion up
on it.
THE PEOPLE NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE FOR
THEIR DISTRICT SCHOOL TRUSTEES.
The Constitution provides TART. VII,
Sec. 81: I'm each school district there
shall be elected or appointed annually ,one
people had it in their power to enact that
each school district should elect its own
trustees, or else that each ''school trus-
tees electoral board' in the counties of the
State might appoint these trustees. But,
instead of this. they rather thought that
the people had too much liberty in this re-
gard as it was. And so by House Joint
Resolution No. 273, they actually sought
to take away the power of filling vacancies,
which. under Chap. II. Acts. 1861, was
distributed over the State in the several
county boards aud lodged it in the Gov
ernor, Attorney General, and Messrs. de-
fendants] the Superintendent of Public In
struction So the people, neither by their
vote, or through their county officers, were
allowed to select their own school trus-
tees.
Where, then, in the labors of this party
in the Legislature, are we to look for that
retrenchment and reform-for that self
denying devotion to the will of the people
which was announced as the adarnantine
pillarsof its faith.
This fact was accomplished. Whether
it was Retrenchment Reform, or popular
will, it matters not. 1t is enough to know
that now, and for years to come, the re-
collection OF it will make the heart of the
true Virginian to burn with indignation,
and his cheek to blush with shame Those
seats in the Federal Senate from whence
the unbemlsbed moral character and lofty
intellectual power of kives and Randolph
and Archer; of Leigh and Mercer; of
Giles and Hunter, had sustained unfair
nished the lustre of Vlrginia's glory, are