The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-04-26
The Medical College Case.

The 1edicsl College Case.
Tbs decision of the Supreme Court in
the Medical College case was received by
the Bourbons with much surprise and no
little chagrin. They had so persistently
declared that the Judiciary had been
made partian and that all Of its rulings
would he in the interest Of the Readjust-
ers, regardless Of right, that to have an
eminently noa-prtisan decree, and one
that conflicts with the action Of the Gov
ernor in displacing the old Board Of Wis
itors and appointing new one, takes from
them much Of their campaign capital and
at the same eindicates the action Of the
Legislature in tho selection Of Supreme
Judges it made. The opinion OF the court
was delivered by Judge Lacy, and while it
declares that the present Board is not
perpetual institution, but under the con-
troll Of the Legislature, to dismiss or retain
as that body may determine, it also an
nounces that the Governor has no power
to remove the Board and appoint another.
Vacancies could he filled but not created
by the Governor. The old Board, there
fore, will hold to the positions they oc-
cupy, at least until the Legislature changes
the law or they resign. Judge Lewis, did
not sit in the case, as bis brother, Hon. J.
F. Lewis, was President Of the new Board.
With that exception the opinion read by
Judge Lacy was the unanimous conclusion
Of the court.
This decision is a severe shock to the
Bourbons. Their campaigns have been
made up of sensational charges and false
accusations again,t the Readinsters, and
one of the most important allegations has
been that the Supreme Court was created
for partizan ends, and that the Judiciary
would be prostituted for that purpose.
The case before them in the Medical Col
lege had taken political phase, as a
Board of Bourbons had been displaced and
Board of Readjusters appointed by tire
Governor--he constituting the law to JUS
tify him in taking this action. The SUI
creme Court, composed entirely Of Rend-
justers, decided that in this the Governor
was wrong, and that the old Board has the
right to the management of the Medical
College until the Legislature shall take
action in the matter.
This decision is important, not that the
Readjusters care anything about the spite
full and false statements OF the Bourbons
about the court, 80 far as Virginia is
concerned, for we all know the methods of
Bourbonism in politics, but it publishes to
the outside world that the reckless asser-
tiops of that party are false as to this
statement, and will carry the conviction to
those who are not acquainted with Bourbon
tactics, that il false in one Of its state
ments it would be false in another. To
make the people Of the country believe
that the Judiciary had been prostitnted to
partizan uses, and that the Supreme Court
was the ready instrument Of partizan
leaders to do their bidding, are Of apiece
with the reckless and malicious assertion
that the Readinsters designed to repudiate
the public debt, az we'll as to subordinate
all the important interests of the State to
patizan ends, regardless Of justice and the
welfare Of the people. 1t will be found
in the end that the one charge is rs false
as the other. The facts demonstrate that
the debt as formulated in the Riddleberger
bill is the equitable amount Virginia owes.
1t will be found that every law changed
and every enactment placed upon the stat
ute book has been for the relief Of the peo-
pie and advancement Of the public veal.
And it is found, lin the decree of the SUI
preme Court on the first prominent politi-
cal case, that it is covered by recognized
rules of justice, looking alone to the
proper Interpretation of the law, whether
it contributes to the benefit of one party
or the other. 1t is safe to conclude,
therefore, that the party not only aims
to conserve and promote the public
wefare-but it seeks to do justice to all
interests, and is eminently entitled to the
renewed confidence Of the people Of the
Commonwealth, as well as that Of the
country. The ''black eye" is not there
fore with the Governor, but with the
Bourbons, and very black one it is-one
that will disturb their vision for sometime
to come and open the eyes Of all others
who have been blinded by their false and
audaeious charges against the Readjusters.
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