Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-09-22
General Mah0ne's Plan 90 Subjugate
the Courts.


General MahOnc's Plan 90 SubJugate
the Courts.
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
One of General Mahone's schemes
was to redistrict the State for the cleo
ton Of circuit judges. The number
fixed by law was seventeen. 1t was
proposed to reduce that to twelve. The
plan, as given in Judge Lybrook's let
ter, was to reduce the existing circuits
to twelve in number, and so to arrange
the new circuits BY gerrymander as
that two of the existing judges should,
if possible, be included in each of the
new circuits. This was to be done in or
der to legislate both out, as the Consti-
tuition requires the Judge of each circuit
to reside in the same, the propounders
Of the measure arguing that if they
could so fix it, neither could hold the
court in the new circuit, as two judges
resided in it. This was the infamous
scheme to legislate out of Office by in
direction and gerrymander what they
did not dare to attempt directly by
total abolition of the Constitution.
The patron Bailey of the bill adj
mitted to me that such was the object,
and that when we got rid of the Funder
judges we could redistrict again E. For
our opposition and defeat Of this bill
the address denounces us as "trai-
tors"
The bill to accomplish this iniquty
was first reported in the Senate.-Sce
Journal lSSl-'S2, p. 20. But failing
there from some cause, it was reported
in the House, extra session, Journal p.
%, and after struggle was passed,
p. ca. But it was rejected by the Sen
ate-ayes, Il; noes, 20. Among the
noes were Messrs. Hale, Newberry,
Williamsburg Four-and Mr.. Wing
field of Hanover. But in each house
the Mahoneites at once introduced bill
similar to the one lost : in the Senate
by Mr.. Rawles, Journal p. 100; in the
House by Committee for Courts of JUS
tice, p. l43.
But the Mah0nelteS never called 1t up
in either house.
The publication of the bill will show
what Judges were struck at in the diff
ferent circuits:
HOUSE BILL 40. |.
Extra Session. 1s6l-'s2.l
Whereas the public interests demand
that the judicial circuits Of the Com
monwealth should be rearranged and
diminished in numbers therefore,
BE IL enacted by the General ASSEM-
big, That the State be, and the same is
hereby, divided into twelve judicial cir
cults, as follows:
First. The counties Of Lee, Scott.
Wise, Dickinson, Buchanan, Tazewell,
Russell, and Washington, shall cOnsti-
tute the First circuit.
Second. The counties Of Smyth,
Wythe, Bland, Giles, Pulaski, Mont
gomery. Floyd, Carroll, and Grayson,
shall constitute the Second circuit.
Third. The counties Of Roanoke,
Craig, Botetourt, Allegheny, Rock
bridge, Bath, Augusta, and Highland,
shall constitute the Third circuit.
Fourth. The counties of Rocking
ham, Page, Shenandoah, Frederick,
Clarke, and Warren, shall constitute the
Fourth circuit.
Fifth. The city Of Alexandria, and
the counties Of Alexandria, Fairfax,
Loudoun, Fauquier, Prince William,
Rappahannock, Culpeper, Orange, Mad
ison, and Green, shall constitute the
Fifth circuit.
Sixth. The counties of Albemsrle,
Nelson, Amherst, buckingham, Flu
wanna, Goochland, Cumberland, Pow
hatan, Chesterfield, and city Of Man
chester, shall constitute the Sixth cir
cult.
Seventh. The counties of Bedford,
Campbell, Franklin, Patrick, Henry,
Pittsylsania, Halifax, the city of Dan
vile, and the city of Lynchburg, shall
constitute the Seventh circuit.
Eighth. The counties of Appomattox,
Amelia, Prince Edward, Charlotte,
Nottoway, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg,
Brunswick, Greensville, Dinwiddie, I
and the city Of Petersburg, shall con-
stitute the Eighth circuit.
Ninth. The city Of Richmond aud the
counties of Henrico, New Kent, Charles
City. Hanover, and Caroline, shall con-
stitute the Ninth circuit.
Tenth. The counties Of Louisa, Spot
sylvania, Stafford, King George, King
William, King and Queen, Essex, Rich
mond, Westmoreland, Northumberland,
Lancaster, and the city of Fredericks-
burg, shall constitute the Tenth circuit.
Eleventh. The counties of Accomack,
Northampton, Middlesex, Mathews,
Gloucester, York, Elizabeth City, War
wick, and James City, ard the city Of
Williamsburg, shall constitute the
Eleventh circuit.
Twelfth. The cities of Norfolk and
Portsmouth and the counties Of Nor
folk, Nansemond, Princess Anne,
Southampton, Isle Of Wight, SUSSEX,
Prince George, and Surry, shall consti-
tute the Twelfth circuit.
2. All acts and parts Of acts incon-
sistent with this act are hereby re-
psaled.
4. This act shall he In force from