Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-12-25
nor, voter should sec That oni,
rruc and Worthy Men Arc Put in
.,s,,,. and rubIic Servants should
nc Held Co Account.

... f.e Editor OF the Dispatch;
ono 81 the representatives Of the poo
.. ,f this city. and. yielding 10 none
. Che deep and abiding interest. l feel
.- Dor welfare ami prosperity. 1 request
.,..e in your paper tor the foilowins
,....r is as brief and concise a statement
. r.y views ON the subject OF commits
.. versus Council committee" as I
,a make.
attended the meeting on Monday
.r. at the Chamber of Commerce, at
stitch .h.s subject was discussed. and
stoned to the able speeches on both
...s with much interest and trust
,..a profit, hut think only one of the
kers touched. and ne but hehtly, ON
. real cause of the troubles and disas-
. Goa oar municipal affairs These, ]
. apart from errors and imperfec-
...- nscparable from an merely human
-atauous. have arisen from our supine-
r.. and indifference. The responsibility
iH0 proper administration OF our az
.. rrsts upon ourselves and this re-
...,snity We cannot get rid OF 10y seek
t. delegate 90 10 others. Apply this 10
..r nl does not know that u trom idle
...- suT'nencss. or love of case, ne
c.fes the cares and responsibilities of
. I.sires--his lawful and rightful
..r.- tive o. another. that naturally
End Inevitably that business will soon bc
.-. la him. and become the property
. his deieEate. The parents who sur
their lawful authority. and make
..rseiycs dependent upon the affection
gratitude Of their children. invariably
encounter, 10 q greater or less extent,
Fate of King Lear, so beautifully de-
,.lel by Shakespeare. the greatest OF
Dr. lnestors Of human character
PEOPLE MUST BE SOVEREIGN.
The circumstances in which We arc
laced make the people sovereign. and
.oug AS they meet like men the duties
..l rtsponsibihties of sovereigns. their
s.r'n is lmprognablc; but so soon as
lty transfer their rightfu, power 90 ire
r. s.be bodies. commissions. boards, or
H-Fcr esignate4, these bodies become
--rf-e rus. ana We subjects. according
trc extent o. the powers conferred upon
have the honor 10 be one of the
-.r.a sentatves OF the city IN the Board
Aldermen. We have recently. In joint
session. been engaged IN revising the
tr ordinances. In the last session ! was
ne fle police were under revision. An
amendment was proposed. whereupon our
.y Attorney informed US that we We're
.t ~ our province. that We could not
sa laws for the police force. this being
province of the commissioners. in the
,ours1 ~ the proceedings Il was stated
ar the commissioners had forbidden
.e police 20 summon persons coming out
f neutrality-suspicious. on Sunday as wit
-.sses our Attorney was asked what ne
..uught of this. He said IL amounted 10
obstruction Of the laws; and, If per-
sfei ~. the only remedy he could sus-
.st was the measure then under discus
.r-Vlz. q system OF infOrmers, who
-roud receive half Of the fines imposed.
And a further statement was made that
.f the entire number Of commissioners
D.'y two We're in favor or enforcing the
sunday laws. / mention these matters.
which were discussed az subsequent
Meeting. only that ] may illustrate as
t.lly as I can my argument against the
improper delegation Of the sovereign
COVER of the people to any man. or
body Of men. unless hold strictly re
.ponsible 20 that power Tor the proper
exercise of said power / deduce from the
hoye the following.
The city Of Richmond employs certain
70 t0 protect the lives and property
.r fts citizens. who are paid for their SER
r.ts out OF the taxes levied on said
citizens The city surrcnders all right
-. make rules and regulations for their
-1verrment. The commission assumes
.rarfcally the highest powcr-viz.. the
.al-in that they are 90 decide Tor
.useltes what laws are 10 be enforced
.. what lisreg ardei. AND our Attorney
r- we. your representatives,. have
-. cover over them, other than 10 mold
overt acts To the censure or public
-.- or prosecution. an common law.
.. written this mainly 90 bring out
ortrion Of the City Attorney IN inc
premises. which shows how completely
citizens have surrendered their soFe-
- power % these commissions. having
ONLY iu their power through their re-
rrr.ertativcs. 10 place al tneir disposal
certain amount OF money. with no power
to taae whether this amount be neces-
cary o. NOT. ..
ALLIE TO PERPETUATE THEM
SELVES.
THAT ,..h bodies have always secured
b. themselves the power 10 perpetuate
tm-eltes is the universal testimony or
rt..r am not criticising the MEM
0... of either commission which we nave
established. Many Of them are personally
r1Hr t0 me. 1 believe they have done
work well. and This makes the situ-
au the more dangerous History
r. ls abundant proof that men. espe-
De enlightened men. have seldom lost
t.s4 liberty through bad men and ~
Ts.ts viii cite but "a single instance.
t rfair King Of Sweden. whose name 1
r.t remember. save that Of father or
t- country. was such good man ana
--e ruler that the people, who hitherto
.e. .ealously guarded their rights, had
suspicious 30 entirely lulled thdt
"r one accord they surrendered INTO MS
absolute power. During MS lie
Old them no harm. but failing 10 Sc
.fe hm the gift OF earthly Immortality
. demise they found themselves
lo.rl hand and foot IN the hands Of
1.sn NJ totally different character; their
liberty entirely lost through their own
want ~ wisdom and prudence. our own
Patrick Henry has said that We have 10
4f.t 10 guide as but the light Of expert
D..e One ~ the speakers said that we
BAD TO experience 10 guide us. that We
could learn nothing from the history OF
ola World IN this ] differ with him.
Cities have existed farther back In the
tories than history can trace them;
g.. where there were cities there was
.fr government
VENICE As AN EXAMPLE.
Perhaps one OF the purest democracies
which has ever existed was In portion
e. Ne history Of Greece, but / viii not
g. back 10 the ancients for the single
example I shall cite. In the twelfth CEN
tr tle republic OF Venice was pre-emi-
trrt among the nations OF Europe for
leaning art. science. wealth and pros
ir and when the power Of the people
rss surrendered into the hands Of the
Council of Ten have no doubt the action
commended Itself 10 them for the same
reasons which are now adduced in favor
o .cmmissiOns. Ten men. having COM
.'. control Of affairs. would relieve the
'.l.ns from The cares Of government,