Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-30
A Constitutional Convention Not
necessary.

The risk and expense Of a constitutional
convention will not be incurred. because
as IL Is being said the present Constitu-
ton was framed by an "alien. black ana
tan" convention. This approbrious char-
acteriZation cannot and ought not TO et-
feet the calling Of a convention. ana
ought TO be discontinued. There were Il
sufficient number of intelligent, patriouc
Nirgnians In the convention TO secure
fairly serviceable constitution. Through
their efforts, and by means OF several
amendments since adopted, we have
constitution. i'm nearly all its provisions
satisfactory TO the people of the State III
any further changes are necessary. they
can be made by amendments. proposed
and voted on in accordance with the pro-
VISION OF the Constitution. In pursuing
this plan there is no opportunity for log
rolling and combination of improper In
fuences. passions. and prejudces which
a convention would present. 1t is of ex-
perience that the most. perfect constitu-
tons and systems of law on any inalter
Of great public interest have been brought
TO their present degree OF perfection by
successive amendments.
II is desirable that gentlemen favoring
the call OF "A convention should let the
people know what changes they propose
in the present Constitution. Your cor
respondent, whose communication IS pup
lished in the Dispatch of the 9th OF
January, proposes several changes, in The
interest Of economy. as he alleges. He
states that We have too many officers;
that their salaries are too high, ana
designates as the supernumeraries the
county judges. Commonwealth attor,
neys, county treasurors, supervisors, ana
school trustees. OF course. the matter
of regulating the salaries of these ON
GERS can furnish no reason for calling
convention, as the Legislature has un-
questioned control, at any time, OF the
salaries Of these officers, except OF the
county judges. and of their salaries II
will have entire control upon the eNplra-
ton of their present term Of Office. when
will occur in the near future. The urea
surers receive no salary, nor 90 the
school trustees IL would not tend 10
economy. 10 abolish the 'treasurers' Office
as the sheriff. to whom the duties are
proposed TO be transferred, would receive
like commissions, or such as may De
prescribed. for collecting the revenue; The
salary of a supervisor is small. ana can
be made smaller but the Board OF SUI
pervisiOrs constitutes better business
body than any bench of magistrates that
can be elected at the present day. Inc
magistrates do not now receive any
salary, Should they be required to per-
form the duties of supervisors they would
be entitled to pay. People who WORK TOT
nothing are generally worth what they
are paid.
The State is better served by having a
Commonwealth attorney in each county.
The preservation of good order seems 10
require that this class OF ofilcers should
not be reduced, however eXpedient II may
appear to the Legislature to raid their
salaries when suffering from an economic
fit The county court, as at present Of Of
ganized. will never be abolished. We VINO
from tradition, as well as those VINO from
actual contact, know Of the old county
court of magistrates prior 10 1861, enter
tain the highest respect Tor lts integrity
and impartiality. Its memory Is that OF
'the grace of a day that is passed. 10
establish a court at this time, composer
of magistrates elected at TINS DAY, Ior the
purpose of trying questions attectlng. ne,
liberty, and property; would Simply ne
monstrous. Not TO be too serious, the
''black-and-tan" element. said to have
been in the late constitutional convention,
would very largely appear as parts OF
such courts, and often the black mucn
more largely than the tan. IL yuulelai
system tends to encourage good govern
ment and prosperity. the state shoulu
provide the best. The best system
system heretofore provided IS SHOWN III
the Code Of 1873. In the citles' tlis
system has been preserved and improved
and the cities have prospered; but IN lhe
counties IL has been mutilated ana very
nearly destroyed, and prosperity CdllloI
be alleged of the counties. 1t IS not COLI
tended that q good judicial system WILL
alone nroduce PROSPERITY but that ITS
= lrpose and effect is TO aid in so dolhg.
IL does not seem that sufficient reason
for calling the c. cntiOn is assigned py
your correspondent. that the free-schooi
system may be changed. 1t Is supposed
TO be the duty of the State to educate us
citizens. not solely for the benefit OF me
person educated, but also because euu-
Gated citizenship encourages se1-respecl'
furnishes intelligent prohtaDie laporl
stimulates enterprise. and upholds sood
government thereby increasing the pros
perity of the State and the revenues OF
the commonwealth. 1t Is not perceNeu
why any very large class OF citizens on
account of color or race should pc de-
prived of this benefit or that the STATE
should cease in its effort TO improve us
condition by educating its citizens But,
besides this there is another matter, not
mentioned by your correspondent, con-
corning the disposition of the fund raiseu
for public-school purposes, when, thllh'
will alone defeat the calling Of the conNeh-
ton. | am sorry not 10 be able to agree
with your correspondent in any one OF ms
nropositions. as | know him to be an IN
teIIigent gentleman. whose counsel Is al
WAYS duly considered in our party. Inc
Dispatch is, as usual, in accord with the
popular sentiment-this IS no convention
year. d. / ~
Yorktown, Va.