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sending for authorities by the loss of time in procuring
the same by inexperienced librarians, who were constant-
ly being changed by the Legislature.
Mr. Stoddert argued against the amendment of Mr.
Watkins.
Mr. Garey said the Democratic party, in its reforms, by
making nearly all the offices elective by the people, had
done much to demoralize them, and he charged that this
action of the party had done much to cause the present
condition of the country. The desire for office which had
been begot by this action had so taken hold of the people
that it weaned many of them from their occupations and
caused great sorrow and trouble. We were now suffering
under the rule of a tyrannical majority of the people, for
it was a majority, and the Democratic party was to blame
for it by committing so much to the people. In 1851 the
Governor had been almost entirely stripped of his power;
in 1864 the power to appoint justices of the peace had
been given back to that officer, and it had worked well.
The people did not want to elect so many officers; they
were satisfied now, and did not ask for the exercise of
any more power. Without any necessity whatever it had
been provided, the other day, that the clerk of the Court
of Appeals should be elected by the people. It was time
to return to the old constitutional landmarks.
Mr. Jones agreed in the main with the gentleman from
Baltimore, (Mr. Garey. ) The experience not only of our
own but of all the other States had proved that the policy
of electing so many small officers by the people was most
injudicious. The Hon. A. H. H. Stuart had sent him a
pamphlet containing the report of a committee just after
the secession of Virginia, proposing amendments to the
constitution doing away with the provisions for the elec-
tion of all these small offices.
Mr. Peters said he was under the impression that the
amendments had been voted down, and that Governor
Letcher had made it the subject of a congratulatory mes-
sage.
Mr. Watkins advocated his amendment.
Mr. Syester said the other day, while the great mag-
nates were out refreshing themselves with a glass of royal
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