The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-07-05

reach OF succeeding legislatures vet this is al
ways attempted tn he done in thofe acts of a lee
gillatnre called charters. OF what ufe is i. 70
diiinfs Legislators for having done wrong if the
wrong is to continue on the authority of thofe
who did it? Thus much for things that are
wrong. Inow come to fpsak OF things that are
right. and may be neceGary.i
Experience ihews that matters will occafon.
Ally arife, Especially IN new country, that will
require the exercile of power differently con-
diluted to that oe ordinary legination and
therefore there ought TO be an articlein confi-
tution defining how that power fhal be confi-
tuted and exercifea. Perhaps the limpleft me-
thod, that which am going TO mention, is the
belt; becaufe II is fill keeping nrtiy within
the limits of annual elections, makes no new aD-
pointwcuts neceaary, and creates no additional
expencc. For example,
{rFhat all matters of a,diffcrent quality TO NAT
ters of ordinary leglation, zach for ir.'anye, rs
faes or grants of public lands, acts of incorpo-
ration, puolic contracts with individuals or
companies beyond certain amount, ihali be
propoftd in one leg caure and ,,iibi'ihe,! il the
form OF a bill with the yeas and na-s after the
fecond reading; and in that ftate nal lie over
20 be taken up by the ficceetlinG legifiatnre;
tia: is, there lhall always, on all fuch matters,
one annual election take place between the time
of bringing in the oil and the time of eratthy
Il into a permanent law.
j. i, .he rapitiity witjsywhich Eclf-intsreaed
speculation, or fraud on the public property,
csn he carried through within the n,ort fpace
os one feGion, and beforc the people can be ap-
prted OF it. ~. renders i. neceHary that a pre-
caution of this kind, nniefs better can be de-
v'ird, froul,i bc made an article ofthe confttu-
ton. Had iuch An article been originally in
the conaitn'ian The bribery and corruption EN-.
ployed 20 ieduce and MANAGE the rlemhers Of
the late legislature in the affair o. the merchants
BaUk, could not have taken place. It would
not have been worth while TO bribe men to do
what they had not the power of doing. That
legislature could opiv have propoied, but not
have enacted the law; and the election then
enfu'ng would. Ivy di!carding the promoters
have nesatived the propoial without any fur
ther trouble.
This me.hod has the appearance Of doubling
The v'ne and importance of annual elections
i is ONLY hg means Of elections that the mind
of the public can bc collected 70 point on any
important fuh;c6t +; ard rs If is ALWAYS the in.
teref OF. much greater number of people in
country TO have thing right than to have it
wrong. che purc fentnent is always worth
attending tot may fone:itncs err, bit never
Intentionally, and never long. The expert
ment Of TIE merchants Eank nlews that it is
Non nc to hr,he a fmal body Of men, but It IS
alwa"s imb9Jsb!e to hr'he whole nation; and
:herst fore IN all Legislative matters that by re-
qrifay permansncy differ from a6.s Of ordinary
ist,natiup which are alterable or repealahIc at
I'll times, ii is fae0 that they pafi through two
l-gfl7tures ard A general election intervene he
t"ren. The elections will ALWAYS bring up the
mind Of the country on any important propoied
t;ll; and thus the whole Ha'c will b. its own
aow.eH direction. Ii has already DatIti its -,e.
IL on he merchants bank bill, notwithstanding
the minor council OF reNilioa approved H.
COMMON SENSE.
Nfzv-ROc5she, Jane 81, 1905.
I'VE once more hail with delight, the calm
aid speculative abours Of COMMON SENSE.
II ever there was an author who may be faid
II write direHiy,t TO the Understandings Of ma
tinn, that man is Thomas Paine. No one has
.st Icaratthe happyars Of conde.ligig more appro-
PIRATE thought into The ta;ae fplce, or mailing il
communicable ia hich a variety Of readers
H;s is the enriofs .jtiicifa5, which either dfco-
vcrs new truths on every fuhirtt, or accelerates
their d'iroverv hY nterrhing the curioGty and
exciting IL enquiry OF others.
nthe prci-r: e!iay, th-fc powers appear to
uncommon advantage from the uncommon IL
tiiity ofta t:hicSts on which they are en-
plnyed. No difcrni MS in pniitics can be 60
truciy inpNrtah' as thoEs which relate 10 the
theory Of go7'c,WmeEts, caAjqiir::aaJ AID ebnr-
;crs, and theft are the qusAiors which Mr.
Pairc has fele9ed as the fuhicSts OF his prefcnt
medication. I can confcie#toully dcclars that
havc not for { long time peruieia Iingic efay
~ nal extent which comprchcnds 20 great a
fconr OF original and valuable thOnSh..
HIS theory of The depart ocnts OF 4 govern
r,-Ht goes immediitcly to the bottom of the
fu!jct.. Tb-rr IRE hut tzvo departments in any
goq'0rsnenf, RE pozoer Of qv;ihimg or enaainq
lie ht7oj. md re Posver ofrxseufigg them. But
under vhic! of thof- departments, it may be
sized, Go-s the teaiy-mdkins power come p
Can it he unier ihe fiji, face there is fo eatn-
tial difference betweeu treaty and 4 Law as
the fri requires two nations 10 ena6l L, and IL
regulates the intercourfe between their rcfpec-
t'qe indiviina's; whii1 the fecond is com
p!estrd by one nation, and generally regulates
the relation bet It's own individuals Sill
u Artafg ie rH!e which determines the conduit
o. the people after il has been made, as much
IS Inv Cf their legislature, and il may there
fore be called b. the fanlc name. indeed the
contribution Of the u. S. makes the two words
iyaOnimous, whcn !. declares " Treaty to bs
the fupreme Law Of tie land." The trsaiy
n'dkiag power is thus properly entitled to the
name ofLg;3a'!7'p power.
Sloud It then be CENTRALIZED (it may b.. ahch)
tothe Gicret'on of the ordinary heyiRatUe ? or
a.it;snow in the federal the cxecn-
live? Policy perhaps ould dictate, that the ii.