The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-12-17


gone before it: exhibiting the fame luminous &
manly ftatement of our national fituation > the
iane delightful profpetts of profperity; the
lame occaiions for congratulation and gratitude.
IL IS not our dehgn to analyzc this mefTage !;
tn defcrbe the features which compofe it; or
ill up the general outline with the particular
facts to which it refers. This, which may be
called the bj0orieai part of it, needs no COM
ment from us to make it more plain, or more an
Object of confederation to the people. In the
drfnltory remarks which we intend to make, it
Is imply our purpoft to touch upon few of
thoie general prinnpl-y. which it fnpports, or Il
few OF thofe neaf0r5 which it recommends.
1be's have an exi1ence, independent of any
trauftory and changing events. Thefe, too,
are particularly entitled to the confederation of
the people, iince they are of a nature calculated
to engage the attention of the prefcnt FELTON, of
Congrets, and to come within the fphcre Of le-
Citation.
In FULFILLING the communication of Jobn
Page, Efq. to the General Anembly, in our
lait paper, we neglected to introduce the ven,
rahie authors apology for touchug upon full :
leets, which upon coming into Office. he had
Thought proper to diiclaim. 1t is with HEART.
FELL Pea'ure that we now repair the nvc.
luntary injuitice, by puhlifhing his Introductory
remarks.
In the preliminar! obfervations which intro
duced that letter, il was EAR from orr Will
to intimate that we had detected in It any GO .r.
tors or impropretcs. The words placed
between the inverted commas, were in fact Ia
ken from the pofticrip, ia that letter: and
were dictated by the mode0y of the author him
felt.
In the 9TH line oe the fecond column, the
reader will be pleaied TO fubfitute accoutrc..
ments" for "accouchments."
Richmond. Deeen5rr 20, 1905
SIR, -.
In making the ufual annual communication TO the
Legislature, have felt my. e little e5arraGtd bv
the recollection of my addrefs 70 the General
bly,, upon my tirt coming into Office, in tha, diff
claimed all right, except in very few iranees, of
giving my opinion refpetarg the fubjeefs of their de-
Liberation, and am now tempted 20 give it freely on I.
vera, which feem require their mott ferrous conf
deration. But my embarrailment has been removed
by refiecfng on the nature Of the executive autbor;
ty, and the limits aligned TO by the contribution and
by con'ideriIg, that the principal objections which
then occurred to againt Il governors uudertakup
TO fuggeit to the Legislature the propriey of eatins
auy particular faws founded on this that h..
being to execute the by TIE contribution retrained
from participating in their enacton; which sbetlion
Is not applicable to me- my prefer, ituation, as by
the eonlti,ution am ineligible governor and an,
therefore, IN this cafe, governor only cannot
havean undue influence the Legislature or by any
means be iaid interfere with the conliitutioa de-
cfaration tha the Legislative and Executive powers
hall be feParate and diainf and conier;ng aifo that
the feveral legislatures have received with compla
esney the freeh fuggetons of my predeeel of
whatever they have thought proper to be enacted by
them.
Believing therefore as do, that fuch fnggeaions
are not only not inconfent with the opinions which
exprefied to the General Aembly in the year 500,
but that they are when the advice of the
council of nate, perfectly conatutional, without fur
sher apology for fleming inconiiGency, fha lay
before the prefent General Aiembly, corcfe Fate
n,en of fuch ugsenicns have appeared to me pro-
per for their confederation refpeng the finances the
Militia the Armoury, the Penitentary, Penal laws,
and public guard and few other fubiets no, hither.
to contemplated by our Legislators.