Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-06-22
le5ess.dcHusE11'S LEGISLATURES.

'-'f|2 So.4Sf'S cls< D LEG{SLEIURE.
IsiDAr, june 1.-The fonow;nc ren.
tcsnen, sppoln,ed Cosnsellors, yiz. Hon.
Nathan Cushing, Stepen Bullock, Samue,
Dexter. jun. Henry Knox. David Cohb,
and Benjarsin Plckman. Jun. Eseuires,
were qua.shsd agreeably to the Cons,i,u-
ton.
a resolve came down from the Hon.
SENATE, Tor the reappointment OF Messrs
Young and Miaas, as Printers to the Ge-
neral Court. On Che question of concur
itfice q debate ensued whenth The resolve
passed az follows For it i+4-against
ii.Sk.
Agrceably TO assignment at twelve o.
tlock---T he two houses met in CoIven;i-
on, when his Exceliercy The Governor,
preceded By the Sheriff ol*St57ilt, and at
tended by The Lieutena,,t-G and
Council, came in, aud delivered the fol-
lowing
SPE ECH:-
f-enticmea Of Senate, and Gcnflemen Of
ne House of REPRESENTATIVES,.
7 embrace with pleasure the opportuni,
tyof cong, a,dla'ing you on the return OF
size anniversary, established by our Com
st;,utiou, and iiieproof which your fellow
Citizens, have tlven you of heir conf
dence. Accep, The assurances Of my re-
gard with sentiments correspondent To
those By which they are dictated.
Our obligations to the public arc ex-
pressed in the oaths we have taken To sap
porsshe Constitution Of the United States,
and TO defend this Commonwealth, and
faithfully aud impartially 10 perform The
duties of our respective Offices. Il is in.
cumbent on US. therefore, on ali occasions
Tn support the constitutional measures Oh
the General Government; in this our in
,crest aud duty coincide I; for il that go
vefnment is not well established; II il has
not energy sufficient to suppress insurrec
tons al home, and resist invasion from a.
broad, our security vii! be lost in pcrpe-
tual revolutions, and we shalt be at the
mercy OF every iawlcss invader,
Bot as the National Constitution defines
and guarantees the rights, as well of tho
States softhe citizens, IL islbe duty of the
State Governments To wa,ch over those
rights, and If they should be infringed, &c
make such representations as would tend
TO procure redress thus il is probable
remedy may be obtsined for any evils OF
this kind, to which afSiate or part of It's
citizens may be exposed, in a manner per-
feeliy consistent viii, public orde, ard
Tranquility. a disposition 10 csnsure and
cri,ninate The measures Of government is
extremely prejodiciai ;---if they are good
IN themselves, We ought not TO ascribe
them toimpsoper motives; and il doubt
hi!, caudor should iocline US 10 view Them
in the most h,orsbe light Eat il was
not the design oil the Constitution that The
Legislatures of the several States should
uecome hlipdly subseryient TO The VIII of
the General Government; this would be
10 lose the whole benefit Of Inc fsdera,ise
principle, and wol.d subject us to all the
InischIeis Of 4 complete consolidation Of
the States: Indeed such u construction
might soon destroy the most Essential ar
ticies ci The Constitution for ii an aspir-
ing raan should gain controlling inf.u.
,cDre in the National Legislature, and
should tind that some parts ofiha, ins,ru
InsDt obsuu6ted his view, he would pro-
pose, ard be sure TO effect such alseral,.
Gus as he should term necessary.
The system ct National Government
APPEARS 10 be well calculated TO preserve
itself and peipcsua,e the rights of,h= peo
pie. The arrangement aud indie pelterlcs
ofthe Legislative, Judicial and Executive
powers, from the besi secuntg thai could
be devised against The incroschmrm orei
tber; and as long as The Constitution /,
'inimpaired aud the Legislative body is &C
ioa,ed BY a spirit OF integrity and mode
ration; a. long as il shallle TO the TX
ecutiye and Judicial Departments the au
thority vested in ilem raspe ct;yely by IN,
Constitution. and shall patiently acqule &c.
ia the cxstcisc OF that authority, 50 Ions
we may hopctha the National Government
and Inc rights Of the citizens viii be pre-
served.
Bot the experience OF other nations vii
convince US, that whenever the LegisIa
TIRE assumes TO itself tho oihcr powers o
government, liberty is subverted. Thr
assumption can be more easily effected BY
that body. il unresfraiDed by principle
than by either Of the other branches: The
Legislative is The supreme power 1.-THE
members are from every part Of the ter
ritory their number and influence will
enable them, en- frequentoccasions, 10 ex-
cite popular envy and resentment against