The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-12-20
have been clectad"-out !. for one gear ejlsr-

zyards" -
With this restrictions added toit,. perhaps
-;he constitution of the United States. S-oTM
haze gone Ear enough. 80 far as it respects
the Honsc Of REPRESENTATIVES, this resula-
ton would not be so importan. as it respects
the Senate. For as the power of making
|uff"sntntehts, vests in the President and Sc.
nate OF the United States-as no part of it
vests in the II. of RepresentativeS-tkis bo-
dy could not have so much inducement TO "a
buse its trust, Its power is confined to ere
atinS' or carving out new. appointments
The same remark is not equally true of, the
Senate or the u. 5. which may not only con-
cur with the II. oe II. in creating and car
wing out new offices, but may concur with
the president, in creating Uacancies in such
Offices az have been already created
Ihese observations apply to the General
Assem- of Virginia. 1t it the pride of our
constitution, that our executive is endowed
with so little power. One of the causes of
this effect is. that the power OF making all
nigh appointments in the state vests in the
Legislature Immediately emanating from
the people. 70 that body belongs the right
OF filling by "joint ballot" all the great of.
feeS, III the state. as well as all the yQca,.-
cies that are screated"
The act o. Assembly therefore falls short
OF its object II should extend TO vAcAN
CIES,. as we'll as to Tew OFFICES. which
may be " created." The term created. !"
is used to distinguish such vacancies AS are
produced by the Legislature itself, from those
woich may constitutionaily OF legally as
crne during, the period of their session.
L lie post or governor, for example, is vacant
every year--and it would be so, independsnt-
y of the influence or votes OF the members
OF any PARTICULAR Legislature. The same
ONCE may be UacGtel by removing the pre-
sent incumbent from his chair to some other
appointment. - ?, :, -.
The act of Assembly rs it now stands. keihs
to wrest from the members of the Lerisja
sure all improper inducements to multiply
the number of offices:--The Act as it ought
to stand. would equally deprive them of the
greatest temptation to multiply vacancies.-
o these vacancies, neither they, nor their
ahies, nor their paitizans i'll the Assembly
~odd be permitted to rise. >. :
teelthe highest respect for the purity At
the Legislature of Virginia. There is not
perhaps'In the whole world representative
Dody more perfectly pure or chaste in it's
proceedngs No allusion is therefore made
TO any one OF It's transactions. But, sir. NAV
not this rage for filling vacancies be sometimes
carried even to a ludicrous length? Il, FORM
stance, is the tenant of an Office which a G.
or - may want and enc Of them holds
an Office, which E, + or G. NAV want. -
May rot then b, c, < d, E, F and G, and the
lflencs or each, cooperate in promoting A
TO another Office, so that B, G. and ID nav
acquire a chance of filling the vacancy rs
a: and +, f and G of film the vacancy left
by b, & or D.?
Dir, the power of filing such vacancies
out OF their own body is calculated to lead to
nlschleYous effects upon the members of the
Legislature. These gentlemen should be
disrobed of all selfish indictments to abuse this
trust of appointment vested in their hands.
inns permission to fill vacancies out of
their own body, is likely produce an intrigue
an eiectioneerinS spirit, kind of political
gambling, which are unworthy of the mem
bers OF an independent body
Ibis effect is not even confined to the can
dIdates themselves. Their friends too are ant
70 plunge into this vortex of political cnaf-
fering and Speculation. The allies of A NAV
agree to support q Tor one Office fins allies
VIII return the compliment This comDre.
mise is not even confined 10 elections, but
great measures may sometimes be support
ed by the friends of one candidate, if those
interested III the measures will support him
for an Office.
Even where this compromise OF interests
does not take effect, the spirit of elcctioneer-
ing will give its tint to the measures brought
L., S''S'AouSS N<uCStiOilS liIdy not always
Dc supported because they are proper, but be-
Cause thy are sometimes popular
L hesc vacancies too are not ALWAYS filled
with regard to merif, but sometimes rom
Japor, and that e&firit de corhs, which is apt
to pervade all masses of men. Ceteris hari.
BUS, member OF the Legislature, if he be a
man OF pleasing manners and dauntless per-
severance, will bear away the palm from all
his competitors. He is every moment with
his colleagues ;; mixing and mingiing with
their sentiments and pleasures; he has an
opportunity of cultivating their acquaintance
and conci iating their feelings.
hese and other reasons-pariiculary the
necessity OF concentrating the confidence of
the people By the disinterestedness of an
po'nunents, and of leaving no part of item
unrcpresented by translation of theirreDre-
sentative to other officcs-inc.;ne me most
strongly to advocate IT, measure, which is
understood to DC the object of Mr.. Daniels
resolution.
cALH OBSERVER.
Yesterday, in the House of Deierates. Mr..
Pope from the Special Committee appointed
for that purpose. made the following RE-
PORT, in part:
The Committee to whom we're referred
sundry resolutions touching, among other
things, our Foreign Relations, and til. mea-
sures of the administration CONSEQUENT tbere
on. beg leave now to Re ort on this branch
gE he. H.