Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-12-20


HIN thcirconstruction a. the rtaq,;irtiou.
the Executive Council have erred. tl,oirs i an
error, palliated at least, If not cxc,iset. hy b..
lng common 10 them, with those wht, s6o.Id
rave been the best eXposiiors OF that instr,,-
nent we mean the sages by whom il was
formed and by whom It's FIRST experiment was
applied. III Is well worthy of note, that the
constitution of Virginia was adopted ON the
2oih OF June, 1875, and as early as the 18Th of
July following, and from thence down 10 the
i.th day of Sept. when the Governor resumed
ms scat, we find that the Lieutenant Govern
or presided IN the executive department. IL
IS equally remarkable, thai through the who'll,
OF the years i7I6-7, fully halfthe acts sfthe
executive were performed by the Council
with the Lieutenant Governor. These ioo.
were times of vital import TO orr country; and
amongst the transactions above mentioned we
hnu M perpetual recurrence the entanatioo
oil commissions to civil and miliIa~y officers az
hlShcst grade, thccmbodying of troops the en-
sagement OF The public faith in purchasing lnu-
hi'ions oi war; every act indeed of sovereign
authority. Shall the men who did those things
be denominated usurpers Or shall we pre-
sumo them ignorant of the various compar,
ments oil that fabric, themselves had immedi-
ateiy erected! But It's said by the Govern
or mat such presidents are not To have weight,
because they have been established byone OF
the dsagreeng parties against the viii of the
other we ask for the proofs of this dsa-
Sreement ofthese examples founded nthe Vi
olence of contest. Where are the protests. the
appeals which the supposed crisis has now
wrunS from the Chief Magistrate Can the
men who were still warm with the recent con
met with arbitrary rule, be presumed less
watchiul of usurpation than we who have So
long been lulled in the lap OF security and
ease These protests never had existence
such disagreement is the offspring of the last
TWO years and we find the Governor on the
l3th sept. l777,when about to retire TO MS re-
sidehc" IN Hanover county, recommending it
To the Council TO continue their sessions -
IL theh' we nave gwen an improper construc-
ton to the constitution, we have erred with
the venerable john Page, with the Jealous.
patriotic, the republican Henry, with the ma
ny distinguished worthless who have succeed
ed IN the administration of the government: To
err with whom, at least is not disgracefill
we need not however invoke to our aid the
reputation of these illustrious Statesmen and
patriots we found ourselves solely upon the
merits of the case stated. In what W. have
said, we soemnly disaYow every feeling of
personal hostility or dsrespect, in relation 10
the head Of the executive department.; we can
conceive 30 motive for his course, apart from
n"iior OF the love oil country. We have found
ourselves placed before our fellow citizens
before yourselves especially, as the asscrters
Of principles pcrnc Gus inther tendency, nav
absolutely desir;i:tiYe of the venerable ia
bTic under which we have been reared ard
protected. From principles and practice So
dangerous, So ?arricidal in their character we
have endeavared To give you Our vindicasion--
That defence IS withyou and with the world
at the decision of either we shall MT murmur
We Subscribe ourselves with very sincere
respect, your fellow citizens,
p. V. DAMEi, WILLIAM SELn1S,
w. H. RoANE, JouN ChMpEEIt.,
R"BERr G. ScoTr, 4. L. BORIS.
WM. ROBERTSON,
Gen. Blackburn, stated that he had moved
for the Governors 5lcssage on the same sub.
ject 10 be printed; he should now move that
the paper just read should take the same
course.
MIR. Crump Of C. concmred in the motion
of Gen. although The powers of co-or-
dlnate department ofthe government was not
IA matter cosnizable before this House
The motion TO PRINT prevailed without any
further refnaks being made.