Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-02-05

presentation IS not reduced to lower point
Ioi depression than forty thousand at this
time. III Will not be forgotten, that ours is a
duty of high responsibility, and that the pow
ers with which this House is clothed. parti
cularly as guardians OF the treasury, are such
as ought never 10 be eXerted except with the
most abundant caution, and after the most de-
brrate reflection, and if you please the most
deliberate discussion. Ifthcrc be any weight
IN the objection, that, by increasing the House
of Representatives some fifteen or twenty in
number, you thereby add to the sum of dis
cussIon, and 10 the stock of materials for dis
cussion, it is one which applies with almost
equal iorce to the present number. He was
aware that this had been fruitful subject of
'nconslderate complaint among those who
contribute more largely perhaps than any
othrr class IN the community, towards giving
the tone TO public feeling. He hardly need
say that he meant the editors of newspapers.
But this thing does not depend upon the num-
Der OF members-it depends upon their dispo-
stlon-a disposition which is the life blood of
Tree counlry-a disposition which, so long
as 1t confines itself within the rules of order
and decorun, he should be very sorry to see
restrained in any other manner whatever .
Freedom of speech, freedom of debate, he
looked upon az privilege whose free exercise
Is essential, not only to the triumph of princi-
PIE, but To the preservation of every other
| riSht, IN which, as citizens of one common re-
pubic, we all participate. Besides whilst we
are engaged in what newsmongers would call
tedious and Improbable debate, five are do
ing no good, we have the negative merit AT least
OF doug no harm. In this point of view, he
Thought that the nation often profited by the
number of speeches, and not by the number
only, but also by their length-so far as they
a. ffa HIN. al, l.,t, r
and to elicting truth -so far as they set bounds
to the catalogue of hasty, unnecessary Sd of
March acts of Congress, of which gentleman
from Pennsylvania, (Nlr. Tod,) spoke few
days .since-so far ought this disposition for
speech making, INSTEAD of being repressed, J
to be encouraged. Whilst on the subject of
long speeches, however, he would say, that il
1t were. a fault, it was one which he had no
intention to commit himself at least on This o.
cason.
There was a. consideration urged by another
oi his honorable colleagues, MIR. Wood with
some emphasis, which he would take the iibcr-
~ oil noticing not on account of the objection
Itself, for TO that he had already spoken. but
on account of the quarter from whence the
Objection emanated, the reason assigned, and
the rather imposing manner in which it was
Illustrated by reference to the legislative expe-
Renee oil the state which he and Mr. r. had
the honor to represent, in common with many
others. He alludedtO thatpart of his remarks,
| wherein he took occasion TO say that a ratio,
less than $4,000, would necessarily make this
House too numerous for the fit despatch OF
public business. Why, this thing of depatch.
he meant hnrrying despatch,) in Legislation,
was the very thing which, above all others, he
most deprecated, and against which he would
g"ard most scrupu!ously.
Whom hic 4
treasures of this political experience, it was
with unaffected diflilence that he Mr.. II. ven
t,Ired against him difference of opinion, but
when the example of New York was brought
Il upon thr taps, he must be permitted to say.
mat the whole of his observation upon the
late events of that state, during the ten or
twelve years that he had taken an immediate
interest IN her concerns as one of its citizens
mad uniformly tended 10 produce a convic
ton, that the most CRYING evil in her legsIa-
ton was, not in the number of her lawmakers
Dut In the number of her laws unlooked-for
III drawn ana sometimes worse conceived
acts, some two and three hundred annually
swelling her statute book to, if he might use
the expression, a. fearful size. Whilst ON this
topic, might he he allowed TO add, that ne
hailed with satisfaction new and proud err,
IN The political history of that state the a.
dopton OF her new constitutions by trium.
phani majority OF ireemen ust emerging from
thraidnm, that he anticipated quetus To fac
ton, the restoration of harmony, and a tho
rough reform of all the abuses hitherto com
planned of ON causes infinitely more mo-
mentons and more radical in their operations
Than the mistake of limiting the number oil
her representatives, in Senate and Assembly
by constitutional provision.
But as the example of New York has been
instanced, he would for moment by way al
se-off, invite the attention of the house To tht
experience OF another respectable State, Mas
sachnsetts and there were at least thrice,
gentlemen IN the house, who would unite with
him j. attaching some consequence to ill.,
lessons taught by her long experience. With
out OBTAINING the house to speak of her legis-
Iature, which TO common intent. is aIrnos'
countless, he would barely advert TO her at,
4 State Convention her Council ofFiye Hun
dred
II That convention, he had learned from gen
tlemen, possessed Ofthe ability and means Ia
Judge unerrlngly, was body of sa-es-wa.
composed of her wisest aud most venerable
statesmen aud veteran politicians. They adj.
'anced To- their important task OF constitution
making with steady, but rapid step. What
was the consequence? Why, when the soyss
, reign people came TO view and pronounce o
their work, they condemned good part of il
as being unfit for the builders use !" they de-
cIared that SIT had not the proper marks orfb
craft upon )" they decided that it had been
finished with too much precipilancy tia
there had been too much dispatch in their h..
bors; they in fact, said, that even in the muI
tltude there was" not perfect safety" Ane.
all, however, there was so palpable con
trast between the subject matters of nation
and state legislation, thatit might be wei