Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-05-18

| i'gnant prejudice would never dare to brand with
nc ep'thets Of anarchists and disorganisers; men
VINO nave shewn in the course OF their long Eves
ia' 'ney nave been animated by no ambition in
,,o " with their country's good, and who have
never favored any innovations but those which tend
| ca 10 the public improvement--but why appeaI tn
such authority when the Constitution itself lie, be-
.ore US, and those defects are there too obvious II,
NC overlooked by the most blind, nd too important
ana conspicuous to be denied by the most hardv.
&c. US appeal to the instrument itself
IL VIII DC seen by reference to the Constitution.
.h'' the powers Of the government are distributed
INV u'ee great departments, viz. the Executive the
Legislative, the Judiciary; OH all three of which
u.pai,"e"ts 1t shall now be my business to shcw
'hat mere are importan nd radical defects: TIN,
powers of the Executive branch of the govrrnmen,
=. vested III Governor, and Council composed of
cis"t members: as the Constitution at prcseut stands
.he noveTnor, (wish perhaps the exception of his he
ing commander IN chief of the militia in time of
"aD - mcto cyPher-a mere ministerial officer
W "e Executive Council he has no vote, and can
not exercise any function of the Executive Govern
"en'' without Its advice and consent. his branch
- e government, 1t Is very apparent, (although
1 .e",on ior It's Precau'ion had ceasedl form
Dy TIC convention upon the plan of the Colonial
sovernment-undert the English system, when n CO.
, "o' was sent out to distant COLONY, his powers
ana duties, III great measure, being unknown and
underlined, remote from the mother country and ito
'fiounals, to which ne alone responsible. to nrc
sen 'ne exercise OF an arbitrary and despo,ic will
10 the injury and oppression of the Kings subjects II
was the practice, it cerfsfnly prudent tn ~,
strain and conroul the Governor in The exercise of
ms functions by the advice and concurrence of oh
discreet and Intelligent mon but with the Colonial
government the reasons for This practice ceased
Inc powers and duties of the Executive of virginia
are pointed out by the Constitution md Iay,. and
so distinctly and plainly, that any man of ordinary
capacity and requirements may understand them
I'M, ne Governor discharges his duties under the mmc-
iate eye OF the other departments of the govern
inent and Ill the face of the people, to whom he i
directly responsible, by an annual election and l.
moreover liable TO impea chHcnt for any misconduct
In ONCE these 1t would seem to me, would form n
sufhclent security that the duties of the Governor
would be faithfully and properly discharged, with
out the AID oil the Executive Council this IL tho
case IN the greater part of sister States and we
nave never yet heard any complaints upon that sub
Ject. 1t would therefore, seem TO me that the Ex-
ccutive department OF the governments is radically
detective, Ill retaining nine in Office 10 perform
duties Witches be as well discharged by one there,
by requiring tho people to be annually taxed to a;e
The sum of $4,000, TO support Il BODY which NAV he
well considered Gas once heard remarked il; The
Legislative Hall as mere excrescence upon The
body polite"
VIII now, fellow-citizcns, call your attentions
TO the Legislative department, and here think a
gam, are radical defects. The powers of the pov-
ernment are vested in a Senate and House of Dala
gates think IT will not be denied, tina the recre-
sentation III the House of Delegates is too numerous
and too unequal. The Constitution declares that
each county, without regard 10 its extent or popula
tion shall send two members-the small COMMITTEES
of Warwick s. Elizabeth CITY have as mncb ,ye;b,
In the Legislature as your own large county and
that OF Loudoun; this surely cannot be right but
1t Is said, that perfectly equal system of represn
taton cannot be adopted: admitting, for argument
sake, that such the fact, yet would il not be nm
pardonable rot to correct palpable and gross in
equality But. say, plan of represen,atio NAV
De adopted which III point of equality will approxi-
| mate perfection, as nearly as any man can desire
H-Ihe State IS laid OFF into twenty -four Senate
nal Districts, let each District send three member,
10 the House OF Delegates, and this will make that
branch of the Legislature sufficiently numerous a.
mounting To seVenty-two members. Let Il census he
taken every ten years, adopt that of the United
states, and at the end Of each decade let the SEN
'of'ai Dis'ficts DC new modelled, throwing near
y as practicable, an equal population into ca CHI
District, you will have at once plan both eou,I
and smple and to which it is believed there ca he
scarcely an objectionable great length of the NJ
nual sessions of your Legislature, have been fire.
quently and loudly complained of; some have inn
puted this 10 the conduct of the members themselves
and must frankly admit that the course pursued
| ny some OF the most important Committees of the
House OF Delegates, during its last session. severf
OF winch did not report upon the subjects submitted
| TO their consideration, until the very end of the
session. and one, not until the House had IA ssed
resolution requiring the Committee forthwith To re-
| port bill, would seem TO favor that idea but be.
lieve me, fellow citizens, the evil lies deeper than
| on any occasional neglect of the members of the
Assembly; 1t lies in the Constitution itself-in the
defective organization of the Legislative bety
numerous Assembly is unfriendy TO the calm and
deliberate investigation and discussion of public
matters, and unfavorablc to the expeditions dis,
patch oil business BY the Constitution, the Senate
can originate no bill; all business must be origina
ted in the lower House-be matured in its Commit
tees, and pass that body, before the Senate can
upon 1t Ill consequence OF this for the four or five
hrst weeks of each session, the Senate is doing alb
soiutely nothing, awaiting the tardy movements of
the other House for this, have never vet heard
solitary reason advanced, nor do believe that one
sensible one can be given: these two things taken
together will satisfactorily account for the long
sessions of your Legislature, and the extrayarant
| and oppressive amount which the citizens of this
State have TO pay annually towards the support of
this branch of the government, amounting nearly
upon an average, to the incredible sum of si2OOO0
| Amend the Constituticn-adopt the plan proposc
let tine Senate originate bills as we'll as the lower
House, with the exception, perhaps, OF money bills)
! let both Houses transact business at the same
time, and I'll venture to affirm that your sessions
will be shortend at least half Ct speak the more
confidently from what done in other States)-
reduce the House oi Delegates, as propose, to Sc
venty-two, (about one-hird Of the present number)
and there will be in This department alone an an
nual saving to the public Treasury, of at least
| 100000.
| come now TO the Judiciary department The
great detect OF which complain here, is in the or
ganiaation OF the Chancery Courts. 1t should be
the great leading object of every paternaI govern
ment to make the administration of public ius,ice
as cheap, and convenient for the people as prac-
Tucaoie this objectI in regard to our Chancery
Courts, is entirely defeated by their orrapizatior
ne constitution requires that the Judges Of the