Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-01-29


gwen in charge by tn. judges of the general
court in their superior courts of law, aud by
the justices ofihe county courts, To their res
pective grand jurors. six times per annum, in
each county, from that period until the year
1917. being 4. times in ga, h county in seven
years only, and ihroug huut the stale in that
period 44j2 times Ia the several grand Jurors
in the presence and hearing az the counilrs AS
srmbled. Thus YOU see, slr, This act had been
IN = the full tide" of successful experiment,
fur seven years aud five months before the
CONT. ission nf this offence. No engra, Ing
here, of our laws. an tablets so elevated that
the drlud-d multitude could neither read ar
understand thrm,-the law WAS in ever
mans hand, aud il he could not read, it was
| sounding in his ears wherever hp went
and if not totally blind or voluntarily shut his
eyes, he could not open them without discn-
verng its salu'ary effects upon society.--I
should be glad To know how we are to Judge
OF public opinion rcsprctinga any act Of the
legislature hut by the general acqui.scence Of
the people in its provisions !? Every member
of this house knows how very accessible we
are, and properly too, To petitions, and upon
" hat slight grounds your table aud those of
the standing committees gIoan under the
wei Int of Inconsistencies yet strange To tell
no petition, no remonstrdnce has yet made
its way in the house foI the repeal or amend
mrDt ofthis act ar any ofits provisions. How,
! ask, can this he accounted for but by the al
most universal popularity of the law of
| iouhiful policy and some are pleased tn
say undoubtedly unconstitutional 20 Our iudg-
~ say rot sn---That "a few restless, turbulent
| Individuals who have violated the provisions
ard are justly snarting under the sanctions of
this law, may complain of the Z" crue,ies and
oppression of it's penalties" was tn be expect
| "A
an unit either in number or ioorih in the great
uncun, animated mass uf society.
| But this unfortunate individual ever since
the year 1917, has suffered under that feature
at this law requiring the test oath" Never
having experienced any thing of the kind nv
self, II Is probable | cannot duly appreciate
those suflerings. 1t Is true, sir, IL person thus
situated cannot b. the governor of the com
monwralih he cannot be counsellor OF state,
judge Of the general court courts of chan
cery or appeals, or a member of the general
assembly; but he can he the president of the
United States, and fill any Office within the
gift of the general government; he can be a
counsellor at law he can be doctor of physic
ar divinity he can be merchant, "A farmer
or mechanic; he can I'll all or either of these
honorable and useful stations in society-a
field sufficiently ample, one won d think, for
the exercise ot such talents as usually fall Ia
Tie lot of any one man at this day-Whpn
have we heard any of the distinguished pro
fessonal gentlemen or merchants of this city,
or, indeed, successful farmers of the country,
complain at want of room for the full dis
play of their mental energies in their respec-
tive avocations? When have we seen them
willing 10 abandon the ample, honest and
honorable acquisitions of professional, mer-
camille, or rural skill aud industry, To become
members of this House, tenants of the crow Il
ed and infected hall, To inhale the dust and
smoke of coal fires for nearly four months an-
nually, for the pary compensation of four
dollars per diem, (tmless, indeed, The privilege
Of doZing un these announcement seats, aud
making speeches, few of which ought or ever
will be printed or see the light or il printed
mIsprintrd; or II printed correctly, seldom
read, and when read, generally caricatured aud
distorted to the most unSodly eectioneering
purposes; should by any person br mistaken
4 as an additional compensatory Aud still less
frequently have they been known To press for
ward to fill executive pacancieS, for the super
iailve pleasure of lounging from year to year
on the benches of the erecutire chamber,
without an adequate compensation or the hope
at ITS lDcrease-fhe retrospect cherries and
unsatisfactory, exhibiting no evidence of sig
nal or very important services rendered To the
state--fhe prospect still more lowering and
gloomy, under the portentous forebodings of
caprlcious and unmerited censure for services
the most faithfully and conscientiously per
formed. In short, sir, without employment
or any earthly inducemeAt TO aim at or hope
for any thing great or good.
Ii seems, therefore, to me, Mr. Speaker
+ that before any gentleman should indulge in
very deep regrets, that the law in question
had rendered him Ineligible To any of the i'm.
portant stations embraced in the disquaIifyiDg
clause, he ought TO be well assured in his Ow u
mind that he was eminently qualified To dis
charge all incumbent duties with honor tO
himself and advantage TO his country; and
moreover, that these appointments were with
IN his reach. And the fact is, that since 1917
this gentleman has commanded most splpn-
did troop Of cavalry in this city, displaying
more pIumage and elegant accnutreincnts
on one gala day through these streets than
did the united legi0ns of Washington and
n Lee during the whole revolutionary war
which 30 Il young gentleman of spirit and
towering ambition, must have been more
hatterlng than most of the appointment.
referred To, and, possibly, more suitable to hi.
years. How this could be, I knolp not
" Whether the fault was in the law, Or in III,
administration of the law" is not Tor me 10
say. This, however, is the fact
IL is said, sir, that legislative aid is indispen
sable here, because "a man may suffer the
pains and penalties of the act, and yet be liza
bic under the dlsquafying clause. When the
petitioner has indeed suffered pains and penal
Ties under The act, other than disqualification
II may he time tO talk Of repealing the clause
This clause have long thought the most hap.
py effort of legislation, the most rstimable
feature IN the act, its very soul and sting
without u, the law were perfect drOne aud
like the drOne in the hive, which sips the plIres