Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-12-21
FOR TIE ENQUIRER.
CONVENTION.


members, IS an useless body, and ought TO be
Abolished"
Here is a hold proposition, involving a
prlnciple of vital importance TO constitution,
whose soundness and excellence have been
tested by the experience of forty eight years.
Ii consong reflection, that amongst other
facts for its refutaton, the Legislature COM
posed of the immediate representatives Of the
people, have provided the most exemplary
Proof.
The Constitution ordains, that there shall
be council state, consisting Of eight mem
bers to be chosen by the Assembly out of
their own body, or the people at large. I" TO
assist az The administration Of gorernmeni"-
it also ordains that the Governor with the adj
vice of Council "shaH erercise the srecuiire
poirerS o. government according 10 The taics,"
and that there shall be secretary appoisted
for the Commonwealth. / now proceed To
shew that eighteen new and additional coun-
cil'ors have been created by law.-Some
years ago a spirit of enthusiasm seized upon
the General Assembly, for Internal improve
ment, and the establishment of schools and
the politician well knows, that this spirit is al
most certain 10 lead TO error and excess, in
opposition TO the wisrst councils and bet max
inns of experence.-W While electrified by this
spirit, the Assembly decided, that the Cover
nor and Council were incompetent or unfit for
performance of The duties constilutionally and
exclusively assigned to them, and therefore
established by law two new executive or
council boards one Of which consists of thir-
teen councillors, ten of them being chosen by
the Asse ably ont of the people at large, and
the other consists of five councillors, each
board being provided with secretary and an
| ampc number of officers.
| These boards are ordained expressly to 'as-
sist IN The administration Of gopernment' and
IN many respects To {. exercise The erecutire
potcers OF Government according TO the iIwS." The
Assembly occupy much of their time in pass
inS laws which are executed by the boards and
the officers acting under their authority: col.
lection Of all such laws since the first ins'itu-
lion ofthe two boards would form large vo-
lume. Ten memhers of the more Numerous
board have the same pay and mileage as
members of the Assembly they sit annually,
and can have as many extra sessions as they
may deem proper. II will now be seen that
we have twenty SIX councillors, instead of The
| eight members composing the constitutional
council, which, on just examination will be
found fully competent for all the executive
purposes of the Government, and, therefore
that these new council boards are useless and
ought TO be abolished.
The obvious truth is, that the politicians
and patriots of Virginia, have been so long,
though wisely, engaged in anxiously contem-
plating and guarding as against dreadful mis-
chiefs, resulting from dangerous consolidating
principles, set aAoat by the general govern.
ment lin which the federal judiciary have had
d conspicuous ageucy,) AS 10 overlook some OF
the most valuable faculties and apttudcs OF
our state constitution hence, unjust com
plants of supposed defects in that valuable
and revered instrument, when the real defects
vii! be found 10 exist in certain plans of legis-
aite policy and proceedings, also in the state
judiciary department: that such defects are
within the radical reach Of the General AS
sembly, or, the people by punciual attend
ance al The polls at The times of election
aud that some of the defects in relation
to the administration of justice, could be
radically removed by the Judicial functional
ries themselves.
We cannot forget hat our constitution was
framed for Virginia as sovereign indepen
dent state, having relations Of primary conse-
1 queDce with other states aud Indian tribes on
this continent, also with foreign nations. II
! that state Of things the executive council had
to share largely IN "GSsisting In The adminis
irdiion ofthe government" Virginia however
for the purpose of promoting union, ceded &
great portion of her sovereignty, as we'll as
regions OF territory, TO the existing cenfede-
racy of republics: of course, the high execu-
live trusts and duties growing out of the afore-
said relations and interests are transferred TO
the federal government. But nevertheless,
our state constitution 10 all other respects, on
receiving the proper deyelopement and applI.
cation Of IFS remaining faculties and energies
will be found fully adequate To all wise, useful
purposes of internal police and civil admins
fraii of an 30
to conventional power. IL is our bouuden du
ty, nnhesilatingly TO confde (all those powers
aud duties which ares go plainly indicated by
| the Constitution, and sound policy, as proper.
! y appeftaiDing TO them) To- the Governor
and Council of State, sometimes called the
| Executive Department, which forms co or.
dnate branch of the Government. Impart TO
| that department resurrection, with restora-
ton pitts constitutional life and vgOur; then
its vast public importance and utility viii be
soon discovered and sensibiy felt, in great
savings Of public expenditures, ia the dispatch
Of business, in shortening, by at least one half
the long and grevOusly expensive sessions OF
! the General Assembly.
The confusion and embarrassment in the
affairs Of our State Government have arisen
principally from these causes; the General
/ Assembly being the immediate representa-
ives oil the people, no uOubt from parlOuc
/ and honorable motives, think it best TO trust
themselves. They attempt TO do too much.
They forget the coordinate branches of gov
eminent, the judiciary and executive council
Finding they could not do every thing, they
unfortunately created irresponsible and use
less corporate bodies obedient To the lpgisla
tive WILL or protesting 20 be so whereby mo.
ney is wasted aud responsibility so divided
that the public affairs are msmanaged, which
generates endless legislation, in making, a
meOdmg, repeating and revising laws. The
Icnmnlex machinery produced by The Board