Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-12-25

I'M
| Thompson and Bayly.-i9 "''
table. NV ''"'" upon me
| Mr.. FIrzHueA now move, n .m.n, H.. ,.,
by striking out the words "snd that II IL ioexnsden, =,
provide any o her Executive Couneiln and in.er, "
follows: """ '"sor' as
"There ought to be appointed S.cr.,.rv os s,
and an Attorney General, who, besides being Tho CON
s'l'utona advisers OF the Governor shall discb,rgs
such other du'es as may be assigned them by the Ls
MIR. Scorr demand division Of the oues,,, g.;
striking out and inserting; and il was iherenpon din
uea accordingly: and being first put on striking ont
Mr. N IcHoLAs said, that his former predicion w.s
now verified; Tor plan was proposed which Wills i,
was not so efficient that Of the existing Council was
equally u not more expensive. The Attorney Gene
TAI was present the constitutional adviser ef the Co.
vernon on all law questions; if he was to do more ,h,
MIS- he mnst be pad for III and besides hi, Official d
es occupied NJ. whole time As to the Secretary of
know what his functions 10 be. Ii he was 10 he
mere subordinate OF the GOVERNOR SORT nj ficrt
whom The Governor could command, he would be the
last person, TIT TO be entrusted with the duty of being
his official adviser. >' " "s
This officer must have a salary; and here was more
expense to Dc eneouners Besides, there mus, be
the Governor die, or be sick. Gentlemen wouM b.ve.
'ha case provided Tor by the Legislature Here then
was 70 DE an organic law, which provided no certain
means OF carrying on the Government The Camel
tuton was TO omit, altoge an officer essential IN
the continuance oil any Government at ALL When WIS.
Tue Legislature 10 make this provision. When the
! mi ha
session. They must at last have Lieutenant Govern,
or-and he must have a salary, and no small one.
mr. rirzmuGH declined arguing question. which
had been already so fully discussed As TO the ties
OF the Secretary of State was sufficient IN ,ht
he Hseant him 10 DO The duty Of tbs preset CoTn cil
iors And in relation to filling the place of the Gov
erhor IN case oil his death inability that duty might
he devolved either the President of tbp Sen,, or
the Speaker oil the House of Delegates; or the Score
tary oil State, might act Lieutenant Governor pro
tenn ~
| Mr.. SUMMERS said, that this feature of Tho cars,
ta'loh had been sustained with au earnestness of
seVeranee, worthy oil better object Since the plea
sure OF ths Dody had been manifested TO be- 10 look In
u pe reoP.e as me source OF the Executive authority
this effort had been renewed with fresh vigour m,
lie begged gentlemen TO recoect that if a Governor
appointed by The Legislature, could be entrusted with
ont controlling Council him. Governor COMING
directly IRON the bosom of the People, might surely be-
ne change, IN This respect. so far from furnishing
an argument Tor retaining, was the strongest argu,
menl Tor abolishing the Council altogether
In reply to the argument that Council wa. indis-
pens"oie 70 anew governor, unacquain,ed with the de-
'as oil once, he quoted the example of the genera on
vernmen and referred especially to the pre.ent Ey
ecutve who had no Council around him that had be en-
ior years IN their places to instruct him. yet whose adj
nnaraI wa; proceeding with aacry and with the
general satisfaction and condolences Of the people Ir
had not been found necessary to have a permanent
Counci to teach tho incoming President his duty: and
ye' Wa' was lar more srduous and extensive duty
than that OF Governor Of Viryinia. Exneriencs ,h.
on which gentlemen relied so absolutely as a guids'
was mere all against them and shew IN ere was
| ITO
The proposed Council would retain the IRE N, ssr,;
OF the Attorney General, to which, OF course genemen
would not object: and it gave the Governor an adition
al omcer 10 do the duties performed bv the .i,h,
Councillors and their clerk II the Covey,os 60,
sun more light, the Common wealth was omen N
an me intelligence OF the State could be consulted: and
that were too little, after all as last resort Sock
Hu remained ready to direct his course as he presum
ed 1t had done here tofore
| MT. ALEXANDER said, that lie found himself com
PEELED TO change, this OCCASION the vote lie had i
befo MD
Through all the course of his Legislative exnerience
he must be permitted to say that he had
sucn Proceehngs as mad marked this body, especially
during the last two days He firmly believed thai No
political boIy had done more 10 destroy The ni
cpes OF Tree government than this Convention (ifere
Mr Alexander was reminded by the Chair thatit was
NOT IN order 10 reflect upon the pursued bv the
body) Mr.. A. said he meant injurious reflection,
but what, said he, do we find? On one dav pronos;'
'iohs that have been maurely considered are deibe
raiey decided on and the very next day the decisio,
Is wholly reversed. Yet II was said there were M
Itac"cs-no nanae ement-=no manGuvre. He had come
70 me convention not Tor the purpose of acting with
any party, or advancing any mere party interests, he
had come to be governed by what was wise and ust In
make constitution that would prove acceptable to the
prope by It's own merits. With the gentleman from
Loudoun he could say il there any obiscts which
he had come to obtin in preference TO others thew
were these two,-to continue the election of CIV
asst was provided for by the existing Constitution ami
TO abolish the Executive Council But since II had hoan
determined that the Governor was 10 be- electsd no ,h
people, he is II his duty TO resort every mean, Of
couh'eractug an abuse OF Executive power He hal
mought That while the general provisions of the coma l.
tuition exhibited the wisdom OF their forefathers in dis.
trihutng power so as TO render il capable of eHccns
good only, and not evil, thar in the very difficult pro-
bon OF an Executive, they had partially failed 'Us
bad wished Tor sn Executv that could do no more than
fulfil the Legislative will and further the leg;tia,
ends oil The constitution, and thong hit that such Go
vernon needed no CouHcil control him. but sboud hs
lelt to his naked responsibility But now a new asoect
was given TO the question. ~
There wasa remark made by one Of the ,yisest NJ
statesmen which had always impressed him with great
| iorce. When that gentleman asked how IL han
pened that in the early formation Of the federal
neni, gentlemen from the South obisned such an I'M
due degre OF influences he replied that there was no
secret in tho matter any mystery about IL; the solu
ton was easy: the Southern members generally had
come TO That Convention acting vftuous prncipes
ana mat 90 long as that continued be the thew
preserved moral force and power, which strongly
ieH out that u would he osl, they came 10
act on local and selfish considerations regarding only
the geographical lines which separated them fro m
others. The truth and wisdom OF bis remark had for
some tins been verified by the state OF things in the
General Government; and il seemed likely in shorf
time, to be verified by the condition Of their own stats
| MIR. A. said he had not risen 10 make speech bo,
merely TO explain the principles which he shouH
| act, and with view to justify himself to the Houss
and his constituents who knew the senments Svith
| which he had left them.
Mr. MERCER, after expressing his gr eat respect for
the gentleman who had Just taken his seat. regretted
that he should have insnuated that any management or
tactics had been resorted to In obtaining the vote Of
yesterday giving the election Of Governor 10 the peo
ple nothing was easier than account for that vote
ne parties at hrst had been nesrly equally divided Ia
sentiment that point but some changes had taken
the hodv bv resignaiiOn of