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


di.sent] and laid before he General Assembly when
called for by them. This Council may appoint their
own Clerk, who shall have salary settled by law, and
snail take an oath Of secrecy in such matters as he
shall be directed by the board TO conceal the end
oil one year, from their first appointment one Council
or 10 be designated by lot shall 20 Of ot and the
vacancy shall be supplied by election.-At the
end oil the second year, another Councillor, to he de-
sgnaed In like manner shall 20 out of office, and the
vacancy he supplied by election, and this
shall be continued in due order annually. The Execu
I'VE Council shall stand in the same relation 10 the
Governor as the council under the existing copstu
uon, (ercep that they shall dtirise merelv and not
, control him.
Mr. Scorr very briefly stated the leading principle,
oil the amendment.
MIR. LEIGH opposed its adoption He made some re-
marks on the very extraordinary situation of the Con.
.enioh' wheh The members OF single District Chat of
Aibemare) held the fate of every measure i'm their
nahu and by inciming TO side the other of the
House, could give affirmative or negative vote of the
convention at their pleasure. Yet gentlemen seemed
Just as willing to recommend Constitution il its provi
sons were carried by majority of one, If the whole
BODY had voted for them. He expressed his astonsh-
nent that gentlemen who agreed with him and his
friends, in voting against the white basis should so far
play into the hands Of their adversares on that great
question as to enable them TO take all ether measures
they desired, and none of which they could carry bv
their own unaided strength He contended that the
argument for such council as MIR. Scott proposed was
not wholly hangedgreatly impaired by the vote which
had given the election OF Governor the People Such
council would only embrol the proceedings of the
Executive He should have hoped his friend from Eau
QUEER, would have been the last man TO propose a
mere advisory council after that had 30 material
ly changed the state OF things. He must with what.
ever hesitation or reluctance, against the ain
unent.
Mr.. NICHOLAS NOV ed to amend the amendment he
striking theefrom the words, except that they shall
have power TO advise merely and not 10 control him
Mr.. ScorT declaring that he would be the last man
to break the ranks that were opposed to the willie ha
sis, consented, tho with an expre ssou of reuc,aoc.
to give up the veto, he 'oords in Kaies) and accept
OF Mr. NIcHoLAs's amendment as notification
MIR. CLAYToR demanded division Of the question
on striking out and inserting and was divided accor
diugy.
And the question being on the motion to strike on,
the Ind resolution, as amended by the Committee Of
the Whole,
Mr. STUART, in reply to Mr.. Lr1cH's expression
OF surprise at the votes of gentlemen on minor oues
tons, who opposed 10 the white basis xpresseJ
in turn, his surprise that could be given with
out ncurring the imputation OF drilling The gentle
man had not, indeed, yet pointed out. who was heSer
geant, nor had he particularised the troops Mr. S.
vndicated the he had given to nut the of
Governor into the hands of the People: he had been
driven into that measure because all effort. give the
People their due representa- in the had
been steadily resisted and unless that was done lie
had told gentlemen he should never vote to give the
Legislature the election Of Governor. The gentleman
had no right TO expect, that the white basis question
was TO carry all other questions along with H. He
spoke this, not in his defence for he was no deer
ter from that gentemans side: but he spoke i'm behalf
OF others, who had given Independent votes. All who
III,
the question Of the basis, not tn erefore hound TO
vote with him on every point in the whole Constitu-
ton. Many who advocated mixed basis, had never.
theess always been in favour of the election of Co
vernon by the people.
MIR. NICHOLAS said, that the question was not va
red by having been divided; for the provisions in the
resolution were incompatible with those in the amend
ment of Mr. Scott, all who in favour of the latter
would of course vote TO strike out. The election of
Lieutenant Governor by the people, varied the que-
ton as to the Council. All who wished for Council
would lat H. nf
N then went into comparison Of the expense Of the
two plans and expressed his ecdsd preference for that
of Mr.. Scott
Mr.. MERCER contended that the present motion
should be considered in effect motion to strike out
and insert and as involving in fact, comparison be-
tween the two plans proposed. Much had been said
about tactics and management, but he evidence
OF it, He claimed power the opinions or course
OF Others rDr did he recognize any such right as ex
listed in any one over his own. He for abolishing
the Council altogether, and for eecng the Governor
by the peoples he was, OF course opposed to striking
out.
Mr. TYLER said he had, after much reflection, bro't
himself to vote in Committee OF the Whole to abolish
the Executive Council He had not at that time ex.
planned his motives, believing he was able satisacori.
ly TO account for his his own constituents
But when he had given that vote il the hypo.
thesis that the Governor was to be elected by the Lee
gislaure: he saw no danger attending the plan: he had
apprehended nothing from the effect OF patronage in the
hands of such an Executive. But the nome nj the cleo
lion OF Governor was to be thrown the nds OF the
people, he was led TO a very different course Under
such circumstances he opposed to mere sing by
one ioa, the power and influence of that officer IL
there the slightest infusion Of what had been de-
nominated by eloquent member OF this boy ga SPICE
oil monarchy, into the nature of the Governors office
his election would violent ihroes and
in the State The plan became object worth striving
Tor: competitors would start up in all p,rts Of the Com
rnonweah, and great political excitement must be the
unavoidable consequence
MIR. LEIGH would add word more on the sub
jsct OF the Council, and he hoped il would be the last
he should have.to utter there that subject When he
had first begun TO examine the Constitution of Virginia
he had had great against this feature of IL but
experience had convinced him that ead of be.
ing in practice perneious, II was valuable pro-
vision oil political sagacity. IL was this experience
which bad overcome his early posse sons and the
council had been growing his esteem TO the present
day lie should not say any in favour OF IL he
had already said all he knew and all that he was able
TO say olit, when in Committee OF the Whole after
having bestowed long, he would not say profound re-.
Election, but certainly long and very anxious ction
upon the subject, he at loss 10 imagine how the
Governor was 10 get along without Council He sup
posed he was TO be aided by Heads of Departments
eligible by others and independent Of the Executive
lie asked gentlemen 10 obsorve the consequence that
must follow after the Council should have been abolish
ed and the Executive power should be exercised by
the Governor alone: there must be revision immedi-
atey oi almost every law In the code; all the laws
ed since the Revolution would have 10 be revised -
The magnitude and diff Guilty OF such task were oh
vious 10 all I, there were TO be Departments, then
during the FIRST year after any Governor should
have been elected, tho he might be called Go.
vernon OF The ate, the mind Of a Governor would
not be there. The moment he got into Office the fret
tax he must perform would be TO muster all the papers
pertaining to the Office and how long did gentlemen
suppose II would take any man to get through with
such work as thaH The worthy gentleman from