Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-12-01


= him"n, were then passed w.
ne Committee then proceeded TO consider the
: }. resolution viz:
"'t''Ired, That the number Of Members IN The
> ''' Delegates, ought to b. reduced, so that
TIC sane be not less than one hundred and twenty nor
i'1rc than one hundred and fifty"
On motion of Mr.. lls>DERsoN, this resolution was
pissed bv
The Commi,te, then took m tho six,b roso,,,,,o,
w:
Resolved, Tina. person ought to he elected
member OF the SENATE OF this State, who is not at
least thirty years OF age"
MIR. JoYNEs suggested the propricty of passing bv
ms and the seventh resolution until the other rcso
luton, respecting the basis of the Senate should be-
disposed Of He moved to pass by these resolutions.
MIR. Henderson objected to the passing by Of these
resolutions, aud the motion pass By, lost.
Mr. BAYLY th'n moved To amend the 9th rrsoln
lion, BY striking ont the word "thrtv. and substin
ting twenty five lie admit ci that in the Logis
iltve Com nittet he bud voted for thirty but suisse
fuent reflection, had taught him to prefer the youn-
ger age He srid that Virginia seldom sent persons
IN tho Legsla urc at an immature age; bnt ne stated
That the three old gentlemen al the head OF this
Convention. wet ino public life before they were
tweny-ive Oae of our Senators in Congress and
another gentleman who in this lIuu,c, had
been IN public l!tr before the age he had speci-
fed the latter gentleman. when asked BY The Speaker
on his entrance into public life, whc, her hc Of he
proper age, replied, Gro and ak my COnsti'urn,s."
lie referred to ali>t Of the GENT men who formed the
Federal Constitution, published L late newspaper,
five years of age
Mr.. JoYNEs spoke in substance as follows
Mr. Chairman: The resolutions relative to the
ages OF Senators ana Delegates, having been adopted
IN the Legislative Committee my motion, it M Y,
perhaps, be eXpec ed of mo To state The reasons which
induced me to propose to change the provisions of
y .the present Constitution on these subjects. con-
sss1esnasFse8 consider 1t as matter of rey,, y,,t
importance that Senators should b. thirty ra,ler jbin
twenty-five years of age but there are several CON
sderations which induced me to prefer thirty rs he
age OF Scnators-There is no general rule without
exceptions; aud | admit that one of tho r--notost
Statesmen England ever proluc I'd was prn.. Minis
tors OF that Kingdom, much less than dirty years
Of age; And our own country has produced some
splendid examples OF very early development of great
powers OF mnd. Some of the grca est orator, the
world has ever known, have affirmed very hi IN dis
function, before the age OF thiry-hut these Keep
fions do not dsprove the proprcty Of III proposed
changes.
|; ~ not enough 10 ft n man for ,lc du,ics or
Senator that he should be n man Of splendid pcnlns
or great powers of eloqnenc-; but it Is necessary
tlat nc should possess maturity Of judgment and n
Hnowedge 81 the cons tuition aud laws Of the State
which v"ry ie" young men poses II is proposed
that the Senate should BE- retained at is present
n'lper OF t"ehty-our In"uiO,.r>--anu a hare inaCr-
lty o'lng necessary to form quorum the v,'rs az
sovcn members (Which is a m .jorify OF iagj9ri,cl
VIII be Sufficient enact ar repeal he most Ir,,-
tant laws The territory If Virginia from is extent
ana fertility, Is suicen' sustain twice the nulrcr
at Its present pppuiatlnn--and with this increased
population, and from other eau es Il liay reasonably
b" expected TINT interests viii snrnr rp ruI
whatever may he the increased population. and
however diversified may be- the in eres,s of s)c
oty, 1t is proposed forever to limit tn, nil,nh,r. f
Senators to twenty four
in addition 10 the ordinary powers Of leg ION it
j proposed IN the Conyen ION TO confer ~ auG im
portant powers on the > nate IL Is proposed % give
10 the Senate, the power of trying all mpeachmcIts
to give concurrent vote tn tn, House If Del
Cgates IN the appointment Of all i'm ortant officers OF
TIE government, 10 t.iutr it n, n council by
whose advice and consent tnc Cover l0r Is TO make
such appointments aud Il Is also proposed to give 90
the Ssn1te and UJusa Of Dec a'cs by concurrent
cote, the power OF removing in 'g"S from oiice-AH
these important prwcrs to 5c 'rcisod ~ ,wcHjv
four members, II seems 10 m requires that these
twenrytOur members should possess treat wisd m and
experience. ami that mrtrri'y Of judSmrm and dis
crctipn, which age alone can give.
But Mr. ChaIrmln, there is another consideration
which it appears To me IL entitled tn some weight
~ the consideration OF this sub"ct.-Although
ardently hope that the Union Of these ates my he
perpetual yet, IA modern times III solution of The
Union is so frequently spoken of, that there
reason To apprclicnd that ht j. IN rely possible
cvent--If such n catastrophe should happen to
this contadaracy, the Legislature of Virginia, viii
no, then, as present b. confined to Legislation for
the internal concerns of the ) ate; bar other new
and important duties will drvolvc upon them refer
cuac To- the c1nneXDn of Virginia with the great
family Of nations. Such important dnlcs as will
then devovc upon the Legislature, ought not to be
performed. except by the wlsCst and most cXpCricu
ced sons of Virgnia.
II is said that the people may be srFcIy trusted on
this subject, and shat they Tho best judges Of the
qualifications Of candidates for Office and that there
- no danger of their oec'ing man TO the Senate
who is not well qualified for the station. should he
the last to question the competency of tho pco-
pie decide upon the qualifications of candidates for
the Legislature, or to impose any improper restric
tions upon the exercise OF trHT discretion; bur the
arguments of gentlemen upon this subject prove
much. The restraints imposed by tte peOpio upon
Themselves in their Fundamental laws. are restraints
imposed by Them for IN own benefit. If M restraint
should be- imposed in the Constitution upon the pow
rr of election, why d, ntomen propose that
Senators should BE- hccniy PEE years Of agc' Why
not trust the people to eject Seniors al no,nty-orc
years of agc3 Nay. SIR. oven less than tps1'y.o7c.
for dare s1y that som ypung men might BE- found
even under iwcnty-'n ~ho might, possibiy, make
good Senator's
The same argument would apply with c1ull force
20 the Constitution Of The Unite states The wise
who made that Constitution required the Prosi-