Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-10-10

will OF the body. but entirely the diligence OF the
Committee, when any business could be done.
Nor was this all 1t not that the action of the |
body must he suspended until any Committee could
report, but until one particular Committee could
rc,ort To Committee was to be referred
the Bill of Ilights-one other, the Legislative De-
another, the Executive Depart
ment-anothcr. the Judicial-while another Com
mittce was raised, to whom referred all
those parts which the others might not act
fthere be any thing, therefore, which neither belongs
to the Xecutive the Legislative the judicial de-
partmnnts, that goes TO this anomalous committee;
that if take the proposition of the member from
Loudoun, you will have seven committees. all of whom
must report to the House. Can you act OIL any one
subject, until the Legislative department is settled by
the Convention. Can the Convent ION take IN the i,i-
dcia department, distinct from the legislative or
executive distinct from the Legislative. And it would
be vain NEEDLE with the executive or judicial unit
the Legislative department, which according to all
principles of government lay the foupd3 Of
vernnient, should have been ettled-no one would
think Of beginning structure at the top. The le-
gislative sotted-the next question would be- how
shall the judicial department be amended how shall
the Governor be clected-shall he have the power Of
appointment in conjunction with another bodv mr. in
dependenfly? Until the reports then are in the Con-
venton cannot act on either adviscdly This great
scheme resolves into this proposon--hat che Con
venton must wait until the committee on the Lcus.
ture nave reported before the whole body could have
any thing to do
Nor was this all-he was but little acquainted with
that its powers always distributed into Legislative
Executive and Judicial Departments And altbouol
1t IS literally, and politically true that these must Gc
kept distinct from each other, there will be connec
t!on between them. Like the colours of the rainbow
they run into each other and man has not vet fouuf
tat government III which these separate brsnches ar,
not IN some measure, connected. What then mus
become of the different Committees Won form nm,
Ill the Executive Iepartment-one in the I.eoslativn
ana one lii the Judicial. What duties do Won do
Volve upon the anomalous Committee That Com
mite must take one or other of be Departments
or 1t viii hove nothing to do If il docs tDkr ono
what ticn:-you will then have two distinct bo6;ee
acting at once. on the subject, and that tho,
shaii make different reports, is unavoidable Thci
dutes are coordinate. fou instruct different bodie
tt the same Tune. to act on the subject and nj
the experience We have derived from other bo6;e.
teaches u.s. that no two Committees will concur. A.
each OF these Committees reports the Repor i rn
lsrrcd TO tie Committee the Whole-und tbt
convention in begins, where he wished them TO be-
Gin nov.
Agaln the Committeeman the executive B. lrcisla
1--WE departments, acting the same subject max
Inherent reports Take for instance the question O
the veto. Pine Committee, on the Legislative nrr q
Opinion tiat there shall be 10 veto. The eyccu
I'VE Committee, report that there shall lie a veto
lhe report, of the Legislative Committee may have
uceh a1optea. Inc next day the report ofthe exec
ueNe CoIninittce, comes in. The question of orie
arises II alter deciding upon the question ON the re-
port OF one Committee the Convention can take u,
the 81, same subject, on tie report ofanothcr.
'ue 'iie io"Se Scts ehtaAGied 1.-THE Convcn
ton can get clear of the question of order the Com
ihttee OF the whole can act upon all the reofts an,
90 over the subject again and again, as long a
there is any report to on Thus there is
waste oftime In stripping the Convention of all powc
at hrst and distributing the different subjects at frs
among different Committees, and in enconnterino b
risk OF eotangenlcnt. and OF conflicting decisions
AND all these are insuperablo objections to III,
| scheme reported. Not of these applied 10 hi
scheme. 80
But, there was another objection. Pcrhaps it mich
DC more IN appearance than in fact, but he felt tai
weighed heavily upon h1-A bare majority of tn,
people had decidedto amend the Constitution. Tina
majority was very small i'll comparison with the whole
population, and this Convention had assembled 10 ca
ry their Viewsinto effect. Il very large minority ha