Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-01-07

gse 20 BE approved rejected by the Senate he
amended with the consent OF the House OF DELEGATES:
except money bills. which in instance shall BIO al
tered by the Senate, but wholly approved or rejected.
MIR. MERCER moved to amend IL, by striking out the
following =" Except money bills, which in no in
stance shall he altered by the Senate, but wholly APP
proved o. rejected"
The amendment was rejected-ayes SIS, noes not
counted.
Mr GILES now moved farther 10 ameni the section
TO make 1t rea' -" All money Bills shalt originate
in thu use OF Delegates only, AMI in no instance
shall DO altered in the Senate. but wholly approved or
rejected"
Mr.. p. BARBOUR said, that the effect Of the amend.
ment would be- to give TO the Senate power to originate
all bills, Except money bls,) equally with the House
OF Delegates. tie was opposed 10 such plan. He
had hal some little experience In another Legislature
where such power was exercised and there, nothing
was more common, than for the Senate asd the II. Of
Representatives, to be engaged. simultaneously, in act
ing the same subject. The consequence Of this
was, necessarily, great waste OF tim. When pro-
position had been offered in the House, and failed there.
nothing was OF more everyday than
ly to to the Senate, and there try the
thing.
Mr. B. sail he OH .cted to the amendment, ON prin-
cple also. The object sought in separating the Legi.-
laure into two distinct bodies was. that public mea.
might receive mature reflection before they
were finally resolved upon. The Senate was made
numerous than tho other House: and if it, duties
were coahned TO those Of revsory kind them In cas-.
from any cause, (and the causes various that
might lead 10 such result) measure threatening to
The public interest should hastily he passed in the
numerous braLch OF the Legislatures the Senate hav-
ing leisure, camness, and hence, In gene.
raj. accuracy in il. deliberations and decisions.
would supply the Of checking such result, and
either correcting its injurious features preventing
its passage. But il the Senate have the power
OF originating all the the other House.
its revisory character would he lost, and with IL,
great benefit to the body polite. Both Houves might
then be engaged at the same time upon the same OF.
ec: and the Commonwealth would thu. ose the entire
benefit contemplated In dividing the Legislature into
two branches-the benefit Of greater deliberaton and
greoter accuracy In the examination Of all matters Of
legislation.
opinion OF the President Of this hody he had from his
experience, drawn directly opposite conclusion
II true that, in some instances both Legislative
bodies in the General Government acting the
subject tho same time; but the effect of this
was to accelerate, not TO re ard the public business
His experience had been pretty equally divided be-
the Senate and the House OF Repr esentatives-
he had, a. Chairman Of a Committee, originated many
measures in both. In Virginia, such an arrang emen
would ill up the time OF the Senate, and would
prevent DELAY, and .nse As to any
increased delibera,ion resulting from giving one
House the originating and to the other the supervisory
power, such cons .quence resulted ia practice
His experience the subject led him TO conclusion
precisely opposite.
He agreed with the gentleman from Charlotte (Mr
Randolpi) that the country suffered under too much
legstion Bat this not TO be attributed the fact
that the Senate not in session. u from
habits, IL occasoned by schemers-2oli,ic, u
schemers-for -a.days all in the nation were
politicians, and they got into the Iegi ,'ure
they considered il a duty offer some scheme to the
body and whether offered late ally in the Session,
it must 20 through The evil arose IRON Legislative
schemers an schcmers Of all kinds. In the House
Of Delegates there were usually vast numb Of young
lawyers who thought in the course Of their p aciice
that they had discovered nconv that oug
TO be r-mediedand they insisted that the Houe should
adop, their notions an carry them into the laws thus
their noors-beir whims anil biunders-were Of
ten reduced 'olsw He sh ud rejoice with g-ntiemIn
from Charlotte IT this cou be put down. But giving
the Senate power to originate BiIs would produce
any such eff cts.
Mr.. RANDoLPH said. he wa. very happy 10 have the
sanction Of the opinion of the Chief gisrae the
Commonwealth for any thing he said that floor
But he would suggest TO him, with much Difference,
whether the hes, way to lay the evil spirit which had
much vexed that gentleman we'll himself would
be to intro luce that spirit into the Senate!
lie was afraid they should see the game played
between the two Houses here which he had seen
played between the two Houses else you will
pass my Bill, will pass yours With much Difference
no would suggest TO the gentIoni fom Amelit who-
ther his amendment would not be likely TO CONVEX
tn Senate from being grav. anil dsberave body
mo as heated an assembly the other House
whether it would not tend to introduce party spirit into
the Observation-Disclosures long their duty was confined
revising and amending the Bills up TO them-
must cGteris parbus have less play?
1t was old adage-and all old adages were true
that the by-stander most of the game He looked
with cool eye upon the play: but if they permitted the
Senate to cut IN and become paricpaors in the game
of the great functions Of That body if not total,
destroyed, would be in great degree impaired WHY
was the Senate confined to small number? because
as rcvsory body il needed not be more numerous
But, if it originate Bills as the other House did
then houd like that House, consist of the immediate
Representatives of the People Ii true they were
TO be saved from having money bills originated i'm the
Senate and this most wise provision. lie would
never consent that should put his hand into his
pocket whs did not live in his county-a Sepatorw Inc
in big county-out there-whon he neither knew mol
cared forand who very probably knew and cared still
less about him. Such would know that his big
county would return him again, let him tax hi( Mr.. r.
as he might. No-none but frecholder, and OF his
county too, should mulct him-or thrust his
hand into his pocket. He submitted whether the
amendment would produce this pruritus Ieges fe-
nate also
The question taken on Mr. Gcss amendment
and it was decided in the negative.
So the House refused to give the Senate the power of
originating Bills.
The 9Th and 9th Sections were then read
Mr.. Campbell of B ',fori moved o amend the OIL,
section, by requ ring 35ths instead of 3ds Of the
jescd.
The 10Th, 18th and IL h sec ions were then read.
Ia tbs 18th section, Mr. Nicholas renewed the a.
meDcmdnt 60 often proposed and rejected Of requiring
definite amount Of tax TO be paid by bou.- keeper
in order TO ene him to the right Of suffrage; but II
was rejected. Ayes SO.
Mr.. Collier moved to inert the following:
" And provided sls,, that there shall be scpa.
ratio elections in any county, hut the L.gisa ure
may from time to time provide that the polls shall be
kept open not exceeding three days, in such couDte.
as shall he designated by law"
Mr.. CoALTER said, he was anxious TO see a proyi-
zion introduced for separate elections and he
the following:
And provided, also that tiSere shall be no separate
elections in any county but the Legislature ma,
from time TO time provide that the polls shall he KEEP
/