Wilmington expositor. (Wilmington, Del.) 1831-18??, 1831-11-18
ConventiOn.

The committee on the Executive Depart
ment report the following resolutions, for adop-
ton by the Conventions:
1. Resolved, That the third Article of the
Constitution be amended in the second section,
so that the election of Governor shall be on
the second Tuesday of November: And also
that in the case of the death-or absence from
the State, of the speaker of the Senate, the re-
turn of this election shall be delivered to the
Secretary of State.
2.iResolved, That the said Article be amen
dedan the third section, that the term of
Office of the Governor shall be four years; and
thata person elected to this Office, shall not be
again eligible to it.
8. Resolved, That the said Article be amen
ded in the sixth section, so that after the expi-
ration of the term of the Governor now in Of
fee, the annual salary of the Governor shall
not exceed the sum ofthirteen hundred dollars
4. Resolved, That the said Article be amen
ded in the 9th section in respect to the appoint
ment of Judges, Register for wills, and the At
torncy General, so that the Governor shall
nominate. and by and with the advice and con-
sent of the Senate appoint these officers; with
power to the Governor to fill vacancies in these
Offices, when the General Assembly is not in
session, by appointments to expire at the end
of their next session: leaving the power of the
Governor as to other appointments, as it now
is.
+ S. Resolved. That the said Article be amen.
ded in the 9th section, so that it shall be the
4 duty of the Governor to set forth, in writing,
| fully, the grounds of all repreves, pardons and
Emissions; to be entered in the Register of his
/ official acts, and laid before the General As
sembly at their next Session.
4 z, Resolved, That the said Article be amen
ded in the 14th section, so that upon the death
Of a person elected Governor. before his term
of Office commences, the person holding the
Office of Governor, whether by election or as
!. speaker of the Senate or House of Represents
tives, shall continue to hold the same until a
successor shall be duly chosen and qualified.
z. Resolved, That the said Article be amen
ded in tx 18th Section, so that the Secretary
, of State shall by virtue of his Office be Audi
Il tor Of accounts.
Il The Committee do not deem it necessary t.
state in this report the grounds for any of the
! proposed amendments, except that which ex.
'ltends the term of the Governor to 4 years
! This amendment is predcated upon the suppo.
stion that this Convention will adopt the prin.
cple of biennial elections. Biennial elections
Il will require, that the term of Office of the Gov.
,ternor shall either be reduced to . years, ex.
: tended to a years. 1t is not understood, that
!. the length of the present term has ever been g
4 subject of complaint. Among the various a
: neniments proposed, the committee have no
; heard any contemplating the reduction of Thu
term. They may therefore act upon the un
y derstanding that reduction of the presen
term is not required, To add year to thi
term would he within the principle upon which
a this term was originally settled. to wit, tina
VI there ought to be some permanence and stabil
Witty in the tenure of this Office: this principle ex
perience has approved.
III AS matter of precedent we may remark. tina
i the term Of the executive of the United States
in constitution formed with great deliberatiol
;, and wisdom, and in the purest spirit of repub
~ licanism. is wears. The principle applicable
:. /. to the Executive of the United States, apple
+ to the Executive of this State. If there coul
b be an argument for any difference, it would b
y that the Executive of the United States. in con
scqunce of the incomparably greater power
patronage, should be under more direct res
i possibility, and of course that the term shout
III be shorter. The question is, for what length
e. time Ii expedient. and safe to trust executis
e. pow or single term, in republican ge'
e. ernh The committee consider, that it
us safe to follow the precedent arising from Il
Constitution of the United States, and the e,
perience under this Constitution in this partl
of ular. In addition TO this precedent, State
a Kentucky, Louisiana, Illinois and Missouri,
s ee lect their Governors for years. II is furth
eir considered, that the provision making the ter
It'll of Office years. and rendering the person ele
'g, ted incapable of another election. is safer al
,eslh.+e- +b,n the limit of n shorter term witho
restriction.
The Committee have considered the prop
lsed amendment, that important appointment
he, shall be made by and with the advice and CO..
,nt sent of the Senate, in connection with this
my mendment extending the term of office. The
EN- regard this as a principle of great value 81
Y, ing security against any unadvised or mistake
HI exercise of the most important power vested
he the Governor. With this security, they c;
see no objection to the proposed extension
the term of Office.