Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-07-11
think 1t win generally be conceded, no prinop,. &C

gospel, law, or morals.
To subscribe for newspapers, at all, is manifest
~ an usurpation in the Executive-a ''plodging of
the money OF the State" to purposes, extra tho
Constitution and the law. But it was one of those
usurpations which usage has sanctioned, which
was far beneath the dignity of notice or corrrsc
ton from the protecting power, which was benc6.
cial for some purposes, harmless for olland which
lurking malice and jaupaiccd vision only, could
have elevated into consequence, or ma gnified into
crime. If Gov. Floyd really needs any vndica.
ton, for exchanging the Baltimore Republican
for the Telegraph, it is found in the fact that he
did not begin tho usurpation of subsc ribinp for
new spapcrs, but found it cxisting-that if he has
stopped the liable and orthodox" Democratic
Republican, jackson Van Buren, Baltimore Republi-
cam he has ordered what his constituents the pso-
pie of Virginia, dare say will consider quite as
"orthordox and able" substitute, the Democratic
Republican, Anti Tariff. Anti Improvements son
C1lhoun-U es'Teiegraph-and that this NIGH K
ty matter does not cost single cent additional
of the dear peoples always dear when they are to
be coaxed) money. What matter for the Lieu
tenant Governor of the Ancient Commonw alth of
Virginia, to kick up great dust about!
We have, putting Querst and the 1t Governor.
letter to Duff Green side by side, formed the CON
cluson, that the Lieutenant was tire author of "A
Querist This is conjecture, and the Public
have the same lights for forming an opinion that
we possess. Surprising that hypothesis to be corr
roct we beg leave to ask the It. Governor one
question.
tic makes merit of tho Executive of virginia.
having never taken the Telegraph, .'even during
the highest excitement of the late Presidenti,l
canvass. That was truc-but whose fault or merit
was it. Mr.. 1t. Governor? Would not you then
| h,,- h,l, t.1,
iority of the Counci-Messrs. Pendleton, Bolts.
Smith, Cotton and Briggs, Anti-Juekson-and was,
not ihat the reason why you, Gov Giles, and those
rewarded Councillors, Messrs. Campbell and In.
grand, did not and could not, get paid for by the
monies Of tho State"
But, let us suppose that Gov Floyd had no con-
stitutional other authority, to countermand tho
Republican order the Telegraph-what still,
must the people of Virginia, think of this step of
tho Lieutenant Governor77 Gen. Floyd left Rich.
mond on the Goth June; the same day, the Lieu.
tenant Governor. by the Governors absence ha.
wing become possessed of '.ttle brief authority
undertakes to nullfy the act of his superior There
was nothing arbitrary" in this suppose-noth
ing vioativo of personal courtesy, of the respect
which was due to the Chief Magistrate of the
Commonwealth!
His Lieutenant Excellency's love Of power may
here be illustrated by another circumstance. The
usage of the place is, that the military the 4th
July, parade on the Capitol Square, and there fire
the salutes In honour of the day. The Governor
left the city three days BEFORE and had not deemed
expedient or necessary, to forbid the of the
Square, which wthal, although the property of the
state is IN possession and under the police of the
city, to whose authority it has been turned over. ;.
and who pay man $500 per an. for taking care
OF 1t. No sooner was the Governors back turned
than the Lieut.. Governor, who if the author of
Querst, seems mighty foe to 'sarbitrary" power
md is undoubtedly patent Jackson Van Buren,
Republican, issued order forbidding the use of
the Square to the military for the occasion of no.
mourning tho Fourth of July! We perhaps should
have respected the order had it been addressed to
us-we are however, not certain that we should
but one thing we are sure of, that the contempt
with which it was treated, dfused the most genera
satisfaction throughout the city.
| Having performed this doughty and RcDubLiean
feat, the 1t Governor took his departure for Old
Point Comfort, we imagine among other things.
to aid in the benevolent task of administering com
| ort TO Gen. Jackson; congenial spirit mighty
enemy like the 1t. Governor, to " arbitrary" pow
er How he succeeded in this labor of love- we
know not; but should argur, not as well az
could have been wished, for his ExceIlency seems
to have returned in bad humor. He met here the
intelligence of Col. Monroe's death, and some gen.
tlemen wishing to convoke public meeting to
honor his memory, application made to Lieut..
Gov. Daniel, to the bell to be rung. He con-
sented, but with bad grace-said such things were
becoming too common, and he believed the people
begun to think the Capitol belonged to them, that
he had seen with surprize, a notice for a meeting
at the Capitol before leave had been asked for its
use, and that he had ordered Mr.. Danforth door
keeper of the CounciD to station himself at the
Capitol, and admit none but respectable gentlcmen
of which, presume, that celebrated individual
was to be sole Judge.
Such is report, well vouched-and such has BEEN
the high handed course of our Republican Jack
son Van Buren, 1t. Governor, that foe to ''arbtral
ry" power, since Gov. Floyd's absence has clothed
him with little authority" But by all this,
"hangs tale" which is yet to be told, and which
we have not present time to tell, The sagacious
reader will descry the pernicous operation of the
new constitution in the article of the Executive
Council and in these premises, see the germ Of
another Convention; for if the old controlling o,
Council of State a wart upon the body Polite
the new advisory one is a fungus of monstrous mag
nitude.
But we cannot help thnking,.if His Excllency,
the 1t. Governor, lived in Turkey, what a famous
1