Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1831-02-14
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
FrpRuARY nth. me-

~, . FEBRUARY nth, 1881.
Inc Senate have passed the BILLS Regulatiu,
the penalties OF SHERIFF. bond; @ They have aaree
10 The amendments of the House OF Dclecn,s. Z,
.ne 6''l concerning recommendations Of Justices O
the Peace.
Mr. Brodnax alvcr,cd TO tho doub, leG nv N,
eonsiitution to the mode OF designe.in Tho Sen.
or Counc lor 1t. Governor and what 6odv ,vna =,
dec'"e by lot which Councillor sIoIi9 ", Or, IRE,
second and third. The difficulty was p,T.,,',t IA ,h
present election and could not again recur. Al,
brodnax read the clause from he Con .,,,uiiu, nm,
'hen submitted the following resolutions:
Resolved By the General Assembly, THAI r,r The
purpose OF electing the provisions of the ifh soc
ZION sf the 18th article OF the constitutions tina, .,o
Der of the Council of State who shall be firs, eec,ed
by JOINT vote of both Houses of this General As
senbiy; shall rank and be regarded as the Senior
Connection and 1t. Governor and the member ne Y,
elected as aforesaid. the next in seniority
And Resolved also, That so soon rs ali three of the
members OF the Council of State shall have been
elected as aforesaid, Joint Committee of both Uousoe
composed Of members Of the House of Delegates
and - members of the Senate shall be aonoin,cd
VINO shall Immediately proceed to designa bv LOT ono
OF the SAID Councillors elected 10 remain in Office
Tor one year only, and one other Of the said C,,r
ci'ors 10 reun'n 10 Office FOR two years onlv And
me report Of ssd committee being srrced 10 nv bo,b
houses shall be regarded the consi ,u:iunal de-
s,gnaion by lot of the terms during which said Cou,
ciInrs respectively shall remain in Office
MIR Miller of Powhatan, disscn ed from tho oen,,,
man from Dinwddie with reluctance: but in his ono
ION tbs was superfiuous legislation. The Council
Tor hfst elected he presumed the Leutenan, Go
vernon What right had we 10 interfere in tbs NJ
pa'tment' The constitution had required the Senate
To be divided into classes yet this House had NO,
et Itself called upon to Interfere He though; the
proceedings suDcrfiuous.
MIR Galaher moved to lay the resolutions far tho
present on the table, but Withdrew it,
Mr.. Brodnax assured the gentleman from Powbn.
tah thst the opinion was general, that some regua.
tion was necessary, and replied some length IN
slsting upon the doubr left by the const,tution az
to the argument derived from the classification of tho
Senate u WAS not parallel. 70. Obvious reasons Mr.
b. presented number of views ~ reply TO Mr. NJ
MIR Miller OF Powhatnn urged arain the p,on,istv
OF not interfering With the executive and in. obv
Gus intention of the constitution to make the Conn
cillor first elected, senior Councillor or 1t Gorerpo-
Mr. Williams Of Shenandoah ed The inter
ference OF the Legislature in matter Of Constitution
al settlement He expressed the belief ,b,, ~
constitution designed TO constitute the Councillor
lt Governor, who by lot, remained in Office but ono
year.
Mr. Ghoson supported the resolutions. and movod
to amend by declaring him the Senior Couocillor rbo
shall receive The greatest number Of uofes Intending
10 follow up the motion by resolution to elect Mi
three Councillors at once, mode which he prefer.
red for various
Mr. Leigh thought there was neither o,coss,,v no,
proprety IN passing the resolutions The whole
question was, who was the senior Councillor or L.
GoVernor:-a question settled by the Constitution
itself The Councillor first elected was undoubtcdIv
the senior c puncilor and intended 20 b. the IT,. Co
! vernon by the Constitution
| Mr. Goode derived an argKnent in favor Of adoa-
ting the resolutions and declaring what the Constt-
tlon was, from the variety of opinions eynressod
He concurred with the gentlem ~ from Sheuandonh
! that the Councillor who allotted TO g, ont OF
ONCE hrst. was the senior Councillor, and moved 10
amend Mr.. Gho!soas amendment by So declaring
! Mr. Tcrrlil moved 10 postpone Tie, resolutions and
amendments indefinitely.
Mr. Morris read the clause of the Constitution in
dispute &c argued from lis terms, that the first cleo
ted Councillor was the L.. Governor The lo,
decided only the times of going out aud did not
the question of seniority. Mr. Morris opposed the
election of oil three Councillors once as impracti
cable, presnuiing 1t was intended that plurality
! should elect.
Mr. Bayly said the practice under the old consti:n
ton was that the first elected Councillor took prece-
dence of the Others that pra cce the constitution
evidently intend ID To re-adopt
MIR Barbour supported the views when the
resolutions were postponed almost unanimously
Mr. Garland of Nelson, from the Committee NJ
Roads, made Report on the general subject OF In.
ternal improvements
On motion of Mr. CasiIemau, 500 copies of the
Report were ordered To be printed.
! On motion of Mr. Gibson, tho Committee of Cour,
Of Justice were instructed 10 enquire into the exec
picncy of changing the time of holding the Quarterly
EXECUTIVE.
On motion of Mr. rerrii, the House proceeded nv
JOINT vote with the Senate. to the election of Co
vernon for three years from 3lst March next
MIR G.lner then no nna.ed G n Jonn Floyd, the
present Incumbent whom he pronounced an honest
statesman, devoted patriot and tried republican.
Mr. Gllmcr reported Tor Floyd, the unanimous vote
of both Houses.
The House then determining to proceed to the
. election rf three Councillors.
Mr. Gholson moved To- sIspend the Adth ruIc of tho
House, IN order to elect the three together.
The motion was opposed by Mr.. Rr ,dnsx as not
cs,cula'ee el'ner 10 save time, or to procure the
choice ct those who we're generally preferred.
Mr.. Gholson supported the motion az calculated o
save time, and TO promote justice and fairness
election OF those really having the largest sumbcr of
friends. -UF
Mr.. Morris objected to the motion as an nnov
upon the usage of the country, and really not cal
culated to have the effect desired. He did not know
in what manner the clerk would keep the polls.
! The motion was rejected.
/ The nominations then proceeded.
/ MIR. Morris nominated Peter " Daniel, Eso.-the
present Lieut.. Governor of the Commonwesth-as
able, experienced, and faithful. In reorganizine the
Executive, and placing the Government upon new
grounds the experience Of Mr.. Daniel was essential.
Tie was advocate for the rule in all cases but in
political Offices in office, the second in the govern
ment, he thought consideration ought to be paid
to the political opinions of the individual selected I'm