Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-06-05

, N''0i' ic ID necessarily in the Department
''n"s the hours of business; and through him,
communication with the Executive that is. the
''''hor' may always DO had by those who do not
,'o'S' 10 call on him in person BY him, or undcr
ms SuPorintendcnce all commissions, orders. and
c'"'r matters requiring to pass the seals of the
VI 10 DC addressed to any Department or
o"acer IN the State, are prepared, and when sign.
"s the Governor, dispatched TO their several dcs
tinations.
A"S'ead OF the persons who have business in the
department., running after Members of the
Nouhcii TO get it done, or to make enquiries as to
wnat mas been done, hero is an Officer provided by
INC Legislature and always at his post to attend to
'hem. 1t would take up too much time and space
~ ioiiow tho advantages of this arrangement
through all the details-every tolerably intelligent
man VIII perceive it at once. We had SO long an
executive OF nine, that the change in this respect
seems scarcely TO have been realized by most per.
sons; anu the present Council are more than all
unwilling to recognize it.
Ihcy certainly have nothing TO complain of in
the arrangement-they are entitled to n Clerk, and
'hey nave onc-thcir sole power now, is the appoint
ment OF that Clerk, and their duty only to advise
when advice is required, and to have il recorded.
ihey are not now as formerly, controlling Coun.
ell but would gladly be They have no power,
but that of rctarding the public business by failing
TO advsc-and even there, it is moro than probable
II such case should occur they may fail since
thc Governor, after requiring advice, and allowing
tihe TO them to give it, has certainly discharged
MS constitutional duty, and may act. In making
'h's indispensable arrangement, conference.-the the
order OF the Department, undor the new Consttu
tuition, 1t will be remembered by all who were con-
versant with the proceedings of the General As
semby, or associated with its Members that it was
the hope and the expectation of that Body, TINT
none of the Clerks would DO thrown out of en-.
ployment by it. All of them were competent to
discharge the duties of Clerk of tho Council
all were, to say the least, respectable.
The Council deferred making the appointment
for more than two months; and at length without
an objection charged chargeable have left out of
employment, or rather with tho pittance of 5000.
Clerk who had been eleven years in service, well
known to bo as competent as any they could get,
fully qualified by experience, and of unexccptiou
able character.
The Compiler was in the other day. The
Secretary was appointed on the 10th of March,
and appointed his Assistant the same day. There
is now no Assistant Clerk of the Council-and the
Executive Uhe Govcrnor) had nothing to do with
the appoint ments, except that of the Secretary;
and directing that j. b. Richardson should be re-
tanned as Copyist of the Executive Department.
We should not at this late day, have had any
thing 10 say en- this subject fully canvassed in
the Convention, but for the of the Council re-
terrcd to ab"vc--the appointment of its Clerk.
We said, and we repeat, that when the Legsla.
ture last winter, new organized the clerical bust
ness of the Executive Department, it was the ge
neral wish, and the general Understandings that
none of the officers then employed in the Depart
mcnt, should lose their places as a consequence
Had any such thing been anticipated, we have no
doubt, that either in the law ITSELF or by other
means, the General Assembly would have taken
care that an act of injustice should not have result
ed from wise and salutary regulation.
why has tho Council refused to appoint John b.
Richardson its Clerk? With Mr. Swami We have
but slight acquaintance, and that is entirely ia
vorable to him. 1t is not all necessary were it
even just, to assah him, in order expose tho ill.,
tcness of the conduct of the Executive Council
Mr.. b. Richardson, had been eleven years in
the Department, on the small salary of ssS0O-all
who have been Governors or Councillors in the
time, will and do pay willing testimony to his pri
vate excellence, and to his official competency and
fidelity. In this community, he is known uniyer
contain one more respected, than whom, it has
| not one upon whom it would moro rely in moment S
when its peace menaced. It was an element
in the tactics of Jackson Reform, ever TO excuse
the tyranny which deprived citizen of office with
out crime or neglect of duty to sacrifice his repu-
tation. We do not fear that game here. Virginia
theatre for its successful practice even if the
Council were capable of attempting it; which bad.
w. Ioat 1offI, e..
ing them. But, if Mr.. Swami were another Cow.
per or Scott, who did not disdain to be Clerks,
why should Mr.. Richardson, be sacrificed to his
Pretorlncn? Was he not competent? Was he
not faithful Had not the prime of his manhood
been spent in the public service, upon u small sti
pcnd7 Endow Mr.. Swami as literally as you
please, and we that gentleman is too mo-
dest to consider himself Mr.. Richardson's superior
Ill any thing-he yet wanted the experience which
eleven years service in the Department had given
MIR. Richardson He has not been trained to the
business, and it is impossible for that reason alone
that his qualifications can rival those of Mr. r.
We have witnessed in this community.
more surprze and Indignation than this act has oc
casioned 1t is a small matter to be sure, but its
tagrant injustice is so glazing, that every man
cries shumo upon it. What adds to the surprize is.
that no man expected it from those who did it.
When those gentlemen of manners so Chesterfield
ian, and of Republicunism Whose basis is iusticc)
so Catonic-Messrs. Wilson g. Robertson-were.
to the satisfaction oftle General Puhlic, put into
the Council. no man dreamed that tho single act
which for lS months, TO illustrate their rule,
would be the sacrifice ola faithful Officer who had
lahoured for years upon $500, whilst they, whom
the Public paid more literally, dsporting Them
selves, hiihcr and yon, the broad face Of the