Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-06-22


"'oPe' TO tho next room with Subpoena dnees fecu
10 Tie Secretary. tits great hardship and will
10 duy appreciated by tho public. But, let us grant
'hatn is that it is most unreasonable 10 expcct
councillors of State to incur go tre,pc ndeus ser
V'ce-yet Is it not as reasonable as that the Gov
erhor OF the State should have to send from his
mouse when he had to act, and TO rely permanent.
~ ana absolutely upon Officers who arc not res.
PohsiDle to him? Instead of .srcmtting" this
point I" the good sense of tho community, we are
wen sat'shed to remit it to that of Mr.. Robertson
''hseh AS TO the law--tho changes effected by
were so obviously necessary, and ntrinsically
sohable, that no Legislature will ever be induced
to change it.
As to the exclusion of John II. Richardson, and
the opinion expressed by Mr.. Robertson, that Mr.
Hwann was more competent, the litter" of tho two:
we 10 not and never did question his right, that
is MS constitutional Potcer, to vote for whom he
Picased. Yet we do feel, and will express our as
'ohishment, that he should, upon his own
showing and reasoning repcte with good feeling as
all his friends esteemed him, have obtained the con.
sent OF his heart TO deprive Mr.. Richardson of tho
paltry emolumcnt upon which he lived Does he de-
ny his competency He docs not. lie only con-
tends that Mr.. Swami was more competent. OF
Mr. Swami. wa have from representation. a hiyh
opinion. We doubt neither his worth or competency
we may, however, without any violation of respect
Tor him, be permitted to express our doubts who
thor he absolutely without experience, could rival
IN qualification clerk of eleven years experience
whose conduct has met with the warm approhat ton
~ who possesses the personal friendship of NIL who
| have been Governors and Councillors within the
interval. The thing is not probable; it is not nos
sble; the Councillors decision to the contrary.
l
notwithstanding. Mr.. Robertson Indirectly init
mates MIR. Richardson's Incompetence, though by
| declaring that he proposed at one time to vote
| Tor hlm' he admits his competency. This COM
munity will hear with unmngled surprise, that
capt. Richardson was thought unequal to any sort
oil Clerkship. what has the Clerk of the Coun-
Gil to de-? Simply to admit to record the advi.
ces of that useful body. batch of justices comes
IN from Accomack-or Recommendation of a mi
lita officer from Allegheny. Tho late Lit. Go.
vernon says. advise s. so; the present Vicegerent
says advise and so! Councillor Wilson saws
advise so and so. Truly, it must be most grave
arduous and ticksl matter to put these several ad
vices upon paper! Is not that all! And John b.
Richardson, whose excellent sense is known to this
city, and who that city will DO apt to think has as
good mother wit the Councillors themselves:
whose experience is of eleven years, and who we
| fo~"NSSS''
appreciation of Ex-Govcrnors and Ex-Council
lors; was thought less qualified to do this than
gentleman who probably had never before en-
tered the Executive Holy of Hottest
We do not mean to question Mr. Robertson,s
sincerity in preierring the qualifications of Mr.
| Swami 10 those of Capt. Richardson That gen
tleman says he esteemed them superior, and he
is incapable of uttering what be does not think
All we say is, that the singularty of the concIu-
sion proves that he must have brought some strong
though insensible bias, into the consideration of
the question.
| AS to ITS being an original appointment: We
were mistaken in saying the 5th June, that
Mr. Richardson had as Copying Clerk, under the
old law, performed the duties of Clerk of Conn.
Gill We acknowledge it frankly and ut once Yet
II was technical and not a substantial mistake
lie was perfectly familiar with all the business of
the Department-with its character, respective
urgency, position and routine. He was as much
so, as if he had acted Clerk, and we commit
ted no error in substance although did in form.
1T Capt. Richardson ,Das compctent-and Mr..
! Robertson does not dispute it--can it be denied
that he had what ought to have been an Irresistible
claim on the ofice2 1t was the business to which
he had been brought up-to which he had served
an apprenticeship For eleven years, he had labor
ed in The Department on beggary stipend, faith
/ fully. There is not, there never has been the
sightest fault found with him on any score, or by
any fthose to whom he responsible. Did not
these circumstances constitute claim, reasonable
strong, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ho was compe
tent? Others may by possibility, he more compe
tent, but what moro could in reason be asked thar
competency2
MIR. Robertson is pleased to doubt whether the
Legislature had "thought" the subject of the
operation of the new la on the Clerks in the Elk
cutivc, and very Independently intimates that if
they had he should still have acted with FREE agcn
cy. We admire Independence, but think it likely
the Councillor would have subscribed to their wish
es, Notwithstanding. That they did entertain the
expectation and WISH that the Clerks we're not to
be affected njuriously, refer him for confirma
tion to his immediate Representative, Col Ruth
ofoord; to the Senator from this District, General
Harvic; and to the Patron of the Bill, Mr.. Bryce
of Goochland. IF such expectation was not
expressed on the floor as believe it was it GER
tainly was in conversation. Howbeit, those gen
tlemcn satisfy him.
Ne have most hastily thrown out these remarks,
, between nine and moor. One word concerning
ourselves. We engaged in this subject with the
extromest reluctance. Towards yndhanr.Robert.
son, we had ever felt, with an affection which we
lad for few men, We had contributed our hum
bic mite to help on his wishes, and triumphed in
his success. We know that in all probability, we
were about to lose what wo highly valued, and no.
ped we possessed, his good will-but the often
| painful and hateful responsibilities of the situation
in, left no alternative but to speak as we
did, Of what considered cruel and unfccling