Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-12-15
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
DEFERRED DEBATE.
BOIISE OF DELEGATES-THuRsDA Dec. 10.
ELECTION OF PUBLIC PRINTER.

Aioo ELECTIoV OF PUBLIC PRINTER.
The Joint order Of the day. being the election OF rub
On motion of Nj. STANDS, the House proceeded to
the consideration of the Joint ORDER and the Senate was
informed of the same.
Mr. STANDS said he rose to bring to the notice OF
the House. as candidate for the Office about to be
filed the name of Thomas Richie. Mr.. L. was for
series of years the public printer to the Commonwealth,
during which time he served faithfully IN that capacl-
ty At the last session OF the Legislature Tor reasons
novel in their character and MI s. totally unsasfao
tory Mr. K. was removed. He hoped it would now be
the pleasure Of the House to restore him, and thereby
show to the people Of Virginia, tina. the besowal of
Office merely ministerial was not to be operated upon by
political views
Mr. STANARD said lie would present to the House
the gentleman who had during the last year performed
the duties of Public Printer, MIR. Samuel Shepherd
The duty which Mr. S. now performing properly
appertaned to him the immediate representative of
that gentleman He had had an opportunity of know
ing Mr. Shepherd-his reputut:on-his character and
his qualifications for the office He took it for granted
objections had been offered to Mr. s. this floor
that he was free from all repIoach to the in
which he had performed the duties of the Office. lie
presumed on that ground objection would be offered
10 him. The duties of the Office itself were mainly me-
chanica-and Mr. S. had by regular service in his
II was TO be observed furthermore, that the practical do
ties Of the Office had been for years performed by Mr.
Shepherd while the nominee Of the gentleman from
Prince George, was the incumbent MIR. S. had during
whom the duties devolved, and to whom especially be-
ionged whatever praise due for the proper perform
Of the work. Besides these tacts-Mr. Shepherd
individual worthy and estlmabe, free from
shadow of reproach he from the slightest obcc
ton as public officer MIR. Stanard knew how vain it
when party feeling had been excited and political
Office to be supplied to expostulae with that feel
ing Of partiZan preference, which some occasions
the form Of political prescription. And if this was
Office in which aindvidual mil ht exercise the small
est degree Of Influence the political balance, it is
termed he should look for success in appealing to the
majority of The House. stay the feelings of party on this
occasion But when office Is 10 be hllcd, which cannot
operate upon potcs-when the public IS to be served
by the politics OF the officer but by his labor, Mr.
thought he might found such appeal on the grounds
public justice and propety asking of the majority to
consider the qualifications of the candidate for the
performance his specific dutcs. SCnder such circui
stances ne thought lie could consistently ask OF them
not to put aside the man who is qualified for the Office
and place it, in effect S'necure, IN the hands OF po
tca partzaii. Alr. S. asked gentlemen, If that spirit
which had existed TO cease-was there to be
no returning the consideration Of the public service
and of public Justice II. the besowal Of Offices, He ask
ed them, whether they could stand before their cons
tuents-not before band of partzans but independ
ent and justice loving pcoplc-and vindcae their con
duct in giving this office to partzan, who has claims
or qualifications recommend him, beyond those arising
out ofhs political opinions and exerons, and in reject
ing an individual who has all the qualifications required
who has filled the Office with credit, md against whom
there is no shade of objection He trusted that these
considerations would not be without their weight
He trusted there was feeling here which would re
spcnd them. There was time, when Mr. S. for
mery member of this legislature; when lie could have
appealed to such affecting He trusted that such feel
ing still remained in degrce-that the principle
Justice would not be disregarded-that offices woult
be scattered forth as rsrds to aborers in the
of party in the spirit Of the modern political maxim
tthat the spos belong to the vctors He trusted tina
the qualifications ofthe candidate to be tramplet
under foot the zeal Of the partzan acknowledged
the only qualification required in merely mechanics
Off iDdpp = M nripri
pic dangerous length, when office from which NJ
political influence could Cow, should be made priz,
to be dispensed to Individual who deserved well Of hi
party TO the total disregard OF the higher claims anohe
candidate presented to this house for its preference
Sir, said MIR. s., the time will oome-f we are not or
the eve OF some supendous change-when the feelings
Of the passing moment will have subsided-and wher
the people will judge these things the principles o
Justce-and unless there can be total pervcrson of the
public mind defy tho gentlemen who support the no
ninee OF the member ttc1 Prince George to show then
that they have adhered to justice in beSowng this Office
on their candidate. when another was before them s,
much better Quali6ed-with tic perfect certainy-ves
sir, with the perfect certainty that the office will be in
great degree snecure. The people may for a time b
hurried on by the heat Of party excitement but the,
must ultimately view the acts Of er representative. i
their true lght.-There must time when the
transactions of the day will be dsplssonatey contem
plated, and Judged of in spirit Of candor, undisurbee
BY party heat or temporary excitement.
Let me call the attention of the House to some othe
considerations, not less important ltwoud seem,
on party CONSCIENTIOUS hal nele were whic
might influence gentlemen to arrest the feeling unde
which they were acting, the very now befor
the House. We we'll know, MIR. Speaker, the violen
state of political CONFUSION (or it has almost amouu.e
to that in which this State has been involved We vel
know the very especial part which has been acted in thi
struggle by the nominee of the gentleman from Prime
George In the course of that struggle been ote,
said that the zeal manifested by that individual in main
taining the cause of his party founded on selfish an.
mercenary motivesthat he looked to the endowment
the emouments of office, consequence Of the prc
dominance of his party-and that to this considerable,
the sources of his exertions to be traced. Mr.
Sanard did not pretend to justify the accusation b.
imputation repelled the public given to under
stand and the community assured, that all his zeal wa
the disntsreed obationof patriotism to the cause il