Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-01-23
VIRGINIA LEGEsLATGgsa5.

Mr.. Gll.MER'S RESOLUTION.
MIR. DANIEL said, when he offered the few rcGI'ak KS
which fell from him solne days ago, in opposition to the
passage OF the resolution under discussIon ne Gu
not anticipate that any circumstances would arse, rrI-
dering II necessary for him to tespass again On the us
and patience OF the House: But his remarks had been
somewhat rnscunccved by gentlemen in debate, he
thought II his duty 10 make some explanations, III ora'
that lie mig hl be distinctly understood by such portion q"
the public might take interest IN Knowing hIs yeWs
and by his constituents, who had right TO fall know
ledge of them. He hoped. therefore. the House would
indulge him whilst hr attempted, in conc2e manner
to develope his sentiments this subject. and to notice
some of The remarks which had fallen, in the course or
the debate from The gentlemen who support the rcsnu-
ton. And in The commencement, said Mr. d, 1t may
not be improper give brief history OF the resolution
1t will be recolcctcd, (said le that on the melton IT
The gentleman from Mecklcnburg, on the third day
after the commencement of the session, commit
tee raised, to whom was referred, $50 much OF
the Governors Message us relates 10 the disor-
ganisng scditious, and nccnday doctrines Of GER
tain associations created in the Northern and last
States, for the purpose of producing direct inter
ference with the slave property OF the South, anu
which assert right in the United States 10 nteri, re
with our property IN various other modes AND That
said committee instructed TO take into consdcra-
ton the snicency CT the several acs OF Assembly, IN
tended to prevent punish any threatened
of the public peace within tins commonwealth
committee having leave to report by bill or otherwise
When the Speaker in the act Of announcing the re-
solution to The House, with view Of taking the vote
two brancMs OF The resolution, to refer the first
part select committee, and tie latter to The Commit
tee Of Courts Of Jusliceargung that the subjects OF
ference entirely distinct, and that the committee Of
Courts Of Justice, was, from its organzatlon better
adapted to cnquiring into the cxpGenry of revising, al
rrInr, amending any vi the general laws OF the Coii
monwralih This change in the resolution was opposed
Nv the gentleman from 4 MARIE upon the ground that
tic subjects nsrparaby connected; that the evil
and the remedy ought be at the time before the
sanle committee and whilst it lnquirlng into the cX
OF the evil, it mig h enquire also into the nature
and extent of the remedy TO be adopted The views Of
The gentleman from Abcmare prevailed, and the whole
subject thus referred TO the Select COMMITTEE. In
few days after this disposition OF the subject and the
committee had held one meeting: when 1t was understood
that the members Of the committee engaged in an
examination OF the proceedings OF the different meetings
u the people this subec throughout the State, when
the House engaged in the transaction Of ordinary
matters Of legislation, and III Tie absence n large NUN
Der OF It's members. the gentleman from Albemae rose
in his place, aud submitted the resolution now under
discussion A motion immediately nude by Tic
gentleman from Amelia to lay the resolution OH the Ia
bic 1t prevailed Not satisfied with this evidence Of
the disposition of the House towards the resolution,
the gentleman from Abcuar!c Immediately made
motion 10 take it up, and insisted on the imtnc
dlhe action of the House. Notwithstanding several mem
brrs appealed 10 the courtesy OF the gentleman 10 ao"
them till the next morning 10 reflect upon It, SUCCESS
full motion 10 adjourn cut short any further action OF the
House that llne and the resolution Of cour$c,
and The debate, which have since that tine been
engaged, commenced.
This, said Mr.. D., is succinct history Of the result
ton. | have adverlcd to il, that !nuy have COLL
nccicd vicW Of The circumstances under which lhl. de-
bue commenced. If, gcntlrmcn have anticipated,
Important consequences are to How from this dlscuss!on
uiay not Uc unluportant to those who have engaged in
IT, that ii should be understood by the public how II OIL
ginstrd 1t was my lot, continued MIR. D., carly
stage OF the debate, to offer to the House few nasty
marks. possessing either merit than that Of express
ing the honest convictions Of my mind, uninilucnccd
by any ether motive than the preservation Of The public
peace and the promotion Of the public good. have had
occasion ~ review those remarks during The progress Of
the debate, and hasty and imperfect they were, and
totally devoid they Of the studied gracrs and or
manrnts Of dc;ion cannot perceive that theY express
any thing calling for such structures: they have
elected from gentlemen, who have followed INC tie
debate II Is not my purpose 10 repeat The cna1 KS which
then made but to express views that have pre-
scented themselves to since, in coTrob"ration and
briefly 10 notice some OF the arguments used by gentle
the other side, fax they may seem to mill
tate against them.
stated when vas up before, that whilst was dis
posed adopt all prudent lur the suppression
Of tie AGooms;s and their imcendlary publications,
objected to tic passage Of the rcsouuon because it
sought 10 lake from the committee an Important bTauc
Of The subject referred to it, because ii did not spc-
elf and the different States, within whose Ii
mils the objectionable associations had been formed,
thereby clothing the Governor with an unnecessary DIS
crctiOn; because the information sought might be OBJ
tanned readily by other means, than by these
which the resolution pointed out, and by Other agents
than by the one II sous to appoint and because dad
conceive that Virginia yet prepared to act upon
all the possible results Of such correspondence. With
the permission Of the House, will proceed 10 pre-
sent onsdcations which have occurred 10 nc dur
iny the debate in support Of these Obj cclOns.
1t is unusual. | think, wien special committee is
rased 10 whom is referred subject OF general interest,
with all the documents and rans Of information useful
to them in forming and making report, by any rrsoi'.
tho pf Ir(,I
and give ii ii different direction. Why rlSc committee
ALL if it be competent and proper Tor tie House 10
adopt resolution tukng from them Important branch
Of the subject referred, with view to collect from ether
sources, isolated facts to he presented 10 the House be-
fore they have reported thus urcstang the report, or 10
be presented alter they have reported, with view Of
reversing il: But gentlemen say they have no wish, II
not telr purpose 10 disturb the proceedings Of the COLL
mcc. Why not await then It's action: Perhaps the
correspondence is asked, the information is sought Tor
the purpose Of enabling tho committee to report. ask,
is this respectful 10 tie committee; Have they init
mated any desire TO seek this information: Have they
innlaed belief that such cores pondrnce would
cili,ate their proceedings? They have not | regard
the resolution, then, conveying indirect censrrc
Oh the cOnnit.ecas intmatng plainly that they have
lot the sagacity 10 know What information il is
ry useful Tor them to have, that knowing lis
necessity they have not the disposition 10 ask for IT.
Gentlemen have aninIadyerled most severely those
Who have YcnIurcd 10 say that they did not believe the
Governor to be Inc best agent that could be selected iOT
tic purpose Of odaining the information soug-they
have treated Tie mere expression OF doubt as ~ his DIS
crct"n IN is delicate matter: high Indgnity offered
IL the Chief Magistrate Of the Suite; and yet per-
lectiy willing, by their VOTE to cllrr much higher in.
dignity to the talented representatives Of the people
who compose the committee. II the committee really
wanted The information sought, they would call for it, If
HEY considered that the correspondence necessary
10 tie right understanding Of or proper action upon,
this subject, they would doubtless recommend it. 1t
Is understood that they are ROW engaged III the ac-
1--we prosecution ct The enquiries, growing OCT Of lie sub
cct, and i'll the dgcnl examination vi the Of
information within incr reach Is right thus To inter
ltrr with their action: Is il proper, thus by vote, 10