Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-03-17
MARCH 81, 1896 .
POLITICAL.
(frnm ma GL.Le i
hiN LElGH-HlS GREAT KESPECT FOR STATE
SOvERElGNTY, IMBODiED IN TIE GENE
RAJ ASSEMBLY, OF .rHE S'rA.rE

L, q r.
RAJ ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE
When 1t was Mr.. Legh's object TO call in SOVEREIGN
authority to dignity himself when first taking his seat
IN the Senate, he exalted the Legislature evcng him.
with every sovereign attribute. lie in on the
panic nlovemeDt-yct the majority by the peo
pie TO Richmond to represent them when candidates
Tor The trust, declared themselves friends the Prcsi
dent Many who had been his came in fegn.
ing conversion under the Proclaniaton many disai.
i'cted friends came in still protesting friendship but dis
gusing, unbounded, heartfelt hostility under the sem
Oi1ucc oil opposition simply bill or the
nHody section OF the force bii the Nufers called il
These deadly hostile factions found occasion in the
panic, which created after they left their cns,itu-
enis to throw of their disguise and rcmounce the ek-
soa Professions under winch they were elected 'rh.
removal o Duane aud the dcposi,,s iIetrea-
son; treason ugiinst tho cfilrp, IN relation 10
the public treasure. Mr. Leigh the proper man.
from MS oIdgrounded luminosity 10 the Presidcnt-his
warfare against him the side of Arbuhnot Anbris-
ter aud the Semnoeso become the of the
irpiacable malice of the rencgades disguised enc
mics OF the President who had stolen into Virgiuia
Legislature The Junto at Rchmond-Leigh Johnson
oanara ana the rcsl-g" up panic resolutions. Their
panic doctrines were taken by Whiggery the Legsla
ture as the sense of the whole Commonwealth Kivcs
was recalled and Leigh with all his long connected
and bottled poison the Senate His first object was
TO establish the supremacy of the body by which he
was elected as the unquestionabe exposor the pub
lie opinion even on subjects which the People had
not expressed an opinion lie then openly denounced
any thing which looked like appeal the sense of
The General Assembly that of the constituent body
That any man should dare suggest terenees oppo-
sifton 10 Hetr crtdence should ha1c presumed To sup
pose htnSef letter acquainted Mun tey 10Th tie send
ments Of eir constituents TAR hare forgot
ten hmse such confumeiy on her virginia ~
Legislature" Mi. Leigh excainis, as woxpERfuL TO
aEH lie lays it down, then, as his maxim 'rlIAT
Tie DIGNITY OF GOVERNMENT is ESSEN.
IiAL TO THE MAINTENANCE OF IT'S AL
THORlrY - and adds:
say confidently irhoercr shall succeed in bring
ing our legislature into generat contempt, viii do more 10
impair its just authority any singc measu Of this
Government possibly can; neither tn. people of Var
gina oil temper to accept professions OF respect in
of reality
But he did not stop here in vindicang the Legisa.
ture which elected him iro the dreadful aspcrsun con-
tanned the remarks vi Messrs Stevenson and Rivrs
(bo,h of whom resgncd) but still venturcd to express
the belief that their sentienis, however differing with
those oil the Legislature in unison with those of
the people He would not tolerate thought so auda.
cous lie said Z" What the sentiment of Virginia is at
this moment, have not taken upon me TO saw Bur
DO sAf, NO MAN REPRESENTING PORTION OF pEo-
FILE OUGHT TO VENTURE TO SET MS oPIsioS SEN
TiMEST OF ThK STATE, IS OPPOSITION THE LxpRKs.
Sos Sos, or IT ny nER LncisLATumE-TilE SPIRIT OF
AND WILL NOT BEAR IT."
The issue thus made by MIR Leigh between the LIE.
gisaiure which elected iIn, and Mrssrs kvcs Ste
Venson as to the sentiments OF the people been dis.
cussed Tor two years, and thrice decided against Mr.
Leigh in different forms 1t decided agansl hun
when the majority Of the Legislature elected in I534
were charged by their constitute s. not to reelect him.
IL was decided against him, by the people at the polls
IN April, 1888; and IL has been last decided again
hin alter three months struggle, by that paramount
authority, the General Assembly, which he himself la.
declared to be TOO high to be dcubirdto be such abs-
lutte evidence of the public WILL when SPEAKING as bo
dy, as to make ii contumacy in individuals to question
it-as bringing " The Legislature into general c0nfcmDt
-lmpairing its Just aUthOrity and destroying The
dignity 81 Government -!
And how does this dcvolce of State RIGHTS now deal
with State sovcreignty-ths high, unques,onaLle at,ri
butte which, according TO Mr. Leigh is inherent in The ie
gsiaiive power canatng Immediately from the people of
the State and which every must obey and IN obev
ing must not presume to bring in doubt as wanting The
sanction OF the public will How does he deal win il;
He says
The doctrine is that Senator in Congress is bound
90 ye'd inilcit obedience to say instruction which
plp cd hmm,
resign no matter how plainly unconstitutional no mat
ter how base and CRIMINAL the which he is ,oined In
perform may be-, IN his judgmcnt-bat he has no
right to exercise his own judgment all or consult his
own conscience he is not, in this case a moral agent
he has no alternative but TO obey resign
! elf this doctrine shall become generally odon,ed and
established throughout the United States by the
ton, and exercise OF it the one part and supiss,n
10 il OIL The other, pray the General Assemble in
slider Tor moment tile probable workings Of the princ
pie III practice Whenever the President shall feel Tho
check OF Senatorial oppositionf the Senators in onno
siiIon shall have the hmness continue refractory TO
his will, unm0ved and unawcd by his power--esnecin
iy, there shall be nearly balance ofpares in The b.
so that lew changes may reverse the majOry-the
ffesdenl viii be placed under the strongest ,nputiuus
TO have to the State Legislatures in order 10
einbarass himself Of the opposition Suitable nav even
plausible, pretexts will be wanting ia ,s ,r
their interference 4 here will be no difenI,v
nc much more III times of violent party excitement H.
select some prominent measure, involving question
OF constitutional right, and to frame al instruction ,o
J IT 10 The refractory Senator, which it is known Inc
cannot cOnscicnuously obey, and therefore will no.,
oVy, anu 10 require nun, nevertheless obey
And to obtain the instruction, we may surcIv 49,,
see all the mighty influence Of the President ali nn,r
patronage brought To bear upon the State I,isl,,nr,
ahd upon tile elections to them deude and da,nnrl
nc The peope-to tainpcr with, corrupt and seduce t,
State Assemblies, whose Senators I'm Congrpss il NAV M
deemed most Important or most feasible TO remove FIJI
instruments and agents for the work will alway nbound
and volunteer ia the service the venal pandr,a f ,
rr, tie whole tribe OF parasites and sycophans zeoo, q,
cuncilale aYoT TIE vain aspirans after political uor
ance, honor aud Goturety-a will crowd into tr Pc.
sden train, and vie with each other in doing liz iii
o'Pgs u 1 an spc@.'9g ct Tie RroDeIe neyila
yersed in MIR Leighs mind. He stands now before lie
public, the perfect example of Esops honest JUDGE -
When his bull had gOred tile farmer OK IL vas aIf ,eIl
way; but when II turned that the bull had come in
The way OF the OK, and gorcd, tic caSe eas altered -
30 now the Legislature, fresh from the farmers of Vr.
gnIa, is no longer the BGnkS JuU but its strength ia
turned TO crush the monster and It's masters and instant
y, with Mr. Leigh IL has forfeited all claims m respect
~ rCraet0ry Senator, far from being considered o,t
OF his duty III doubling the eOyrecfncss with winch the
legislative body represents the constituent body is (,
cOrdng TO Mr. Leigh noble and digni6ed prrsonagr
! sent 10 the Senate To oppose vulgar and cofr1ot
General Assembly " There soU be no difcaity at ann
ftG, (says Mr.. LcgIJ much il iifneS nj ria.
tent purity eEceme 10 select sumo prominent measure in.
rorfHg question of constitutional righf md 10 fya0s
an instruction HpOH Ia TIE rcff0ctorg SenaOr th ns
knoDR nc canHOt cOHScicntOHsg Obg and e,cfOye ,of
not 0Jeg aad Ia reqatre Him, nevertheless oJsg or re-
/ stgH No difficulty at any time saith most pro.
iOundly loyal aud homage bearing, Sc.
natornO difficulty any time IN framing an nsruc-
ton involving question Of constitutional right to re.
iractory Senator whch he cannot cOnSceutously obe
aud his, we are told riOHt party tfeieueAf ~ the
gsature readily adopts means Of driving this refine.
picture this Of the legislative body Of virginia lately
ouiulou. sacfed 4rofn ali