Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-02-25

Legislature, ana the ancient ct the Executive OF
the State. ! am sure that candid and impartial
man. who will take the trouble Of reading the Go
vcrnorS Message that subject, will be led to doubt,
whether his mind has not been long trained to the
paths of sphstry, that has lost the balance which
uu9 lat To exist III every we-reguated head between
truth and schood. will extract the following:
From he Resolutions Of John 7ay
Ter, Of CGrpimc, rhcI GOrrrnG.
7a:"rcH ro,ci for on Tie 9:st II
Ncryu,r aid rhi passed From e Er7"nging Resolutions
S"aafc t 2t " The sam" month PISSED he 2om n fr1r"ury,
{, nt l-Ni, rt:
rha, the Governor acs;rrd Krsorr That
copy OF TIN r-.u " Of the Commonwealth b"
it,. Resolutions the Evrcu gnrSf ransui, the foregoing
tve Authority {" each Of The RESOLUTIONS 10 ench Of the Sc
" other Stuc, tha' "m Virginia. the Con
communicated :r<s United States
"t'e rsia'ue tae'Gt " req" that they lay the same
" to each Of ihs Senators and Re
" representatives. representing hi,
I" State, in the Congress OF tn
/" United S,alcs'
Governor Wood FcGeralis was Governor in 1913,
and much opposed to John Taylor's resolutions,
constitutional grounds Governor Tazewell he
to the Expungng Resolutions. Yct, it never entered
into his head that he should resist the desire of the Gen
cra Assembly, that in comp ying with it, lie would
"incur guilt
To bring to recollection what the Fedcraliss thought
cf John Taylors resolutions at that ,me will quote
the commencing paragraph of George X. Taylors
Speech the 2st Of December, l7!iS; and he was
the reader of tn, Federal party in the House OF Dele
gates, the Governor well knows:
"Mr. GEO RGE h. TAYLOR arose and said, that
when these resolutions first submitted to the
mitlce they had been dsapproyed by him; and that
the time which had since elapsrd with the most ma
reflection had quckened his Misrepresentation into
cnpstc and entire disgust The resolutions
contained doctrines and prnc pies the most crtTara
gant and ptrncouS declarations unsubslanated by
fact; and invitation TO other States to concur m
breach Of hut Constitution ,rh hCYproi support
ITO subsantiac this charge, he would beg the pardon
and patience of the Committee while he examined and
criticised certain parts of the resolutions and while,
agrcrably TO promise given on former OCCASION he
should offer some few remarks on the consuonaIiy
a. uf what is called the Srdton Law. Now, nothing
which Mr. e.. H. Taylor has said Of these resolutions is
stronger than what the Wings now saying otthe
Expunuinn Resolutions These Modern frdcralists
profess contend that they, too involve breach otc
CONSTITUTIONS are pcrnicicus. disgraccfu. &c. &c. And
yet Governor Wood requested to forward them and
did SO without moments hesitation, because he knew
his dnlv. and was determined TO discharge IT,
The Governors friends attempt 10 cDscnncc him be-
hind the bubble which he has raised the Words ',r
request that they lay the before the SENATE, and
which he himself incurred guilt in administering by
his vote to Governor Wood This is done with view,
if possible of breaking the force Of that just indigna.
ton which all of every party must feel for breach
of the usages Of this ancient and renowned Common
weath-aud of that respect and harmony that ever
characterized the action of the several departments OF
our Govcrnment-and which is n0so for the first time IN
the history of the State, disturbed Gov i. claim
neither the sympathy respect of the people for his
evasion of duty on this ground.
The acts which he was requested to perform were ell
tirely Executives and required the exercise of unc
ton of the mind all incompatible with the most strict
" conscientious opinion of the entire uncons,Itutlon
atty of the resolutions proposed to be transmitted Ac-
cording his views the resolution requests HIM
TO pert0m tacV SercrGt acts not ~ give two several
opniuns: not 10 give any opnion not requesting the
weight Of his character or the judgment OF his mind
either for against any sentiment, word, or ieer IN
the preamble aud resolutions. But. first to transmit The
preamble ind resolutions TO the Senator's. The designs
for in infS
the eIe act-the execution, is confded To The Cover
nor. He has no des gn reason for IT, Second ,eAh
u request that they lag tho sante before the Senate Inc
DESIGNS and tor this also in the minds OF The
Legislators The request theirs, 10 be made by their
organ the Goyernor.Nn dispasslonate man could have
thought for moment, that twas his request 1t evil
dent it was the request of the Eegsature-not bis
And this iarfecled construction escaped the whole Le
yislaure and the whole body of the people, until the
bubble struck his hair-spltting wire drawIng, TO-
rcnsic intellect The Governor was 10 perform the mere
act execute the will Of that body, for their reasons
and desgns-not for any reasons OF his own; Tor he IS
not asked have, exercise express any Whatever IN
the discharge OF the duty The expression OF any Opt
nion therefore, either the way or The other, would
have been entirely supererogatory on his part lie forms
no part Of the Legislative body and has no right there
fore To impose his any Legislative act Or express
sion of opinion On the contrary he is the proper organ
which has always heretofore been used Tor all Connuni
cations to Senators and to other States VIOLATION OF
respectful rqucst the representatives of the people
direct insult the people themselves NO Governor De-
fore has ever had either the hardhoodor the lndIscreon
his station for purposes of insult or dsrespect But
this bubble only calculated to kind OF make weight
aud the Governor himself does not regard as OF much
consequence, for he snys And, as cannot consider
" the resolutions am requested to transmit otherwise
" than requiring papablc violation Of the ConstItu'
" ton of the United States, should incur guilt, from
I" which, not the approving vnIce of the present
" General Assembly would suffice TO absolVe me, were
" to lend my aid, knowingly, in any way tn give CT:
feet to such purpose" have UNDERSIGNED the word
prcssa to call particular attention to the force OF the
expression Now, will any Of common sense sup
pose that his transmitting these resolutions 'ch request
&c would gre effect to such purpose as he indicates:
Not the least extraordinary branch of this subject, is
his request that the General Assembly, either az kind
ness to him, or justice to the people, will permit him to
spread upon their journals. document giving his rea-
son for believing that they have violated the Consttu-
ton in the passage of the resolutions The Republicans
will scarcely thank him for his uaaskcd:tor adutee-,tho
warrant if the Governor is anxious 10 deliver him.
self of the moral lecture he has prepared but winch pro-
baby screteer head has advised him not TO thrust
before the Legislature even they will be willing to hear
much disgtaced by the emerity Of any British governor
reads his Lecture any Evening most convenient 10
himself As for his friends, trust in Heaven, II they
approve of this innovation the Legislative Depart.
nent by the Governor, they will insist upon the request
to send il to the Legsa,ureond, though his friends IN
the Senate would not c, the Old President have his Pro-