Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1837-01-19
VIRGINIA LEeszsEl.aTVEzE>.
DEFERRED PROCEEDINGS.
HOUSE OF Misunderstanding, Jan.

tIr. SrAHAhD addressed the House opposition To
The BILL and in reply 10 some remarks 81. Mr. Booker
yesterday, said, that gentleman assumption that the
Convention intended. hy naming the LIST OF January in
the Constitution, designate that day the commence
mrnt cf the term, grautous. lfsuch had been Tie
intention Of the trainers OF the Constitution, they would
not have miven the Legislature the discretion 10 fix
any other day. That such not their desi gn, was
further evident from The ac that the General Assembly
next after the Convention: containing many members Of
the Conyennn had, when the question of fixing the
day belize tIen decided upon the 3lst OF March,
and fixed ii The CONNIE Eccn!eGt Of The GOvern"I
term. by law. That Legislature was fully aware OF the
D-ntons Of the trainers of the Constitution; and their
decision fixing the 3lst March, adopted after mature
drbratlon, it did not pass the two Houses until the
9Th Of February The reason for designating The Is,
OF January in the Constitution the day oi the
ncGccnirns v the term unless changed by law had been
| entirely mistaken. That day was named because the
term OF The Governor incumbent at that lime, closed
that day under the provision III the old C"ns uon, and
1t was not the desire Of the Convention IL interfere with
his term but Ia leave to Tie Legislature the duty Of fix
ing the day, with the power TO allow the incumbent to
remain in office u The commencement Of the term
il should be liked by law. The acts Of the next Lega
turc after the onvenon showed that they understood
the Constitution. They fixed upon the 3lst Of March,
the incuu bent whose exp red on tie LIST OF January,
remaining in Office until the commencement OF the new
| term.
Tie law was passed, as Mr.. S. had before said, after
mature dclbcralIon, ad what the considerations
which recommend that lawior he scorned TO enter ~
10 the llIul Temporary considerations which had been
suggested OF the bill before Tie
Iuuse. Under the odd constitution, the Governor was
elected for twelve months and lie went out and came
into office al the most announcement period Of the year,
w!c trr the convenience OF Tie new incumbent or the
oi the public business Considered. BY
the commencement OF the term at the Isl OF january 10
was put to great personal Inconvenience. And one ~"
cessary consequence OF that Inconvenience vi his ad
vent aud going vi Office during the winter,
what limit he range Of selection, not only regarded
Individuals bat 10 localities For, while 1t nlg ht net
be iuconve those who lived i'll Richmond and lis
vicinity, very luuch 10 individuals aa distance
ltvng perhaps the oo!d Of the state, 10 whom It
would BIZ isagreeab'e to separate from their families Ct
that period t.avel almost lmy2sSa3e
ians the Of Government and even il these diff
lcuItiIs were surnpunted, and Governor presented
hIsc! the first day Of tie silll the State must
BE- deprived Ut tie services OF the Governor Tor CERTAIN
period, for he would be obliged to rcu! 10 Drng GiS
lanIly to Richmond. and The Senior Councillor nut act
his absence" here were, thea. these objections /" me
cnangel Ina: il would ptr"rh! SOME Individuals ~ IL-
Stale from beng caGG daeSand that, while II woua
hot operate pr v!ng the seat OF Govern
meat it would persons ily!ns al dstancr-and thus
IL would give untuIi opportunities to the citizens vi
different PORTIONS o the State 10 enjoy tins olce These
however, but minor considerations compared with
far Important. ii was well known tact that
lie Governor was OcEer called for information du-
ring The ul the Legislature than al any other Pc
rioI-und that his duties len much more arduous
and important than at any other time. Tins IVES Ike
case only because tie Legislature itself created bu.
sneSs for the Governor; but because the business OF 1T
dvIduas living III distant parts OF the State, with his
Executive was generally condsd 10 the nc!nprrs COM
ing here So that the general business OF Tie oce was
much greater. and CURED much greater c"I"u
of time and labor, during the winter than any o.r pr.
of the year. Every one kew that the prun'H
Gdlclous and beneficial performance oi dul' OF lie
KIND. require previous practice; aud that t!ry
could be more speedily and more correctly duEe y
tunconary having SOME experience, than ny a ne"
ly elected Governor. That officer coming here L"
take Office during the OF the Legislature, would
find in the hands OF his predecessor mass Of bust
ness halt done; many subjects requiring his action,
partially malurcd. The Governor cannot await
himself OF the unfinished labors OF his predecessor he
is obpcd 10 take up all such business anew; ami thus
what had been done relation ~ II IS lost AEd Tie
Governor is thus thrust upon business requiring
prvuplncss while In is and bat slightly acquainted
with the duties required OF HIM. Wide Tie Stale loses
The cxerons OF the previous Governor all those sub
rcs which he leaves unfinished; which, /! he had con-
lnued in Office he would have completed, and which
must be despatched while the Legislature is III session
These nconycnIcnccs seemed IT, Mr. B so EbVions, that
they needed only he stated. 1t evident that thy
could only be avoided BY the commencement Of The q
vcrnors term of cice time when the business 10
light and when he will not be distracted by calls tor the
ueriu nance Of duties with which he has had Iiir Ia
become acquainted He would then, gradually Instruct
himself in his duties, and be able when called upon to
perform them wlh pronpudc. Perhaps this mig Int be
said to he consideration Of personal conrr nIen'c But
in this personal convenience was public CONVENIENCE
lur If they bestowed al Office upon public tuIctionary
time when his services were required, ard there were
great nconvt nlcncrs attending his situation, they threw
OBSTACLES the way Of i..e performance o! tie public
business and proven ed It's correct and speedy Cespatc
II this experiment. TO be tried ami IT proved
injurious, be changed at any tlm"-s'' in5 That The
Legislature had the rIm Int 10 m3kc the change, 1t might
be made without much lear for the consequences In
thai case, the the Legislature should have as
c-rlanrd that tic experiment had thil,d Eey co"!a
change again at their pleasure. But tie House "a
perceive that such not Le cheulsti ncts ui:'r
which this alteration attempted; f the peri d w' u
another change could be- made should IN" new day "'
found nc0uvcnicHt, would only occur IN conjhnci"Gr
like the p;c snl 1t would b. objected, that tbs iima-
tim Of The power was declared IN the resolution winch
was recently adopted in this House. If the Legislator"
now changed the time, they could not change It aga!n
until The resignation OF Governor should again
cal! in action Tie power o the Legislature They could
not say when such state Of things would occur again
IL miuht next year, and It might not during the
life ut any of those who heard HIM II was probable that
it would IL rae occurrence as was eynccd oy expo
renee II they took the number OF such occasions from
the first accumulation OF tile Government 10 tins pcIir,
i, would be found that they had happened but seldom.
Mr. ) could OF vOuch for the correctness OF whal he
would state and he in error Ire hoped some gen
trmon would correct him: 1t was his belief mat "y
two instances Of vacancis created by the deat VI le-
sisnaon o. the Governor occurred uncef Iic oiu E'
s,itunn IL now sixty one years s"G Hs'''' ""u
been Connlouweatlan previous |" ic chse'
there had Leen but vacancies III Tue chiei EH'cu'e
otiicc-so that. Judging from the past such an oppoF'u'
ny Of c!auuinr the Jaw igt nc" again take place IN
,hTiv wears II thea. the Legislature now hSsd upon
| Wv. IT,. ard ,i,at day should prove incunvenrut,
IT, ico, yr,cucr could not probably be removed Ter an
,o In, r,,st during that whole time br endured lie
rL TO, d-tan the House to draw comparison OF Tile
| ...ui.nc:s wich he had stated, with any probable
,.,,.oc:: wich sTouI be derived from tn" change no.
neutrality-suspicious. Iealiyor'iIe individual 10 be the Co.
.rgaur ior Il few weeks il necessary to post
,rr tie election d: Governor because he takes OF
ice on the :;ist March; the House could make the
e~atinn Tomorrow il they pleased. The only gnes,
lion was, whether by this bill, the Governor should
come into office the 3lst OF March or at previous
dayanG The Legislature decided UPON the earlier cay
,lf S supposed person elected would scarcely arre
ro in time 10 lake Office at the commencement OF Tie
term unless he resided within striking distance IRON!
IL. ndIV