Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-09-15


eIected 10 the State Legislatures, or 10 Congress
,Vb;lc hnrc i little direct legislation for Tie bcnett OF
The farmer and mechanic, and scarcely any faF me"
specia benefit, statute books, particularly tn'ss
,io States are filled with laws designed to secure spe
ADVANTAGES To some other classes. To tax the pe
olc am, to enrich particularly individuals by giving
her The amount Of the tax, would be deemed an out
rave: but tie same thing, m substance, IS often &C
conplishrd unohsrrved by grants oi Corporate, Ii'
other snccai privileges In The exercise OF these PRIV
,,ors n great number Of people become d'7cnde"t o"
few and tiIlt number increases as these Prvlir-e
are increased and population advances The hhh'
consequence a reduction OF the price of labor, un
as in other Countries the greater portion OF IN" ahorh
class only able procure the E're means Of snhs'st
ence are doomed to hopeless poverty and perpetual a
ne ndrncc Presumption laws not only serve 10 check
His tendency Of th, many special privileges already cx
stns in country, but affords also relief against inc
evils which are thus produced wages Income SO 10"
as to afford profit to the laborer hry"nd bare SUI
s;stencc he can any time not only deliver hilsr
from condition So tispiriting, but become Inde
prndent farmer BY settling on the vacant lands Of th'
West A Few years of industry and economy will ena
HE him 10 nav for small tract and acquire the means
oflivnr comfortably, educating his Children and es'
blishinG them respectfully III tie world
In counteracting therefore, the effects monpolies
as they operate unavorably upon the working classes
look upon prescription laws rs valuable eXPed'c"r
But il is not IN ih,s point Of vcw alone that laws o
this character deserve to be iavorably regarded Inc
!
the land on which be enters and made IT productive oy
his labor PAYS for the government price OF dollar an"
% cents per acre. The results OF many years cSPe
Renee show that this equal nearly 50, to the ave
rage amount actually received by the government I"'
lands however Sold excluding, perhaps from the
calculation the sales Of brief seasons OF great mia
tons nf the currency and eXraragant speculation, IKE
those of 1919 and l-:6 These moneys are paid INTO me
National Treasury. and cxoncrate the people oil al '
Sto,s from taAcs amount greater ny Two or thirs
| a., n,ypIi Dr IN
ir,ncc IN the Expenses Of collection Whilst the people
or The old States thus receive FAR cqu"nent 'oF ''
interest in these lands the States IN which they are st.
mated receive also additional advantages, without Prcn'
dice 10 the former. Presenting, as the new states are
,b,s enabled 10 do place Of refuge and comfortable
bnme TO The ahorois aud unfortunate ofcrery State and
country their numbers increase with astonishing rapu'
tv and consl the felemcnt OF State prosperity
an Industrious independent, and virlunns population
The rerret which in the old States mghl othcr-
wise frI on account Of the withdrawal Of many OF their
inhabitants will he assnagcd by the reelection that the
cirrans are generally bone OF their hone ana ies o'
their flesh hound to them by nnnnerabe ana ha'Sso
be tics and that, communities they car never nave
b,rhar Doiical interest than 10 ASSIST us III raising
our common country that elevated position III he
family Of nations which she s, trust under tne pro-
violence Of God, destined 10 occupy. The lst'hcation
Of This anticipation depends, in inconsidcrabe degree
unon IL" in which the public DOMAIN Is a''P"S'u
oc b. Congress Il NAV, unfortunately. pn7su" sici!
pnlrv ~ shall tend vest arC" tracts "i public
lands in the hands Of few aud prevent thai diStbi-
tion oi them aong III" many, which IS most canseiia!
with Rrpuhcn institutions.
Your third, fourth and 18th questions, relate To my
course in regard 10 the right of suffrage IN the New
York State Convention Although your enquiries are
made 70 refer few specific points only, do you the
Justice believe that it will be more ag1eenoc as II
certainly must be useful, to he informed OF me
ground occupied by me, with the reasons inr 1t, upon
every material question that arose IN that body upon t
| tl,n
was nv intention prepare a statement containing
such in formation for YOU, aud have Tor some time
been waiting for the requisite 'ntermsSion III my una
voidable official duties, to enable me TO do So una,
however that my friends at Albany, sensible OF the m
Justice which has been done to upnu the SUBJECT IN
various and remote quarters of the mon and having
access 10 the best means OF information, have, OF Their
own accord. and without communications wth nc,
prepared fall statement OF the matter and published
The same their own signatures. Upon careful
examination nfihis document. lind to contain true
and fair exposition Of my in the Convention,
upon the subject referred to- and send TO you MS such
In It's details you will find not only the particular IN.
formation YOU seek bu, also additional facts IN regard
Ia other branches of the general subic !, which cannot
be otherwise than servceabc III enabling you to form
corrun: estimate of the merits or dement's oil my
course.
I did not advocate but. the contrary, opposed,
vrsng IN the Govrrnor the absolute r'gnt 70 appoint
Justices OF the Peace My proposition was, to give
in each county, (Which is composed of individuals an
nuallg elected by the people, one IN each town IN Inc
county and the court Of common pleas ench c"un
tv When they agreed in their nominations, the TO-
vernon had only perform the duty nrssung commas
Sims Ia the persons nounatcd but If these two bodies
presented different Isis, he had the right oil selecting
from either hut was confined in his choice to the names
thus presented To do justice nmv course, Is heces-
sarv tina, you should understand the circumstances un
der which il adopted and the reasons by "hich
was influenced they were assigned al the t'me' On
der tho old CONSTITUTIONS almost every officer OF The State
| Government was appointed by council! OF appoint
mcn. composed Of IN" Governor and Tour senators,
elected b. the II of Assembly. Those who entertained
the erroneous opinion which regards the possession OF
patronage ns source Of popularity, and an engine OF
power in Governments like our own, attributed Inc
lonu uscendency of the then dominant party III the
State 10 the influence derived from this council, and
were therefore, slow to believe that majority Of
friends Of that party in tho Convention would be wiling
10 abandon il entirely. Their apprehensuns, IN tbs
respect were in no nconsdcruhlc degree, confirmed,
when ! was placed hv Governor Tompklns president
of the Convention al the head Of the Committee on the
appointing power Oar report, however, PIT 70 iiigh
these suspicious, by recommending: lst Inc aboi-
ton Of the old council appointment and I'd That The
different officers of the Government should be selected
and appointed in the following manner, viz: The otiI-
Gers of the mt1, principally by the militia them
selves the State officers by the Legislatures sh"rlS and
all judicial officers, except justices OF the peace, ny inc
!
mon councils Of the respective cities, and justices OF the
peace hy the people Of tho towns. Most OF these re-
Communications adopted by the convention; bnt
sharis and clerks of counties directed to he cho-
by the people, and justices Of the peace IN the man
nc stated above, having been proposed by nc, after
unesscntal modification. My reasons fer that propo-
ston fully stated in the copy of Hollands i",
which has Ecen transmitted to me by MIR. Alexander,
one of the sgncrs of your letter, hut too extended
for insertion here. Some of those reasons had their
origin you will perceive, in the difficulties which
we had experienced, during the war, in consequence Of
the local magistrates being for in the hands Of
the Opposition, and consequent indsPos'ton on my
part to separate the Executive, whose dutyit was to
cause the laws to be enforced from all agency in their
selection.
Another and prominent reason is expressed IN tn"
following extract from the observations made hy Gse, 81
the occasion: ''W" DO not, ar sud MIR Van Bu
rem, ''deny the competency u the people 10 make I
proper choice: this argument has been unfairly and un
truly stated Those who oppose the election Of JUS.