Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-04-16


can enjoy under them the largest amount of civil hap
pness which is attainable. This depends chiefly on
the vigilance of the people, and the justice with which
they shall discriminate between faithful and treacher
Gus public agents
Your ellow-ctizen,
THOMAS. w. GILMER.
VIRGINIA AND TIE NEW ApMINIsTRATIoN-[No H.
The ETtra Session.
| In canvassing The claims of the New ADMINIsTRA-
TIoS to the confidence and support Of VIRGINIA, we
should not, at this early day, form positive opinions
except upon those subjects which tile President and
Cabinet have taken decided action. 1t would as Ill
become us, who resisted any change III the Govern
ment, TO begin premature opposition, as 1t now does
many of the Wings who give indscrimnate sup
port to all the measures that have been adopted. Let
us then only dwell upon those measures which are
fairly entitled to our approval or apprehension.
The character OF the Cabinet, Of the Executive
appointments, and of the removals from office is now
we'll enough ascertained The conduct of the new Ad-
mnistratIon in these matters has made many OF lis
warmest friends look around in astonshment al what
has been done, whilst certainly none OF It's opponents
have been conca,ed 1t is not our present purpose
discuss these matters but TO pass 10 subject of
more paramount importance. The principle OF reno
walls in general, the practice of the Democratic and
Wing Administrations, and the propriety and eonsis-
eney Of the Administrations taken in refer
to their declarations, will form the subject of the
next number.
The chief measure of the new Admnstralion-the
measure taken with the deepest delberationthe mea-
which has most elated The hopes of IFS friends,
and which has given its opponents most anxiety, on
of the array of fearful results ii is expected 10
producc-is the EXTRA SESSION CoSGREss, to be
held on the 3ls of May This forthcoming session of
Congress every way worthy of being called "EItra
II has been convoked by extraordinary set of men,
At an extraordinary time, and Tor an extraordinary OBJ
ect The question now TO be decided is whether there
are extraordinary circumstances sufficient TO justify
snch measure; whether there is sufficient reason for
calling together from their families and arocatons the
Representatives of the people, at busy season OF the
year and at an enormous expense on the Public Irea-
sury.
The evils of called session of Congress numP-
rous Il raises hopes which 10 he realized.
Il holds out 10 the country the expectations OF pros
perty never 10 be seen. 1t affords inducements TO
men to leave their honest employments and look for
aid from the Government trases the spirits OF chap
fallen adyenturers and tends to prolong the existence
and put off the inevitable ruin of desperate specula
Tors and hopeless bankrupts Its issue will be disap
pantnent and delusion, hopes blasted and promises
unlulfed. Its authors will yet rue the day when il was
called
In 1897, when by an extraordinary train of circum-
stances all the Banks the country suddenly closed
their doors, this measure was adopted by MIR. Van
Buren,, and met with the acquiesccnce of men OF all
parties The state Of public affairs then seemed to be
so critical that the President had but one course to
take He called Congress, and was appauded for the
act How different the feelings of the friends Of
that Extra Session, when it was over, and but little
good accomplished 1t broke up, and left neither Of
the Chem three parties satisfied with what had been
done And no more could be accomplished at session
convened without serious objection from any one II
the result Of such session was disappointment ana
heart burning what are we TO expect from an Extra
Session, resolved upon by only portion of the lead
ers of one party, whose very inception was factous,
and its Gull dlscountenanced by one entire party and
some of the most conspicuous men IN the other: Arc
the deliberations and resolves of such session OF
Congress- thus opposed and protested against, to en-
ure 10 the benefit of the country, to sootbe party
shirt and TO relieve "hard tines is any moral force
and influence 10 be derived from the acts of thus
called together adopt The measures of the Execu-
tive
The law fixing the time of the meeting of Congress
has been long operatlon-ndeed the hrst Monday IN
December is fixed by the Constitution itself There
hove heen many Extra Sessions since that Constitution
was adop.ed but they all held either in time OF
war or embargo or of extraordinary embarrassment.
Narrower. nearly every hitherto held has been
,orreu,d by la,c and not by The President When the
Presidents heretofore have though proper to exercise
their nreropntye in this respect, the adjournment OF
the breeding session of Congress has been antece-
dent 10 the cause for DOING or in other words the
Presidents have been forced TO act, because Congress
did not foresee the embarrassments OF the Govern
mont before they adjourned In the present case,
bou
Tho regular session adjourns, and before any cause
could have arisen 10 produce necessity for such
measure II was therefore, extraordinary act, and
contrary 10 all precedent The Constitutions oil most
Stoes direct that the Executive shall provide tor con-
nqencies which not toreseen by the legislatures
which only sit during aperuon Oh .he year S S ="
cass If ,le death of Senator of the United States,
during the recess of State Legislature, the EXecu'
five would have to fill the vacancy but The Executive
canno, SIMPLY any contingency which occurs whilst
The Legislature is in session The State OF Virginia
wos nearly two years without her full share OF repre-
sentaton the floor OF the Senate merely because
The vacancy occurred during the session of her Lee
pislature and they not electng any one, The Gor"or
eonId moi appoint Our lorefathers have taken espe-
ca care 10 prevent the Executive from performing any
duty which belongs TO The Legislature, except where
the latter cannot act, on account oil us temporary
eystence They have chosen to leave affairs as nuch
as possible in the hands of the representatives OF lhe
people, rathso than in those Of the Executive Our
former R0eidents too notwithstanding the power they
had on the oct, ha4Dever been disposed to leave
the call of Extra Sessions of Congress to That oooy
instead of assuming it themselves
II is vain for the friends OF the new Administration
to Justify th. extra session by referring to the con-
di,ion of the public finances II they neeoed iegsa
top it might have been adopted as well at The late re-
euar as at extra session of Congress- inns reasoh
therefore, will not tell with discerning commupy
But it has been gravely and repeatedly asked oy lhe
WHO'S shall the measures of Van Buren, be permitted
10 endure for year after the people at the polls have
decided against them;" This question may al hrs seem
plausble but if it be admitted, we establish Tue primer
pie that every new Administration must have an extra
session to carry out its own peculiar views II we ad
nit that the people, in deciding against one ADMINS
ratop, call for an immediate repeal of its
will the country cease to be attracted BY PRESIDENTS
procamations and harrassed by special sessions OF Con
gress Will not such doctripe make our presidential
mere squabbes between the ms and the outs
indeed, could the country have any fixed law, which
new Administration could not arrogate to itself the
power of repeating, under the plea that the people had
decreed it The whole doctrine is factlous, and put
forward solely to justify the extremes to which party
now eated with madness, are about to carry us;
of this specious Extra Session. 1t has been con-
vened for the purpose of smo'herng which na
been fairly tested-and whose merits were but seldom
canvassed in The late contest between the eontena.ng
parties. The INDEPENDENT Treasury is 10 be slf1ch
at. An attempt will be made to PROSTATE It now, be-
fore it fairly in operation, and its manifold adVan'a