Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-02-03
FoR THE VINO.
To the People Of Virginia.
LEGISLATURES

| Eternal vigilance Is the price OF Hbertyr
ms has been sounded in your ears a thousand
| tunes, ana as often unheeded. A truth embalmed
IN patriotism, and handed down from our illustr;on
ancestors, should find dwelling place and home in
every heart. Few need be stimulated TO attend 10
private concerns. They supervise with ieaIous
scrutiny ther asents-make them responsible Tor
transgressions, whether Of commission or omission.
whist society Is full of careful vigilant and ndus.
trlous individuals who look well to private intercs,
why Is 1t that public wrongs and transsressions are
scarcely glanced at, and, if noticed, only with Inc
Jaunaiced eyeot party pejudice7 The Old nroverb
explans t-"Wbat Is every mans b".;no me- P'GVeIo
oouy's business" The obligation imposed bv Tire
auy % ah,s iet by none. How else can lie eYe
Pained your utter insensibty 10 your nubic
iunctlonaresl Begin with those most diresi, ~
| GountaoIe-your legislators. How long have thew
| been IN session. Near two months Whit bnys
they ice! Echo answers whatl Thew have done
The nearest possible thing to lcihiHg. Call them be-
lore you, and they will individually admit il. All
are loud IN condemnation, yet no one admits ke
contributes TO II The different sides of the House
mutually ascribe it to each other. One side NAV
be more IN fault than the other, yet the sin rests
heavy upon the heads Of all. The mania for speecb
making should be corrected. Modest and sensibI.
men rarely speak, and never unnecsssarilv I;,,io
MINDS are continually agitatGd-a perpetual "tem
pest IN tea pot" The palmer the proposition. The
longer the speech-and one foolish eusion calls for
Two IN explanation. Could you but witness for n
week !heIr proceedings, you would turn ffom your
|
modification. From present Of pearances ,,.rs :,
: 10 SUIT the individual convenience of members
the session wo;,,id run into April but planting corn
and bowling before the severe gns whose ;n,.,..,
ihey trample under foot, will call them home soono
was The impression Of many who voted for The
convention TO amend The Constitution. thar bv r,s
dueng the number Of members, the brs;nss, II 81.
Rouse would be sooner dispatched and the exnens,s
OF the Government much lessened Rut Ls, ,b;
reasonable expectation been fulfilled No. The
sessions are longer than under the old Constitution
ask IS this evil 10 continued Is there M roroJ,3
Some lew can see all the evil in ths ,,oo,,.,,' :
our constitution, and would have another Conven
uon 70 make u more explicit. Vain hone ,his or
shortening the sessions. Let the same supinepess
e1Ist on the part Of the Peoplo-the Same indiAer
ehce who IS sent 10 the Legislature so ne lac ~ IL
right political fdith--ihe same uphodng ~ ,,' 'a''
VeIS oy party pressos-nnd though the Constitmi;on
shou.n be "as clear as sunbeam the sessions 80.
SUI, be long, Tor the parental care which s eY,end
90 oy our Legislature over Federal relations omen,
/ an nterminable ocean TO navigate in No 4 -,
we shall not, in this generation, be e0oin as;
uted upon the subject Of a Conyention Mo-
TALENT was IN the last than we could expect /, en-
mef, ana u doubts exist as to the meaning of m.
instrument, we may regard il as n csmmon 49,.
lection TO the wofks Of man; for wbs, Ma."tsm
maoIsonJ Monroe, Leigh, SIanard, Scott, Cooke
ana such men could not make explicit ze mar ~
vain hope 70 be made plain by Others. ' ~
bu' 70 NC question. is there no remedy1 an
| in
/ hands. Re-deei no member the suee,,di1o S,rs.,
who was one Of the long session rn,ub,S, 'TLs
you will say Is harsh. confess there mr.. sor.
ilnble and useful members, Who nre afflicted :, H.
waste Of Time and llue progress made in public
business; but, IN fact all are more or lee. ''
bic, for they tolerate the waste of tin,e-sn'nord
INC rules to hear even third speech from the ssns
| individual upon the same subject Sucb an go,
pie would cure the evil for 20 years, and N tbcn
fresh incubation should be required il would last
n -.
patrols, they would be oomforted in the good ro
suung 70 their country, from their temporary era,
from IL aerVes ~
should you not bayo nerve or concert enough IN
apply the oausuc and cutting knife a. above sue.
ge,eo, mere " SUI another remedy. Require law
70 be passed, ihatH they nt over certain number
OF days, their per diem allowance shall ston. some
sessions arc necessarily lof ger than othersL6x IT,
time 80 that by due diligence they could despstcb tbs
whole legitimate business Of every session. Sir
weeks is long epough-certainly sixtv ,davs. Il,
their pay stop after the sin weeks or sirtY DAYS. ~
may be deemed best, and you would have 6n,,v
lqps, ioisT onsS-and distress not vourseivs.
With the idea, that their patriotism will Jnpoysrsb
them. Ihey viii not remain more than 6 days in
/ 10 wears at their own cost
| Again--it would economize time much. 10 re
quife AZ their hands, that all appointments sbould
be made early IN the sossion--the hra week or ten
| days II fanhest. IL would sootho party spirit.
bring the members moro closely together, prevent
Po.ung, eehem'ng, caucnsing, and endless speaking
for mere party purposes.
But, aboye all things, keep Vigilant eye over
| them-hold Them 70 strict accountab ity, and be
moro cautious IN besto~ing your SURFACES. Select
men o. sound, natural, and practicable minds.
| Rarely confer your votes upon little lawyers and
deputy clerks, who consume thousands Of your mo.
ney ~ windy speeches. such as could be purchased
al any court house for fifteen shiilines.
IN another number, may cell your attention 10
' The jodicai department FRANKLIN.