Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1842-03-17

,IrcTIoN oF a GOVERNOR.


they urge ags;ns; popular Governments,
is their ineGiciency, or want of power,
from confusion Of counsels, 10 promote the
public good. 10 short, they say, that re-
preventative democracy is an impracficobie
form Of government, and that in all cases
where il has seemed, for a while, to work
well, il is indebted for that felicity to some
happy accident. The North American
Republicans, say they, have been Boosting
Tor nigh half century, Of the splendid
success of their great experiment IN gov
lernment. But see to what II has come. at
last. A deficient revenue, and growing
debt in time OF profound tranquility, or
at least OF external peace with all the
world. deprecated currency, which
the prevalence Of faction, in their councils,
renders it, every year, more difficult 10
bring back to u sound condition. A con-
tInued drain Of the precious metals, to pay
loleigu balances. growing cut of unwise
laws Tor the regulation Of commerce.
States only half represented in the Senate
OF the Union, by reason Of faciious dis
pntes among the electors. Others not re.
presented at all, for the same reason.--
Every thing, in short, tending to Anar-
chy.
1t is time that great effort were made
TO convince the world that these things
are the accidents, not the vice, of our sys-
tenn. Ii party spirit has insensibly de.
generated into faclious feeling, to such an
extent that our Legislative bodies can no
longer agree upon any efficient remedy
for the ills we groan under, IL is time for
every true patriot, for every one who
lovesswell. regulated liberty, and abhors
anarchy, to shake off the yoke Of faction,
and 80 for the country.
Even we in Virginia, albeit not quite SO
mad with factious feeling Us our misguid-
ed brethren in Tennessee, are beginning
to fall into a state Of anarchy. is it not
an opprobrlum to the State. that it remain
ed 50 long only half repres nted In the
Senate of the Union We, the strenuous
asserters of State Rights, voluntarily alb
dica,ing our power and influence in that
body which is especially entrusted with
the conservation Of those rights Can
such things be, and not excite our special
wonder!
And what is the spectacle exhibited at
the present session Of the Legislature T.
One Of the three great departments Of our
government--th Executives 10 be-
kept, it seems, for another year, in a
manned and paralytic condition, because
the iunc,onaries appointed by the people,
TO elect Governor, cannot, or will not,
perform that duty. Not the slightest dis.
respect is meant for the worthy and re
spectacle citizen, on whom, in this inter
regnun the duties Of the Chief Executive
Magistrate are imposf d.. /, for one, would
be perfectly well satisfied to see him elect.
ed Governor Tomorrow. But usage has
made i, part Of our constitutional law,
that an acting Governor" is not bound,
like a regularly elected Governor, to de.
vote his whole time and energies to the
duties of his office. The exigencies ofthe
times require an undivided attention, by
the Governor, to the public veal.
exercise the right Of citizen Of the
Commonwealth, by saying to the General
Assembly that the people cxpec, them to
perform their duty by electing Govern
or. 1t COMFORTS with the dignity OF Vir-
GINA, to confess to the world that the ma.
chine Of her Government is SO i'll con-
strucied that IL iciH moi acork, or that those
whom she has selected, to keep it in order
and in motion, are incompt tent 10 the per-
formance Of tina, duty. Nor ought i, to
be forgotten, that the neglect of the Gen.
eral Assembly to perform its duty, as
college Of electors, is bad and dangerous
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Governor, they have similar right to
omit eleciing Councillors, from year to
year, ill the whole Executive Department
Of the Government is nuliied. In the
same manner, and with equal right may
they neglect TO appoint judges and so
the whole frame Of the Government may
fall into ruins, and anarchy ensue. 1t is
an evil precedent, and "many an error,
by the same example, may rush into the
State"
If the General Assembly, from any
cause, are unable to make a selection a.
mong those who have already been nom.
mated, let the field of selection be enlarg-
ed. 1t would be easy TO name many CHI.
zens capable of performing, efficiently,
the duties Of the Chief Executive Office.
Exercising the right which belongs to
every citizen, | will name one--l mean
Mr.. Faulkner, OF Berkeley, now a mem.
Der Of the Senate.
His election is recommended by one
consideration, which, to me, seems not un.
important. lie resides in that great North
Western section of the State which has
never yet been honored by the selection,
from it, Of Governor of the Common
wealth, or indeed Of Senator. Ia so ex-
;ensve Commonwealth as this, wheE
there must, of necessity, be some feelings
of sectional pride, sectional distribution
of the honors of the State has q strong
tendency to promote harmony, and feel.
ing of attachment to the whole Common.
wealth. And, in this view, nothing can
be more ami sectional than sectional ap-
pontment judiciously timed and judicious-
ly made :-judiciousy timed, by prevent
ing, or soothing, sectional discomfort un.
der long neglect :-judiciously made, by
taking care not 10 elect a man Of narrow
or sectional views.
In this regard, the gentleman have
: named is above exception. Every vote
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