Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-01-20

IN ~ ~ et"ets s'e '''-'' - - y - ''''
.issrm5fy.
Passed January 18th, lsi2.
L. Be enacted 6y The GeRerat assembly, That alter the
expiration of ninety days from the commencement ii
any session of the General Assembly Of Virginia, tie
aay Of tie Members shall be reduced to the Q! two
dollars per day.
, This Ac, shall commence and be in force from AMI
after the passing thereof.
We cannot lay this Law before our readers, without
expressing deep regret that we did not ioTa ag!
state our views OF it whilst il pendng before
the Legislature. We regret tn passage OF any 81
Law We do think the Legislature ought 10 lie up
their hands in tbs way. !; they waste tier the,
,rach ire do not dam HE remedy consists IN Their rur
responsibility to their Constituents. But haze
no idea of bringing tie sessions 10 close, U.ea
perhaps the public interests, and some unexpected
emergency which demands their protracted excrlions
should require proongaton OF their session. Espe.
ciay We have idea Of tying up the hands Of tie
State Governments, in any struggle which may IL
produced by the usurpatons Of the oycrshadowng pow
or II Washington II that Government should eEcfadCh
upon the Rights Of the States, then the State Leg sa
lures should become the Cadeis Of the Public Liberty
and we consider very advised, and mos; nschlev
Gus course parayze their exerons and to c up Their
hands in any such struggle Ear better 10 pass such
law for the Congress Of the IT, States, who waste much
time IN idle and imprisoned and dsgraceul proceed
ings and whose acts frequently call Tor the intcrpo.
son OF the State Legislatures 10 'arrest the progress
OF tie evil" Far better 10 mu2zle them, than
ze the ceniines upon the wa:ciowcrs Of tie States
This law is SAID to he no party measure; nor ought rs
repeal TO be the Of party. Both parties,
various sessions, have moved in the General Assembly
upon Federal Relations and, as MIR. Hopkins saisac
tory proved, We think, il his luminous speech on
Tuesday last The Wings have used tins privilege
freely than the Democrats But IT is not the interest
Of either party to muzzc the States, or 10 sacke ear
energies With these impressions, we respectfully
ask, whether II 100 late To attempt repeal 81 tins
law: Some gentlemen contend, ha, the law IS
peaabe under the Constitution. But It requires NOR
ingenuity than have yet displayed upon IL"
question: TO satisfy upon this pointAll seem, how
ever, be Of opnion that il applies 10 the present
What then must think Of the discretion Of legs
la,ors, 1--WE speak with all due respectD who viii pass
law after The has out one half, to cut Of rs
curation whilst few Of the great measures beiofc I
are matured for action Almost all the great
measures generally and necessarily thrown upon
the final part OF the for they require documents
to be presented materials TO be collected, study 70
dersiand and tine 10 discuss them.
One of the strongest objections feel 10 this bill,
is, that il casts reelection upon the Legislature Il
not only presupposes, that they sPosed shameful
y eglect their duties, but that they are aval
cious of The public to be willing to extend
their sessions beyond the 90 days for half pay
But if gentlemen are not willing TO repeal the liw
for the present sesson-or if there be really nny
stitutional stumbing-bock in tie way-tep may they
not coniine It's operation 10 themselves, and leave their
equally free they were, u judge for them
selves. There cannot surely be any constitutional cli.
fculty that score.
We take ground upon this matter, members
would think, against the popular current. We know,
taking ground against the interests OF our 81.
ice-but must speak out notwithstanding.
But if gentlemen VIII not move in this business
if they are determined 10 close their session BIZ the
second of March, what remains: They ought no@
to double their teams. They ought 10 work double
tides. They must sacrifice their comfort, aud their
e-call their Committees together in the night,
very early in the acknowledgement their sessions
10 Iap-- thor nj
most wholly 10 the public seryice-and leave great
measure untnshed.-or, if gentlemen prefer il,
they make their bed, they must lay upon it. they
canno, finish their business by the Pad Of March, they
may proong their session upon half rations. We too
are the friends of wise economy, much they
but we have idea of any economy, which neglec,s
the public scrvce-or which permits Representatives
either TO their time unnecessarily, or denies
them their fair compensation, when the public interests
may really call upon them TO dedicate than nine
ty days TO the service Of the Commonwealth