Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-05-26
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. }
RICHMoNp Nav % 1910 Z


h-NDC " Nv r. bEFAK IMENT.l
RICHMOND, May rs, 1912.
To Gel. Charles Psrro,s. Col. James D;U.rs S.s
etsrLshss; Your letter aud the Resolution,
sMc1pted by arespeetable meeting of the peope of
Nelson county, nj their April court, have been re.
esou; nave read, with great interest," your letter
~, ~, .eSo'uuons' and whilst ngtee with Won
matt u not for any slight or trivial cusr H.,
the Legislature should he convened in s,,,, ss..on
"ue "n'y "nen great ssh presses upon the eommu-
nifty, and when legislative aid promises b.nnso;.l
sS S, ye', u,her with you az to the proprie,y
OF converting the Legislature for the obeei. ;n,;s,r
ted IN your letter, and set forth in the RrsaI,,,;
Of the meeting. You say, "The question ,bsn 49,
ses Is great evil now expressing a large nor,;on 90
he people, enu can legislation relieve theml" You
then proceed TO answer tho first part of your n,o
position, and say-"that the people are yerv I.rse
W IN debt,-that all kinds Of property are ex,,meIv
ION. Sc. These things were all known 10 IN.
members OF the Legislature whilst they were here
IN regular session. and they then had under consde
ration the proprie,y OF doing what IN, nsonIs Of
Nelson now desire me 10 convene them 10 40 IT,.
propre,y Of the passage ola Stay Law for .xecn
tions ana deeds IN trus,,-and to allow the Banks n
longer time TO resume than that now 6xed by I,,,
was solemnly argued and deliberately con,;d.,.t
by that body more ihan once, and il determined ,h,,
u was improper to do either. Has any r,,v .yu
arisen sneei Arc the people more in deb, no w ,ban
ney were theo, or are their debts pressing them
more now than It was foreseen then. and Toll ,hs,
wouldl presume, that 50 far from nnv rey, -
having arisen since the adjournment of The I e,i.
lature, IN consequence of the indehtednes, of ,h.
people, that much OF the Indebtedness which then
eSS'eu mas oeen discharged; so that the arsun,ent
based upon the Indebtedness of the neonle = -
less strong than nj the time the Legislature had m.
SUBJECT under consideration. Suppose 4 WIS IN &c
oeue 70 'ne request OF the people OF Nelson. and
convene the Legislature for the purposes set FIR -
their resolutions Tie sam. nersor, - -, ~, ..
gether rs members Last winter woud corr. -;
! should nave brought them from their homes :, !.
.nson VI tne year, at great personal inconye.
ue'1e W la"y OF Wern, and expense TO the State
merely 10 revise and reconsider their former acts
should have nothing new to commun.c,te 90 H.,
Al that could do, would he 10 tell then, ., LII,
what they knew when assembled before -. ,b., a.
people were greatly embarrassed by their indebted
ness, and that some OF them desired The n,ss,. c .
STAY law, and n law allowing a LONGER Inn. 10 III
Banks TO resume than that now fixed bv law To
! which, think, the members would resno,J =. ~,
DAD at Their regular session to the pet,ions of IN.
people;-That they would pass netber W.,
then ought 10 jo-Contnue TO cal, ,ben, ,,,,i..,
IL seems 20 me that | could do NOTHING les anj
YET, thnk, such urse would be utterly ds
sWueuve OF our institutions My opinion is tha,
'ne trainers OF our constitution never intended thu,
inc Executive should in any manner interfere N
controul the action OF the Legislature rho,, 80
MN no power TO veto law, nor is the ,sSs,-, al
the Executive at all necessary to the ennc,;n, I,,y
Ana yet II he has the right to convene IN. I,eg;s-
W ieVlse ana reconsider their acts he possess,
es right which. II exercised, might he much n,oo
potent Than the Veto power. Suppose tho Exs.nt
tive wished TO have a law passed upon ans, s,b;c,
or one repealed which had been passed All ,b,, bs
would nave to do, would he to say that he thougb,
the law lie desired passed would he hishIv Lsnss
| ciai TO the people, or the one he wished rens,Iod
would be preludicial to them; II the menbers a IT,
ed and refused 10 comply with his sugsestions tbo
instant they Adjourned, convene them 10 n,is q,
| repeal the law which they had refused "a 80 =,
repeal rs the case might be, and so continue IN ia
! 1 he struggle would no doubt be n severe one =,
htst, between the Executive and Legislature. bu,
tue members OF the Legislature would Le forced 10
pass OF renea' the law, or continue always in session
or NJ least during the period that the person ,,bo
might chance AZ the time 10 he i'm the Eyecu,;,.o 81
nee should continue there | think If an Eycc,,iy,
were so TO act, that he would be Liable IN dc 80,
est censute and punishment which could he mai,
Gu on MN, ~ - true the power in the Executive Ia
convene Tie Legislature is unlimited; II must ne
cessarily he so, rs It would be impossible for ,r,
trainers oil constitution TO ioresee and provide 70,
every contingency which might arise in the Stat,
10 tehder the converting Of the Legislature neees.
sary; and lhInk have shewn thar ne rucb -;
~ might result from an improper EXERCISE y, H.
power, as could result If the power did not exist
My opinion Is, that the power TO convene Tho I a.
es'ature was never given to the Executive as n
means IN any manner To enable him To ip,c,C.r. -,
the action OF mat body, either directly or Indirectly
Il was only given 10 prevent injury TO the neonI,
from the happening of some emergency which mi bt
arse during the recess OF that BODY and which
cou'1 nor reasonably be anticipated by it when II
regular session, and for no other purpose Knou,.
lns as do, that the very subjects which Won RI.
quest me to convene the Legislature TO consider of
were considered by it when in regular session,
NUS, respectfully decline complying with the re-
quest. must ask you, as the organs Of ,bs yoso,.
ing "hom you represent, TO make my determinn
| IONS known TO tbs people Of Nelson and in ordc,
mat they may be made known to the people OF IN,
STATE generally, shall cause this letter 10 be pub.
lIshed at this place.
| am, most respectfully,
| Your ob't servit,