Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-01-15
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
UedneSday, January ~.
4. If,.r,st,Es.sI> ft.It1. .r-rtnSc

moving that the bill be indefinitely postponed, ant
would take this occasion TO assign few OF the
reasons which lmpellcd him 10 that course. lie
believed that the only way in which the sessions o.
the General Assembly could be shortened was de
termination the part of the members to work
sianty at the business before them. As for his own
part he had attended here every dag of the session
cept during the holidays, and he had always attended
the meetings Of his committee had lie voted
in favor OF an adlournment--snch was his determine
ton long the session lasted and important business
before IT, With these facts, he felt sure his con-
stituents would not find fault with him, and lie was
sure that every member who had attended constantly
TO his duties would receive welcome from his
Mr. H. asked II 1t was right or Just that members who
detained here longer lhan 90 days should be put
upon The poor raons Of two dollars per day. As for
his own part his board came 10 within friction
Of that and il would BIZ hard indeed, il after the expI
ration Of 20 days members should he compelled 10 draw
their pay only for their landlades. Glr. referred in
terms Of condemnation 10 the practice Of meeting here
at IL and adjourniug at ); whilst constituents
worked from sunrise 10 sunset. This was one cause
of the protracted sessions.
But suppose the law should pass would it not be q
bone of contention at the next session. and would mol
more time be consumed in discussing il again than
would be saved by lis operation Would gentlemen
permit il 10 remain hlr. H. expressed It as his con-
victon, that Il would be repealed at the next session,
and thus al, the evils we now complained OF would be
upon AT the end Of 30 days, important business
would come up and the House would not hesitate IN
stantly to do away with the law. Mr. I'll. concluded by
expressing his nope that The question would be set
tied at once, by being indefinitely postponed
MIR. STEorHER supported the bill and combatted the
argument against reduction ofpay, by reminding gen
tlcnen Of that fund of patriotism which the House had
been told was 50 large and On winch drafts might be
made at pleasure. lie thought the example oitle MIS-
souri, legislature worthy Of imitation There, the
House al y sat TIL dinner took oi an hour,
then until dark and devoted the hours after supper
to meetings of the Committees lie unprecedented no
evil from The fact that the House would have 10 adj
onrn il. 10 days If there were any important bus-
ness after that tmc the Governor might easily
the Legislature again.
Mr.. CErTcmiELp thought The subject had been suE
fcientY discussed, and reminded the House Of the
cmn votes il had previously gIven-thc vote on the
main question, b. which amendments were cut oii-and
the vote on The cngrossmeh, lie thought the gentle
man from Powhatan had not given sufficient reasons
Tor the indefinite pos:ponement. Though that gentle
man was working man; yet others here not, and
il was desirable 10 bring them TO the scratch. lie
thou h necessity existed for extending the session
beyond The 10th of March, and called on members in
the Of God and Of mercy to the people 10 DO the
business aud diourn before that day.
MIR. SN!!n, II Kanawa, said he unwilling 10
pass bill which wond place him in situation similar
10 that Of The discharged soldier on hapay The bill
proposed even conditlon-that OF hnlf-Eay
and fi:l! duties After all he conceived that this bull
would not lave the desired effect which its friends
supposed There formerly very good rule in this
House, r. which no petitions could BE- offered after the
first fifteen days of the session. and no business INTRO
duced after thirty. Now, this rule put in force
now We should remedy all the evils complained Of
lie had been a member several years ago, and never
had sat 100 DAYS. Nov, Mr.. S. would not say that
there were, vet be thought there might be mcn
bcrs fond Of the city, that they would not introduce
the business until long after tic meeting of The House,
in order to stay here This old rule would have the
IL. I.,I ,,l
ced by his friend from Piltsylvania, would not.
Mr. LrynrRs wished the House TO avail itself Of
another valuable rn!e-thc Previous Question.
Mr. ScoTr Of +, hoped it would not be sustained.
Experience had shown that The time OF the House could
not be cconomsed.
Mr. LEYnuEx then Withdrew the call
Mr. Sco1r advocated the motion to postpone. lie
could not appreciate the which induced gentle
men to favor this BILL and lie desired 10 know b. what
authority could decide by aw that the sessions were
10 last but 90 days, If we could limit il to ~ days,
then we could limit il 10 co. any number we pleased
Suppose we sat longer than 90 days, would not laws
passed after the expiration Of that have the
force those within the prescribed period would
they be less binding; lie denied any authority on this
subject The matter must rest from necessity. Ii
must be left TO the discretion Of each Legislature to de-
eide the length Of its own session. This BILL however,
attempted 10 name the time when the sessions should
close. This was rejection on ourselves which Mr.
s. could not sanction By his vote for this bll lie did
not look home whether il wonld be popular among
his constituents or not When called 10 act, not
his custom 10 look over his shoulders To who wond
approye or censure but he took The Judgment Of his
own conscience, and believed hat by always 50 doing
he should best carry into effect the will OF those whom
lie represented.
Either 81 day too much, or it was not. If II
was then il should be reduced at the beginning Of the
session. and not at the end Of ninety days. Was board
any cheaper then than in the early part of the session
Certainly not. lie (ilr S. thought 81 was not Too
much lie was willing 10 receive IT. and 10 lax The peo
pie that amount, and he believed they would them
selves be unwilling TO vote for 4 reduction why, theI
should the pay be altered Gentlemen said 10 shorten
The session-to induce members to go home by cutting
off their paw Were We such parcel Of loairrs and
Iounrers iLat we would not adjourn unless wc were
starved out The trainers Of this bill had appealed 10
the most sod and base of all our feelngsto our Pc
cuniary interests Was il 10 be proclaimed to the peo
pe at large that we were willing TO sit here and loaf at
81 per day. but would wend our way home whenever
VIC got but s. lie did not have such an opinion Of
The Legislature and would not vote to proclaim them so
unaorthv: nor would he say TO the people-the dear
people, whose interests some gentlemen were always
vgicnt TO guard-that they had no remedy against
long sessions but this Mr.. Scott thought that they
themselves should find remedy by sending men here
who would not waste the time Of the House, and who
would despatch its business.
lie further objected TO the bill unequal Some
members boarded al dollar per day. the gentleman
from IOWhatan had lolu Tue HOUSE idt Pi'u ~ =.
ST. and he knew that all did not board al the Exchange
The rates differed, aud if the pay were reduced 10 -
some members would even out OF that pittance,
whilst others would have 10 pay away their whole co
pensaton for board Therefore, Tor these reasons, Mr.
S, should most cordially vote for the indefinite post
ponement
Mr. TAYLOR IF Norfolk Borough replied TO MIR. Scott
lie detailed some Of the causes of long scssonsdis
claiming any intent of charging the cause on either
party The fault not with the people but the House
Itself There was, he considered, subject on which
the people had called out louder for reform than this
Mr.. KEEN conceded with the view of the gentleman
from Norfolk He surprised that the acute gentle
man from Fanquer should have supposed that the peo
pie could remedy the NATTER and he pit case to show
why they could not Mr. K then referred to the prac-
lice of adjourning invariably at 3 ocl"ck-the coun,
being always managed as to make out MAJORITY IN
favor Of adjournment. He did rot mPeach the conduct
of the Chair VIXEN he said but merely called atten
ton TO the fact that majority always found to rise
Mr.. BnowS of P. said he had changed his views on
the bill, and should now vote against IT, tie thought
no good would come out of it. Much time would still
be consumed it in The Senate, where il would surely