Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-04-04

DAYS after il was sent to the Senate, motion was
made in The House, by Wing, again TO dls-
charge the Committee from the consideration oi
The case from Fairfax; and motion was li'aue
by Democrat 10 instruct The Commit'ee " ~
port upon the case, either Tor OF against 'iI
eligibility of the member from mat county, a"u
even this reasonable request was rejected by
vote of ~ for 63 against; every Wing but TWO
in the negative Did This have the appearance
even of fair dealing, or disposition to give Inc
Democratic parry an even chance IN the electiohf
PM 10 show still further how The House oil De-
leeates was constituted, and how manifest was
the disposition 10 suppress The will oil Demo-
cratic majority in the State OF nearly SIX lho"-
sand voters, a motion was made by democrat
on the same day TO enquire INTO Inc eiiSioiii'y =,
the Wing member from The district OF Woou dhu
Richie Counties. upon The ground that he was
the Commonwealth Attorney in the Clrcult
| Courts OF these counties, and that it was lu-
crative office within the meaning OF The Con
slituion, and certificate was exhibited from lne
| Auditor Of Public Accounts, proving that saiu
member had received his compensation as Al
| torney long after his election Notwithstanding
| the Constitution contains The following provisions:
"Provided all persons holding lucrative Offices,
and Ministers Of The Gospel, and Priests OF every
denomination, shall be Incapable o. belng eteetta
| members of either House OF Assembly,; not
withstapding too, the current of decisions BY the
Legislature had been, that such and similar OIL
fees were within The meaning oil the Consllll-
ton, and that persons holding them were lnelisl-
BILE But even this strong case, the Wings would
moi allow 10 be enquirej into without coupling win
anamendnentdirecling hecommee 10 enquire
nolhe eligibility oicrsJN Otermcm6tf III the house,
thereby rendering il impossible Tor The committee
10 act in time; and the consequence was that no
| report was made al all, and the committee, le"
DAYS before the close of the session, asked 10 be
discharged from the consideration OF the subject.
| Notwithstanding these disadvantages, however,
the Senate did concur in The resolution Tor The
election of Senaioron the day fixed by the House.
| II is objected that the Senate pursued an unu-
sual course in retaining the resolution without
1 acting upon il: we say. that the same course mas
/ been pursued in other elections, and that there
is nothing improper in such action The
/ House suggests day Tor an election-they
are supposed 10 have SO fixed The day, be-
/ cause il suited their convenlencc-ihey are
supposed 10 be aware that such will be the day,
unless some other is suggested; the Senate keeps
the resolution without acting upon il, because,
when the day arrives, perchance something may
prevent that body from being ready TO proceed
with the election, and, after having agreed 10 it,
they have no power, without the consent OF the
House. 10 alter it, In this case, they agreed 10 the
day, without alteration, and in the Senate, not
Wing vote was uttered against ii. But then
commenced the Struggle, BY The Wings in the
House, 10 postpone the election TO some other day
And why was this effort made? Simply because
they found themselves in minority a minori-
" which they would have been in under any cir
cunlstances, il the Constitution had been respect
ed and the will of the people been fairly express
ed Because they found themselves in minori-
t., and could not elect Wing Senator on that
day, against the will OF an overwhelming MAORI
Is of the PEOPLE, they determined 10 break up The
Joint order and, displaying dscourlesy 10 the
Senate, adjourned without giving them an init
nation of their intention. We maintain, that,
under such circumstances, the Senate were right
to refuse, subsequently, to agree 10 fix another
dav for the election they were right, because
they thereby maintained their own dignity, as
coordinate branch of the legislature they were
right, because they prevented violation of the
will Of the majority Of the people: they were
right, because The Constitution had provided other
means for The election Of Il SeIator-by which
means that will, as we have shown, might be car
ricd outb BY Democratic Executive, and by which
another opportunity would be afforded the people
to demonstrate whether they would be represented
for six wears BY n Democratic Senator, or be
again msreprcsentcd by two Wing Senator'S
And we icarlessy appeal 10 you, fellow citizens,
10 maintain your ascenGancv, By discarding those
who would thus have sacrificed your interests,
violated your principles, and displayed an utter
disregard of your expressed will, and thereby
sustain those who endeavorcd TO give efficacy 10
that WILL and To sustain and perpetuate The prin-
ciplcs which you have veneraled, and which The
fathers OF the Republican family have ever che
rished and held sacred.