Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1849-08-10
Friday Morning, August 10, 1S49.
Appoi,slnse1u Of Inspectors-A Parlu Issue.

cuSSlon in both branches oil the Legislature, is the
appointment of Inspectors of Flour, Lumber, &c.
The House first adopted provision, giving the pow
er to appoint to the court of the county or cor
poratlon IN which the inspections made
The Senate amended this, by transferring the pow
er to the Governor. The House disagreed to the
Senate's amendment and communicated its disa-
greement to that body, on the Sd inst. The cues
ton being upon adhering to the Senates amend
ment discussion arose, in which Mr.. Rives of
Petersburg strongly opposed the amendment. He
said:
" He had from the frs, been opposed to this transfer of
the appointing power Hismind had undergone change
The power had long been exercised by the courts and he
had heard OF no abuse OF the power any complaints OF
the manner IN which it had been exercised He had not
come here for the purpose OF making party Code but to
contribute his part towards making without reference
regard to party. The newspapers had seen fit to refer
10 him and TO his by calling him boiling Democrat
He cared not for that. He would repeat here to-day
what he had sad former occasion relation to this
materthat if this power Of appointment transferred
from the the Executive, it would be wrong that
the courts better informed the qualifications and
fitness OF for the duties OF the office than the Co.
vernon could BE- We had have inspectors of tar of fish
lime turpentme, &c, and il could not be presumed that
tle Governor was well acquainted with individuals and
their qualifications tor the duties OF those offices the
people residing in the sections OF country where ne
eesarY that we should have such inspectors The change
too, would make those offices political Offices and the
Governor, making the appointments, would appoint his
personal friends Politics will be introduced which is not
the case and, whether those offices converted
lnto political offices Or motif would be said that party
huences had made us change the appointing power"
The vote on adherence was
AyEs-Measfs Tribe, Tyler, Barbee Garlic, Daniel,
ls0el ShackIeford, Ope, Tate, Dennis Deneale sloan
NoEs-Messrs Rives Woods Thompson kinney Car
rngon, Fits, French, Witcher Smith, Crump Harwood
Rogers, Parriott, Stanard-4.
There being tie and no decision, Mr., Rives tried
notlon to recede, but the vote was still precisely
the same, the ayes and noes being reversed the mo-
ton was therefore lost, and committee of confer
ence was agreed upon The matter was in this
attitude. when, according to the Enquirer's report,
'alr Canlngton (o Mecklenburg) rose from his seat
and stated that would be recoeced by the Senate that
ne had voted little while ago against the TO insist
on tie Senaes amendment in relation the transfer OF
the appointment OF inspectors from the the Go
He had thought 1t question of bat little import
acs at first but upon reflection and finding the interest
fhdt GUdS manifesto IN relation to it, he had to
DIFFERENT conclusion He moved reconsideration of that
vote"
This motion was not precisely in order, for the
vote 10 appoint committee of conference was first
to be reconsidered, which was aone--ayes H. noes
Is; Mr. Darlington voting in the affirmative Then
ldr. Tyler moved to adhere to the senate's amend
nent, and upon this motion long debate took place,
which ran largely into party politics Mr. Stanard
commended that the office Of Governor was purely
political one, and ought to have the appointment
OF such officers as inspectors attached to it, Mr.
Nitcher, who had at first gone for the 5enate's
amendment, with the view OF Teproutng some of its
opponents, now urged the Senate to recede, espe-
cialy as it had thus far done all the Legislation of the
session, the House having given way nearly every
case Of disagreement. He said:
He that party was at work He saw when he
looked across this into the other hall simultaneous
move to put the eight millions OF banking capital OF the
State INTO the hands OF the ExecutVe(Nith few honor
able exceptions abiding to the Democrats, and they had
his gratitude He could that millions OF the peoples
money was 10 go INTO the hands OF the Board OF Public
Works 1t was said that he had given Democratic
yoe--Qocosely il true) Ii the principle Demo-
cratic, to put this money power into the hands OF the Go
vefuorf this evidence of Democracy he was moi Of
them Whilst the Senator from Fauquier might not be
guided by party influences in both Houses and
II the press that party was in this matter. With such
Governors as we once had, the depose of this power
would be safe In tflerand5 but that day had gone by
Mr., RiVes as we have seen, had honoraby de-
eared his conviction that the transfer of the pow
er to appoint Inspectors would lead to serious po-
litical abuses. Mr. Shackleforl, dead-set De-
nocrat on every issue, fell sharply aboard of Mr.
RiVes for his non conformity
1t would seem Che said that the Senator from Peters
burg was anxious to retain power in his own hands He
thinks that the court the best power earth confer
appointments and he has told you that he one OF them
He talks about iadiealsm Now, he, (Mr 81 looked
upon that Senator himself OF the very top branches
OF radicasn and he very much afraid that il ever
winter OF adversely should upon the Democratic
party he will extend his radicalsm far as to be found
tolidtng. He would ask that Senator by what authority
he charged upon that had made party question out
OF this appointing power2 Where did he gel his autho-
rty from Did he get from any member of this or the
other branch OF the Legislature He had no right to say
that any member here who acted with him. was influenced
oyparty obligations or considerations in any way But
SIR Is these county courts that be touched
mentioned, without the introduction OF politics 1t only
Wings or calculating Democrats who have made this a
party question, il II has been made at alb
After this outburst, the Senate came to final
vote, and determined to adhere to its amendment .
AYEs-AIessra Tribe, Tyler, Barbee, Garlic, Daniel
Darlington, lsbeli, Shackeord, Ope, Tate Dennis De-
neae, Sloan, Kane, Anbler-l5
NoEa-Messls Rives, Woods Thompson Kinney,
Pitts French, Witcher, Smith, Crump Harwood Rogers
Farriott, Stanard-l3.
Thus we see, that, in consequence of remark,
ably sudden change Of opinion on the part of sin
gle member of the Senate who had few moments
before voted in two different FORMS to keep the law
as il IS this proposition to increase the prerogatve
OF the Governor was sent back 10 the House with
a distinct menace from the majority, that all who
should vote against it would be branded Wings
CT eltoliating Democrats. With the kindest per-
sonal feelings towards the Senator from Mecien-
burg We must say that his course manifested an ex.
cessive constituencies about voting against his party,
or, 10 use the new phrase, CALCULATING.
Let us now see how the prerogative proposition
Jared in the House where the Ertoliators and Wings
had twice shown themselves 10 be decided MAORI
~. The matter came up OH the 4th of August Mr.
Ferguson, Of Logan and Boone, member who has
eyineed very respectable abilities, but whose talents
are much overrated by his party friends and himself
moved 10 receds from The disagreement of the
House, and proceeded to make some insinuatons
against the member from this city, implying that he
mad privately endeayored to induce the Clerk of the
Senate to deain the bill until after the House met
that morning in order we presume to give time for