Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-07-22

question. -,.,a-s,v INV call for
| Mr.. CAMDEN. lRca WIZ hi'
division. s,,ise out "thrce
MI. BYRD, of Frederick. move to s''iAo'0'
| GfIhsn and inse:t"tTo thirds" a. Ron. amend
Tho question then taken up on a lc,. n'"D
msrt to the amendment AID il ass rondme-. Ct
/ tn ,nestion then REQUIRED upon the an4eho,
the Gentleman from Shenandoah (Mr. 10 ia
NJ GoODE, One object Of that asnehui:ea' :,
make the language Of the constitution r,oi, 20 the
the governor Now think may wen ' toai h;o,s.f
1se s,ss 70 dco;Je whether he will moi feel ninlsen
bo,pd 10 COLL the genera. as:entI. 'oHe'"e .h nra
shall be require to do SO ey s,ss nctils III :heir
! sentatires Of the !'eop!c OF 10
repsesensafo n would feel himself bouEd IN
der these circumstances anu inc Ill ~, Ia Sscs
;,euan from Ea,rlsca tAr. CVApEH) WIZ 'o. " s :,
sary on that accouut Inc ques1ion; . -, rcnr;ro
seii INTO this. Whether j! is right AID Proper 70
,ms, nr th. representatives Of the poop.o q the
So, :, n,ake il The duty Of the 6o'eraor 20 eau
sco 10, s.ss;n, ofthe legislature uhuet enc."is'eo
which will be So Important ~: 50
ansr to stimulate majority OF the REPRESENTATIVES
- eorl ri the State, to demand tic governor 10
an IN, General assembly, there Is no man III Tue CON-
nnn,;ib. who has The moral co''rASe 10 Eelase ~
onf-r, 10 their will. think therl lore Tue nlaJof',
no. at;res OF the people ought 10 have Inc
800 ~ demand such Gail; therefore sec no arces
p?"s' ~ w., ,nenduent which offered By the gen
.o.aon from ShsLaudoah (Mr. WlLLMIs) am not
l;snncd at all to accept any amendment prorlaihs of
th cIln, Of the Legislature at any other time lhhh
tno ,h sen,bers are III the country ! am not anx
; =, allow t,,e general assembly, tie day alter they
| I'D ourn to call sPecai session.
Tr BLUE Will 1t be i'll order to move 10 strike Out
in the third Inc, the words "a minority anu ti'sof'
The CHAIR. It i. in order to perfect the amend
| mer, prupsed to be stricken out
! Mr. BILE Then make that notion
The question was then taken upon Alr BLUE amend
man, 10 the amen Iment, and It was not agreed to-
| Mr. RANDOLPH. | now move 10 STR ke out II: IN
,,;rd lac the word anot and in the fifth line, the WI
SHALL and insert after the WORD application not
;.,. than sixty days after the commencement o. the
session. majority of the each house OF the general
Slr. SLOAN. wish to inquire of the gentleman
from Aibe,nare, (Mr. RASDoLpH) II that provision IS
adopted if it is not equivalent 10 leaving the State IN
condition which will be taat'saoIa % having no iess
Tr RAyDOLPu Previous to the adjournment.
thraraftls have right 10 proong the session Il IS to
avoid ,ia factions opposition Which might take p'tcc'
Il prior tho sd journment nl"r'tI OIL 'te einoers
shod refuse to continue the session, that nave oirrcc
| :uv amendment. ;.
Mir. SLOAN. I was perfectly aware of the object
the gentleman had in view. But it seems to me, ma;
his proposition would bcget much dlhcuty Ill case oi
| danger occurring directly after the adjournment
gethcr at has pleasure.
The question was then taken upon Mr. RANDOLPH 5
amendment The amendment, aad il Was rejectcd-a
count being had-ayes 81 noes Az
amendment, it was rejcctcda count being had-aycs
50, noes 81
Alr. CAMDEN. now move my amendment to
strike all up to the word "either" in the fifth line
| aud "aert the following:
The general ASSEMBLY shall meet in every
two years, and not oitener unless otherwise provided
oy act passed by vote Of thrcc-iuurts OF all the
members lec,eG 20 both houses Of the general Assem-
t: Said assembly shall be convened by the acting gov
crur uf the commonwealth, on application in recess oi
= fhr IF
u wEe IL his opinion The interest oil the commonwealth
S:r VOOLFOLK. wish to strike out three fourtL.'
| and ii.srt three -tifths."
/ Ar. CAiDEN. The committee will my only OBJ
Irct in Offering this .meudneat i. to give the power
The legislature of calling sessions oeuer ii it is
i,iu.,; that ts experiment of biennial sessions will moi
work vel iusteai of putting the people .! the Com
"nweatih To the trouble and expense OF calling Coz"
ven,ol to change the Constitution. Now | apprehcnu
t,, il it slloud be found. when this experiment tried
that it will net work well and s!lnua lie changed in tie
cpu,n Of tree-our.hs Of the members # the egisi
tire, it had better be done IL that FORM than by calling
y Convention apprehcnd, that unless this provision Is
t;ci in the Constitution that whenever tlreeiou b.
u all HE meubcrs OF both houses Of the general as
"nily >ha be satisfied that the sessions hIuld he
II! i al Of sielnia, and shall not have power TO c ~
&c .c.son-, shall have convention culied for tt,
purpose alone Of making such chunse. 1t is to rvlnsd
,!,ls difficulty that offer this area m. nt.
slr. GOODE. only wish To call the attention OF ne
House again to this proposition. Here Is mott .
made that the Leg stature Of this Sta should change
:hs organic lav and to exercise the Functions Of Cul,
ventiu ana determine that provision Of the Co-titu
tun shall be null aud void after having gone throus
he torln Of regular examination III the CnnreHton
submit that it will not meet the appreciation of TIL
house, to authorize the general as cnbly in time t.
to determine upon the question Of its own powers
aud t. defeat the VII Of the people now expresses
IS this body.
Il, ,f Il nj
To M proposition. 1t should be the policy % the
psciiiy SO 60 provide that there shall be
: tor calling another Convention hereafter. Now. oteerv
tie moment II j, ascertllc by the eastern and wetcr
people that the system Of biennial sessions will wor
BADLY, that will De strong prct"xt the part Of
friends for calling another Convention Let
give the power TO the Legislature, When three fourth
in that opinion to fix annual instead of bicnna
essi"ns. What trust are We confdinsf 1t is oy giS
ing to the legislature the power TO say whether the
shall meet once in two years IN every year.
can iprcsee, although | am mo prophet of
prophet that in less than five years there will be
plants raised against these biennial sessions, which wi
be irresistible ain Just s certain TINT they will gv
MT only universal dissatisfaction to the enst but tn
west also am for leaving the matter i'll the har de
: The legislature, DO that they may provide remed
: without the necessity of calling another Convention
warn my eastern friends here that unless they ado;
s;.h proposition is proposed here, that the effect
the biennial sessions will afford good excuse for can
another Convention and shall have 10 try this bas
: question again. lconceve that this question
whether the sessions of the general assembly shall
annual biennial, be safely trusted to the rer
seuta:ives of the people Gun conceive that there
not b. the slightest danger in confdng this trust
them and leaving it to them to determine whether the
shall meet once in every Year or once in every tw
. years.
Mr.. MARTIN, Of Marshall. As it is now . late no,
i'll the day, move that the committee rise.
. The motion was not agreed TO.
. Nj. CARTER, Of Lououn. If there was any or
quest ION upon which thought the people were unan
lnuus il this question of biennial sessions and d
nope that gentlemen in this committee will rccollet
What the wishes of their constituents were during Il,
canvas. for seats upon this floor, and the promises mad
upon this question. did not make any pledges uIo
Ills any question but did express decided opino
rs to the pruprety Of biennial sessions, and no.
the attempt is made if this matter ct be decate
directly to try aud defeat it Ivy side blows the ger
tleinan from Orange Mr. WooLFoiK) seems to have
: holy horror Of Conventions. Well am not much
favor OF hay ing them too frequently but have sue
great objections 10 the people holding Convention f.
returmi and altering their fundamental laws when
urors lhiuks fit to do SO; not Mt ull The very bes
thug the people Of Virginia ave done for the last twer
ty years. il my opinion, is their having Convention
reform the Constitution under which are now living