Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-02-18

-, t have friend foe ut the head OF our affairs
tha, ,bsy will interfere with money and arms
This was what he SAID III letter 10 Mr; hau,son, IL
u. lottsr 70 Mr. Hopkinson. dated March Is, 1882 his
in reference the object this. lquoe from
ials so 90 tbe same volume 81 disapprove also o
;5errot,ol e-eligbiIity of the President Now, sc
fr o Mr. Jef,rsons opinions can influence this comml
t ond so far a. his opinions Well settled and consd
cred can influence my colleague 'ey are oil character
A. honJ induce ha to 90 for the proposition of the
from, Pitt.yyana. The action of the last
ha ha.u referred tor rather the action Of the
,t;,;l,ed western gentleman In that convention-by
my c1lI.asue which must take the liberty OF saying
J.s not sustain his position III any shape or form 1t did
seem to me- with due respect 10 my colleague, that 1t
u bade the question altogether And he referred to
NJ Nonroes opinion n expressed III reference to the
a.T;hl;tv Of the President of the United States i'll
Of Virginia called for the ratification Of the
constitution of the US will bring him nearer home, and
bor him what Mr. Monroes opinion was Ill reference TO
this identical question, III the convention of 10y ad
lsso lido not mean 70 worry the committee by referring
r. authorities Mr. Monroe in giving his views upon this
dticol question in the convention Of 1929 and $780,
,s Ills emplatc language will DE found by refer
ence to the debates OF this convention, page 4s9:
DA to the power the chief magis rate ought to pos
sess il is another question Whether he ought TO have
The mower of appointment Is matter that hangs on other
cnns;de,,tions Be lis election BY whom it may nv
omon j. that he shomdAoidhis office Jor one term only
Ih.n he i made independent He serves his one term
and retire, No selfish motives can operate upon him.
mipb, 90 on To show that the distinguished western
gentleman to whom my colleague referred, when he ia
yored the proposition which my colleague referred and
,ou which he based his belief that Mr.. Dodridge
favor Of the only object the mover had
wa. To bring the question 10 whether the Legislature
should elect the governor, whether he should be elect
ed by the people before that convention That the
only question presume. which operated on the mind Of
Mr. Dodrdre the time he offered the resolution refer
H., c,lla
that blanks were left for the term for which he should lac
elected, and blank TO the number OF years he should
be ineligible the very proposition filled with the word
four that is proposed by the gentleman from Pittsy
vania, a. modified by my friend from hppoinattox 30
much for these authorities.
\ t,reat deal has been said about the puRFIcAroy
which electioneerng is to produce That may be- do
not pretend To nave sufficient experience to say that such
will not be the case. But have learned that which be-
icye in majority Of TO be true, that the way al
public life is dirty So far rs my experience goes-llned
as concce it to be- have not yet found the Iurmig;.
ton OF the electonecring canvass so very purifying
tried to be hones-I tried discard hypocrisy and dl-
pIieity. hope did. designed to doit But must
repeat again. that the path of public life according to my
experience is dirty one. Am no democrat because
oil the church by the distinguished high priest per who
ha, lately been installed and takes the Chief seat III the
democratic synagogue.
I have been n democrat a my life. am democrat,
not for getting into Office. | am democrat because
believe all the principles of democracy right And
whether am read ont OF the church no shall con.
time regard those principles right and shall AWAY
act upo. tt-,a lili while nm democrat. am no in
finite radical have ultra opinions un the subject al
reform such have been expressed upon this floor, and
trust shall be excused by my distinguished friend from
Aaroac Mr. WisEt--if he will allow me tn. privilege oI
So calling him from the short acquaintance have had
with him.or asking him 10 pause II not for those who
ar. 10 go after linn least for the sake oi his own fame
before he opple, down the main pillar, of this temple III
which We have been long accustomed tn worship, AMI
harnoniorsly aud with such brotherly affection |
say that hope may be- excused for calling on him to
pause before lac lends the aid vi his and influence
10 IN unhov work He will excuse mr for SO character
sing it,
Now. am goius at the officer thought these gen
tlr,ncn--,uinc al them q: leis-wcre pledged to z"
nr all sorts Limitations and restrictions upon the
agents eli the people. Am for restricting the puhh:
agent and wish To make him what think ne ought 4"
be- 'lo not desire temptation to be- placed before hun,
ror him descend to the petty intrgnes Of office To
IL. retained How this attack upon popular rights:
These gentlemen instead If going Tor any ot the propo
sitios , are before the committee Dug to 90 for
provision in the constitution that thu executive officer
Shall hold hi, office during the will and pleasure of tn"
people. Why d" not gentlemen propose to limit il!n
Tor term of four wears And are n'i the hands Of the
people IL .icc,uay tied for that four years you
we're t.. ,ay that le -hnald 20 out ut the end Of his
;.rn anu they -hou -.l,ct another and for that -four
wears their hands b. tied in reference I" him. let
hear what part If fractional rig; We infringe upon b
going for the neliybility after on" term "l four years
rus,ic there SOME ninety or one hundred tiou
sand voters in the tuinmonw ealth OF Virginia. ii W."
are To take the proposition which been made by the
committee OH the right of suffrage and incorporate II
n the cons, tuition il will add nj least, twenty
or thirty Thousand To the list ui voters. Now.
where is man ~. of all th. number, and except
the portion to whom shall presently refer. who for
Z Il. Nn,v shn
to see those gentlemen who are great ut hgures make
the calculations and ascertain what fractional right We
french upon hv hus attempting tn limit this executive
eligibility. am somewhat astonshed that these gen
tlen.n who ar. the safeguards Of tn. people par 'F''
l.y.e did not r,i-c up their hands in holy horror when
If was repnr;.l that the people should elect to this
office IN individual in this Commonwealth between tn"
n,ss of twenty ole and thirty by that restriction,
-uppo,c a, least one half of the voters of this Com
monw,,ltl, are cut off And yet. we have had dis
clsson OF ten days "cause tits proposed that one
OF the citizen, shall b ineligible for four years!
II has been held that you ought to make the Governor
re eligible in all time because is necessary
that lie should he Responsible 10 the people. now
have not considered this means o making INN re-
srousib- to the people. Why, suppose he should say
Ia. would no, b. Il candiate-,lo you mean Ia insert \
provision i'll the constitution that he shall be cand
date fora second term But suppose he should be cand
date and should want to remain IN office ~ long rs he can
| The gentleman will tell me that the appreciation and
the approval of his official course would be what lie d:
sircs by re election. think with due difference 10
thos. with whom differ, that the proposition Of the
gentleman from lttsy lvania secures that thing IN more
eligible form than any which has yet been submitted to
this Conventions. Why if o,ernor is in for four years
and ont for foury years it gives the people an opportunity
TO examine his conduct deliberately and calmly 1t gives
them an opportunity not only 20 weigh it well IN their
considerations but the practica' working OF H.,
conduct; and ii he Ia, been this good officer, tins man
Of integrity this of eminent ability, they vii! feel
a debt Of grat,ie to such man, and when the neil
rblity shall b. removed at the ad =" four years they
will reinstate him in the performance of those duties
which he before was faithful in discharging 1t is,
saw the best and most eligible mode b. which the pub
lie appreciation can be attained Let US look at the
workings OF rule of reegitility, where it has been
adopted Let look at the Northern States-how mas
it worked there: Why, when the Governor term OF
Office is out he goes out with IL and instead of the ap
probation of faithful conduct which these gentlemen
have looked to see-nsead of that responsibility to
the people to which they have referred so oiten-why
he goes out a. matter OF course, nv general understand
mo A. | am informed Well do you want this in Vir-
,niaf Do sou want man. the incumbent Of an office
lie duties OF which, he has faithfully executed elected
aud mortified and perhap. li,susted; and all that with
~. ,.,. bo,.nse if We adupt The other principle he