Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-02-11


executive officer should be elected after two terms
And remember that the matter in discussion now Is a
to any prohibition of re-eigib;y I'll all, Tor any length
OF time aud that the propostio'. Is to allow youl
Governor to be reelected term after term IA long IL
he lives. say TINT the example Of Washington Is Ill
rectly in opposition to the arguments Of the gentleman
And has not that example been sanctioned and conse
Grated by all our best and wises .tsean"nf VII" woui'
dare be candidate for the chief executive office OF tn,
United States for third tenn The people nj once woui.
regard IT "a m attempt to break down principles ~ici
have been held sacred and absolutely nece-sar; ioi
their welfare. Besides We have had but one Wash
lngton. and it il not likely that We shall ever have
another. And the people. Notwithstanding th"ir dn
ration and devotion 10 him. fur believed The Phcip'
upon which he acted was wise, proper and iisht one
sanction his course and not Ia call him agaln mt
public service. Although he regarded by them u:
the father Of his country. and better entitled !" then
support and admiration than any other man III It-y"t
satisfied that the principle upon which he was acting
wis wise and patriotic one they sanctioned IT, Ano
what has been the conduct o your State governments
since u has been to make constitutional provision
Of lhat very principle upon which Washington acted
The very from Virginia who participated III III" Tor
nation and adoption Of the federal constitution, sane
toned BY their adoption of it in State constitution
this principle Of negbility. 1t has been consecrate"
anil sanctioned by wisest and best men, and yet the
gentleman from Henrco magnes that nobody l. IN Ia
v"r Of il except the politicians!
roduced BY the gentleman from H"nrco to sustain the
position which he assumes this question: Why No
told us that not right and proper that the hand1
OF the majority should be tied TO prevent The minority
from doing what they please Is that 20: The hands
oi the people ought b. tied because they ought
to be allowed to do they please Il that the true
principle Of rcpubcanisn Search the history OF re-
publicasm from its origin down 10 the present time
and if all its principles have not been in direct conflict
with -uch doctrine as that, then must -u-crlbe I"
the idea that the gentleman from llemlco has Within
hl- mortal frame ninety times democracy Than
all of the democracy put together. j. II tact that
there ought 10 be restraint upon the majority OF the
people la prevent them from doing injustice to the MI
nority.
Nr Bolts. hope the gentleman will pardon me
Am sure the gentleman does not to msrepres:nt
my position. said and in order TINT il NAV be under
stood more clearly, will with his permission re-"t,
the proposition The platform on winch planted my
self was, that this was popular eoyernm"nt--hai Mi
power belonged 10 the people. Except that which tie,
rl"-e 10 diy"-t themselves Of and transfer 10 their
agrnts-.lld that unless good reason L.. shown
why they should be- stripped of particular power that
II safer 10 e retained IN the hands Of the people
than in the hand Of their agents and that III The orig
mad formation OF 90, eminent it was an un-o, I'D
problem whether man capaba Of selfgoyrruni' 1T
nut and, therefore many Of the powers they nAy
rl.ht tully .xcrc-r transferred 20 their agent.
But tilut i Il solved problem. Vow W. have the
experience Of seventy five years IT, prove That fact and
one:h, not 10 strip them of any power unless !hrre
i, some !lbsou;. necessity ior II.
MrIEAKE The gentleman ha- got Of thu question
IL has in The whole Of hi argument. whenever he
ha attempted 10 enforce his position Il WIS necessary
for lin To fore. into his argument question which
doe. not l-.Lng 10 it, or else abandon his ground The
argument j. not about the prophet. Of taking !'wtr
the haa.d- al the peol" and transferring II /"
their agents Tim, il not the question Il l., whether
Sb,l limit 9fI,,. he ,it
power nj ALL 1lv Question Is not whether should IT,
in he hand ii the people or their agents am IN ~
vi taking All power. t the election and Goa.
troll Of the agents oi the people is concerned and vet
ns it permanently i'll Lc people The genlelnan bes-
the question then whea ae tells This committee tina, the
question i rs TO taking power from the people, and
placing il in thu hands of their agent- There ~ no d'i-
felnc between us in that respect except that the gen
il,inaM said if the Governor was to elecuoneer, lac
would then be for stripping tho people OF tins power
which they should have whether i'e "lert''eer or net
The gentleman said in . speech t!r ,.port Of which
hol III my hand
We have COIN. here as undcrs,:nd ior tie prrro'"
n nars!a the pow,H ri the people and y't III" Vel :
ir-t proposition made here l. that the hands o! the l"-
pc shall be 70 tied, and they BE- prevented from d"ng
that which ;,ey mny 'h"os" 10 do
That j. lh- sentiment which a,crihci /" HIM ll> w:'-
opposed 10 the peoples Hands being ted and de-ire' that
the: should he l-fi 10 q" what they rh'-e I" TO- shS
there democracy II sentiment; ol li'al h"Tt II -
going or arbitrary government such :I'asps i d.
recty at variac, with ali iu-. notions ii govern!
inent The great object Of Constitution If In prevent
the majority Of the people frna doing what they piea-
uh. be adverse tn tie interests OF another par
ZION of tn. people Why are you t" hav" constitutional
restrictions and guarantees al nil !: is that the people
NAV not do that which unjust and improper. II Is
that all onr feelings which may hccoip" excted-"tr
feeling. and interests which may he biaSed--Fall De
controlled by great fundamental principles, that the
rights oi all NAV br secured and tlat sh" me major
it, hail exercise NIL proper and lrgitnat" power y't
that there shall exist control over their power !"
prevent al improper exercis" Of it. AK the people OF
hi, State i! they desire 10 have unlimited power IN
their hands what will be their reply: Why, that the:
desire To have under their control all Of the power which
il necessary for the proper management Of the govern
men, by their agents They desire have under their
entire control all Of the power which ia necessary for
the management Of the public agents. lhey desire that
these agents should he directly responsible 10 them ana
~ all tines under their control and iha; thcs ,hoSd b.
placed il. power by their votes. They desire no ntl
In, mower he rights of others, and they are WI
ling that lh,r. shall BE- limitation in the Constitution
by which the minority may feel that they are pro;cci"''
and secured from Outrage. Why. if vou act upon the
principl. c the gentleman from lenrico. IN the ."ri'
ION oi tis whole Constitution. from the chei eX.ruNt
down to he lowest office you would have Ill a short
time perfect splay of til" princi pies ct French de
mocracy You certainly would have OF that dc
nocracy which has been sanctioned by the blood OF our
revolutionary fathers. venture to predict that II the
question ropouudei to the people Of these United
states. whether there ought ought not IL he ans Inns
aion upon power the universal response Of the demo
cratic republican people would be- that there ought I"
h. lirnit;.tiolls upon H. And thu only other Response
which il seems to could be made would oc that whi,h
would come from class Of politicians who exist al 'he
North who think that they ought 10 have tn. entire cor
rol over the rights of others There is class oil p'i-
,i,ians North oi Masou pxous line who have been
acting upon the principle that there ought to he no con
troI uron the wishes and whin- ii the minority ana III
consequence vi this very principle. assaults have n'e'
made upon the rights Of the South from time 10 ''
Do you not think there ought to be some limitation upon
the power q: the majority Suppose there haa nef' ~
constitutional provision in your federal constitute" -
mry.nt these Northern asgresons, where wond nav
h..n III, rights oi The South ut this moment o"PPos'
there had been check upon the pleasure OF Tue TIA
;or..y ak vou, what would Southern rights nave
Ha.p n, this moment The onlythlng that mas Sa'e'
~ In. been these constitutional guarantees hen nave
been brought back their reason and thcse cot7lta
.;onal guarantees have risen as hulwarks 10 pfolet
Tho Interests OF the minority And republican people
so far from being anxious to have iniiiii'ed coro
oyr The rights Of the minority would desire that in"
il, 10 feel -at, and under the bele' mat 'he
own rights will I've protected BY constitutional guarantees
Rut The gentleman SAYS. said the people were ca
nr;cnus. md Immediately he turned around AMI admit