Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-07-29
rConH axeG from First Pace

moro than orc object except the general appropriate
bill. for the ordinary expenses Of the government"
Mr. BOCOCK / am that almost all the men
bersof this committee know the object of the propos
lion before u.s. fear, however, that my friend fror
Hsuro IMr Borrs) does not properly conceive its OF
eot from the remarks that he made in regard to it.
Proposes instead OF L. provision that the title OF Ia
act shall set forth each distinct matter contained
it. and that then the provision shall stop now, !
seems to me from his proposition that the Who'll
difficulty which ne thinks the Convention II attemp
ing to cure is the difficulty Of finding me different pro
Visions il. our statutes know there is difficulty
that sort Sometime have provision IN an &C
that Altogether alien to the subject matter OF that
md it is with great difficulty or not at ALL that even on
LAWYERS are able to refer to sucn provisions. Wer
chat ths difficulty we are to remedy, then the pro
nno;,;nn of the gentleman from Hcurico (5lr.BorTs
rn;oht obrate il to considerable extent. But ap
nrebend the evil is still wider one than that Tn
gentleman from Henrico says, IN answer TO the arsu
1n1ant Of the gentleman from Neckenburs (Nr GooDE
that the title would then De almost long the bill
that that is exactly what he wants that If we shot
reduce our in length to the length of the title. We
should then get rid Of great objection to our legislation
orr acts of assembly are very long. say
to the genteman-and in my remark he will see the
differences between us-that this provision WI not on!
accomplish his ien. but will further and shorten the
acts so much that they will not exist al all even 10 the
length of the title.
THE objection intended to be obviated BY this p-oris
ion is not the length of statutes solely, but the Gu
nctmeat of statutes which do not meet ths Wishes OIL
amaioritv OF the people Of Virginia 1t designed BY
tb. section to prevent the legislature from passing
ON act which majority Of the legislature do not APP
nroye How is thati You have Dill before the
house of delegates and it is strongly advocated by
number of the members They ascertain that ii does
not command the appreciation OF LIE, ority Of the
house Then, what is it they do: They do not make
speeches and arguments in its behalf because those
guments would not sustain it. The cure Is one wei!
known to all the adrot parliancnarans all the sklltu
logrolers II is to ascertain how additional voteS can
- l,-f m in and i,s.i ur
proposition which may have some ten or dozen mem
bers strongly enlisted for it
Mr. FUQUA, lin his seat.) Take more passengers in
the omnibus.
Mr. BOCOCK Yes, take in more passengers. YOU
ascertain where get these ten twelve votes TO
make majority. You tell these men, now move your
proposition as an amendment TO OUR bill and we will
7ete for it.
Mr.. Bolts Could not precisely the same result
be obtained BY sayng,-now vote for our bill and we
will vote for yours
Mr.. BoCOCN. think there is difference. refer the
gentle 10 the of my talented and experienced
friend from Hampshire tNr. SLOAN who says that the
very evil that this amendment strikes al is the oct
handspike in the whole system OF ogrolling will lllus-
trate the difference Suppose that the gentleman from
Henrico Mr. Borrs) is one of the eight or ten. lie
opposed the bill before the legislature bat he has
favorite and distinct sure of which his people are
in favor. He, with eight ten others agreeing with
him are taken into the support OF the bill By having
the bill is passed The member from Henrico then gocs
before MS people the neat spring foc re-election
20 give account OF his stewardship They say t" hi"
why aid you vote Tor That OBNOXIOUS m.asure: f' re-
cly Is did not approve Of the bill at ALL but it you
will look yoa will find in it a section which contains
the very measure which y2u ali 80 much desire And
when found that the bill contained that prorsi
was bound TO vote for it, although objected to
of the other provisions because it gave you jus: what
you wanted ard could get it in no other way
" S;0 IT'S COui0 | ClaEe the for
- :,r the bill, if could get them to vote for my
ohjr.t ii separate bill
Alr. HUNTER, I'm his seat) That would be little
more barefaced.
Mr.. 3OcOC:.. Yes, it would be a little ha-e
faced The excuse would not he quite SO obvious IL
the one case as it woG'd be in he other You could
no.so well support your ground should yousay yon ro:eo
for that bill because they v0.edor the object that YOU
wanted But yoa could make that excuse when they
were in the bill. and say TO your people vc,cc
for the bill because knewyo desired the provision III
oae Of the sections than you objected TO the prov
sions contained in the others.
The true object o. Legislation is to express he cSs
ative will Of the majority of The pao?e and thn very
er which this section Seeks to cure Is tie passage OF
those acts of legislation which have not the sanction oi
the majority OF the people, Or majority OF the peoples
Representa- lives But there are other reasons for IL
have been inimated BY gentleman in the CcnSen
tion-I do not remember whom. The end oil session
is approaching There bills for consider alton
aud gentleman fears ualess management resort
e TO- his bill will not DC reached until the close OF the
session. and will thu, De Gu: off H. therefore moves
amend the bill that is up BY adding his bill cit. Thus
by taking those advantages which parliamentary
knowledge may give him. We TO bring up his
BILL while there huad-t before il according 10
tn. regular order There is another requirement which
we have and which oughtto be carried ou; fully a. il
can, that every bill mus: be read three times and upon
three separate DAYS before is passed But by this kind
of management his bill is engrossed and passed. with
out beI read than once, If il is read at all.
Gentlemen around Tue amendment IS required &c
be read three times. ] know Amendments, v way
of ryder is required to read three times but have
known it never read, ut least never heard, at all
But again: member has ! favorte measure that lie
wants to get through Of all things i'll the world but
he fears that if he waits for il to up separate
bill it be lost for want Of time want Of merit He
adopts plan by which nc gets passed when there are
hundred bills upon the calendar ahead OF him. 1t is
bill for distinct object altogether, but he gets it attach
ed another bill in the form Of amendment made by
the senate. Now ask my friend from Rockingham is
III amendment which back from the senate re
quiz ed TO be read three times, Certainly not You come
INTO the house in the morning. and the clerk reads
list of the BILLS which have been acte the senate
The speaker announces the amendment made by the |
senate such bill. and il is read before the members
get into their seats and not Of :hem hear it, The
chair pats the question, and the amendment,
agreed to, and the Till is passed And if YOU we re
to ask member one hour afterwards. what was the
amendment that came from the senate, he could not
Tell You 10 save MS lie nus The OBJECT have
requiring bills 20 be read three ines, completely dc
feated. am decidedly, therefore in favor of the object
of this provision for believe it tend greatlr 10
check tins species of legislation. do know abot;
the form of the sccton and leave that to others
who better constitution makers 10 determine II
the form can be changed make il moro acc,i-
rate, | perfectly willing it should be changed,
but t&ink we ought to retain some provision OF this
kind.
Mr.. DENEALE. Ny experience in legislation has
produced different impression upon my rnil,l, from
that which have taken possession Of the gen
t!eman who has Just taken his What he describes
may have teken place o.t have participated in
AM such system of ny-roiling. My legislative expe-
rience Induces the conviction that the gentleman has
placed the proposition in se very weakest and oh
jectionabe form iu which it be placed befr. the
general sembly Of Virginia | think it 10 almost
tain defeat the bill But again 1t is fact that in
service of eight ten years in the legislature.
do not rccoect Of solitary instance i'll which large
and Important appropriation bill has even been amended
by attaching it large appropriation for dig
tinct object-never upon Single OCCASION And 80 far
from tS being the strongest aud most powerful lever III
log.rolug. believe il to be the very weakest AID most
inefficient move that any member coulC make in
lv,rolling. opposed to the proposition out anG
out and even the objection of the gentleman over the