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


of Norfolk lii the Chair Of the report Of the commi,.-
on the executive department
Re-ELiGlBILifl or THE GOVERNOR
The CHAIR stated the question before the comm, M
to be the report OF the executive committee with 4,
pending amendments
Mr. TURNBULL 1t wa nv misfortune 10 y1t-
with the minority Of the Exrcu;iyr c.n,u,,.. WI.
brought in the report. now under consideration IL
sire in very hiic not with liz. iouua,,y
regular speech in political Iaflanc- TO .in. M
position" am opposed 10 The amendment .: the PEI.
leman from Hrnrico county, making the Governor r.
eligible was elected to this Convention q. n H..
former" rather radical Il, II il termed
stated in the speeches which made during tie canvas
that had many objections to our present Constitution
one Of the strongest al whic! Wa. that too nuci.
power transferred the hands Of the agents u ill.,
people and too it'll. left III the hands Of the ,~epe
themselves lheliv" fully and entirely IN the capat
tie leop!" for sr!igoyernment. i,'ifr 10 pa'. 4.
power in the hands Of the people. with who.eso'..
necessary restrictions and limitations In repre~sna
tive government Ike ours, think the people should e.e
all the officers 81 the government. which they can IL
with convenience and utility and leave l;,le MAY
be to their agents Am in favor Of :sking the power
from office holders and transferring - the pcor
And that think can be- better done i.r As tie -,
crnor i concerned by making him ineligible than b,
making him reeligble IL seems to me there i. ~ otl,
way b, which The power can be taken from liz, o.!ic,
holders and given to the people 20 we'll a. by maxim
"
cal b. done in this mode. | am DESTROYS with tl,
gentleman from fenrico, tSlr. Boris To- take III,
power from politicians. and give il 10 the pcop,
But differ with him materially Il. To- how ;lh;
hing can best be- done" IL how thai cherished plan
can b. carried int" lracCs! operation Now. ny
friend from Hclrro thinks thar III" power BE- te7,
aiken fror tie hand, ot politicians and transferred
10 the hand, Of the people by making this officer the
tiovernor r"-eleible. In ny opinion it be brtr:
lone b, making ham ineligible. Let io 'Go-
L. Il sat
Them mo practical operation. The peop" are the
source rom which all power eliminates, All admit tha
all power l. vested IN and derived from the prop.
Well, the people elect individual 10 tho ti,bcr
material chair they transfer from thrnselve, certain ~
their powers which would b. Necessary 10 carry out ttq
ends Tor whic, ia, office created Now if they
transfer that power iron. their hands the officer Tor ;i
suppose they have elected Governor
iet US suppose he -hail be ineligible according ny
p!an-:id II L. he it will operate. Til. Govern
r- term o service il about expire -la!l have
pred. What i the consequence under IN, plan liz
retire, with dignity from the Office, and the
people the Office, with all il powers, which they had coz
irrred upon him. and Ia. resolves hirclf again into lie
body of The people from. whence !e hal come. And by
hat principle only the power would b, taken from IL,
.ids Of The oicholder and politician, and given ba's
TO the people. ul let carry cut the plan propose
BY the gentleman from, Hrnrico and lei suppose the
people nav elected this Governor fcr term of years.
and that lie is re-eligbc Let suppose his term %!
the snn,c office. and unwilling TO give up the po~e'-
which lave been conferred upon him. aud desires. lih
al politicians OF the present day 10 hodon L. the Office
which lie il eligible lie he political arrna
aTest sruge:i. sser. and this office hoder u-'- Ia:
e.ry power and patronage which Ia. people have give;
,,in il, n great lever hwar the views aud desire. g.
The peopi, and t" promo" hi own ends. aud iua ihe
.,ic. h1icr j. elected, and thus the power irais
f.rrei iron! In hani ii the people 81 The Office oldes
Now in this debate the other day. the distinguishes
gentleman from l'nrico and the very distinguished gen
ernan from Ac."mac seemed 10 III. 10 Vie with elt
other 3, /. vino should 20 urthest in declarations
the dear people L. who -hold b the a!.,.'t
lni abst defender o the cherished rights 81 the .ieai
PEOPLE laughter. love Tia. dea. people soine. too
l. ILL.,, ,a gentleman from A'coms' have electoneered
..long lhe people and Whenever | have done so Aks
him lsy, M than had become wiser. better MAG
Mr WISH. rs, Ia ask the gentleman II he mean
t. ~, TIA! th gentleman from Accomac ever .han>d %;
this floor elsewhere, amt acted the drsnasogue o'
The dear people
Mir. WISE Well, wha; did the gentleman mean
Is he .: the ShSk-p"ran origin Of thu expression
" dear people
.h TUKNEul!. dbl not ii in tina; sens.
did not {" no.ruate thai the gentleman from A.
cOmac did as ttnhe improper on thi- foor IN al;
other place In u,in4 The cNprc-sioG dear pcopl.
lid not mean ans .;ng d.srrspcctul, AN sn!e We
saving that : k" Iii, gentleman from Accormr iav.
el"c,io"ercd among Tia people, and ti.at wienev"i
have done -. have rlt that have become ws",
aud better nan. Bar | a,n candid in saving THAI
until this distinguished gentleman l,,noinced ii,
fact the other ,ias, Nd n"t know that in aiyocatii.
the iueli ,ii, 81 the ti".etEor ah-n bad .ndeayorej
:" thlo" proper safeguards around the executive .hsr
prevent The abs" al patfonagei Jr. AM
until tn distinguished gentleman announced the Tact;
hat wien advocated III, negibility oi the Gas,fI,..
WAS iur cnc,"acing upon the rights OF the people
II had thought ! nrv"r 'aouid have pursued tn
cpurs" which did. IN the canvass for seat Oh TIL
floor. in all the addresses that made Ia the people
my district, NJ their county court house,, their ns
,crs, aud ~ their barbecue told them that wa, Il,
favor al the election o the Governor hy the people ~,
term 81 innr wears, aud that h. should he nreii.
after that time. never came across the first taaa.
however exalted his intellect or however humbl. has
capacity. WHO ihought thar this doctrine WAS MI .n
croachn.nt upon popular rights. TN the contrary
in my humbl" opinion, this doctrine Of incliEihii;y
far from being viewed "ncroachnct upou non.
uIar rights the rights OF the great body oi the pco;,!e
was viewed rlirroacincn upon III. right, oi l.
pifcc-hoder aud politician and tia, j. exactly M,
position in which want to place him When p.n,l.
man ha- put tn" gubcrA:rorial ro,e- when i. h,
.noyrd The honor- and received til. cnolmncrs II Tia.
Ollie, f.r four yea- think Ia. -ould retire and vi IN
The people forward make tirir -secton ,h,
have the entire body 81 the peop. choose from g,
cept the who has just retired ion The ofic. IT,.
alone l. DISTINGUISHED and uf the rights .; H..
people i cncroach"d upon.
The gentleman from lerco alluded the other ,lay II,
The rclirH- which lie made. TO the ,g:t that
mrnt h,d been offered 10 show that the (ioy.rnr ,.,,
TO u. ineligible ami asked for REASONS why he .l,l
be- great many good AMI sufficient rcasons nav.
.!rca!y be"n Offered by the gentlemen WHO la,,
preceded H. IN thi- deba;e. and -hall not nh
this cor!li,tee ly repeating them dr-ir~ Ia
{" Sc such clangc A. viii put it on; al H..
power oi the Governor Ia usc hi- official patronage.
whatever it he, whether great small improperly in
for the purpose 81 election do not say tina, ever,
Governor Of Virginia, If reegibc would Us. h.- oical
patronage improperly lint mean to prevent hin ii H..
would am de-lrou. oi taking from him all tempta
ton to Use his Office improperly And not only ,-sit
Ia prevent the Governor from using his official paro.
ny. improperly but desire shield him from the IN
proper imputatious which NAV b.. cast upon him Ly H.
opponents IN the canvass for reelection that h. had G-
the Office improperly, thst he had abused the ,w,.
which had been conferred upon him u.,ir. that ,~
Governor If Virginia should not has. Iii, imputniou
cast upon him. II would jc,raet from the ,lgni,,
OF hi office. ! wish the Governor of Virginia t. h.,
like Caesar wife not only ch;,,;. hu, unexpected
The gentleman. from the county o. lcnrico the oA,
day, alluded to the tact that the Constitution ri tn,
Uhttd States contained prohibition against tnr r.
election Of the President al ia. United State and -
the example which had been -l by the father III t,-
country III retiring from office III th end .sa .eroi
The gentleman a-o alluded lin, t,,t Ia.