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

principles of ambition and avarice: may he not il h.
can manage 10 secure the election of friends $,
manage as TO secure his reelection and too tern
after term long he chooses to occupy the chair
Office
Mr.. HOPKINS. Will the gentleman allow Mo to ex
plain.
Mr. SCOTT. of Caroline. Certainly, sir
Mr. HOPKINS My position think is not clearl,
Understood by the gentleman ! supposed when | wa
Speaking OF the avarice and ambition of The Governor
that the temptation to do wrong operated on him iron
the certainty OF his election from office. will cite
case. Martin Van Buren, was at one time President
me hted States and rs long he had hope of con
ihs IN oillce was faithful to the constitution Blu,
the very moment he was disappointed in that hope h,
turned traitor to the constitution itself That will ex
plain vcry fully the idea
Mr. SCOTT. of Caroline | thank the Gentleman f.,
his explanation and also for his illustration Tn. OK
PLANTATION then Is that the temptations secure the faith
III. discharge o the duties Of the officer while in his
olce the illustration was that Mr. Van Buren, while
he was IN Office under the expectation retaining office
md faithfully and efficiently discharge all the duties con
neced with the office but the instant he found tbat he
was 10 20 out Of office. he was derelict of dutv
should IKE to know how the gentleman arrived NJ the
TACT thai Alr Van Buren, became satisfied that his term
would DC limited 10 four years If understand N. his
,"fy "' 'hoSe times he was again candidate and under
me very strongest expectation ui being again r.l,,.
Yet my worthy friend notwithstanding all this reax
ton OF duty on the part of Sr Van Buren, while Pres.
dent OF the United States. am sure though do moi,
know the fact. was found voting with ME for Mr.. Van
Barren the second time. And yet liz WAS under the full
CONSCIOUSNESS that there had been such relaxation in thc
discharge OF all the functions OF this high Office ON his
part as to render it improper that he should be
III office Let me apply that illustration here Here i.
Governor elected for two years and he is elected y
the people the depository of all virtue and knowledge
and intelligence, aud he comes into ofiice and although
e intends 10 be candidate for reelection vet he re-
lake, III his duty, and although this relaxation known
Yet the ettect is very slight upon the public mind
that even such intelligent gentlemen as my friend from
Powhatan Mr. HorkS,) will overlook il or regard il
rs cas"s om'ssus and still vote to re-.ec this careless
indifferent Governor to the position Apply this
illustration to the people of Virginia WHY they are
the dcposltaries Of all power and OF all intelligence ve.
when All individual, who Ill Office has been relax and
even corrupt III the discharge Of his duties comes be
fore them for reelection they will be generous and
So naSnanmos as To overlook his faults and to re- elect
him. Thai IS the application of the gentleman's illus
tration. My friend was extremely masnannou- and
generous, when he overlooked these lapses in the dis
charge of the functions uf the Government bv Mr. Van
Buren, and voted for him. Laugh;erl
Mr.. HOPKINS. dislike to trouble nv friend /
will not do 50 again. but undoubtedly he misappes my
Illustration. NJ friend is right in say ing that went
along with him i'll the Baltimore Convention for the re
nomination of Mr. Van Buren, and so long AZ we held
out prospect of reelection to MIR Van Buren, believ.
that he remained faithful and true to the constitution
but when he was disappointed, when he found that he
could not get the nomination. and lost all hope of ever
rogainug the Presidency then he Joined the free sellers
aud set the constitution at naught
| Mr. SCoIl OF Caroline. am sorry that this Incl
dental debate has occurred had only paytuly allu
died to it, and did not regard il rs "A theme which would
require so much explanation from mi friend. il is trl,
We were III the Baltimore Convention together and
cupled the same position, and do not know whether
I lis ion of MIR Van Pm
WAS stronger tin NINE, mine stronger than his
hut certain it is that both of us worked yery hard to
accomplish that end But think it was said in those
days at least the opposite party always complained and
nvclghcd against this caucus system earnestly contend
ing that the nomination then made was most unfairly
made AM, il that was the case. although Mr. Van
Buren, did not receive the nomination. hn might have h
long lingering hope to aspire to the position again No
more of that.
was about renlarking that if the principles which
govern human action and which dis played themselves in
eminent degree in the conduct of nv friend from
| Powhatan when he overlooked the raltes Of Mr. Van
Buren, BE- here applied to the people. where they exist
in all their strength igor and influence their action will
they not when the incumbent in office presents himself
for election -hut their ewes tn his traties alses
and dercc;ions from duty aud place him again in the
executive office 1t is said the eligibility principle
would operate rs M nducement-irom the fact that il
elected him for term and failed to reelect him
the second term, and turned him grass il would
tarnish the escucheon Of his fair fame-to ilc
y in his action l. that the principle which regulates
the acts Of this community! How often would
ori.y Of the srtnous constituency come to the of
such aud from sympathy for him, and lest such
stain should be fixed upon his character elevate him 10
the office agani Not because the people capi-
bic of srlfgovernmer not bccasc they capable
I OF making selection and election but because where
all the finer feelings of the heart brought bear
favor Of the incumbent in ofre they will overlook these
irailtcs which they would otherwise clearly scat
1t is for this that the limitation ought to be fixed
in order that the purity Of the reserved rights Of the
people may be- preserved. and the encroachment 81
iiic.l puwer Of checked This office Of Coy
ernor possesses patronage and power. You may strip
| him of il. however much you may make him mere
uhordnate in the government, but when yom look
at the operations Of this government the Legislature
will add to thai power until perhaps III the end it will
assume the character which il a-sliines,au office
| of too much power aud too much patronage. And 1t
the evils to which have referred likely to exist
by an accumulation Of power-and that will lie the in
evtabe result of the operations of this government
form il a you will-if that be the case, would guard
il now from improper exercise and would guard with
much more Jealous against this improper exercise
IN the future But i'll the Very language OF friend
from Powha:an while lac would not administer the pow
er for sef-aggrandzcmcnt and seifpromot:on. in the
strong language Of my friend from the county Of Ac,o.
mae (Mr WIsE.) he would administer il for the purpose
III -evatng politicians who like leeches astca upon
the body polite OF power. If this be so wol guard
still more carefully against the application of these in
hucnces to the incumbent in office.
These the considerations which induced me to go
for this limitation and against the re-eigbilts OF the
Governor term after term, which may Result in life
time election. would have him elected for term and
IL go back To- the people, where he might learn virtue
and ascertain the necessities Of the people, and then il
he had been faithful officer and should again come bo
fore them for office, the spirit of magnanmi,y and jus
tcc which ever characterzes the people, will a in
tuce them to sayto such incumbent, well done good
and faithful servant What desire is protsctthe peo
pie in the enjoyment Of their rights and in order to do
that there must be limitations Of power. Hoist all
these governmental restraints raise them from the
ton of men and the inevitable result of it is that You
degenerate into state Of anarchy the very worst form
of government of which the mind man conceive. II
men were angels and perfect in character. then would
be willing, according to the argument Of my friend to
say, give them all power and would agree too in thee
ry that while they, the people, possessed all power
they should never delegate any portion Of it. But SO
long to regard man man. the creature OF
passion of avarice and anbiou-so long as you so re-
gard hint is necessary that such checks should he
placed his action to prevent corruption and prevent
all that abuse Of power by which mnorities may BE- op
pressed Why, have minorities rights, no powers
Are the majority Of the people to do as they Wilt Are
they to trampIe the rights Of mlnortes under foot