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

5IAZHA1VD1115G09 u ul
vention, whilst in the general purpose which the CON
mittee had in view in making that recommendation 6
fully concur. have an amendment when propose u
offer as su-tue for the provisions reported BY the
committee and hope may be permitted to make
remark or two previous to offering It,
This subject Of internal improvement il oneo great
and growing importance to the State. and III my iudg
ment il deserves and requires the fostering of the
commonwealth Old Virginia after having slept for
perhaps fifty years upon this subject of informal i'm
proyements is at last beginning to wake up. She has
at last commenced the work of devoting her energies to
the subject Of internal improvements But whilst she
slept Other and adjacent states have been alive To teif
own interests. They have been pushing their works
into the very borders of the old Commonwealth, and
indeed to some extent have been sapphs tie 'eis
sources OF her prosperity The works "f 'h'erh"i I'M
prov existing and in progress OF
have been attended by large expenditure "t money y
The Comnonwe ath and they, together with those per
hsps of equal importance which are already proleeun
seem to require, or rather 10 o'h'a" .i' 'iis
Conv ention shall constitute some department. IN th'
yernmeut which shall take this peculiar interest I'M
dor ia care or guardianship. These improvements
conceive to b. the very elements OF the prosperity :"
the State and if they can SEQ no "occtloh 20
and indeed can great reason Tor the convention
constituting department winch shall take the Wh"ie
lg,h
,ons which have fallen from members of this Conven'
lion TIM, there is an inispositon the part OF many
Of them 10 run into any thing like detail IN matters
which are TO be- embraced in the Constitution We are
about to FORM | too with them. and would hope
b,, matters of detail may be avoided far IA prac,i
III brt u.ould not admit that consideration far To
;nsuenc. nv Judgment that should pretermt IN
asnacia provision for any peculiar interest which
think should be properly aud especially guarded by the
Convention 1t may then be an objection OF the pian
n paa~ lxfp ,,hl W.arsa
thu, is too long and that it too much into detail
but commend it to the Convention, not only with my
own appreciation humble | am, bn will add IN or
der that they NAV take it fully and fairly and calmly
into their consideration that it has been submitted 10
gentlemen Of the very first intelligence IN the Com
monweath most Of whom have had experience and de
voted much time to the subject Of the public works,
and it has every instance received their decided ap
probation. therefore hope that the members OF the
Cow enon when this report shall come to be exam
ined By them will give it that consideration which 70
ms mind the subject itself deserves will send 10 the
Secretary the plan which ] propose 10 substitute i'r
that OF the committee and AJAX that II mny be read Tor
the information of the Assembly. and laid on the table
and printed.
The report was then read by the SrcRr7aR rs follows:
! Strike ont article +th and insert the following:
The Legislature its first session after the adoption
of ,hi, constitutions shall organize II Board of Public
Works to be composed OF five members. TO be appoint
I'll as follows that ia To Say The State shall be dlvi'
ded into four districts nearly equal as may be- having
reference the number OF electors quaed TO vote Tor
members q: the General Assembly each district sil
.l.c, one member Of the Board and member shall Re
elected by the qualified in the State AT large
Two OF the members elected bv districts shall hold their
offices for years and two for four years The mei
her chosen by the whole State shall hold his office hT
four years and shall be the President of the Board The
district members at the first meeting of the Board after
their election shall determine by lot which CT them shall
hold their offices for years and winch Tor four years
and there ehnll lie elected bennaly thereafter two "i
said district members who -hal hold their offices for
four years In case vacancy shall occur by death,
senaton or otherwise the may be filled by there
manning members Of the Board until general election
next thereafter when election shall be held in that
district in which the vacancy occurred or by the State
nj large ~ the case may be.
he Board of Public Works shall meet annually at the
seat Of government on the - day of -, and may
be con ened by the president whenever, in his opinion
the public interest shall require 1t and during the time
they are in shall receive for their services the
compensation allowed TO members Of the General rs
sembly.
The said Board shall have and exercise general -u
p.rvison ovur all works Of public improvement beioI
ing to the State and over the States interest in Ill
orer such works the State is mas become interest
cd as tockholder and shall appoint all such directors
engineers and other officers connected herewith az are
or NAV b. required BY law. which may he necessary
for the proper discharge OF the duties Of .ad Board but
the Board taef or committee thereof. ria Ill all ca
YES represent the stock of the State in the annual 9th
ct meetings al the stockholders. They shall report 10
the General Assembly within - days from the com
menc emcn m each session thereof fty and gcncralir
on tn. condition % the public works Of the State and
bring to their notice such plans OF improvement gene
raj or special to them may seem best calculated 10
promote the interests of the Commonwealth and s5all
perform all the duties ROW required of tie exciting
Board Of Public orks. or sch a. may e pr"-clttd ny
law.
No bill or resolution Of the General Assembly, where
BY an appropriation of money directed 10 b. made
am work of internal improvement or whereby any char
.er granted for the incorporation Of any INTERNAL I'M
provanent company, IN which the State Is " become
subscriber for any part of the stock thereof shall To-
naased bv tn. Legislature until the shall have
been referred to he Board of Public Works for their
consideration and report made thereon I" tht House
in which such bill resolution may have originated
IT, upon full consideration. the salo Board hall be OF
opinion that such appropriation ongh to he made o'
charter granted and sha report to the Legislature
and majority of the members present i'll each HOUSE
shall concur with the said Board, the same shall become
law hut if upon such reference the Board OF Public
Works shall report adversely TO the proposed bill !"
rc.outon then the seme shall not become law, unless
othris of the members present IN each House sha
passing the same. And IN either case, iht
Board shall set forth fully " their report the reasons
which govern their decision
Mr.. BLUE. I hold in my hand paper which pro
pose substitute for the report of the committee wher
1t shall come up for consideration ] nsk that it Ia
read, laid cn the table and printed.
THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
The Convention, then on motion of Mr. MARSHALL
Resumed tile consideration in committee of the whole
Mr. WATTS OF Norfolk in the chair OF the report Of til,
committee on the Executive Departmen,.
KEELiGBitff or GOVERNOR
! The CHAIR stated the question To lie on tie fins
section of the first article {" III" report and the amend
lnents pending thereto
| Mr. LEAkE. Having. ON 4 former OCCASION in ;
very humble way, participated in the discussion OF h
question now before the committee nm sorry tina
circumstances render it proper i'll ny Judgment, that
should again trespass upon ta attention iavore, tn
call Of this Convention because was in favor ci takin
power out of the hands of tho agents the people am
,esting IT, by constitutional guarantee, in ,h.-hads @
the people themselves And do not mean bylny vo
which may be called upon 10 give in this Colv enton t.
sanction any by which power may be strength
en.d in the hands OF the agents Of le people. at III
expense of popular rights. Whenever proposition i
presented which in my Judgment will have tendSnc.
to give to the agents elected by the people the powe
of using the privileges with which they clothed 70
their benefit regardless of the great rights Of thor