Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-02-07

10 be elect al Tor life be republican constitutions
|. il republican principle that the Executive Govern
ment shall be vested in the CHEF Executive officer Tor
life Irepeat ia it republican principle ltcsrtainy
wa, not 30 considered in 1915. II certainly was not
considered republican principle by sn,h men as Mason
rayson and Henry and those sayes WHO prepared the
venerable instrument which has bean much praised
and with Justice It is an Instrument which has been
regarded By many forming the wisest set oi rules
ever prescribed for the government and the regulation
of any people This compliment bestowed upon 'he
Constitution oil l776 did not eminate rom ordinary
men The opinions OF the excellence oil that c'nsttu
ton were expressed bS such men a. Marshall hahdoph
and LEIGH and host of Others Of equal Or
ceabritv az. estimation in this country. But AIN IN
favor II the principle OF re-eiigbility am IN favor OF
submitting the public servant To the people who have
conferred The office upon him ain III iavor oil ms De-
ING req CURED of his having ne Prisness, VI Pas.5 ~
review before those whose appoint he has exercised
be,ause am satisfied that this will be au incentive 10
proper discharge of his duties. am sa,isae that Tue
man who is elected Chief Magistrate Tor two years anu
who KNOWS that he may be reelected toi Nv" years
more will be- induced. excited ana stimulated 10 exert
himself in office that he may deserve the appreciation
and spnroyal Of his constituents. IT, however you ex-
tend this principle to unreasonable extent, II YOU
render the individual thus re-.gble for f. yoa intro
due. counter principle prlncpe utterly mt war with
the one OF rotation IN u;ce AL subversfe "l olh'r
nrioipes dear to liberty and which never will be sur
rendered in ny humble Judgment BY the people Of Nir-
,,nia The gentleman who addressed y"n on yesterday
aid that this principle of the one term was the work o
mall politicians Yes and ia, ut Wa>ilng'" the nj
.empt to limit the Presidency To single term WAS the
VACCINATIONS Of small politicians Who those small pal
,icians were OF are am loss 10 conjecture. unless
hey were such men Clay and Cass, AID fo'H ana some
.a,r who have reached the Presidency fancy these
-cotieoan-snall politicians If they b.-are III av"r oi
ne one term principle and believe tia; lie sfea'
mass oil the people, who are a''" sma:. potr'ah-
rb.r. are hardly any of I'd who Politicians Of some
ab.e cor other laughter require th. rotation IN ol'e
They believe in tho principle OF rotation.
Rnt il WA said br one both OF the distinguished
gentlemen who addresses, You, that Warrington nn,.e
had given his sanction to the principle OF rerhSlo''ts
II i irue that Washington gave his sanction to me f
CHILE of re-e Eligibility That great and good nan II !"
tr,e served second term aud Ia re;ifch with every
honor which il was possible that h'uan being r"'d
receive ut the hands I'll other human iT''s h'i up
nos that this great and good man instead 81 setting 'e
great and good example that ne did SCI III rr'fa ,i"
,ho az, of President a cr tho second term hal "Xrred
Lod hJ ON to III, office and continued III Ii I" me ay
&c b death think YOU that osher pot cnui. %"uio o'
b,v followed in his footsteps! hink Y"a .' n's su
cnsors would not have endearorrd to follow III ms ="
lnssal strides: My life upon H. That even tue s'
,c;ans alluded to by nv honorable COLI a-ue lf' BOT
and rho gentleman from Accom@e, (hr ";sl'l ""u"
hora o,tcmuted tn have continued themselves III me
ns;c. Of President for life That very clause wcl rem
liars IN. President eligible for HE cons a. III -
my information goes, one o. the strohse:. "..'r.' "
the Federal CofStltutloI IL
said Of -that the wise mon who formed 'his tS.i,u
ton established the pfi:iple al eligibility Tor NE bat le
1a, lmon ,at back their recoections to the period
when the Constitution was formed ana tue "''ciil-.'"
cs under which it was formed Let them cast nn ihe
ro;rIs n Tho proposition made Ill the Conv o
80 ri 10 M; mistake tho history OF this: period.
,haro uos mart; in these United States at that tine
n, only dsposed that the President OF the n',' S'ate
should De eligible oticc for Lic c'it t!.at n "'id ~
.lctcd outright for lif. That party WAS the party q"
..La - frita MtT
Hamilton There were others u y ','s' "'
aaJ .bt tho President of the United States should BE-
aerta for verv short period and |! ny information Is
~ ., fanlt there yer, some VINO proposed ever mat ne
should be elected for single year. Tbs constitution OF
these Unird States then WAS Ike every o'heF 'o'Nu
ton in this respect matter of compf Muse IL was
n ,bo nrnciple &c re-eiiyblity Wa adopted 1t was
a;d however that .hi- recligblity WAS intended onsy
for III. first Presiden. II the nitra '''
NAV be am not prepared to answer II II vs. 80 IN
tended that great and good man cav - '- W.
tended that no should occupy the chair Of state tor ii"
tba, wis. rclskc which he WAS 81 competent 70 give
R perhaps an argument may be used That the tov.ai
or inter he il elected for term ,. wo VII rcI' ie
Governor Of Virginia, with n salary OF i've I" se"en
thousand dollars with all the doii9tiui haFohaS; "'
.I, a,,acb To tim. oic. after having served II it for
tsrn or two will like :.snington rote ana let others
surcaad him Let US test this by L,to experience.
unr many gentlemen who are elected for term o. two
wears to Congress, retire How many se'l''heh WIG
are elected 10 the Senate 81 the STATE f i"'i'
t;,.i WHY inst ~ many, think, Or AZ c"m!eic' D;
~ vo,s az their constituents. AID No more Laughter
And so in nv humble Judgment, II Will ~ III r'@'a %
ha uheruatorial Office The Governor 4 Il, Is q man al
address ability and boray, will be III Tor NE Unless
h of your committee III amended lac VII! hc
- az Sybt venrs Certainly period twice ~ ION: rs
am nronared 10 say any should Occupy the once 'i
chaf magistrate o1 the State would consent 10 Vo'e
for term of two years and render h'a eSoe 'or Two
Years more md perhaps might, a. matter o! rohPr",
mise, extend his eligibility to tmrd Term Sn'n MJ
olive him period Of six yesrs, but beyond TINT p'rl"
Cannot viii not 90 II forced 70 vote between
these competing propositions shall he comPci'ea U.
vote for tLat which confines the ee''oh 20 '''s
~ four year. shall be under the necessity "a V"''
asanst tho proposition of the committee Du, shall Voe
,hs ,ropostion of nv honorable colleague hr
Ror7a, viii. zen more pleasure than shall against t'a'
~ the committee The proposition oi the committee IL
NV humble Judgment. ia bad enough, out when We ex
TEND that proposition election for life thnk IL
will be found uncomfortable. .
ton pending .,,
Mr DAVIS. The gentleman says there !. no susi
proposition us would extend election I" the iic Oh th'
incumbent. certainly did not understand that 'icr.
WA May restriction in the proposed amendncn', ou
that the incumbent of the executive Office lnYhs uEccl II
be elected aud ever again long as the people
thought proper cleo, him. have found 1t necessary
IL have thought it dus ysclf to say tbs much
have been yY little prepared for the dlscisslo ans
there are naily ot!ier hings tina: might be salo o'
be compelled vote against TIE proposition TO amene
the report of the committee By the proposition Of ny col
league, and shall vote for he proposition which vii
coniiuc the election of The chief magistrate to period
four ,ars only And hope and trust it will be the
uleasure Of tho Convention that it will he its wisdom, II
.,tue the term OF the chief executive officer 10 shor
period hope end t:ls. that the reflections Of TIL
.mutec will satisfy them that i, necessary to
aver The public expectation that they shat! rcnenbe
r,a. hi; Convention convened with view pro
nase reforms that should ren;!r the Constitution
reptiran and more congenal to The wishes OF the poo
nix And repeat again. there no man who has eve
expressed eitLer in print in any address coming with
cozanee desire to see the Chief a executive xss, M
t saw twelve or sixteen years, or for HE.
MIR. LEAKE The question propounded to the Con
v.nton lv the report Of the Executive committee
nndarsand it correctly is the proprlety OF ciec! y"u
governor for four years and then OF rendering INN ne
a;M. for like term of four years believe that there
wisdom in having provision in your Constitution mp'
sing thi. restriction upon the privileges Of those Th
fee. Gentlemen have argued the question upu the sup
nosition TINT to pu, restriction 81 this kinu III you
Eonstituton is to limit the rights Of the people bat
believe it to be only restraint upon inc rifnees