Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-02-21
rLRGLv.y.F
REFORM CONVENTION
FIynishedto ROBERT H. G.lLHER, sa'S"rr 70 ne ION
rent;on, ~ WILLIAM G. BlsHor, Oil ie' hsporter1
NO. TO-
TUESDAY February ll--4ro tiaued9

MrJANNEy Iosk the attention of this commit
zoe for very few iuu.s while en- cavor to explain
TO them some least Of the resos' AZ nave Drought
INV mind to the couclusen tia1 III 'ainittee oil TIE
whole shall vote s,ins tie re en5o NY Of the Gov
arnor At tn. end Of hi first term SAT- that shall 81
rote n conom,+ce of tho whole III, " | shall vot.
hareoftor lnnu mo-. but feel myself mpcled by the
sn;rt of canlo TO say that II Is ro at Ill probable that
tbc comn,,tse Of the whole or that this body sitting
IN will eau 50 organize this great execu
-; ar.r,en. a. 10 induce to for the re-eligi
h;l,y # the Governor. cannot vote To- it now, a
III sron.s nor DO think that any gentleman upoi
~. door ouy!. % vote for it in tbs co,nntte,
~ whole / AL 81 those who without having
much experience IN parliamentary affairs or wlthou
lin authorized to pronounce any decided opinion abou
mis- matter think that this whole discl ssion from be
.y;nniny to en-! is entirely premature. am o. opin,
;hat this question of the rec ,.by OF the Governor
ought 10 Laye been the yer, last q. stcn euneetea
with the executive department, whicn should nave
discussed aud decided D,esany gertlen II oonb mere
who has bestowed any reflection upcu II subject tia'
n" materially Of this question of re .iisbIy nc
pcint III great degree upon the powcra ID the a.fo
age with which yen propose To cio.hc I'll ".!cer -
II not 500 Docs sed upon me iei u u nus ...
Should not both OF these questions ave oeeh seltle
before ", came to co,side: the question his resiig
iity Blu. the report of the committee IL before Ia
In the month Of October last the commit Sc was raised
Their III at ,nt ten days ao. and the sub
est ha, been discussed during these ten days upon
should not be rc.eiigible al the end If his frs.
tcrm siiltul dcba,cr ueyrr exhausts The whole Of
his power in arguing hs propositions. A'-no Inc
c, part of his skill Is exhausted IN tho mode Of sta
ing his proposition al; nobody uudcrsan that better
han h gentleman who sis before ne md /, "i"r'
my me with his Icnton 'rieni from he county o
aen-ico, (Mr Eo1ys.) And an no; like some Other
gentlemen hcrs.:oi encounter 10 7i,k IL calling hin
lend How does he -,atc the proposition, upon =
question which ii any questions upon ear Ii bc 90 l.
IL az oh Ne n a
the objection that imposing restraint upon liz
sovereign power of In. people. We. i: Is very mp"
sing mode of stating the objection There Is a; i'as'
s.ea; plausibilitv IN H. but IL - not the on mode III
which this question may be stated by any 'ean- II
can be stated il another way. quite pertinent 10 Inc
matter in hand, AMI little less likely IL 's!ead the
Judgment 1t is 81. Here Is grea: eStcui 70 officer
about 10 b. created b. iii, constitution II y" al
amount of power and patronage lnseparaoe " i'o WI
and secn Of men. from i!;s executive irtment
and Judging bv all pas, experience hv the history
Of executive power in every part ri the world know
that that rover and patronage Will lie abuse Tor The
reneht OF the holder il he be- interested abusing
y, and the true question Is this Is ii wise or roper
not for rs we can impose restraints upon thu power
al the peoples II WIS" proper III o'lr ~ ,mc'it,
sianutod here a. we ar. settle these, an!o; ether
questions for The people thcn selves. III nc Of
their sovereign rcwc1. 10 impose not rcstrai upon
their sovereign will b IL npos1 disability + three
wears .pon one Of their -h public officers rath than
the operation of their freedom of ell, ction
Tha. Is the mode of sta,n. the question do" to-
feve that ans body will find ii necessary 10 CATCH
II, regard 10 my pcitcs opinions AMI principles.
conine myself to the discussion of the ques-
ron before do not mean to 90 into dlsc ,si"n
Of other questions which not before tho ttee
and which are 10 come before definite shap FOR
discussion and decision but viii say that 4
full and firm believer III tie doctrine tina. the ign
cwer Of thi, State resides in the people of the ate
nd e ri
7ided into legislative judicial, and executive 1t III
he people; il resides thero ultimately, and cann"' bs
auv power be rightly taken from them. But does ut
advance solitary inch in the discussion az ''s
question No. sir no. not at ali The gentleman " no
addressed us yesterday and chose address lstes 4,
with great plsasrrran address that take pleasure E
saving did him the highest cred-said that he in
isycr OF having biennial sessions of thelegisature ~ d
shat does he mean By that lie means that BODY
having the power to tax limited only By the ability Ct
re PEOPLE to pav-no other limit none nons-a bod,
whose taxing power has no mi; bat the ability Of til,
PEOPLE paywhich has the right to prescribe Law
ma; -ha take away the life and !iber:y Of the people
kali hold their power for two years during which time
he legislative power cf this sovereign people. about
vh:eh soluch has been said here ecctualy OF
'h.i lands rs i! it were snnihilaed by the power Of
0mnlpotencs Is it not 80 Surely surely. What is
ne question, then One Of princip.ei NJ. sir; no.
Bu, it expedient r the people instead Of delesa,S
heir legislative pow their year. to dele
w.lnay well differ in opinion, without raising test
IN in regard radicali,n conservatism, deinocra
" or aristccracy. What has that to do whit Take
he judicial department Of the goverumcnt-the power
% nass on questions of life and death and liberty and
r-upertv-tho power that in the course of period 0!
zen wears dsposes of mass Of property equal
han half Of that which is held in the whole State real
mixed and personal The sovereign people cannot exor
i,e judicial power in their primary capacity. Nobody
p-etendsis What then is be dcnci 1t Is delegated
10 chosen body OF agents and while delegated ii
no. as esectualv for lifetime being gone from the pep
re as # it were annihilated beg tie gentleman from
Montgomery (Mr HocE) to ponder upon these obscrva
lions fr they are addressed much his consideration
as 10 that o any gentleman this assembly Whatmskes
he executive de artment Of the necessary
Can the one million five hundred thousand people OF
Iirrinis-te De miliis ns five hundred thousand i'll
loss thsa twenty ycars-can they exercise executive
powert Can they execute any one law passed b. III"
legislature they carry Into execution any iuds
ncnt or decree Of any that they Greater No
e;r; no. What then Do what ths committee has
recommended hy their report-mSke governor. Put
all this immense power into the hands of one man. Ii
nav be hard necessity bu; tn,t nece,si.vl Tia;
!. the question. Is iaoi p"i" necessity from which
We cannot escape that this immense power of tic ex.
alive department of Virginia is t. hc--and n,s. be
whether we will uo-paced in tie i .ids I'll enc it,au
And while there. for whatever term, whether tire,
months or six months, or our years the executive powe
III the people is also annhilacd, well "a il the
IT the legislature and Judiciary 1t has gone from them
and they cannot recall II un, vacancy occurs, VIE
.h.r must again delegate Ii TO other hands
not the question hcre. then one Of pure. expede'
90: The principle Of giving all executive Powe
t., one man may be bad one for aught | know
lu can you escape it: Is not enc better than tw
,a-cc, or iiye' Womust doit. And' not the question
s. how long period you viii delegate this eSecutiv
ower On. of pure ,pe,cncy, Ia he decided by ali til
circumstances OF the case: it toIuc-and hav
listened with the utmost attention to gentlemen VIII
have discussed this question here, and with the mos
.arues, desire arrive al tue truh-and cannot pu
my the proposition under consideration on an
-rouad Of abstrac. principle whatever. have said
question Of aprac;icai character. The gentleman
from Marion Mr.. NrEsos) yesterday stated this ques
,jo. ~ my Judgment, fairly and the gentleman iron
,a:,u, Nr. M'CoNAs who has Just taken his seat, ha
a;ed ,ha, the principal argument that has been urge
sa,' there eligibility Of hegovernor Is first and main
!; 'ha: De would 7bn>e the power and patronage wit
chic! he clo,hc The answer to that was Of two
Id character that re should not presume he wou
= ana>e lt-,ha' had TO right to assume that h
To'i,l become corrupt and if that argument was no
Conclusive. t.- na., was, via that he had no powe
sAl patronage aod that he hu, sounding brass
4 n - r A.,