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

Of the ,ple Can the gentleman from Henrco say the
saInc His devotion federal princi Piles Is to" well
known for him now To set himself up pattern oil
modern democracy believe that power can be exer-
c.ed better by the people than il be by their agents
utterly opposed to any Of the departments Of the
government exercising more power than Is not ALSO.
lutely Necessary fo the welfare of the people world
strip them Of all power and leave the people free md
independent, ~ act a- they will provided their action
does not interfere with the rights of the minority That
understand to he the doctrines OF democracy am
not IN favor OF any splendid scheme OF government b,
which the people 10 be coerced 10 do anything
when gentlemen may suppose L" BE- TOR their interest
When you lind me advocating ANY schemes by ~hr,h
the people VIII be- made 10 invest then capital m Tar
lculsr WAY in order promote and paronizr partic
a!ar interest then you may doubt my belief IL the "a
pabity Of tie people for -cfgoyernment. Gentlemen
VIII" think II necessary that government should have
high tariff in order I" """re I'll" people into aFtiru
lar pursuits a. II they were capable Of takin.
"i rir interests Themselves ar. little prepared IL give
Us lectures democracy. matter how full they may
ietl 10 ba of IT,
The CHAIR Il is 10 he hoped that Their. will b. a.
hide an-on rs possible TO federal politics. otherwise
We shall be- likely 10 have long discussion On the sub
ject.
Mr.. LRAKE. l will not do il. should not haze
done - at all had not the gentleman from Henrco
thought proper resort To such remarks he haS in
this conncxion aud designed Ia nothing more than
was barely necessary to reply To what he said only
desired 10 show thar never had been the advocate ii
strong government and that never the advocate Of
ans principle BY which the people were to be cociced
do that which they themselves do not seek do and
ifthev do not understand their business sufficiently
to appreciate their own interests, am not for compel
ling them hy legislative coercion to take Of those
Interests. go for leaving the people tn do rs they
please provided they do not mtetore with the rights
of Others. Does thu gentleman lncan to say that Inc
people al times do not act caprciousyt Does he
ut Il ines
on the part 81 the majority u! the people 10 interfere
with the rights Of others There has been great srg
gle between the North and the South and why this
struggle: Was there nothing i'll it The gentleman
seemed 10 think that sanering the people when
said that they might act from prejudice and from ex
element, and would ask him if the majority do Dot
in hi, sometimes! What has been the result
Of the contc-, out Of which nave just and
which have before relerredf Why the people Of the
Soath have been INDUCING in lal!eualis-!o because
thy achieved great victory in that conte5t-but
beci':-c ;l.y came out second best Their" was vi"-
lent and a mighty effort made by majority of ne PEG
pie through their representatives III Congress, Ia IN
fringe upon The rights Of the south With th"s" nc.-
before should moi b. candid, should not pav that
regard /" h. Iacls which il il necessary VERY man
should regard who vote PROPERLY upon -uc!
question this il did govern my coni:ci
cordingv. But b-cause the people may nat from ~
ctesaril aud from prejudice, that does not require
Inc to doubt their capacity for self government. IN
the contrary say unless they had that power thing,
would In great deal worse. say it is better that
NIL pow. should b. lodged with the people than with
Their seon. and that If We hav, the proper consttG
tonal guarantee" they will. they have done hereto
ure remain ~ barriers 10 prevent evil and nlschlei
Bu il y"u -trky on this constitutional prohibition then
there j. means b. which thr minority may he. pro-
tcrt-,i.
Tn. gent i-nan roll Heuiico stated that the powers
of thr Executive would b- So lev and limited that
ii would not bc necessary thai there should be anv
provision incorporated III III. Constitution Tor The pur
pore Of seniing hi- r.-elgbility-that evil cen
grow oil hi re eligibility his powers We're L. be 10
maIiand tina. III he not To De entrusted with ths
exercise o much executive power that therefore il Wa
not important that he should he excluded from
elcrrion Now no tell what. in the "i
time b. the power vested III sour governor. AL
though he has not very great power he still has some
power. which he NAV exercise Tor the oenei': oi one
portion Of the people regardless Of the rights of 9th
er- The principles which govern his reelection ARE
dier"n, from those which apply to tho Gaze OF mem
bcrs If the Legislature. Your chief Executive Is
man r.ar executive power is oil b. concentrated
one nun b, in the o your legislature the power
divided, tho responsibility Is divided, and there does
not exist the eamc necessity for those checks upon
the members of that department Of the government
that should vxist in the your chief executive.
But the gentleman, nil power i. III the people. and
there should b. no Infringement on popular rights. Tie
members of your General Assembl, the representa-
tivc- Of tho people IS 10 he supposed that they know
what are the wishes and desires NJ the people They
present The whole people and according 10 thu theory
y, the gentleman, the decision of the ma"rit. 81 h-
legislature ought L. be- taken the will and wish oi
thr people and there ought to lie no check upon It.
Why and for what purpose, II the gen,lemans doctrine
be true WI. your Senate established: Was il not 10
be chech upon the wishes Of maorty Of the people:
I have away understood that TO be the object oi
Senate Elected for longer periods not so directly re-
spon-o the people tho other branch OF The General
Assembly are the Seuate WAS for the purpos.
of operating n. n check upon the sudden excitement Of
the peopl- We'll no evil hae resulted from this ana The
people have never complained that there is power
in the legislative department BY which they are thus
checked and irammeled They know that il is for then
good tia, in the end it is the advancement oi lh' IN
terests all and that far from evil resulting from u,
is for tn. security Of the rights Of every portion "f
the people.
The gentleman from Henric" advanced one argument
With Seemed "a me L. bc tutal to the which he
o.p,,,. on this occasion. Il wa7 stated bv the gentle
from, III. CITY Of Richmond. CIR. MEREDITH) that il III,
,,.va,u.r was "a be ro-.gible being at the seat 81
Government where The Legislature assembled the icgis
l,,, MIGHT attempt to control him and that h. might
lr,,n their creature in order 10 secure his reelection
yghat Mr. .ie reply o the gentleman from Henrico !
WIN, TINT H. ought to he influenced by tn people ;
rrs.e,,tatives The gentleman -tnted that the Coy
rnr Of Virginia ought to listen 10 the wishes and 10 be
nJ.r l. influence ii understood him, vi the Legs-
Mr. Bolts. I'm his seat H. should submit 10 the
will OF the people.
Mr. LEAKE, The gentleman says that the Governor
should submit o the will OF the people what ana mr.
ARGUMENT mean is it meant anythiiS-and ~" gentle
nm i not apt make speeches that mean EothlIS
Hi, argument was that the Governor might becoa. ,ne
creature of the Legist ture and the gentleman IN ms
reply SAYS he ought to submit the will OF the people
What is lis meaning. Is il not that he ought 10 7u
init 10 tina, will as thus expressed: 1t that is MOI M
meaning why make the rspiy AT a he Is TO e ,me
representative Of the peopL in the f%ecuvf pspa,a
men, OF the government elected by them ana r',P'",
sble to them The gentleman says that he oush' y
submit to the will of the people and according !" NJ
argument, ii there is any meaning to DE a''a'h'u !" -
il means ,hnt he should listen TO the LeglsaluIs ln'
become It's creature had thought We desired 10 tah'
the election out of the hands Of the Legislature anu !
place the candidate in position beyond lns'' soh,'o
but the geuleman- great attaclHntnt 20 ihs ~,
the people seems only to 90 70 far rs III,
concerned And really then after hls aii-grehs
in favor of popular rg hts the only thing ~hlsn "a
discover that entities him to be called IN. .ne. ~
the peoples privileges is that OF ansocaIing Es.
Governor should BE- re elected during his whos NE
!, does seem 10 me that his argument !, ~ 'Se
most conclu.iye reason against the re-enS'piit. " ~
Oovernor If there is probability OF his lniieuint
with III. Legislature Tor the purpose Of secui i