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

of the minority sal be injured by tia capfcio
exercise of authority tina part Of the majority Is
there anything in this like violation OF popular rssi
Are We -regarang the fundamental principles of liber-
w and renubcanisin when voluntarily choose IN re-
strain orr own nowers and when experience has demon
strated that no evil Result from that voluntary re-
strant What ID the digestion 10 propagation making
your governor ineligible 1t must oe because You there
by nut an ;mnroper restriction upon the privileges Of
this member the community you sacrifice the pub
lie int crest nv doing YOU put d unnecessary !e-
strant uuon The wishes and the pleasure OF the
Either one of these or reasons hNt c IN iaV"r VI
the opposition 20 THE restraint OF some o Lucia OF all
of them Now. take ii Tor granted thai We are not
here for the nrn.e OF ieatug Tor individual ndvar-
tage We all admit that this Convention Las oeru
called to extend the rights and powers oil The People
And how is this to be done -N"t ot rs'"'''h5 any
wholesome restraint which has heretofore Dee" imposed
upon the exercise Of power but take from TIE hands OF
their agents powers which they have heretofore cAesc-
ed and return it to the hands vi the people am III
favor ofthe election the et magistrate - the p:o-
pie The election has been 'eTs'"'"t mace " 'ie ie
5isiature and the reform uncl slam tile i""s " de-
sire SO lar NJ have ANY knowledge ct the %!sil"' o TIE
peop,s an ,hat n, j 10 take his paer from the hands
of their a.ea,s and plsc. il in their own hands 10 40
this il necessary To 90 step further AMI tir"" al al
the wholesome restraints winch heretofore ni'c o'eh
imposed upon the power OF the majority by The eo'li
tuition under which have hvei ana sly 'ial l'.etc
shall h. no restrnnt wh,t"verupan III" power and wish
-. uf M n.onl. Ian marks haze heretofore existed
by which We nave been guided III exercising this p"wer,
or b, which aur agents haS h'n euic anii n" eva mas
resulted Snail We strike down aii "aitoratr th'se
landmarks and say that t'i I"opl" s'.' b' uh!er 10 re-
strani Whatever, AMI may exercise ihc power e'e'i
ou.v ii ,b,y roos, without any Wholesome restraint
which may h., imposed for The purpose oi pr"teciii3 Tie
minarit. 80 gentleman. suppose desires mat there
hail b removed, any restraint which h, heretofore Hx-
ercse.i Wholesome inflencc IN protecting The rish' o.
tho minority Ii then no one viii shy ihi' u l. riei'
~ ~. II. hat
tnn s ramoy.d TINT there should be none such III Your
Constitution Ihumby conceive that n""no VIII OBJECT
TO resolution of hi. il order that individuals may
roam . benefit nt i,s omission No one h;l- asserted
any ,, argument II that IN Favor OF 'hls pi.'iP" I'll
r.e,ibiiit, n any indefinite I"ngth =" ti"l''.
Wcu ,L,u :. il necessary f"r The pih:ic good lhat
your chief magistrate oa:d b. r"cl"''c - long n the
,r.,,'o choose If there were bnefs- r'~u.l!:g
iron, the mower oi rroicctin- him "a! 81 nnd 80 oii-
- II majority o the peop -'eht dcsr IN tie.e were
counterlaiac evils res ~ r' III IL i "u' S'',,
the duty ri the Convention n restrict t'"if power. me
gentleman from ar'"'na' N '-"''la''s 'as ~ an'
made n reference the ordinary occupations AMI en-
,oymen.. Of life which il did to ne was entirely
mann ic,l a an illustration Of the question now ne
ore i. committee The gent ienan tod ia 'iat u ~
has, maa in ms employment VII" mad lii'ii'''i>
exercised the powers with wh'ii liz had h'.n en-
trrs,n! Tor t. promotion OF his empower benefit
bot tba met ;hs he ha faithfully d>l -rr MS u'i'
ties for len II Of TIM" would constitute IA" gooi re;'-
.on i.r tiispiacs him and employing SOME IN" oi-c-
Certainly not out i t;t para lei r;'-c VIE 'e one
now before ub 'her single individual mad me cnh-
tro of the PER IL his employment ahd lac liz. tAe
bower oi maInL tin carr; "ui h;s w!S'"r mn, 81 500"
g that he ATTENDED the protection {" us 'httfo.-'
But here it is na 30 Suppose this an' !'ai p"e III 'h
en- nj oymert o! tire. persons, ion the !rp>' "i t''
ng to !. business .l wiici al We're i'efe-'' o' III
witch the interest, If each {" ia" @cpcF;e parties "nf
Conflicting if a majority ri these persons Thus Ia'nsi-
b.l Ne,
keeping hi, a2.n il their employ, and their Interests
wcr. different and conflicting. and th'r" was HEARS
by which tho interests Of the two could he attohiea 'n
to I'll, d.trmc of the interests of the third would Their
not be some propriety Ill a:g provision III ihr arr
Gle @: a"rceuart bv which ti. agent .lion!d hot De
employed for any length ii time ~ the majority oil ue
conc.rn That /. the here The people q! iTSh'
form - sovereign State. but Thai s'Verei&hty - mace
mn c many na;s al diversified in'crests a.d feelings
and of conctin. Interests and :ee!i 'iic IL s 'se'''
hns tountation 10 be CORFU; - h!- emp .ei,. u
rt,endn, 10 the Interests o. be or II the expense
&c the minority will not ask. thai temptation DO strong
enough according To the history OF Enlsn nvcfhih"i'S
heretofore, 10 induce him 10 Violate ..:c !!S.' :" e'''
minority 10 attend more exclusively u the interests 81
tic majority aud 10 Shape h- conduct - IL ~ re'h
the support of that majority! lno essence "i govern
nant i; noYcr and power ..at b. lodge! in the hands
Of men who are ever frai. a"a power consequently 10
their hands is always abi, u abuse Il u tre 'na'
we are not here exposed ~ the Same dangers 10 winch
the peoplc are III less fro, nnd republican forms o gov
ern,naui In II monarchy, the interests n ;o Whole NAY
h subver,ed at the will aud ca;rc, Of i,.- man and
in uristocrares the i- 81 tho many are alb'arTieh'
70 the w;rl,.- Of the Jew How il IL III iepnh'na GOV
ernmen,s Why the right- OF a m!nor''y may he eno
vcrtrd "a the will otthe 'aao'itv IRE I'll tS',ea
to that danger The evil is not ontire'E removed, be
cause We have adopted free and republican govern
:nent There is still power lodged somewhere" which
if not propariv restrained may result III injury and III
dutrnent to the rgh- Of the minority and say 1t Is
wise and proper in framing your organic nw that you
should have rcfmcnc. this fact. W. may 1rust that
none of these conflicts oi feelings and interests when
NAV place temptation in the way OF N. t:an VINO =
your chief magistrate ma occur, but 20 nan can tel!
when the will come. We have certainly diversity "i
fcaiing and vi interest to. among d. AMI the "iS ~
ton svhether will moi lace voluntarily oh ourselves
the restraint which nay meF"ni SAY evils hoi growing
ont of this Office.
Tisi not ne,c princip!e. II is which has Away:
e-stad in the Constitution o Nrniathc ;r-; written
constitution OF any American Statca constitution MADE
bv wise and patriotic 'n"n and iF" tie fr- day 81 ~
existence tn the a.ast there has been no evil resulting
from it. do not believe that the people Of Virgins
have ever suffered barnc their Governors Were iot re
a,i,eIie Gentlemen say that il is Necessary th;; on
Governor should b, rceii IN order /, 'nce hi'n +
the faithful discharge ofhis duties while in office ha
that been necessary according 10 the Eist"r" Z" .he gec
ernatoral oiccin Virginia Has not heretofore "ei
o stcpnilg stone To some h,gle office And now tha
the election is to be made hy he people will net nspi
ring. ambitious nlen rno-t gladly seek il, with view
that the7 may become popular among the people III or
der to obtain higher Office The incentive has hereto
fore existed to induce your governors faithfully u per
form their duties so ar vlrtnrus end proper lncca
,ives SHOULD exist Cor thar purpose Tina: may not b
cyac:.y the case in regard 10 the Constitution OF ti
United State In the opinion of orr roiiryen general
w. there Is 10 higher honor to he sought for Than IN
Presidency. VIII" his obtained that high pos
cannot look any higher for round TO Climb up IN tn
ladder OF ambition i;ut do not bee1e that ahy maj
who is elected even TO that high office needs the Incei
tive the prospect OF reelection 10 induce HIM to DIS
charge faithfully hi- duties. have that iah and con
f,ence in The virtue aud intelligence Of the people. a
in their powers OF Judgment and Discrimination, to be
licve that they never will place in office man. VIII
could only be induced the faithful performance OF HI
duty bv holding out to him the reward ola recollection
Whenever Won get in office, VINO can only he III
duced to the faithful discharge If his cuty by holding
upto him ;iai etcrng prize. he will be found to b
who will sacrifice the rights o those over whom IL
has control, to his purpose II there Is not vru
eough in him to induce the faithful discharge OF his dli
~ without the hope of reelection, hImhly c"n'elv
TINT there is very little Coincidence to he placed IN hi
action by holding, up any p1c of that Kind tor the pF
pose. Suppose-and in egislating III the formation
the organic law of State is our duty to look II
ali probable contngenees-the time should arise wheI