Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-07-15

land, MIR. H. Gatcll, Gcndr, iaii. It'll, IacoI jan
nc,. 'olr>, henHry, kilgorc, I.caAc l.i.ou. Lynch
Aco';a!!.'' McCn'o.4, Miller, Moor" Norris, Muir
pny, rs;,y, rlikI,:, Randolph, Ridley, :5coysia
pfleF Sono"dci!, Sou:hal stArarl. Scroril>cu Tuy
"r lrgE Waits 81 lt.a!!o,. " iri.llc AID WnoIloiA
,, S"E:-Asssrs. Jot.:. T. Mason, tPre,ti ARMSTRONG
i'irh o. Shenandoah, Bland Blue. Bolts Bow,ien, Cam
den, ,arter of I.oudoun Chambers Dcncac. Edwards
rauiknrr' ferguson Finncy, Fisher. Elu,d, Ga!iy
Hays, Hopkins, Johnson, Lucas, Lyons, McCarnani
Martin OF MARSHALL Meredith, Neesoii, Scott of Rich
ln no eNy' shelley, Sloan, Smith of kanawhs Smith
OF jackson, Snodgrass STROLLER, Stuart of Patrick, Sum
mers' TATE Van Wrinkle, Wallace, White Wiley, vii
llalna OF Fairfax, and Williams of Shenanloah-i3.
So the resolution was agreed to-
THE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT
The Convention in Committee of the Whole. (Mr
HOPKINS in the ehar then resumed the consideration
OF The report OF the Committee the Legislative De
partment.
| hE-EAiolGlLlTF TO SEATS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
The CHAIR stated the pending question to be upon
the motion OF Mr.. WsE, 10 strike out the fifth section
OF inc legislative report the latter clause follows
crowded that all persons holding lucrative Offices,
nomination, shall be incapable Of being elected mem
bers of either house Of the Assembly
! And TO insert in lieu thereof the following:
"Provided that all persons holding any Office under
State or holding any lucrative Office under this State
or under any county, city, town municipal or other
corporation OF this State whose salaries compensation
shall exceed $50, and all ministers Of the Gospel and
all priests OF every denomination, shall be incapable OF
being elected members of either house OF the Assem-
| bly,"
| MIR. WISE. | will modify, with the leave Of the
committee, my amendment, as follows: to insert after
the words so the words per annum'' and also be-
fore the word denomination the word ssrcligous y
| rFS hnnn .Ipo1 ,.;1I IL. lei,
sion OF the question, to have the vote taken first on
the striking While up deem it necessary to make
some explanation in relation TO the amendment which
a upon the table yesterday and had printed 1t has been
suggested by that in the amendment have pro.
posed TO offer, have omitted to strike Of the orsi
nal report the CLAUSE in relation the ministers Of the
gospel. shall ask leave to modify my amendment at
the proper time.
Mr.. kENNEY. would like to inquire oil the gen
cman from Accomac Mr.. WisE.I what he means by
the terms the corporations Of this State. There
corporations and companies that Incorporated by
this STATE for manufacturing and various other purposes
Is II intended by the gentleman from Acconac include
IN his amendment those corporations, only those in
which the State is interested in some shape form
wish 10 understand this, because concur substantially
with tho gentleman from Accomac in most of the views
that he takes hut do not want TO include those corpo
raons In which the State has interest, such the
watering companies that incorporated at springs
and various other companies in which the State has nc
| interest.
Nlr. WISE. | intend TO include especially those cor.
porations Incorporated by law, Of every casa, and
wish IN include every officer Of such corporation who
| has salary exceeding $50 per annum. do that in
order 10 reach those banks. for instance which the
State has no interest presume that in the private
manufacturing corporations alluded by the gentleman
the Time of the officers will be required home about
the business oil the corporation that they would
need here except to get money out Of the pub
tic treasury for said corporations. TO prevent things
of that SORT is the very object OF this amendment.
Mr.. kENNEY | believe We intend 10 make some
provision against the State hereafter Incorporating such
companies have heretofore Incorporated. But mas
much as some Of them do now exist. do not see the
expedcncy of excluding the officers OF these corpora
items am in hopes, that by this constitution, the le
gature will hereafter be prohibited from incorporating
such companies. do not propose any amendment, but
ws, to hear the views OF the gentleman from Acco-
mac.
Mr. WISE. | will remark 10 my friend, that if pu
in tie phrase "public corporations will then let If
the officers Of The bank and railroad companies in which
the state rot interested Now my object 10 exclude
all these officers, and instead OF lis going too far II does
no. 20 far enough for me- would. if could, exclude
the directors Of these banks and other corporations
Mr. 5HEFFEY. Why not exclude the stockholders
| Mr. WISE. would not exclude the stockholders
becau;a although that might be thought As coming with
in the principle, still II would he gong rather farther
than gentlemen would tolerate. When YOU exclude the
Officers and directors YOU exclude those persons m whom
the power is concentrated
! Mr.. JHEFFEY. I would ask the gentleman from
Accomac, MIR WIsE.1 if the same principle which
would exclude the Presidents Cashiers, directors anu
clerks who are mere agents and employed To work Tor
lie stockholders would not nfccssitate rel exclude
the ,ockloder, who are the principals in interest
in my opinion it would be quite rs important, even
more ,o to exclude the large Stockholders as Their
poor dependent agents. The principles cohlehteu
| Tor i, tha, certain persons ought to be excluded,
because they have interests and views inconsistent
with the general good. and therefore they ought
not to be allowed 10 warp the legislation so as 10
promote the power OF corporations, OF 10 oostruct
thr success OF measures Of general moment anu Tor
his reason it is said that salared officers OF companies
should be excluded. Now these salaried oHlcerS VINO
receive their pay from the stockholders, would be al
owpJ to absent themselves from the duties oil ther OIL
fee only for the purpose OF rejecting and carrying ou'
h ,e,s and advancing the interests OF those who en-
ov thetn that is OF the stockholders and SO the prn'
;ni would require the exclusion Of stockholders them
seIvea Again. it is said the concern man leclS aoout
matter not Of general interest but OF special interest
to himself one Of class, ought 10 disqnai!s MN
from acting a. legislator, lest pcrchance lie might DC
biased br his personal corporate preudics ana lee
nus in his action in the general assembly SUCH rule
wd exclude all classes of persons who are SUBJECT 10
ecuoc burdens and pushed to its legitimate results
would close the ha OF legislation against an o"t t,e
nJsaendcnt oafcrs" who have nothing at all at stake
in the legislation Of the country. They would be emf
non,y qualified for unbiased exercise OF egisia'i'e
,nn,oas With all his ingenuity, the gentleman
from lccomac, cannot state the dlstlnctioi pet"Ie
/, hank officer who receives Ptul salary nnt
has no interest in the profits Of tho corporation
nnJ the stakeholder who has every lnducemcnt 10
;nnrease its revenues, because as ts revenues nre
,ncrcosed go is his income. Can the gentleman
Inw why the officer should be excluded, and inc
STAKEHOLDER admitted Men influence Legislation 10
~" rLejr purposes-to promote their interests me
,antl.nan from Accomac says the saared ofcer Wou,G
oye sinister purposes in view, the stockholders would
natthr salaried officer would have interests adverse
tn those of the community at large, but the soekhohef
u,onld not, cannot understand the argument. !,
Mr. WISE. | would say that this argument IS worth
nothing, as it would go prevent the exclusion oil ans
e' Mr. sHEFFEf. Not all exclude those to whose
servces the State has acquired ght in another Once
IF her own bv paying for those services and admit al
others oil whether they support themselves upon sal
orv derived from corporation or company ol
PERSONS not incorporated. But We are not speaking
now Of extending the principle beyond the Old hints.
Ear nv own part would rather combat on the moor
artI LEGISLATURE bank railroad president s'ahn-
mo ont "a it were upon the open field rs known oi
"ar of his institution company, whose moves upon
The chcss.board of legislation would at once attracl al
rntion, if they bore the scmhlance OF prenhirhs he
,re,t interests of the commonwealth, than encounter
hs eentlemany adrot. and sagacons stock hoer WIN
in his exterior and selfish purposes IN ms hear1