Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-02-18

side BY side with my friend from Accomac in all udicou
reforms and by udicous reforms do not UNDERSTAND
what some do by judcious tariffs aud who are ready L
go for the highest tariff that any body wants, or all tn
reforms that any body may desire That is not my pn
sition am here 20 for such reforms rs the state
society demands, and such reforms the people in m,
part of the country call for Have not already a
yanced in the cause of reform. Do We not propose t.
restore the people their right Of ecctng the Cover
nor and is not that reform which the people require
But deny so far my people are concerned that they
have said that shall render him re-elgible.
The gentleman from Accomac, theothcr day seemed tc
think that he did most satisfactorily the argu
ment Of the gentleman from Richmond Mr MEREDITH
when he said fyou did render him re-eligiblc lac
might manage it in the office of governor Is to secure
his election BY his party in the Legislature to the office :"
Senator of the United States Well if he is after the
Senate ofthe UntedStates the gentleman will pardon
for saying that he will the means toget there
whether he rc-eligibe OF not He will pardon NE Tor
saving that those whose duty il will be to elect SeIi
tor of the United States will not only have these MEALS
and appliances brought into USE but will have the same
Inducements To send HIM To the Senate OF me ehileu
States if he is re-elgible.
Mr. WISE | do not think the gentleman precisely
apprchenls my position Certainly lie does not apply
it To the argument either made by the gentleman
from Richmond, or the argument which made on tn'
question of re. eligibility did not understand the oh
lection to b. thar the gentleman who ineligible for
seat in the United States Senate any other Office
Nv friend will remember that the argument OF the gen
tcman from Richmond this that the capacity To bc
reelected the Office of governor was temptation t.
the incumbent to prostitute his office. III rcpy, sai'i
that il was re-cgbility that would put the incumbent
on his good behavior He, i'll reply to that said thai
there were other offices than that Of governor to which
he might be elected and which would be sufficient re
ward to put him his good behavior. In reply thea
said that the proposition was trueat there
were other offices to reward him with than this Office al
governor then these offices might tempt HIM III the
same manner to prostitute the office of Governor /
said that if he Wa elected by political majority and
liable to be called to do party work that the fear oi
the people before his eyes when he before them
reelection would secute the purity OF his admins
tratou: and the gentleman from Richmond said that
the other Offices which he might succeed would equal
IL secure that purity. And said in reply, that thos,
other offices would equally tempt him to prostitute his
office Legislature mgh be corrupt as well rs an ca
ccutive and Legislature might demand of Goyerno
that he should prostitute his office to their purposes
AMI they might hold out n, reward to him, seat IL
the United States Senate or some other Office to temp
him To Weld 10 their demands and that being Ineligible
the principle Of ineligbty itself produced irrespons
bility. That is the argument
Mr. fUQUA / will take the argument of the gen
teman from Accomac to be he has placed it before
IL, IL seems 10 me that il gentleman Is elected 1"
the gubernatoriu chair and desires to be- sent to the
upon the Court Of Appeals bench--and am now sup
sing the election of that body t" be rs hs been report
ed ask the gentleman what difference 1t will make
whether he is rc-ligble ineligible, whether he is
responsible irresponsible II he secure the appoint
mcnt through the prostitution Of his Office would he not
resort To TINT prostitution Of his Office for that purpose
whether he was ineligible re-elgible'
Mr. WISE. That is precisely what said to the gen
trman from Richmond--that You secure no more pur
t. Of office by making him ineligible than you do by
leaving him rcelinble. The gentleman has come ex
acty IN nv conclusion said you had gained nothing
in purity aud lost everything in responsibility. That j.
my ground precisely.
Mr. FrQtA ,ln not viewi in that light. Respon
.hility because ORE eligibility when the very sentema''
who il TO look reelection sr"nscois ." having pros
liiutcI his office to accomplish his endsi WIZ ne evei
preseu himself To- the people, should thinknot There
another view of this subject which has been awn into
this discussion and that the features Of tins GOV
ernm-nt Nv friend from Fauquier (Air CIiILToSl m
sisted that there mua bc monarccal, arstocratic AMI
democrat ic features the government to make IL work
10 not understand how can be otherwise. Say thai,
unless Won infuse into this Constitution which you are
called on To establish the spices Of good government,
Won make il either rrkcy that ii will not stand or II
,o of plethorc The spices Of good government must
be infused into it, else the Constitution Will iill ana
il ought not exist. What In L" Protect the minority
unin-t the tyranny of the majority Is II not The ex
ecuiiy- arm Ma, it not BE- called III reiuison To pro
,ct the minority against the encroachment of the ma
iorityi And j. that m"narchical featurci 40
believe lnt you eau give tins people as"verhne"'
that worth having unless the spices of good govern
n.ut are properly infused into it. would not, II
could have one body of the Legislature elected by The
patrican order and the other by the prban. wouhi
not have those two bodies nrrayed against each other
Nv wish is to see proper infusion OF arlstocracy AND
democracy in both these bodies. say that the best GOV
eminent is that in which the spices of good governments
are most ludicously and eqnably di'!sed
., of nv
men who have referred frequently to the people III m
oninon. meant the majority Of the people. Now major
tiles founded upon correct principles, admit, ought
within certain limits and according to established rules
To govern and control Whit sort ol majority max T.
ur NAV b. by the action Of th- body do not know
know what sort Of a majority desire shall vote Tor
the proposition Of the gentleman from fit.ryvnnl
think this the best course To pursue IL VIII rcpci ''
executive in u few duties liz will have to perform more
faithful and Jealous in their discharge thal II you h'N
him raelirble Immediately after the service oil ms INST
term desire To see the Governor OF Virginia the Gov
rpor of the State desire to him forget his party
connections il he h. party man, desire Z" see hun
commend to the good old commonwealth such measures
his Judgment the best interests Of the people M
shall therefore vote for the proposition oil TIE gentleman
from pittsvlvanin tn secur. that end -
Mr. NELSON trust that the little time that snail
claim the indulgence of this Convention, Will not u"
considered a. wlsteful consumption of It, although IL
NAV possibly he an Improbable one. II Is well Known
here mt least among ourselves to De ple-detefihh'
rion Of this body that matter o constitutional reg
ulatio shall be determined upon, until We shall nave
settled the great absorbing question OF the basis OF rep
re-entation And nasmuch Il. we have not arrived VI
that progress of the business when We can take up and
consider and dispose of that subject think may clam
ia occupy the time of the Convention without exposing
myself to the mputaton of useless consumption "i
time come her. for the first time, receiving great
trust from the people with whom have the fortune to
live and have felt since arrived here, that It WA
not only great but most momcntous trust aud nm
most sGlemnly impressed with the high responsibility 1t
imposes upo, NE. came here among those VINO De-
eye in sautarv essential reforms came here not Oh
Is to oppose, but absolutely TO resist by I'll proper
means what have recently learned to be conservative
doctrines Among the great reforms which suppose
we shall he occupied here, because they have been
especially desired by the pcope-our con-t!tuency-'s
the affirmation Of the great cardinal principles OF the
government and particularly tho great American aoe
rne Of popular election 1t ia now about
wears since the strious founders of this republic rt
collected together and proclaimed the great
principles Of our government. They are TO be losnd
In the most compendng and lucid form IN our oiil OF
rights They are political apothegns and desire to
see them fairly panied and practically applied re,
GREETED most seriously hear declared on tins Moor
that it is to be dcpored haze 'li OF rights rexed