Views of the Constitution of Virginia; Contained in the Essays of "One of the People" and in the Letters of Messrs. Robinson, Macfarland, Morson and P

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1850 Excerpt: ... For this reason it was that the wise framers of your constitution gave the election to the legislature. It is better than to give it to the people directly, who can have little personal information as to the comparative merits of candidates, and who can make no choice by a majority for a long period of time; and who, if electing by a plurality, will be thrown into the hands of a caucus. This subject will be continued in a future number. No. V. MODE OF ELECTING THE GOVERNOR. The opinions of Mr. Nicholas and other republicans in the Virginia convention of 1829, against increasing the patronage of the governor, have been already adverted to. Mr. Nicholas was equally opposed to the election of the governor by a general vote of the people. I beg gentlemen, he said, before they adopt a system which gives all power and patronage to one man, and the election of him by the people, to turn their eyes to the operation of this sytem in our sister states. Look at New York, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. It appears from the debates of the convention in New York, that before the recent change in her constitution, about eight thousand offices were in the gift of the executive, including militia appointments, promotions, and a multitude of smaller offices. Whenever the election comes round, in some of the states, the community is convulsed to the centre. Every man is made an office hunter and dabbler in elections. As soon as a new governor is elected, all the incumbents in office go by the board, and then begins a new struggle, so that the state is kept in continual ferment and agitation. The inevitable effect of these systems is, not only to destroy the peace and happiness of the people, but to undermine their political morality. Under our plan, the machine of government ...