, r if iff -v, fi.':.i
i . . i . ; ; i ; . . . . i ; . ; 1 . , : i- r m - ,
"Ours are the plans of fair delightful peace unwarpkl by party rage, to live like brothers
ontl IIAIiF EV ADVANCE.
.
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rVBtlSHED XXXtLT TCISDAT,
Joseph ales & Son,
Tiibtis PoT.T.iiflT annnrri one half in advanre
'Thrtsc who not, either at the time of snhscribinjr
w ointiWqtjcntJy, give notice of their "tnsh to hare
th" Ppne ihiicoTitjniirtl t the expiration of the
year, will be presume desiring its continuance
1 AUlTRRTISEillErVTS,
Hot exceeiiiric tirtent lints, will be inserted threr
timet for Dollar ; and twentr-five cents for each
mhscioucnt publication : those of jnoter length, in
prrportionU If -the nomber of insertions he not
marked on them, tey, will be continued until nr.
J-ercJ out, and' charged txcorumgly. j
ON BIENNIAL, SESSIONS.
. . Saturday, June SO.
On mofioo nf dpnt-5))eiA, the Conven
fion resojveil itself into a Committee of
the Vho!e,Oen. TPWborrrtn the Chair,
on the propwition for holding biennial in
fteatl of annual meetings of the General
A.eraU. . v;
J ml ;e Daniel moved the following Re
lol ution j : '
J" Resolved, Thut H h expedient that there-be
annual Sesiiont of the General Assembly."
i Mr. Svrtall moved to amend the motion,
bystriking'out annual, and inserting bi
ennial.
i " Daniel believed; that the only
reason inat was outreu in sappori oi
changing the Sessions of the Lejnslaturc
ftom annual- to biennial, was the saving
ot expense-, whilst there were many rea
lons which occurred trt hi.trfracjainstcharig-
-i . .': i 1 1.. ii f . . r
iriff llic i-unqaniciiiai principles 01 uoveiu
nient. To put off meeting annually, to
once mxtwoyearsi shews an inclination
lotieglect the important lufy of legisla
liun ; for want of frequent calls to the
exercise cf this duty, the right itself might
in time, be festroyed. All the powers
not grant'ed ttf nbe; General Government
ire tesVred?to tKe State Governments
and in the Pfiople, and as Congress meets
v -m ii ' . . . ;l .
annuany, -it, is necessary tne icsisiaiures
cfOve States sliou id meetanniaalty to take
! care of their reserved glvts, and see that
iCcnsrfSs does not invatle them
On the score ot economv, tne Jude
doubted whetuer much would be saved bv
biennial &csioniu JXhe.nnniber of the le
gislative body beingeducedhe duration
ot their sessions would be shortened, and
would not probably exceed four weeks ;
but if the sessions were to be biennial,
they would require eight weeks to get
through their. business. f1t,
The Convention isjdirected Jto ?dopt
t.:nie mode'ol preventing so much private
legislation. He knew no way of doing
this but by taxing all private bills, and
this would not prevent it altogether
There are frequent occasions which ren
der private legiblatipn necessary, and to
compel, persons to pay a tax wnoavc. a
rishtHo--apply to the Legislature for such
acts, won Id b deemed hard. The right
must Se Jeft open, and if some usele.W
law s be passed, the, coit of passing and
printing 'them will be all the inconveni
ence sustained.
Mr. CfiuUip thought the gentleman from
Halifax, wa mistaken, when he said the
only ground onwhich biennial sessions
was supported fras, to save, expense. It
Purged that by holding the sessions an
nually, ajiucnberot useless laws are pass
ed, and Tnvv9 are frequently changed be
fore time has been given to ascertain whe
ther they are good or bad. Anotlier rea
son in taro'r ol biennial sessions the
people woultTbe careful to, elect suitable
men as representatives hen they, had to
pass more permanent laws -the passing
of laws: by; way ot experiment would be
prevented, --nut. the gentleman from U a
lifax deems it necessary that the Legisja
tme should met.anflually .to check the
doings of Congress, ,11c- could .notiUn-
uersjand hitt influence nir'State,Legis.
l;ture could have'on that body. '.-We' may
nuecu -pass Kesoiuimns asserting.. our
riuhts ; but Congress wiTf passsuchlavvs
as they judge proper for the general inte
rest of theUniorii And lift twere neces
sary for tlhe General fAsseinbrf 'to. meet
not sit during the session of the National
legislature ; he did not think that the
Memberrof our State Legislature ought
to trotiDie themselves about the business
f Congress. Biennial sessions of the
Legislature were thought by some to con
flict with that section of our Hill of Rights
which declares, H that:a frequent recur
rence to fundamental principles is abso
lutely necessary to preserve the blessings
of liberty." H was ofa different opinion.
If the Assembly met in every alternate
year, time Mould be allowed to ascertain
the; merits of a law which had been passed,
at a prevtous pession. I If any great -emer
gency required an extra meeting of the
Legislature, the Governor had the power
to call It.. : I
On the subject of limiting the Sessions,
some might doubt whether the Conventi
on had the power toact upon it. He tho't
the time ot meeting of the Legislature,
and the period at which its sessions should
close, might be fixed. 'He threw out the
matter for consideration of the Conven
tion. 53
Governor Branch said, that the quota
tion from our Constitution made by the
gentleman from Orange, was a sufficient
ground for the motion made by his col
league, to continue the annual sessions
of our Legislature. This fundamental
principle has been; acted upon for more
than half a century, yet it is unknown to
any but those Governments who have
made some progress in the adoption of
liberal principles. 1 The preservation of
liberty, he said, depended on a due pre
servation of a system of checks and ba
lances. Gov. "B. differed in opinion from the
gentleman fioin Orange, when he said we
had nothing to fear from the General Go
which
is
Amendment
Convention, to provide a tribunal when
by the Judges of the Superidr & Supreme
L-ourts, and other othcersot the State ma v
be impeached and tried fur corruption and
trial practices in pfficef: but if. charges
should bemade against any, of these offi
cers, tlvey could jot be brought to trial,
unless the Legislature were in session j
Miey -would have to continue in office, un
fit and unworthy as they might be, for
two years longer, unless the Governor
might chuse to to call the Legislature to
But, it is said, that our Sfatute'Book
submitted to the j therefore, that must depend upon those j
who. are the memnfrs ; how they con
duct the public business ; and is capable
only of aremedy at the polls, by those
who elect the members.
As to the last reason which, had been
assigned by thegentfeman from Orange,
(Dr. Smith) that proves (oo much, tobe
consistent with the form and , principles
of a Republican Government. If the
-
lent is .soundi this extension of
election must also; be correct within
any reasonable limit.! Then, sir, if two
years power out of the hand of the peo
ple would so far excite their jealousy of
is crowded with too many laws. These are its abuse, as to make them as much more
the acts of the people themselves. Their circumspect as in a grant ofone year, and
representatives can at any time repeal thereby a benefit woujtd' be obtained, why
them, if they be not found good or useful, not extend it to ten years, so as to gain
He concluded with a hope that the Con- ten years benefit ? Sr, this argument is
vention would not be hurried into a deci- in the very teeth of the principle that the
sion on this question. power should reside in the people ; it
Judge Seawell said, as he came from the strikes" at once, at their competency to
county in which the seat of Government choose their delegates, and is one step in
is located, and it might be thought by some the march, by which all Republics have
that the particular interest which his con- degenerated into Despotisms. Annual
stituents felt, would necessarily go- Parliaments was a struggle with the peo
vern his vote. In the first place, said pie of the mother couhtrv for nearly 100
Judge S. I will say, that I am not quite years before our separation. Charles the
satisfied in my mind, that they are mate-;
.. ll !i ... . . I . t . ...
riauy inreresien in opposing me suoslitu
tion of biennial, instead of annual meet
ings of the Legislature ; for, I believe,
the length of the sessons will be so increa-
2d, was oreviled '; urinn. not lonn- after
the Restoration, to conse.ntJto the pass
age of an act.- bv which the sittings of
Parliament were not to be intermitted
longer than three years. For , though by
with Federal Politics, nis fears respecting
the General Government are,itvi'l become
too unwieldy to bewell -managed.- He
apprehended no dangerfrom its encroach
ment ori State rights. Thy people of this
State form a quiet and orderly communi
ty, but will always be ready to defend
themselves on all-proper occasions. He
tho't when gentlemen talked about watch
ing the movement of, the General Gov
ernment, they meddled with business
which was entrusted to others, and with
which they had nothing to do.
Mr. King was of opinion, that annual
elections produced great feud and disor
ders throughout -the State, and furnished
too much business for the Courts &0'rand
Juries. " So that the cases occasioned bv
one election were scarcely got over, be
fore anotheMook place. He hoped, there
fore, that the proposition for biennial
sessions would b? adopted. If an extra
session of the Legislature became neces
sary it would be called by the Executive j
and he coufd see no good reason foij call
ing the Legislature together, annually, to
pass fifteen or twenty public acts, and
five times the number of private ones, at
anexpenceof 840,000, which would ben-
vernment. He thought we hadevery thing
to tl read irom Federal legislation. We j
see. that some of the Sta'es have moved
in favor of the. powers that be. Arid-it is
apprehended that others may tread in
theirsteps. We know that, in the year
1798, this State stepped aside to support
the Alien and Sedition Laws. And 'hat
few of the 3tates were found to oppose
these laws until Virginia passed her fa
mous Resolutions in 1799. on the subject.
Have we not, enquired Gov. Branch,
in an instance of a more recent date, seen
our legislature rise tn aid or a dangerous
concentrated Federal Power ? Wecer-.
tainly had ; but he trusted we should see
it checked as in former days.
He believed that annual sessions of the
Legislature were well calculated to keep
in check federal usurpations. The pow
ers of the General Government are con
stantly increasing J and American liberty
defends on the preservation of State rights
and State powers. He was no disqrgan
izer ; but he was for keeping a constant
watch on reueral power.
The saving of expense, Gov. B. said.
ought to be one of the last considerations
which should, lead us to change our Le
gislative sessions from annual to biennial.
As Ins venerable friend (Mr. Macon) had
id lef the Civil List alone the people
win never oe opnresseu ov ir. it is as
the dust in the balance. It may answer
the purpose ofdlmagogues to cut down
me salaries oi pincers, which ought pro
bably to be increased ; but it answers no
purpose. :f
Mr. Coowrsaidhe was senthere to do
justice to his constituents. He was in
tavor of biennial sessions. He believed
that by meeting every other year, the Le
gislature would be "able to pass; all the
laws that would be wanted, and jail that
could benefit the people of the State : and
it would produce a great savingof expense.
Mr. tuawanU did not concur to opinion
with the gentleman from Orange, that this
is so simple a question, j; He thought it
question ot great importance It was said,
that biennial sessions were recommended
bv considerations of economy. He could
not see this : for if two years were to e-
lapse between each session.
sed, as to give them the profits of two the ancient Statutes, the King, who alone
years at one time, instead of being dividr had the power, was bound to convokethe
ed into annual instalments. But if their Parliament annually, or oftener : -etit is
pecuniary losses were to be diminished in a well attested historical fact, that in the
a considerable degree,yet that alone would preceding reign there was an intermission
not restrain him from adopting the pro- of 12 years. Upon the Revolution, which
posed amendment : for-he was not sent J took place in 1688, one of the first acts
here to amend the Constitution so as to passed was nearly in the words of our Bill
make it suit the interest of Wake county of Rights, declaring that for redress of
only, but to make such amendments as grievances and amending and strengthen
the interests of the, whole State require, ing the laws, Parliaments ought to be fre
tie regartled the State as one family, in queiC held after which, for the hrst
fit no one in the State,cxcept the citizens
f Raleigh, forty cents. Were this large
amount of money applied to instructing
he poor and ignorant ; to the improve
ment of our communication from one part
f the country to another, how much real
good would be thereby effected ?
In addition to the proposition of the
gentleman from Orange,to limit the length
of the sessions of the Legislature to fifty
a. .
lay, he should be glad to see them meet
on the first of Jauuary, rather tha.n at the
present time.
Mr. Jntson from Perquimons, was de
cidedly in favor of making the meetings
time, it became practically enforced by
the Commons, who would not pass the
mutiny act, and the land tax, and malt
tax acts, for a longer period than one
year ; and the first being necessary to the
tjovefnment, and the latter for the sub
sistence of the Army, the Parliament is
which the interest of a large portion,
ought to prevail over that of a small frac
tion. The question which is nresented
in the consideration of this proposition.
appeared to him more identified with the
liberty id the people j more closely con
neceu wnn me permanency or our lie-
publican institutions, according! v as they necessarily convoked by the King every
snoutd determine, than anv other amend- year.
ment wiucn is suomitted Dy the act oi When the tramers ot oar Constitution
Assembly. commenced their labors, in order that the.
In modern times, it is nniversallr ad-1 principles upon which they had formed
mitfed in all Governments professing to it, might be understood, they distinctly
be free, that the exercise ot all political declared them in the Bill of Rights, and
power is derived from the people. And J which they made part of the Constitution.
he believed the opinion was equally cur- They went a step further than had beeii
rent, that the people, though the safest taken in the JJntishJiouse ol Commons.
depositories of this power, are from their
numbers, their want of information and
their acquaintance with the mode of do
ing business, the least capable of exerting
it bj j ractical legislation- That they are
obliged, from these causes, to have re
ntti I
Being about to construct a Government,
in which all pover was to reside in the
people : but in which Its exercise was to
be delegated by popular suffrage, where
the most influential and aspiring men
would probably be chosen, to guard against
course to Representatives, in thechoning the abuse of power when delegated, they
of whom, they are every way qualified
Thus we see, that in the regulation of the
Police of a town consisting of few inhab
itants, the experience of ages has been
fir the people to elect representatives.
rhe great qualihcations of the represent
ativeare, can he be trusted r Is he qua-
ified in understanding ? And who can
decide these questions better than-his
neighbors? They have lived with him.
had dealings with him, and must know
declared that elections should be frequent.
aud as a commmentary upon the word
frequent," declared in the Constitution
they should be annual. It may be, that
annual elections, and consequently annu
al Assemblies, cost something more than
biennial ; and it may be, that the public
time and money have been and may be
wasted, but what are they when compar
ed to the blessings of our free institutions?
What are they to the mischiefs that may
grow out of -this false step? And ought
in sound policy a change to take place in
the Constitution or a State, where the mis
whether he is able to be useful to them,
and whether they can confide in him ? -When,
therefore, the people form aGov-
ernmerrt, in the' practical operations of chief or inconvenience is completely With
which they have bo hand, it is of tlie at- in its present power, while it leaves a
most importance, as regards the security the same time the new Government stil
of their liberty, that the periods for which subject to the same evil ? regard this
tins power is aeiegaieu, snouia oe tne amenument as a direct attacx upon noer
snoriest witnin wincn tne ousiness to be ty, and snail therefore vote against it
peiformed can be accomplished. For J Dr. Smith had not intended to havesaic
Uiowever shockitig to our senses it may be, any thing more on this subject. The whol
it is nevermeiess true, mat on every suo- expenses oi our irovernaient, hestace:i to
one session
wpuld cost as much as two, for they would
sit nearly twice as long: But would gen
tlemen be wtllifrg to test a question of
this Vibtl nature on the score of expense
only ? When the rights of the people were
at stake, would gentlemen spea,k of the
on any special occasion, the Governor had cost ol matntaintng them ? IheLegislar
the power to call the body too-ether. f ture a"dMr. E. is the most important
Dr. Smith said, he was in. favor of the. arra of the LrOvernment,j it is theretore
amendment of the igcntleman from Tvr-5 all-important that it shotttu meet aunual-
J ... . '. .ii it. Tf :L:
ty. suppose me iLxecuuve nr juuiciary
should be disposed improperly to extend
their powers, what Power jwouldthere be
reil ; and if that were carried, he should
also be in; favor of hitroducitig a. further
nmennmeni, mat no session ol the Lewis.
lafurc should sit longer than fifty days tw control them lathe absence of the Le
lie could see no necessity for aTmuaHg's,ature ? Antl will it be expected that
meetings.
He thught tint i4session of l"e Governor Would call an extra session
fi'ty days, once injlwo years, WouldbV IP ilcn a case ?j. Tour subaltern officers
mnicient to make all the necessaVyjlaws pre directed to report annually. Would
fyr this State, & this change woulit great- you turn them over to the Executive pow-
lv lessen the cxnensei of tbe.Govirnmentl er n the absence of the Legislature r It
For the last ten years Itr.e1t the Executive could at anytime
the. revenue of tha State, has been consu
med by the session sof the General As
fimblv. An amount, in the whole, of
h.ut 400,000 dollars. And if the Six-
tntc hunks ;he examined,.' it will be found
nut f,.w laws of any vnfue ttt the State
hjve bcenpasseil d u ring' that -period.
He thmjghtit time, therefore, to enquire
whether we hatl not too much 1egilation,
it hud been said, tlahnuat sessions
ere neceswy to watch the proceedings
? Congress. For his part, he fchotild be
that.ur Generat Assembly uight
call an extra session of the Legislature ;
nut he would rather the Legislature should
meetjunder the direction of the Constitu
tion, than oh thexall of the Governor.-;
Conflicting claims may arise between the
General and State Governments, and the
State Legislature ought always to be rea
dy, to actt in such cases. -Ait the Legisja
tureMrere not in sessionadditional power
would have to be given to the ElecuHve
a power lhat he did not wish to see in
creased.. '"
Mv. E. reminded tha Cooimittee of an
ject of legislation, where the power of the
Legislature is neither defined nor limited,
the representative has nothing to control
him but his own conscience. Who can
recal him, or deprive him of this power.
but the people at the polls ? In what si
tuation then, does every free man place
himself, when this almost omnipotent
power to legislate is Relegated ? For the
period so delegated, thev place themselves
in bonds, 'which no treachery on the part
or tne agent tn dissolve ; no expedient
on the part of the constituent loosen, till
the next election.
But what are the the reasons assigned
for the.change? Amongst others, are men
tioned, economy, the little occasion on
the score of business, and lastly, that
when the constituent knows he is "to part
with his liberty Tor two years, instead of
one, he will be more circumspect in his
selection, by which the representation
will be improved. Judge S. said, it seem
ed io him, that each of these reasons wa
radically fallacious. In the first place,
the long sessions under the existing Con
stitution do not arts1 from any defect in
me onsiiiutionout in me mouc or us
administration. The Judge said, he had
been acquainted with the proceedings of
thel legislature ever since 1795 ; and it
was not till within the last 12 or 14 years
that the 'sessions eveicftextended beyond
Christmas. At those peri wis there was
orach -greater necessity for lengthy sessi
otis j more public biHs were passed , and
yet it is a. notorious . fac the sessions
were much shorter, JL to the expense,
1-3
',i-?
1
V
2
1
be about 70,003 dollars,; 45,000 of which
went to pay the expenses of the Legisla
ture annually, and what, he asked, are
the beifehts accruing to the country iroin
this expenditure ?
-
But it would appear,- from what had
fallen from gentlemen in this debate.
because we propose biennial, in the place
of annual sessions of the Legislature, that j
we are about to dpturn the Government.
On thevcontrary,the friends of ihisxhange,
are desirous of seeing the Government
conducted on plain economical republican
' mm-9 ' .t a v r"
principles, we cannot tooservea ur.
see the necessity ot having annual meet
ings of the General Assembly for the pur
pose of watching the conductor our Jud-
our Governor, aud the Geueral Gov
ernment.-
This Government, said, he, has been in
existence 60 years, and has it ever hap
pened thaf the Judges pr the Executive
have overstepped their bounds of duty ?
Dr. S. was clearly of opinion that this
CnveYvtfon ought to obey the will of the
people. I Thejhave seen their? Legislature
meet annually, at a great xpense for 60
years, , and finding that generally, but lit
tle good has been derived to tlie State,
from these annual meetings, have directed
this Convention to enquire into the, expe
diency of making the sessions in future
'As t the !danger which i
nttemen seem
to fear from the General Government, he
had no such apprehensions. He had no de-
sire to set our LegiaUtoxe anteruiedUle
of the Legislature biennial instead. of ari
nual, and laid before the Committee a
calculation, to show the saving which
would be thusmade to the State.
But, said he, we are told that annual
sessions are necessary for the purpose of
watching the movements of the General
Government. The people of North-Ca
rolina, he believed, thought .favorably of
the measures ot that Government, and
the expence could not be necessary for
that purpose. . -
He thought that even a less time thari
fifty days, the limit which the gentleman
from Orange proposed to give to the ex
tent of sessions of the Legislature, would
be sufficient to transact all the real busi
ness which could come before it.
Mr. W. observed, that the gentleman
from Wake (Judge Seawell) had gone back
to the time ofone of the Charles's to tell
the Convention what had been done in
England at that time ; for what purpose
he could not tell. He could not see how
it affected the question of our Legislature
meeting annually or biennially ?
iir. vv. said it might suit the conveni
enceof some gentlemen to attend annual
sessions of the Legislature, but this could
not be the case with members generally.
slhe Federal Government would go on
whether our "Legislature met biennially
or annually, and he did not think it worth
while to meet annually for the purpose ot
passing a parcel of private acts, and ap
pointing a few new Justices and Militia
officers.
Judge Daniel observed, that all the old
Governments, in addition-to 'Executive
influence, had their Nobility, forming a
separate order. Our free Government
ought to be careful in preserving ljer Re-
rpubiican principles. The Executive and
Aristocratic Powers of a Government ge
nerally obtain political power fwm the
people by degrees. He referred to the
time when the Alien and Sedition laws
were passed. But for the spirit with
which Virginia acted, in relation to those
obnoxious statutes, they might have been
still in existence. He hoped we should
not part with oar annual sessions.
Mr. Skinner observed, that the present
was a question or expediency merely,
whether the General Assembly should
meet annually or biennially. We have
met here,-said Mr. S. to carry into effect
the compromise made by the people, who
have plainly said what thev wish us to do.
The declaration of the Bill of Rights,
which says that fundamental principles
ought to be frequently recurred to, would
not, m his opinion, be at all infringed by
biennial sessions. The declaration did
not say how frequent the recurrences were
to oe iuaue. iue term is a reiauve one.
and would be satisfied whether the Legis
lature met annually or biennially.
. Mr, S. said he should not follow gen
tlemen into the history of other countries.
He was satisfied, that in making the pro
posed change, no republican principle
would be tost sight of, and that the change
would be attended with a great saving of
expense. The present Constitution has
beeu our rule for upwards of 60 years,
and this is the first tune the ne inle have
recurred to fundamental principle. They
hayernbw done so, and instructed this
contention to enquire into the expediency
of changing annual session of the Lgis-
m . - w . ww. l : l . m. . i - i - a
laxure looiennuu no am na mum u
was n ecessary that an n a a I sessi on should
be held, in order to send instructions to
and not fromvihejr Rep U.vWj
General Assembly. '.v t ''':i'iJ. :'-:''.'" ''-i!
. Mr, S. concluded bV sarmff.' that that
t r I 4-'
tt; v.ti III5IIHIT hf uir pi jjsc CiiaiJgC ;
not because it would be a great saTin of If
expense only, but fori 'other .substantial-
reasons, he hopeir he should not, ;onjthit
account, be placed amongst he Dv'ma- t
gogues mentioned by tfie gentleman fconi
Halifax. ' - . ,
Gtjv. Branch said, he certainly;.3iCnot4
intend to apply the term rfemagrog-Htoi;
ny gentleman who preferred biennial to.
annual seasionl of the General semblyV
It was a subject about, which gcntleuiett
might honestly ditFer. The gentlemaa
rom Chowan., when speaklng of the.de
claration of the Bill of Rigltts whicb sai v
that a frequent rerrenceftofjttnajH -tal
principles is aolutely necessary. to
preserve the blessings of liberty, seerai ?
to think that the people have complied-
after livingunderjthe present Conftott"i' ; i
for sixtv years, now called a Con vetntiaii '
to amend it, -Is it possible that the gi
tleman can be correct? in-taking this yiew
of the subject ? 'If this was the raeanipg
of this clause of, the Bill of Rights, he
had greatly misunderstood tf. Jle hatl
supposed that our Government being
founded' on pure principles of Jibertysu
perior to those of any other, it became
necessary, in order to prjseryerHheir pu
rity, to have frequent recurrence to first
principles in legislating-junder it. j .
M4. Skinner, exnl:irier his meaning te
have been, "not that this was the firt tiraej
these fundamental Drincinles hi'd been.
recurred to, but that: this was the first
time the people hid thought it necessafjr ,
to ;au iur a revision oi iue wonsutuiion.
Mr. JShober moved; in order b. afford t,
-further opportunity of discussing tJiis sub
ject, that the Committee rise aud report
nroirress. . V
This motion being put and negativetL
Mr. Sobcr said, he would pflTer a few
remarks t the Committee in favor of
holdiug the sessions of our Legislatures
biennially, ratlier than annually. ' It is
suppled by some gentlemen wh har
spoken on this'occaslon'; that by, making
this change we should depart, front the
principle laid down in our Bill of Rights
where it is declared to.be tfeces9ary fre
quently to recur to fundamental princi
ples, and that we should thereby, in som
decree weaken our powers, as a-check oa
other branches ,pf the Goveriynent. Oil
the contrary, he thought tKe, change would
operate very advantageously. What, he
asked, is the complaint against the pre
sent system ?' It is, that we have too much;
legislation. . And, if we can by any means
correct the evil, we ought to do so. It
is believed that the propoled change wift
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5t
sar metnUers of Congress, if uch in-
tructieas.vere deemed necessary, they
in a great degree, cure the evil. Wjir
do our Legislature pass so few public acts
and so many pirate ones ? -STbey 'dalt,V '
because theyiave little publid business
before . Jthem; and to fill upheir time. ,
private business is introdoced. But when
the General Assembly Hieets but once til
two years, the case, he presumed, will be-
different '- v -
With respect to checks and balancei.j
he admitted that these were, hig-hlv na-'
cessary, and ought to be preserved. -The
Legislative body ought to be a superviio-
ry power over the Executive and Judici
al "branches of the Govern me !t. But this
supervisory power will be exercised with
as much effect by a biennial as by an arf
nuai iHcciiiiu " M?B Agsiure. rjome,
limculttes might occur tn making tho
the change ; but he could not -anticipate
any. it has never yet happened thaf our
Governor was found so Corrupt that bo
could not be trusted with power for ' a 4i
i ii ice u tunc , nun irnc wauiea aavicead.
any occasion, he could call his Council
togetftur. For his part, he should have
no objection to entrust him with all ne
cessary power. ,- '
Mh 8. was not pertain thst it would bo
proper to limit biennial sesiibns'f the
General Assembly, if we had the powerff
which he had doubts. If the sessions eon4
tinued to be annual, he thought the iimi
might answer a good purpose, if it could I
be ihado He thojght that btenntatse
sioi would not be inclined to sit tbngeir
than Tiecesary to transact the publTc Ua
si nes. -When this was "done, avnd pri-
vate business was introduced, a majority
wuuM be found in favor of returuiBghauie
If the propuiitiun for biennial Sessians
be adopted, it might be necessary'to raakdi ,
some further provisions in relation to th
next session of the Legislature. ; Proba
bly pending'the discussion, he might of-
ler an Auienameat w rnrs eacct. ';
Judze GASToxVoie aad said that V
was so onen under trie necessity of in
truding hi views on the Conrention, that
he doubted whether be should ask iner-
mission of the Committee to, offer his
crude thoughts on? the proposition then
be fore -4 U-'- & -'" ' v..
He had thought tt his duty to consider
all the subjects which had been submitted
ici nic coirsi'ierauoi oiviius ooaveorjoe
torall the subjects a1 if3mtant
he had not beitveit';&e!
on this a on wany ,tfthpjr7ip
dnfusueitiod fiis minadfliraatei
He did not apprehend tiUtr'-4tu j
to abridge the regislatiVoef?ilie ;
j people. : Wo mut regard the msmentam.
ought to faaSmte people thewselres frfi thwlwlr ftff$
it
I
ty.
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