PROCEEDINGS, &c. Agreeably to a previous notice in the Wheeling Argus for the call of a meeting of all friendly to state reform, a large and respectable meeting convened at the courthouse of Marshall county on Saturday, May 23, 1846. The meeting was called to order by J. T. Martin, Esq. who nominated THOMAS POLLOCK for president and JOSEPH STEWART for secretary, who were unanimously elected. Mr. Martin briefly explained the object of the meeting, and stated that Col. G. W. Thompson had been requested to prepare a preamble and resolutions for the consideration of the meeting. Col. Thompson being called upon, after briefly stating the character and object of the declaration he had prepared, submitted for the action of the meeting the following DECLARATION Of the principles of Government and State Reform adapted to the present condition of Virginia. 1st. Society is the natural relation of man to man, and that therefore all men are, by birth or legal provision, subjects or citizens of their respective governments; and as such have certain prescriptive or legal and constitutional rights, subject to the limitations and extensions authorized by the existing governments, reserving to an oppressed people, as the final resort, a right of appeal by revolution. 2d. That all political power is vested in and is exercised by the government which represents the aggregated individuals collected and organized under its authority and protection. That there are but two modes of remedying the evils of government; the one by force; the other by pursuing some method pointed out by the organic law, or voluntarily authorized by the existing government. All modes for the redress of political grievances must be by force or consent; the former is civil war, the latter is the constitutional or legal remedy befitting republican governments. 3d. All well-founded governments are essentially and necessarily conservative, resisting the encroachment of power on the one hand, or on the other, dissolution by popular violence. In governments of written constitutions, the legislature can only make laws in accordance with the constitution-the judiciary can only expound, and the executive can only enforce laws so made. But while government, in itself, is thus stationary, new wants, new purposes and new interests grow up in society, requiring a new constitution to embrace within its action the new condition of things, and it is the right of its citizens to require the recognition of such new wants, purposes and interests, and their incorporation into the fundamental law. And while the government protects existing rights of persons and of things, it is bound to yield to the progress of public sentiment demanding reforms not inconsistent with the welfare and safety of the whole. 4th. That government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit, protection and security of the individuals composing the body politic which institutes it, and should provide in the most ample manner for the enjoyment of their lives and liberties, and for securing to them the means of acquiring and possessing property, and of pursuing and attaining their own happiness and safety. 5th. That for these purposes all authority is vested in the constitution of the respective states and of the United States and the laws consistent with each; and all representatives, magistrates, and other officers are but delegates exercising the powers so conferred and limited. 6th. That it is unwise in government to recognise geographical distinctions, and where these do exist, it is true policy to blend them into a uniform system of interest and mutual dependence, so that its citizens cannot say where one interest or feeling ends and an opposing interest or sentiment begins. And as it is in the unity of a state that its strength consists, so, a constitution based upon geographical divisions, is strongly calculated to continue and create local prejudices and interests and perpetuate opposing factions, or on the other hand to unite in the legislation of the state, impolitic combinations for special objects, and in nefarious conspiracies, which end in the plunder of the public treasury and in violation of every just principle of legislation. 7th. The legislature, the judiciary and the executive should be separate and distinct, each from the other. And as the long possession of office corrupts and the long continued exercise of power makes men tyrannical, to the end therefore, that all representatives, magistrates and others exercising office in the commonwealth "may be restrained from oppression by feeling and participating the burthens of the people, they should at fixed periods be reduced to a private station, return into that body from which they were originally taken, and the vacancies be supplied by frequent, certain and regular elections." 8th. The legislature should represent all the interests of the community, and as far as possible should be so constructed as to ensure the great ends of good government, viz: the protection of life, the preservation of liberty, the possession of property, and the continuance of the public safety. That in a just government a representation of the whole number of its citizens will give protection to individuals by infusing a popular spirit into the legislature, while a due regard to all the vested and long settled interests of the commonwealth will ensure public safety and promote wholesome and necessary reform, preserve to Virginia her moral and political influence in the affairs of the general government; be well calculated to preserve the compromises of the constitution of the United States and guard the necessary balance of interests and of political power which exist between the different sections of the Union. 9th. Legislatures should be biennial and of limited duration, as recommended by public economy and the morals of public legislation; it saves the people's money-it prevents the too frequent assemblage of the same men to carry out preconcerted arrangements; precludes the repeated fostering of social indulgences which too frequently give force and effect to impolitic and improper measures of legislation. 10th. As experience has taught that vast expenditures of the public moneys have been made by combining interested sections in meagre majorities, it is expedient that greater restraints be placed upon the debt-creating power, that some vote larger than a majority be made necessary, and that a limitation of the aggregate debt and liability of the state should be instituted for the protection of the people's purse, and immediate responsibility between the delegate and the constituent be established by an ad valorem system of taxation and by requiring taxation to accompany appropriation. 11th. The principal of representation and taxation and of the separation of the judicial from the legislative functions are fundamental in the code of republicanism, and the omission of the former and the union of the two latter, being in violation of the just principles of government, produce evils of a nature in proportion to the system based upon such incongruity; and hence the county court system produces evils of a petty, vexatious, and by their nature and multiplicity, of an intolerable nature. 12th. That a limitation of the right of suffrage to any class of citizens is opposed to reforms which are necessary and expedient, and is injurious by exciting the hostility of the excluded class, while there is no rule of exclusion, among the free white citizens of the commonwealth, which is not liable to abuse and corruption, and which has not more or less been made an instrument of fraud, an engine of improper party success, and a means of procuring (the worst in principle of political evils,) the misrepresentation of counties. 13th. The judiciary should be so framed as to be independent of the executive and legislative departments, yet with a due responsibility for weakness, partiality, corruption or tyranny, by impeachment and by limitation of tenure of office. 14th. The executive and ministerial officers as they represent the legislative and judicial authority of the political society, should be amenable to an independent power, as far as practicable, and instead of being mere servants of the co-ordinate branches, should be, also, directly responsible by election to the people. 15th. That the acknowledged principle, that it is the duty of society to protect the possession of property, the rights of females should be wisely defined and rigidly guarded. 16th. Monopolies and acts of incorporation, being privileges in derogation of the general rights of the people, should be cautiously granted, carefully limited and rigorously watched. They are grants of political power, under which vested interests may spring up;-where no vested rights have attached, the power may be peremptorily resumed ;-when such interests exist they are legitimate rights protected by the fundamental law of society, and if resumed as private property for public use, it can be only upon just compensation. Precautionary wisdom, however, will reserve the power to protect the rights and interests of society against these powerful organizations, increasing in numbers, wealth, privileges and dangerous influences. 17th. "That no free government, or the blessing of liberty, can be preserved to any people, but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality and virtue, and by frequent recurrence to fundamental principles," and the observance of all which can only be strengthened and perpetuated by an enlightened and efficient system of public education. In view of these principles, and as the sense of their meeting, Be it resolved, That a convention is attainable which will reform many of the existing abuses of the present constitution of the state, and put to hazard none of the great interests of society. Resolved, That our eastern brethren are invoked to unite with such portion of our western friends as are in favour of a speedy reform of numerous and grievous abuses which bear heavily on every portion of the commonwealth. Resolved, That in the reformation of abuses we see great benefits likely to ensue to the whole commonwealth, but more especially to the west, in popularizing the government of the state; in giving more character and consideration to each citizen; in conferring the exercise of rights from which all are now debarred in the election of their own officers; in admitting the unprivileged militiaman, poll tax payer and road worker to the right of suffrage; in curbing the power of an irresponsible magistracy; in placing the constitution upon fixed principles and not on arbitrary arrangements; all which will infuse a public spirit and energy in our people, attract population, develope our resources and make us great, united and happy. Resolved, That we also invoke the delegation from the west to unite with the east in the call of a convention as the only, and at the same time the just mode of procuring all the reforms which the west as well as the east desire. Resolved, That the preamble and resolutions be published in the Argus, and Richmond Enquirer, and a copy be forwarded to the governor of the commonwealth to be by him laid before the legislature. The meeting then adjourned. Jos. STEWART, Secretary. THOMAS POLLOCK, President. ADJUTANT GENERAL'S REPORT. To the Honourable Speaker of the House of Delegates. SIR, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, In obedience to the resolution of the house of delegates of the 29th instant, I have the honour to report a copy of the correspondence required, marked A. In order, however, to a better understanding of the subject, I hope I may be permitted some explanatory remarks. Under the first requisition of the president of the United States in May last, three regiments of 12 months volunteers were organized, with permission to old companies to wear the uniforms they already had: the new companies were to provide the uniform prescribed for the state infantry when they were called into service. Among these new companies was Capt. Carrington's, which was furnished with uniform by the City of Richmond. On the 17th day of November last a second requisition was received, for one regiment only of infantry volunteers, to serve during the war with Mexico. This call was instantly made known by proclamation of the governor, and the most active measures put into operation to command success. It is required by the act of congress that each volunteer shall be provided with good and sufficient clothing; and to enable them to do so, that an advance of $21 should be made to each, on being mustered into service, but only with the express condition that he has already provided himself with six months clothing, or on the responsibility of the captain that the amount advanced shall be so applied. This sum being barely sufficient, with the utmost economy, for the purpose, and it being impracticable for the larger portion of the volunteers to procure suitable clothing, the executive, after ascertaining that it could not be had in the City of Richmond, accepted the agency of one of the most public spirited and intelligent merchants of the city which had been tendered, for the purpose of visiting the northern cities to procure the necessary supplies on state account. This was effected with the greatest difficulty, as will appear by his report herewith, marked B. On the 3d December, less than one week after Capt. Carrington's company was organized, and before he had a full company-when there had been scarcely time for procuring uniforms of any description-the governor issued an order dispensing with the uniform previously prescribed, and substituting another, which he had ascertained was better adapted to the nature of the service, and indispensable to the comfort of the troops-and stating that measures had been taken to supply all the articles, of the best materials and on the lowest terms, through the agency of the state. I received orders at the same time to contract immediately for making up all the articles of clothing in the best manner, and as speedily as could be done after the arrival of the materials-to systematize all the operations in regard to clothing, subsistence, quarters and transportation-to ascertain what articles each company had already received, what they still required, and to supply them accordingly, to the extent of the means which had been provided. In another order of the 15th instant, a list of the required articles of clothing was repeated, along with the statement that they would be furnished in Richmond, and a recommendation to such of the volunteers as were supplied with any portion of them, to bring such articles with them, especially shoes, socks and shirts. All this must have been known to, and-so far as I was informed until very recently-was acquiesced in by all the officers. I did indeed hear, a day or two before Capt. Carrington's company was mustered into the service of the United States, that he had procured materials for coats for his company of the firm who were to supply the state, and had made arrangements for the making. This proceeding being altogether irregular, so far as I was informed, I took the trouble to visit him at his quarters, with a view to prevent confusion and difficulty. I understood him to say that as some 40 or 50 of his company already had uniform coats, it would be more desirable and cheaper to furnish the remainder with them, than the whole company with jackets and pantaloons. I told him this could only be done by order of the governor-which, according to my recollection, he thought might be obtained and intended to ask for. At a later hour of the same day, upon mentioning the subject, the governor told me he could give no such permission, because it would destroy the uniformity of the regiment, and nothing would be gained by it on the score of economy. Hearing nothing further from Capt. Carrington, I naturally concluded that he acquiesced in the arrangements made for the other companies, until the receipt of his letter informing me that his uniforms were rapidly making up. That I was justified in this conclusion, will appear by his letter of the 12th, and the fact that bills for caps and blankets furnished his company had been certified by him to the governor. The claims referred to in the resolution, for supplies procured by Capt. Carrington for his company, and certified to the executive for payment, were of I am instructed by the governor to inform the house "that these bills were by his order returned to Capt. Carrington, necessarily as he thinks, after the protest of that officer contained in his letter of the 23d to the adjutant general, to which he requests particular reference. That some of these bills were for articles of clothingthat Capt. Carrington claiming, and as it appeared, having exercised the right to procure clothing for his company, will consequently receive, if he has not already received, the $21 advance per man allowed by the United States for that purpose; out of which advance those bills for clothing are properly payable. That the other bills were for articles not authorized. The governor desires me to say further, that his object in assuming the responsibility of providing supplies for the volunteers, was twofold. First, to give the whole regiment, when embodied, a uniform appearance. Secondly, to procure by purchase from first hands what was requisite, that the cost of clothing to each man should not exceed the sum allowed by the federal government. That his agency was purely voluntary, and for the benefit of the volunteers alone; and that as all the arrangements for the purpose have been made public, it was not supposed possible that any one of the officers could be ignorant of them." The adjutant general has acted throughout under the orders of the commander-in-chief, and had no control whatever over the bills presented by Capt. Carrington. But it will not, I am sure, be thought by any rational man, that personal feelings or improper motives could have influenced the conduct of any officer of the state whose agency has been employed in this business. All means at the command of the executive, have been employed to meet the difficulties incident to the organization of the several companies of volunteers, required to make up the requisition upon the state. And but for the prompt and decided measures of the executive, it certainly could not have been effected. It would not become me to speak of my own official conduct in this report, but I trust it may not seem too much for me to say, that I have at least endeavoured to discharge my duty with fidelity and impartiality. I am, sir, very respectfully, Your obedient servant, WM. H. RICHARDSON, Ad. Gen. [A.] SIR, contract with me. if they desire it. ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, Messrs. B. & S. Jones will supply the rations and quartermaster's stores for your company by The contractors will arrange with you as to the delivery of the rations, but I would recommend that you consult Capt. Dimmock in regard to this arrangement should you be at any loss upon the subject, as may well happen upon first entering the service. Very respectfully, Your obedient servant, WM. H. RICHARDSON, A. G. Capt. E. C. CARRINGTON, Richmond. |