Executive power is vested in a governor, elected for four years by a joint vote of both houses of the legislature, and ineligible for the next three years after the expiration of his term of service. The second branch of the executive department consists of a council of state, elected by joint ballot of the two houses, and consisting of three members; term three years, and one member vacating his scat an nually. The senior councillor is lieutenant gov ernor.
The judiciary is composed of a supreme court of appeals and superior and inferior courts. Judges of the court of appeals and superior courts elected by the legislature in joint ballot. Term of office during good behaviour, or until removed by a concurrent vote of both houses of the legislature, two-thirds of the members present voting for his removal.
For staple productions and Internal Improve ments, see article United States.
In making up this article we did not deem it within the scope of our duty to make any remarks on the respective colours or castes of its population, but as the legislature has itself acted upon the ques tion of removal and abolition as regards its slaves and free people of colour, we place on record the following Preamble and Resolution, reported by a committee, and adopted by the house of delegates in January 1832, by a vote of 64 to 59.
Preamble. " Profoundly sensible of the great evils arising from the condition of the coloured pop ulation of this commonwealth; induced by humanity as well as policy, to an immediate efibrt for the re moval in the first place, as well of those who are now free as of such as may hereafter become free; believing that this effort, while it is in just accor dance with the sentiments of the community on the subject, will absorb all our present means; and that a further action for the removal of the slaves should await a more definite development of public opin ion, '' Resolved, as the opinion of this committee, that it is inexpedient for the present, to make any legis lative enactments for the abolition of slavery."
On the 28th of the same month, Mr. Broadnax from the Select Committee on Slaves and Free Ne groes, reported a bill for the removal of free negroes, or such as may become free, and are willing to go to some place beyond the limits of the United States; this bill excludes coercion, except as to free negroes who remain in the state contrary to the law of 1806. The bill as amended, and finally passed by the House of Delegates, by a vote of 79 to 41, appropriates 35,000 dollars for 1832, and 90,000 for 1833, for the purposes above-mentioned —the place of removal left to the discretion of a central board, to consist of the Governor, Treas urer and Auditor ex officio, who have power to ap point agencies at Norfolk, Petersburg, and other places.
This bill, after passing the House of Delegates by so respectable a majority, has been indefinitely postponed in Senate, by a vote of 18 to 14; and thus the whole subject rests for the present.