Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-04-11


The accused, and his friends, and it would
have been used not altogether without
success.
There is another view which ought to
be taken Of this point, fully 10 appreciate
the force Of the objection. The represen
ts,ives OF The people are responsible to
their constituents. If they err, The people
| ought not to be left in the dark. If they
act right, the people, whose interests they
guard, ought not To be iguorant Of their
motives oil action. Hence, except III Ca.
SEES OF great and delicate emergency, il
is the invariable practice Of the Legislative
body 10 deliberate and act Ia public. The
more Important the object whereon they
are occupied, the more necessary aud sd
! iutary is this publicity. Secrecy natural.
/ iy, and with US almost necessarily, beEes
dsirust. in the case OF All impeachment
the Representative body should, in proper
ton To lis Importance, be under full re-
| spo"sibiiity 10 the public will lest they
should deviate into measures subvcrsiye
OF those rights they are constituted TO pro-
tech.
Many other views OF this point might be
easily taken but these TWO are conclusive.
! Suffice IT to add that every view which can
be taken leads TO conviction OF the pre-
priety OF giving publicity 10 every step at
tendant on this measure.
Besides, who is there so ignorant as not
20 be able TO appreciate the weight which
ought 10 be attached TO The testimony.
| All the incidents attending it are repre-
sented; IT ex parte, IL is so set forth on
The face ct 1t; and names, tune, place,
and various other circumstances are Civ
en-so that literally he that ruas may
read.
". Objection is made to the form of
the report of the committee, and TO the aGl
OF the house contirInatory of it. 1t ought,
1t seems, TO have gone more into detail,
and assigned the reasons for voting AN i'm
peachmeut and the vote of Impeachment
ought to have embraced specific charges.
he charges, apparently arising from the
testimony, are represented as various, ard
tits commended that majority of the house,
though Concurring IN a general voIe # inn
parchment, could not have been obtained
20 sanction any one eharge.-ihis objec-
ton, on iirst blush, is plausible but such
az impression arises altogether Fl ON omit.
ting 20 consider the ThoIe srtslh. a gene
raj vote OF imptaCbment is first passed.
We're this the conclusive act OF The house
there might he injustice in it. But it does
not rest here. immediately consequent
10 it is the exhibition of ARTICLES, coiiaininfr
sI1eclfc dGegUlio'ls, which articles have been
produced, and which must receive The
sanction of The house before the Trial com
mences. If then the judge desires splcl-
lac charges, he has them and possessed
OF them, his logic fails.
V. But it is contended that specific arli.
cles should not only have been exhibited.
but agreed TO by the house previous TO
their adjournment and il is said that the
bare exhisilion Of them, without the sane
ton Of the house, leaves the charges they
contain subject to future rejection or va.
ration, disAbles the accused from prepar.
ing to defend himself, and exposes his re-
putation TO the mercy of csiumny and par
ty malice
Let it be remarked that the Judge allows
that circumstances rendered AIN immedi-
ate trial impossible. If impossible until
the next session of Congress, we appeal
10 the candor of any intelligent mind,
whether more injury would not attach TO
there puiation of the accused, whether a
deeper wound would not be ii ilicled upon
. his fair name by vote of the House i'm
support OF articles hanging suspended O.
; yer his head for seven months, than by the
mere report OF Il committee of FIVE indiVi.
dusls. The first would involve the solemn
: decision of the whole body, and would, as
far as that body represents the people, in
volve their sentiment; the other Involves
; only The opinion of the committee, which
even The members themselves of that com
mittee might, on more mature reflection,
: retraGl. Are not these considerations,
: the most obvious TO every understanding
They are; and while they repel, their in
widest extent, the prejudced insinuations
: OF the accused, they place the conduct Of
the House in light, which establishes
their scrGpulous regard for Justice, and
+: Gcicacy towards the Object Of their inter.
position. Had articles been agreed to,
particularly with that haste, which The
late period of the session rendered inevi-
) table, we venture 10 say that the thunder
of party vengeance would have resounded
through the land.
.