Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-08-15
POLIrTCAI,.
From The National Joug7,al.
PATRICK HENRY.-LErrrn ~.
TO ne Honorable Jonx G. CALnoun.
Zee President IF Tie Unicd States

- nc 4O"oFdOte JoiN &. CALHOUN.
'cc- President IF Tie tnicd States.
cir: Your historical researches have it seems in
formed you, that there was time when ,ni,,;nns -
power thought 1t noustrous, that all Of the powers
rulers should be derived from low and filthy source
LAS the feOple whom they goyerncc.r Is IL svtnna IN,
IN this opinion that dsrleascs Won win ;,,, ,rn,,s;
ton which have demonstrated, that the power and dI
OF preserving order, and REFRESHING rregulari,v are
constltutionailv attached To the office of Pre- nj III
senate ny the Pecpe who created that o:ice? Wbateye
cause excited your displeasure twas iicent n Icto,
you MO lie indsceon of ascrbng the origin of tl,
lN'P'S.,'oh 10 feelings leaning strongly the side
power" an allegation made in the teeth of nriuco
deriving the authority of the Vice President directly
from thc people, and announced as the very ssnucleus,
OF my argument My cardinal objection to your con-
duct during the last session of CONGRESS was That !,
involved refusal your part & carry into cgr,t ,l
VIII % the people by executing trust which they had
10 yon and instead of atributin to the Vice
ffe'!dent ing and uncomfortable rower,n expressly
characterized II as delegated and scnuentlv rc
sponsoic power. Indeed unless had done so my ar
gnent would have been nearly prepustcrous as vour
own. On the other hand you ATTEMPTED totrace us
orlh 10 the Senate, and claimed for tat body the rirht
OF settirS itself above the People, by adopting rule,
winch might change Tie nature of an Office created by
the teope. Yet Nour sy'npathes care on tic demo-
cratic side of our ntitulicnsp they arc then most
snSuiarly manifested, BY sbectin an ac of the Poo
pie thenseves 10 the control ofhe aristocracaI branch
oil Inc government If the Senate can assume This
control IN one Instance why may it not do so in auo
'he ana thus paralyZc, whenever occasion offers other
provisions of the Constitution. And here sir norm,
me To borrow passage fan your letters which while
cAe"p'iheS thc ViSour OF your style, pertinent 10
my pnrPose and Ia say that power so espotc and dan
gerous as that claimed for the Senate ESQ inconsistent,
with the first principles OF liberty and every sound
view OF the Constitution, was attenptc! TO be
established on arguments innbecc and absurd; Il
winch no intellect, however badly oraniZe,i coplr
yield assent, unless associated with aeIirrs ean;no
'sronSly TO the side of powern An INV sytnna,hie.
oeg on the contrary ION the democratic side of ON
institutions" must with the pcrrnss;on IL ,c,,sci
/ ~ DCpel
rest" sal! confde in the doctrine which have enIc,
vouicd 10 place beyond the reach of so,lstrv ana o
canaon, that The power OF the Vice President 10 pre-
serve order III the Senate is delegated by the onst
ton; to borrow again flower from vour clcr,nt Io
i9Fic Is derived from 50 low and E!;!y sourcc as thc
The suicidal attempt 10 transfer from yonrsclf TO me
The character OF being partisan OF power, preceded
by an expression of pretended surprise on YOUR part
that alter asserting tiic presiding power tie Senate .c
''rest on deeper, h0lIer foundations than any Ics r,
usaSes which t'@t BODY adopt" should ustinotc
those rules and usages. view less partial dian You
took 10 te letter OF oNso'y published in 5!al ,qGuld
nave SHOWN you that this inquiry resulted from any
ustfnSt oI my original position, but from yuIlr Urn oil
The Constitution, and reference TO the Senate as ta
sole fountain of the powers of its presiding officer fl
then became proper for drmoilst r tliat even
were th's reference conceded 20 be correct If would
not sustain your positions, because the scaatc had
FAMED no rule nor usage Justify ing the Construction,
which you placed on tie Office Of its P.tsiacnt On
tins subject ioadopt your brilliant an,itheSs e rules
are iHutc and tic Journals of the Senate silentn Anal
well may they be- So; for a regulation deye,rpo, ti
Wee President al lis presiding character ,voni b.
against reason AMI tie Constitution. Tie Gt and r. il
rules, which lavc been often quoted s tlc !asis of
your argument, paipably de, rneI for asns u bic
they specify (calls 10 order from the GoOy and do
net impair the right Of the chair to call TO order.
nor can any other rule Of the Senate be tortured INTO
such an operation. Fbe silence Of The Sc
Gate concerning ibis right strongly indicates the acGni
escence OF that body the construction of il: winch
Lad so long been sanctioned by CUSTOM but the cues
2 ton cNior nl hs.ry
''ceeGngs ia tie Semateo What aIe the constituents
ct this la': Mr. Jefferson tells us that they are sthe
FccePts of the Constitution, the regulations of the
'Seuate, and where these are sflonn nc rie, Of Jo,
'nent But, substantially denying this last position
or Mr. Jefferson, and opposing your own authorize 10
his, you ask, how came they q. the rules of Prlia
'inepO iobc the rules OF the Senate" MIR. Ienerso,
has answered this interrOgatorv. He tells us that eth,
eXtensiye field Of decaionn placed under t,c dsc,c
ton Of the President OF the Senate, in consequence o
the rules OF tIat body going only a few cases" i'm
pressed on lis mind the necessity OF recurring, for IT
government 10 some known stem OF rules" bal III
REQUIRED 10 The rules OF tho English Parliament; an,
that "ue aCq9escence Of the Senate hitherto under
''the references to them, had given chem the sqaciio,
"of their approximations" Tie appearance Of Mr. Jencr
sons book certainly did not isuCe The Senate 90 epcu
pi tbs acquiescencc, but on the contrary tie Mauua
fulfilled the promise Of lis title page, aud became
"Manuai oi Parliamentary Practice, for Inc rs ofHt
"ScHdte IF the JHii,d Sttf~S." After the incorpcIa
ton of the rules of Parliament into "the law OF pr1
cceiing ~ the ScDate" The Presidents prcvou ly eek
tensyc field Of decision bocarue narrowed did mi
YOU peFvorey nspualc refer 70 this e fei,siyc cI
cot dcCisou,' Ito show that where the Senate ba
ado ted rules Of lis own, the rules Of Pararncu
care those Of The Scnatc;n but TO Show that rules O
Parliament bad been adopted, contracting that feel,
and also because Mr. jefferson, in suggesting that ;b
Presidents dIsCretiOn whether IN doing wrung ar
doing nothing, should bG limited by some known 81
item OF rules seems 10 have forcsccn recent exam
pie The discrepancy between some rules ui the SC
nate and some of The Parliamentary rules cited by Mr.
jefferson, proves Uotug IN your favour; because h
expressly discIaims for Stci Parliamentary rules an
authority over the Senate, aud introduces them obvious
" rs historical illustrations But those rules of Par
lament that embrace cases con which tho prcccps =,
"thc Constitution" and CHE regulations Of tic Sc
nate" "are ailei" form he says part Of tbe law
proceedings in the Senate" Such arc precisely th
i rules, as heretofore demonstrated which though the
object indeed required ruc, imposed ON you tn duty
OF suPPrcssiur MIR Randolpb's irregularities.
he usage Of lhc senate j. accordant 90 Tie doctrine
Which both ongcncrai principles and on tie ground o
regulation, have defended. Facts Prove the usa z,
Cannui Of COnr.e be cxncnicl In rnrti dcla f,. :.