American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-05-12
From the National Journal, May 2.
THE VICE PRESIDENT.
TO THE EDITOR.

Sir. In the National lntelligencer OF the 24th
ult. another effort Is made, III communication
signed a /" WESTERN SENATOR" to exculpate the
Vice President of the United States from the
charge OF partially in the exercise Of his duties as
President of the Senate. The testimony in favor
Of this officer thus given. is announced an offer
ing at the shrine OF Justice, by witness, who is
neither the personal nor particular friend OF Mr.,
fathOun.'' There may be reason why the s0i
diSant "Western Senator" is the q particular
wilhou' being the personal" friend Of a political
asp ant; bu, he seems clearly to be one Of those
friends whom the S ansh proveib proscribes, since
his defence is directly at war with previous and
solemn declaration OF the Vice President himself
The defence admits, that the Vice President did
II his own soition, call Mr.. Dickerson to order ::
The Vice President in his address Of the 18th ut.
AYERS that his g most deliberate and anxious aten
ion, by night and by day, on the question of he
extent oil his power, under correct construction of
The 9th and 7,h rules OF the Senate. had settled in
The conviction that the right to call TO order, on
1ues ions touching the latitude or freedom Of de
bate, belongs exclusively 10 the members Of" the
Sc ate, and not 10 the Chair. II Mr.. Dicker>on's
attempt to speak. on motion which, by the rule
Of he Senate, precuded debate, did no. presen
question urhing the latitude or fe dom 81 de-
BATE, il is difficult for a case to be imagined H.
which such question can arise And so he ori
and anxious attention BY night and by day" hal in
duced the Vice President to disclaim his champion
admits him, in a conspicuous ms ance, 10 haze ex
ercised. 1t is observable. moreover, hat the Vie
Presidents address advances reason against his
original right 10 call to order. in " questions touch
ing the latitude or freedom of debate" which is not
equally applicable to every other possible question
Of order
In the Chair of President of the Senate, Mr.
Calhoun, has, indeed, very rarely volunteered Coll
to order; for "quest ons touching he latitude Or
feedom OF debate" have not been presented from
quarter to which inclination prompted him to direct
such an exercise OF his power while. OIL the othei
hand, his disappointment found consolaion and his
yet thirsty ambition encouragement in the decla
nations OF every enemy to the government. When.
however, in striking and mournlu instance, the
national money, time, and character, had been pros
tuted for hour after hour, day after day. week az
Ter week, and almost month after month, to the IT.
relative rhapsodes Of once powe ful mind ;-rhap
sodes which, if ever they approached the subject
OF discussion did so, like the comic asymptoes,
without ever touching it;-rhapsodies which we're
not only really but avowedy the offspring Of sys-
tematlc hostility to men. without reference to mea
sures -rhapsodies which, though sometimes illu
mined by lingering ray of genius, were often in a
style OF gross reyilIng. dscredable to him who ut
tered, ami more discredable to him who permitted
them. When spectacle thus humiiating to The
American name, had been exhibited before the
American Senate, without one effort OF authority
or one hint OF disspprobatiun, from its President,
the rising murmurs Of public indignation reminded
him that some excuse was necessary, for having
sacrificed The prophecies of Office to the sympathies
OF desperate AMBITION.
After his parsans had displayed much newspa-
per chivalry in his behalf, his own mind bestow-
ed its most deliberate and anxious attention by
night and by day,"-not on the extent of his power
IN preserving oder,a question which any school
boy who could read, or any man Of plain common
sense who could not read, migh have inior med him
'u' on devising some mode of palliating fragrant
official non easance. The result Of these daily anc
nocturnal medi atoms is his address, on the 18th
INST. to the Senate "a document which merits
nigh place IN Museum Of logical curiosilies 1t.
cardinal proposition is. that officer, of who's,
existence The power to preserve order in the body
~hlch he presides is the vital blood, has NJ
power to do so, which this body does not expressly
ana III terms, confer The inevitable corollary 4
this proposition Isl tina, ii the body omitted to confe