Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-08-03
From The Richmond JVhig, .3ug. l.
MIR CALHOUN

The reader will find under the Political head
very sensible letter from NIr george heoo,
OF Baltimore, (of whom we are So unfortunate
as never to have heard beiore) on the contro-
verled question Of the propTeY OF Mr: Val,
houu's conduct in the Senate OF the United
States. On that question, we never nad from
the beginning the smailes. doubt-as TO sup
pose The presiding officer Of dellheratlve DO
DIV destitute Of ,he power OF preserving oraer,
was 10 admit that it was not deliberat've DO
DIV at all, but a disorderly collection OF sellde-
ncndpnI persons All the dialectics and sophis-
| tries Of "Onsov"l Mr.. Calhoun hlmself) could
not even perplcx in the public mind quesiion
for the determination Of which commoh under-
standing was quite sufhcient-and the dlthcdl-
~ Of obtaining the few authorities necessary
for our purpose only prevented us from attempt
| ing 10 expose 10 the reader the monstrous cha
racter of the Vice Presidents isorganlzlng
doctrine.
Mr. Hebb has placed the point i'll the most
simple attitude The rule OF the Senate under
which the Vice President shelters his decision,
gives Senator the right of calling Senator
10 order in questions touching lite latitude q de-
BATE But this rule Mr. Hebb says, Eve have
never read it) does not prohibit the President
| of the Senate from exercising the same PRIV
leee. Not being prohibited to him, is 1t not
his right, nav his duty, to exercise ii, when It's
| exercise is necessary 10 preserve the order OIL
the body? This is the whole question.
To determine the question, the tarest mode
of proceeding sto enquire into the reason oil
the rule which gives to Senators the right Of
calling Senators to order for latitude in de6afe
The reason was unques,ionably to hold check
rein over the President Of the Senate, and 10
provide for that being done by others, which he,
from partially, personal or political, or from
fear, Or any other motive, might fail 10 40, 10
The disturbance Of order, and the detrmen' oil
public affairs We cannot but believe that the
case which has actually occurred, was the very
kind of case, for which the rule was provided
The trainers Of the rule easily toresaw that the
President OF the Senate might feel strong ex-
citemen; on political questions discussing be-
fore the body, and that under its influence ne
might probably an naturally permi: an impro-
per latitude of debate. BY giving the mem
bers also the right 10 call to order, they expect
ed to have found an antidcte - the errors COM
mitted by the head; though the expectation has
not been entirely justified by experience.
Onslow, and the few who fight under his CO.
lors, have resorttd to the disingenuous artlhcf
of describing those who disapprosed oil the
Vice Presidents conduct as being lnlmicai TO
the freedom of debate-and represent his tor
beararice in calling TO order the result oil his
tenderness for the liberty of discussion. Mise
rable and shallow stratagem Does the liberty
of debate consist then in Senators Calling each
other knaves and liars! or are they who WISH 10
see the dignity Of our highest legislative body
preserved, Justly 10 be 5tigmatsed as the ioeS OF
free debate:
Let US enquire for moment, what INJURY 10
the freedom ofdebate would resulttrom the Ere
sident's exercising the power which he has re-
iected. The right Of reversing his decision re-
mains in the body over which he presiaes-
within whose jurisdiction 1t can be instantly
brought, BY the appeal of The member called 10
order. or any other Is not this sufficient
protection? or is il to be supposed that the Be
nate itself is not competent to protect It's pr,
yiIeges? Besides this immediate means oil
checking the presiding officer when he had call
ed to order i'm properly, it ought TO be remem-
bered that the powers affectedly discIalmed by
MIR. Calhoun as too great and dangerous Tor him
to possess, are in reality daily exercised ~ the
Sneaker Of the House Of Representatives; DO
DIV where latitude of debate is properly wiaer,
as the immediate representatives OF the people,
than in the Senate and in all of the twenty-four
State legislatures, to say nothing oil the DIT
fish House of Commons. During the grea!
length Of time, and in all the in'rumerable IN
stances, in which the Speakers OF Legislative
bodies have depressed the too great latitude OF
debate, has it ever been complained before that
it was a power dangerous to the freedom OF dis
cussion and the privileges of members! Never.
Every man familiar with the proceedings OF the
General Assembly of Virginia has seen it done
hundred times, nor was it ever there supposed
(where there is al least as much jealousy OF IL
berty as Mr.. Calhoun feels) that the power was
not essential to the preservation OF order, or
that ii was attended by the smallest danger to
the liberty Of debate.
The coyness of the Vice President IN refusing
to exercise his legitimate powers, is remark
able example Of political ambition subsldlng
into moderation. Ii deserves to be ranked with
the voluntary abdication Of Charles the hith,
and Christina of Sweden, and Sylla's resign
ing the Dictatorship. We wish Its sincerity
may be confirmed by his future moderation
Large Radish-Mr. David Eichar raised from
his garden in the vicinity Of this place, few
DAYS since, a Radish which measured 2 inches
in circumference 1t is perfectly sound LET those
who can. beat this. Phil. pap.
1t is reported, (says the Boston Palladium)
man declared last week that If he did not get