Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-05-09
TIE vICE-pREsIpENT.
10 The Editor Of The National .Joyrno


Of his duties President of the Senate. The testimony i'm
favor of this officer thus given, M offering
at the shrine of Justice by witness, is "nehe the
personal nor particular iend of MIR. CALHOUN" There
he why the Soi-dtSdal ''Western Senator
the particular without being the 'pcrsonal" friend of
political aspraut; but he clearly To be 6f6 of those
friends whom the Spanish provcrb oScrbcs since his de-
fence is directly with previous and solemn dcca-
ration of the NiccPrcsdent himself The defence admits
that the FiccP President did, of his yolition call Mr.
Dickeson ORDER The Nicc-Presdet in his address Of
the 18th inst. that his deliberate anvioms
attention, by night and by day. the question of the
tent OF his powers under correct construction Of the 6th
and 9Th rules of the Senate had settled in the conviction
that the right 10 call TO order, questions touching the
ude or freedom of debate belongs exclusively TO the
members Of" the Senate, and the Chair II Mr..
DickersUn attempt speak, a motion which BY the
rules of the Senate, pccuded debate, did present
question touching the latitude freedom of drhate it
difficult for be lima gncd in such question
arise. And the original power calling 10 order
which deliberate and anxious attention by hight and
day had induced the Nice-Preseu TO discaim his cham
pon admits him, conspicuous instance to have expr
cscd II is Observable that the Presidents
address advances against his original right to
call 10 orde in questions touching the latitude freedom
of debate, which is not equally applicable every other
possible question of order.
In the chair of President of the Senate Mr.. Calhoun
has, indeed, very rarely volunteered call to order; for
questions touching the latitude or freedom of debate
have not been presented from quarter which inclination
prompted him to direct such exercise OF his power;
while, the other han his disa ppoutment found coso-
laton and his thirsty ambition cucou geIncn in the
dccamatious OF every enemy the government When,
however, IN striking and mourufu instance national
money, tne and character had been prosiu;c,
after hour, day after day, week wee and almost
mouth after month"; To the irrelcvc rhapsodcs once
powerful mInd;-rhapsodcS which, ii they approached
tile subject of discussion, did So like the comic asvmutoes
without ever touching trhapsodes which were not only
really but avowedy, the offspring systematic hosl-
lily 10 without reference to mcasures:-r,apsodes
which, though sometimes illumined by lingering raw Of
genus were oeuer III style of gross revng dscrcdta-
Die To him who uttered, and dcrcditahc tn him who
permitted them. When spectacle thus iImliatiun to
the AmeFican name had been exhibited before the
can Senate without one effort of authority, of
misrepresentation from ITS President, the rising of
pubic indignation reminded him that was ne
eesslIy !or having saclihce 'hc prophecies Office
sytlpathics of a desperate ambition.
After his partisas had displayed much news,an,r CHI
VARY III MS behalf, his mind bestowed its most deli
berae and anxious attention, by night and by davnot
on the extent OF his power in preserving order question
on W"ch any school-b"y who could read any Of
plain common who could iich; a We inform,
Z" MN; nut on deylsug mode of pal!iang flag
RAM olc!a no-e;snice The result of these daily
nocturnal medtations is his address, on the 18th inst To
tie Senate;-a document which merits high place in a
museum OF logical curioses. lis cardinal is
tat an officer, of whose existence power 20 mcsryc
order in the body which preses over tine vital blood
mas no powerto do which this body does expressly
and IN TERMS confer The inevitable coroarv TO this pro-
positions is that if the body omitted confer such mower
1t might so far would depend presiding officer be
scene OF uncontrolled confusion and narchv with one
OF NOSE Doll aud reckless bounds which formerly charac-
erilcd Mr. Calhoun rcasoner, he plunnes ON tin. 9Th
ana IN rules OF the Senate as tine sole foundation his
official authority. They are as follows viz "\ybn, =,
member shall be called TO order, he shall sit down until the
"resident shall have determined whether ne is in orde,
Tor not; and every question Ct shall be decided bv
"hc President without debate; there he doubt II,
"ils mind, he way call for the sense of the Senate"
I'll the member De called order for words SPOKEN
the eNceptionab!e words shall be immediately taken down
IN wiurg that the President may be better ena bed to
"udgc Of tie natter
Now sir every man whose faculties have net been strain.
ed III the exercise of party discipline, these
rules providing for the only, where one Senator
thinks proper call another order In such state OF
things the rules require the interrupted member SIT
down until the President shall have determined whether he
Is III ORDER or not and when the call is made words
spoken the words she taken down in writing ;at the
President may be better enabled Judge of the natter
These rules nanifesty, shield to protect the dign
y OF the Senate from the iudecorum unchecked calls To
ORDER denominations, and discussions the floor. They
eau, by no decent argument be tortured into doctrine
denying to the presiding officer of deberative assembly
the power to preserve order: power which much
part OF his office, the power deciding cause is part
OF the office Of Judge Is there any Ineligible principle
which eau subject these rules operation that would
entIe Senator disorder until checked m
another and thus reduce the very officer who is the ~
pointed guardian ofdecorum in Hail. to the degrade
rne Of order, in any eberaye body is that power in
the presiding officer o. such body preserve order
conferred by tire single fact Of his appointment That
Gh l" call TO order the necessary consequence Of this
power; and that unless such body, acfins cifhl me
sphere NJ az competence expressly ,iy power d
this right, restriction them can be slpDosed 'Ibc
rules new under considerations, specn! regulations
adapted to given but leaving the general original
right Of the chair 20 call order, untouched, and sting
where IL should rest, common sense aud usage.
In assuming the strange postulac, that the pcyvcr Of the
chair 20 call TO order, "qucs;ons truciu. the tluds
or J'eedo'a of debate, is oppcliac only, Mr. Calhoun
seems aware, that he invites charge OF extravagatrc and
attempts to T1ry IL by argument, appropriate to his
re- Ccp connection Vice Preslen; the United States
"ith The Scnot' The slightest examination the duties
incident 90 this COMMISSION, will show the argument is
d possible more untcuable than the pcsulatc.
ur resident Of the Senate whom the Constitution con-
templates the fioe-P'esden' of the United s,aies and
IT Us 30 certain contingencies only, that the Senate can elect
heir presiding officer he powers, :her, o the C,o,s