Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-08-19

the-Lord Chancellor OF England Is also lIrespo"-
sble, insist that the practice which you ascrloe
to the House of Lords, is preferable to that oil
the House Of Commons, or OF the deliberatiVe
assemblies of our own country Declining 10
repeat the argument against the imputed prac-
tice of the Lords, derived from their own high
privileges; 4 the official character OF their pre-
siding officer, ask, have you forgotten that, by
Art. 3, Sec A. Of the Constitution, the Vice Pre-
sident may be removed from office on impeach-
ment for, and conviction OF, "high crimes and
misdemeanoursS Or that by Art |, Sec. |, OF
the instrument, the Senate is clothed with the
"sole power" to try such impeachment AS
the Senate would have cognisance OF high
misdemeanor committed by the Vice Presi-
dent, in his capacity of It's presiding officer, he
cannot be said to be irresponsible to the Senate
even In truth, you have, in your emulation OF
| the Lord Chancellor, exaggerated his lmmunl-
ties. He is responsible, both as Lord Chancel-
| lor, and as member of the House OF Lords; for
his appointment to the Office, elevates him to
the rank and privileges, if they had not de-
scended to him from his ancestors, OF a British
| Peer.
To complete the picture of your conduct, l
cited the case Of Mr.. Dickerson, which proved
YOUR practice to be as inconsistent as your doc
| trlne mac OceU SHOWN W NC uioouhd. IA al
swer. YOU saw that | have referred "to stale and
fale accounts" cit is sufficient that MIR. ID.
has repealed the charge Of in justice, and that
"exhibit but sol:y and factious appearance in
defending Senator from oppression, who Is
not conscious of any injustice having been IN
| ficted" How far the accounts are "stale and
false will, if the Editor of the Journal comply
with my request, appear IN conneXlon with TINS
letter, from a statement originally published IN
print. ofthe District; statement which ex-
pressy referred TO and which has neverI been re-
futed 1t will be found to reduce you to the dl-
lemma Of surrendering some, at last, OF either
your moral or intellectual pretensions AS to
Mr.. Dckerson's declarations, they are imma-
terial to the question. He and Mr. Randolph
each committed an irregularity, though in une-
quail degrees. Expecting pardon from Mr., Us
sympathy in your hostility to the Adminlstra
ton, you repressed him; but suffered Mr. R. 20
proceed, at considerable length, because, as
iibeller of the President and the Secretary OF
State, he was endeared to you; and lest obey
ing no fixed rules of conduct, he might, it lrrl-
tated by control, make some parts OF your own
history the subject of Philippick, you were
ready to "give cake to Cerberus" The offer
ing was, however, fruitless; for the insinuation
that he was your partisan, reused Mr.. Randolph
to disclaimer. Even the smooth Mr.. Dick
erson became impatient under this reproach;
and though acqultting you OF injustice 10 HIM
self, (Which, indeed, was not committed except
in your contrasted treatment of Mr. Randolph
he denied, in few days afterwards, that she
belongs to your school," But while exculpat-
ing you for calling him to order, he says moth
ing Of the true subject of censure, your tolera-
IL, ,,Jo mi,
On this point he is both "mute and silent" for
though, from common prudence, unwilling TO
fight under shattered banner, against the Ad-
ministratlon, he sympathised with you as a
Guerrilla chief, engaged, like himself, in that
warfare. 1t is strange that you should suspect
me Of "defendng Senator from oppression"
when am merely using his case, to add, in
your own, the proof Of inconsistency to that Of
official misconduct.
Among the most material propositions es-
tabshed by the foregoing arguments, are the
following, viz: LIST. That the power and duty of
preserving order are constitutionally attached
to the Office Of President Of the Senate, by the
People who created that Office. 3D. That the
Senate, whatever else IL may do under the clause
of the constitution, authorising it $50 determine,
the rules of its proceedings" cannot divest its
presiding officer Of this power, nor exempt him
from this duty. Sd, That the Senate has never
attempted to do so, but on the contrary, has
borne testimony to the constitutional character
Of that officer.
a doctrine which characteristics the Vice Pre-
sident as the creaturt Of the People, and Of
course responsible to them for his conduct, and
which denies TO the Senate another crea ture of
the people, the power Of aristocratically en-
croaching on their rights, is described by you
as dangerous to liberty" as being Sin con-
hict with the JUS principles of our Govern.
men," as vesting Gin the Vice President alone,
an independent and absolute power, that would
draw into the vortex of his authority an unli-
mited control over the freedom of debate. -
From this fragrant perversion of the doctrine,
you reduce some portentous results. "Mark,
you say, " the consequence
eff the Vice-President should belong to the
same party or interest which brought the Pre-
sident into power, or if he be dependent on him
for MS political standing or advancement, you
,OiA virtually place the control over the freedom of
debate in the hands Of the EreGutive.
"You thus introduce the President, as it were,
into the Chamber Of the Senate and place him vr-
tualy over the deliberations Of the body, with poso-
erS TO restrain discussion and shielding his cond,ct