The Arkansas advocate., 1832-05-16


 you, "there remains amongst this peo- pie power and influence derogatory to liberty and free institutions, greatly re- l tarding their prosperity, checking their Independence, ,marring their wsestpians and thwartng their dearest interests? But you seem 10 regard the joint rule Of the two Houses, requiring all memori- ais, when passed, to be presentcdt to the Governor, quite sufficient for all pur- poses. Is 1t not painful in the extreme, to see q man of your acknowledged tal- ents and great political experience anu acquaintance with parliamentary pro eeedlngs, compelled from dire necessity to place bis chief defence upon so unte- nablc position; more especially, when It IS known the improper means you used to obtain the possession of that memoriale You seem to regard this Jolntrule of the two Houses as unehange- able and immutable its character as the laws of the Medes and Persians.-- From what principle of law or reason does this joint rule of the two Houses obtain its immutable and unaterabie character? Your Excellencyistoo good lawyer toknow that the samepow- CT that passed this joint rule, had the power to change 1t, 10 suspend it, or entirely to abrogate it, at their plea sure; and that in parliamentary pro- ceedings, nothing is more common in practice, than to suspend the rules of the House upon motion. Was not this joint rule not only virtually but in fact suspended, so far as it regarded this par ticular memorial, by a subsequent rule of the two Houses, appointing a joint committee of both Houses to detain that memorial, then in the possession of the chairman of the committee of enroll ments, and to hand it to the Delegate, without the intervention of the Govern or? But, 10 put this question beyond the reach of caviling, and silence all eaptious aud frivolous objections-has not the Legislature complete control and absolute power over all memorials and business whatever, while ityet re- mains in the hands of their committees? This is a position l presume none will dare eontroyert. It is too plain for sophistry 10 deny or disingenuousness to elude. Letme then ask your Exeellen- cy, if you seriously believed that this 1 joint ruie of the two Houses was @t1ten iss faH forces when tic chairman of the committee of enrolments handed it to you at the dead hours of the night? That you did know that this joint com mttee had been raised by joint order of the two Houses to demand this me- morial from the chairman of the com mittee of enrolments, to preventit from passing into your possession, and to place it in the hands of the Delegate, without the intervention of the Govern or, you will not, dare not, deny. Did moi the chairmanofthat committee show you copy of the joint order of the two Houses, or inform you of its existence? Did you not call in the aid and assist ance of the Delegate. who was related to the chairman of that committee, to whecdle and cajole him to place in your hands this memorial? Did not the chairman ofthe committee, at the dead hours of the night, place inyoar hands this memorial, in defiance of the Joint rule of the two Houses, then in full force, and operating on him, and you, as notice to return it to the joint com mittee of the two Houses? l pity the situation of MT. Brown, for l believe him to be an honest man. He, unfor- tunately, had not confidence enough in his own experience and judgment. AL though he had notice and been adrno- nished of the danger, yet he yielded to the joint solicitations of yourself and the Delegate. The joint committee then reported 10 the Legislature, "that the cha; cha TiIiaii of ttiiie committee of enrol ments, in contempt and violation of the joint order of the Houses, had handed the memorial to John Pope, Governor, in a surreptitious manner" l appeal to your great political experience and knowledge of parliamentary proceed ings, with confidence, and ask you the question, if a Governor, under the con- stitntion of a State, was found guilty of tampering with committee of the Le. gislature, to violate known order of the House, would he not be guilty of a contempt and nisdemeanor iii office, and would it not be good ground for an Impeachment? You know that you hold your commission from the United States for the term of three years, if not sooner