Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-05-08
GREAT CONSTITUTIONAL MEETING OF
THE PEOPLE.

THE PEOPLE.
AT an early hour yesterday after
ternoon, in pursuance of the previous
call, the citizens thronged Monument
Square, the contiguous streets, and the
area in the east front Of the Court
House. The meeting was organized
by the appointment Of
President-Gen. MCDONALD,
Vice President, Luke Herman, Chas.
F. Mayer, ], b. Morris, Jacob Ro-
gers, Samuel Mass, William Lorman,
Robert Purviancc, VIM. Crawford, Jr.,
Darius Stansbury, Solomon citing, J..
X. Stapleton, Nathaniel +. Williams,
B. |. Cohen, VIM. Hubbard, ]. Mckim,
Jr., George Waters, John fallon.
Secretaries-David Stewart, Samuel
d. Walker, VIM. FL. Gatchell, Alex
ander Kirkland, Peter Leary, l.. Lara
bee, Il. III. Cooch.
After which the meeting was address.
sed in a most impressive and eloquent
manner by John p. Kennedy, Esq.
who concluded by proposing the fol-
lowing resolutions, which were second
ed by Charles Carroll Harper, Esq. in
| speech which elected the most cheer
ing applause from the immense multi
| tude.
Resolved, That this meeting consi.
der the Protest transmitted to the Sen.
ate by the President on the 18th inst.
and published on the 18th in the off,
cial paper at Washington, as an APP
peal by the Chief Magistrate 20 the
| people against the proceedings of the
Senate in reference to the resolution
passed by that body on the 2Sth of
March last; and as the said protest
processes to set forth the views enter
tanned by the President as to his pow
ers under the Constitution, this meet
ing deem it their right and duty TO ex-
press freely their opinion on the SUBJ
ject matter Of the appeal:--
That they do therefore upon mature
reflection, uninnuenced by sentiments
of political hostility to the President,
but deeply impressed with a sense oil
the value Of their free institutions, and
jealously alive to every form of en-
croachment, upon the true principles
| of the constitution, whether the same
proceed from mistaken views Of power
or from ambitious motives, most earn
estly and heartily dissent from the doc
trines promulgated in the said "Pro.
test. /"
l. That they do utterly repudiate
the doctrine that the resolution com.
planned Of by the President "is wholly
unauthorized by the Constitution, and
in derogation Of its entire spirit" But,
on the contrary, they hold that it is
of the very essence of our free gov
eminent, that either branch of the ma
tional Legislature shall carefully note
and clearly announce in the form of
Joint or separate resolution, any act,
by any public flnctionary which, in
their opinion, may be an invasion Of
the constitution; and that "the official
acts of the executive may be taken up,
considered and decided upon, by either
branch of the Legislative Department,
for the purpose of public censure, with
out any view to Legislation or impeach-
ment!''
2. That they do entirely reject the
doctrine promulgated in the protest
that because, in possible contingent
cy of rare occurrence, the Senate may
be resolved into a judicial. body TO try
impeachmcnts, it is thereby debarred
the right of announcing to the people
an act Of malyersatlon, constitutional
encroachment, usurpation or corrupt
design, coming within its knowledge,
of any officer of the government, al
though it may have, at the same time,
every reason to believe that majority
of the House of Representatives will
not prefer an impeachment.-lt being
the opinion of this meeting that, pre-
cisely in such case, does it become
the most solemn duty of the Senate as
guardians of the constitution to pro-
claim their opinion upon such official
misconduct.
3. That this meeting heartily depre-
cate, as an unauthorized assumption,
the doctrine that ''the whole Execu-
tive power is vested in the Presi-
dent''-that che is responsible for its
exercise, and that ''it is a necessa-
ry consequence that he should have a
right to employ agents of his own
choice to aid him in the performance of
his duties, and to discharge them when
he is no longer willing to be responsible
for their acts" For although this :
meeting do not deny that he has the .
power Of free selection in his appoint /.
nents to Office, and, by settled usagei
lnder the constitution, the power of
yet they do most strenuously
eject the notion that the public off,
GERS are his agents, subject TO his con-
rol, or supervision, or in any manner,
to HIM for the faithful per- G
ormance of their duties: This meet q
ng hold that, like himself, these are
he officers of the lao, responsible to
he lasc, and subject to no mans dicta- }
h. j