Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-04-08

III bill Is no Us undcisialc, aclua!Iy stricken Out
or crnscd with the pen, but the portion voted 10 BE-
stricken out is indicated by suitable marks, will.
responding notation the margin Of the BILL
separate paper and is considered stricken out b. the
force Of the vote What directed to he done, Is,
By parliamentary fiction, if you Choosc considered
actually done. 1t is singular coincidence that, in the
earlier period Of parliamentary history, this very
word trpumgc, which has Of a!c furnished such fruit
fa theme OF commentary, was llabItua!ly used Instead
of the phrase 10 strife 0Ht, III reference to amendments,
and in tie in which The latter phase las just
been explained. During the two ills. Congresses
der the present Constitution: find that in the Journal of
this body especially, Tie wori tPnngc Il CONSTANT re-
currcncc: and that in proposing amendments |" bills, ir
motion 10 rXpunge, instead Of strife um and when
carried the clause section which tic subject Of
tie motion, said 10 lie cxpnaycd though III The
of striking Out there actual tr"Surc, which
it contcnded :c word necessarily imports. From
liz frequent recurrence in The application, III Yates
report of the proceedings of the Convention which ior
ed the Constitution, arc authorized TO ln!cr thu. liz
in tic also familiar among learn.
ed Statesmen who composed ,ilat lIustruus assembly,
But there is example of its Use which cannot for.
bear TO mention.
In the draft Of the Declaration Of independence this
significant word is used in The very which is
signed 20 it the present OCCASION Alter stating the
rudalnc tai principle of the right Of the peorle 10 alter
abolish their institutions: right, WHICH prudence
GucS should not be exercised for light aud transient
causes, and accordingly that all experience bath shown
mankind more disposed 10 suffer, while evils suffer-
able than abolish the forms TO which they
toned. the following Pregnant sentence cccurs:
Such has been the patient endurance of these colo
ries and such is the necessity which constants
them TO fIpnngc their former systems of govcrnmrnt
Nnw sir, as Mr.. jefferson what lord Clarendon,
think called John Hampden, root cad branch man, he
ght be considered perhaps, both in temperament and
principle, us an epunScr IT may not therefore, be In
proper add that this word stood in the Declaration Of
independence, not cny ii came from tic pen OF Mr.
Jefferson, bat it reported TO Congress- and sane.
toned by the resi- Of the committee, by John Adams,
Benz nm Franklin Robert Livingston and Roger Shsr-
WHAT Sir, did these great and Iustrous patriots
mean by rxpungiHg " former systems Of govern
meat Did they that the royni charters, p which
those systems ct government existed and were define
alcd TO be erased and CELEBRATED with the pen
modern commentators would have us believe the word
ezpungc can only mean; No, sir they meant we
mean on the present occasion, that the institution the
should be eapmged leaving the record Of it unnl
paired
Having thus, sir hope, satisfactorily established the
parliamentary OF expungng, permit say
Thing Of Tie Thing ITSELF Attempts have been made
here and elsewhere to represent il something very
od;ous and Ubiquitous. Nov, sir, take upon myself 10
say that, from the nature of the thing implying
sary deliberate change in the public councils