The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1836-04-08

People. 10 Il they were aware lsctions
, must srise and MOT. History had taught
them how msjorites in public assembliss
are prone 10 trample on the rights Of MI.
noriiies. IL vas deemed. therefore. u
The highest importanee 20 secure. IS TAR
as possible, . record Of all the acts Of the
Representative. and 10 give publicity 70
them. 90 thAI the People might know
what each member did. and what he did
not do. They wished 10 place beiore
the traitor who is false 10 his duty here.
the certainty thai his evil deeds could nos
be concealed while living, and thai an su-
thenue record would carry down 10 the
latest post iiy his loaihsome memory.
Hence they determined thai he should
= neither lalslly The record Of whal he did.
nor deprive his opponents ofIhe evidence
Of their opposition 10 him. These were
the reasons which induced the trainers
Of the Constitution TO make your journals
sacred. Aud you do violate as holy
ground as any the Constitution covers.
when Won lay your hands on them. and
blot and deiace them. II these eonsldera
tons are enIitled To the weight | ihlnk
justly due 10 them. with what semblanee
Of Justice can il Be urged that these mat
, tiers are to be regulated by English par.
lIamentsry practice! The introduction Of
any rules on the subject intn the Consti,
tuition excludes such an idea; and the
rules themselves. Inconsistent with those
prevailing in England, forbid any such
conclusion.
Let Us, however. sir, follow this matter
little further. II. as the honorable Sen
aior says. we are TO be governed by the
English practice on this subject Of ex
punging, | presume We must take that
practice entire; We are not al liberty Ia
introduce one part Of il. and reject an
other. There is certainly no rule in our
body which prescribes how it 10 70 be
done; We must, therefore. initiate the par
liamensary precedenls throughout. Now.
II understand the precedents right, they
establish the principle that, whenever the
parliamentary proceedings infringe on the
rights. real or supposed. Of the Executive
Chief Magistrate, he sends for the jour-
mails. or comes 10 the House. and strikes
out the offensive matter with his own
hand. When, on the contrary, the pow
ers Of the body on legislative matters are
impugned BY the vote, order or resolution.
or are improperly exercised, the erssure is
made by an officer, under the order of the
House. Such appears to be the practice
there; and if il is TO govern Us here. let
US have ii in its purity. The resolution.
therefore, proposed by the Senator, is
entirely gratuitous; The thing eau be done.
and. strictly speaking. Ough. tn be dune.
without any actlOn on our part. The
President himself. according to the er-
eeLlem rules Of Parliament which the
gentleman recommends To our adoption,
has the right To send for our journals,
and make such correction in them as he
thinks fit. That Senators NAV see am
not mistaken on this subject, | beg leave
81 quote tn them the following MustriOus
precedent, derived from the &C, of the
renowned and sGpient King James the
First. Of blessed memory.
The House Of Commons in England,
SIR. al the time when their glorious con.
test between the prerngauves of the
CrOwn and the rights Of the People was
about to commence. passed the following
resolution:
/" The Commons now assembled in
Parliament. being justly occasioned there
unto concerning sundry liberties. fran.
chises. and privileges of Parliament. a.
mongst others here mentioned, do make
this protestasion following: that the liber.
ties, franchises and jurisdiction of Parlia.
ment, are the ancient and undoubted
blrthright and inheritance Of the subjects
of England: and that the urgent and
arduOus affairs concerning the king, state,
and defence of the realm, and Of the
church of England. and the maintenance
and making OF laws, and redress of
mIschieis and grievances. which daily
happen within the realm. are proper
subjects and matter Of counsel and debate
IN Parliament: and that, in the handling
OF those businesses, every member If the
House Of Parliament hath, and of RICH,
ought to have, freedom of speech to
PROFOUND, treat. reason, and bring to
conclusion the same; and that the Com
mons. in Parliament, have like liberty
and freedom TO treat Of these matters, in
such order as in their judgment shall
seem fitiest; and that every member of the
said House hath like freedom from all
impeachment. imprisonment, and moles.
latlon (other than by censure of the
Honse itself for or concerning any speak.
ing. reasoning, or declaring Of any matter
or matters, touching the Parliament or
Parliament business. And that, If any
,f the said members be complained of.
md questioned for any thing done or said |
IN Parliament, the same is TO be shown
10 the king, by the advice and consen, of |