Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1836-03-17


been printed some deposited in the pub
lie archives, and some delivered TO mem
hers Of congress for the time being which
have thus become private property, aud
| been dispersed throughout the Union The
resolution was published. too. IN all the
public journals Of the day il stands re
corded on the journals Of all the state 10
gislstures that have thought proper TO
take the subject into their consideration ;
the General Ass, mbly Of Virginia has IT,
self recorded it. in the very resolution ~
! which il directs the Senators oil ibe Staie
| in Congress. TO vote for expunglng u from
the manuscript journal Of the Senate
For any direct purpose, therefore, when
| the expunction Of ii can serve, viewing
the act apart from the Intention, noihtns
can be more absolutely Dugatory. The
resolution itself, the evidence OF It, and
the opinion il declares. will all be handed
down to posterity by faithful history nay
even by the very record OF the proceeding
| TO expunge il, II is vain to say, as the
General Assembly has said IN the pream-
| bic 10 its resolutions. that The resolution
| Of the Senate sis an assumption OF power
| not warranted by the constitution and
| calculated to subvert the rights oil the
| House of Representatives. and the lunda.
mental principles of our free institutions :"
| for. if this were really the case, the Gene
| raj Assembly should have lepelled some
| of its censures against the House OF Rep.
| resentallves, for negleciing ITS high trust
for neglectlng TO vlndicate The fhnda.
mental principles Of our free institutions
and, especially. its own rights and prlsi'e-
res. against the encroachment oil the Sen
| ate. / am not aware that that House
| Has made any complaint perhaps 1t un
ders,ood the subject too well, 10 DO so.--
| II is the Executive only that has protest
ed against this proceeding of the Senate (:
and the only conceivable purpose which
the proposed expuncton OF IT can answer,
will be to signalize the triumph OF Execu-
tive power over department oil the legis-
lature that mas had the iirmness to oppose
| its measures-to set mark OF disgrace
! and humiliation upon the Senate, AID TO
/ bind wreath Of inglorIous victory around
the brow OF the President. Aud even for
this purpose, no stroke OF the pen was
ever more vain, than that which shall
mark those black lines around the resoln
ton of the Senate, and write that SEN
tence of expunction on its FACET, indeed
il be not calculated TO work the direct
contrary effect TO that intended. The
victory of the President over the Senate
may he as complete without II. And II,
unhappiiy, The fruits of that victory shall
ripen into their iull maturity oil bitterness
i'm time, when the constitution Of the
Senate shall BE- subver'ed-when he check
"a 4 10, hnl n q
the Executive, and Of the popular nation
al branch OF the Legislature, shalt he re-
moyed-when the substance OF the con
sttution shall be destroyed. and nothing
but its empty forms remain: History VIII
naint those black lines drawn around this
resolution, and those fatal words oil con
demnation written across its face, and
hold them up as a mournful momento TO
ourselves Of departed liberty, and warn
ing to some happier race Of mankind. II.
on the other hand, the Senate shall. by
the blessing of Providence, contnue 10
maintain its place in the system.--si ex-
ercising the functions for which II was de-
signed, -enjoying the freedom of del'be-
ration and Independence oil action; then
will the manuscript volume oil the journal,
and indeed the single page containing
, those memorable circular black lines. be
the only volume, and the Only page. thai
VIII ever be sought after or read. The
process of expnnging the resolution. is the
surest way to render the memory oil II I'm
mortal
II cannot be forgotten, that very short
ly before was first elected 10 the Senate
the General Assembly of Virginia. upon
long and solemn deliberation, Resotred
81, That The recent act Of the President
Of the United States, exerting a contro
over the public deposites. by causing then
f TO be withheld and Withdrawn, OF. bis owl
responsibility, from the u. States Bank
in which they had been ordered 10 be pla
: ced by The act Of Congress chartering the
said bank, is in the judgment OF the Gen
eral Assembly, dangerous and alarming
+ assumption OF power by that officer, which
cannot be too strongly condemned.
That. while the General Assembly viii
ever be ready TO sustain the President IN
the exercise of all such powers as the con
stitntion has conlided to him, they never
, theless, cannot but regard With apprehen.
sion and distrust the disposition TO extend
, his official authority beyond It's just aad
, proper HHhts, MItcu W" mas ~ S'Sa' y 80
, infested in his recent interference With the
/ Treasury Department of the Federal 10
yerDment, in the exercise oil sound dls'
erection which Congress had conhded 70
tho head Of that Department alone. s
, That our Senators IN Congtess be instFnc
ted. and our Representatives requested TO
use their best endeavors 10 procure the
, adoption, by Congress. of proper meas
ures for restoring the public moneys to tue
bank Of the United States, or at least eau
sing them TO be deposited therein for the
future, according 10 The direction and sti'
| pulaton OF the act Of Congress chariering
The said bank, il, at the time OF their ae-
ton on the subject, the said bank te, ~
their opinion, safe depository Of The pub
+ Iic treasure" Thus, the General Assem-
bly,, at that session, expressly affirmed the
very proposiiion( and in far stronger terms