Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-03-15
YyTgRGpYaA LEGISLATURES.
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HOUSE OF DELEGATEs-Friday Jas. p
EXPGNGING RESOLUTIONS.
Mr. PowrlI said: Mr.. Speaker am indeed reluctant
, n;nglp in the interesting discussion opened be-
fore you but the question we are Gated on 10
of so much Importance in ITSELF and involves IN us ca!
rvnp out such disastrous consequences, that am un
n restrain the utterance Of my deep conviction as TO
The nbidnr injuries that must flow from it, Whethcr we
view it. sir as party measure, matter OF STATE en-
pedency or proposition in which our fedeTai etat'ohs
are alone concerned, it still presents to my NINA the
sane Objectionable aspect and can go iaTther ana
declare that each additional moments reflection that
| have been able to bcstow upon IT, has only SO IN
creased these objections that they now rise before
me like a cloud in the armament, casting It's gloomy
shadow the last hopes OF Constitutional 20
yernment amongst us. That the leading object OF
these resolutions is adroy to seize upon poPu,
lar preponderance, but lately called into h'ng' and
l would fain hope, shortly to be ordered thence LOT
the purpose Of carrying party measures thlo e"ec'
is fact that neither be overlooked nor dened mat
by its operation our Senators in Congress are to be I'M
olated upon the unhalowed altar Of party feeling is
proposition equally setcvldent Gould 1, however, DC
iieve sir, that its operation would be confined 10 Tie
mere question of who who is not tn be our senator
in Congress, might then content myself with silent
vote in the negative, and to that minded people
who have clothed it'll the authority Of represcn
tative here, that felt incumb bent duty on me, mere
tyro in politics. TO enter this OF discussion Bu
sir appeal to the candid intelligence OF every gentle
man upon this floor 10 ne-can 1t stop here: Is
dual members of the United States Senate: Or is it not
proposition calculated to strike at the very foundation
of tina, noble structure itself? Is it not, sir Of part
and parcel with those unauthorized aud mgh'nanu-
ed measures that the Federal Executive hi,nse has
put into action, for the pulling down OF that c"uy'
and laying it low in the dust at inc oot-Stool VI .
branch of the Government over which ne presIoes: on
it sounds to much me like the opcung answer o!
trained pack to the Tally shout of tins Chief hun
tcrdown Of the best institutions of the country DID
or did not Mr. Speaker, understand the gentleman from
Goochand and the gentleman from Isle OF Hght IN Inc
debate of the other day the election OF public prin-
ter to declare their determination 10 right the wrongs
and avenge the injuries that had been offered their party
in similar election at the last session OF this LegisIa-
ture And would ask gentlemen II their object Is at
this time to avenge upon the Senate of The United States
the imaginary injury offered their party in the election
and reelection of Mr. Leigh to the high Office he now
fills, over their twice beaten bantlng: DO they mean
to carry into all the deliberations OF this body, tha
spirit of revenge with which they commenced them:
Do they mean sir in this action, 10 avenge upon that
Senate the injury offered the spos candidate Tor The
Presidency by that bodys rejection OF his nomination
as our Minister to the Court OF ST. James Are all the
walls of their mighty wrath filed they Imagine them
to be- by these reiterated INJURIES to he poured forth
on the devoted heads of The people Of FKgln Has 1t
come to this sir that this Hall hereafter TO be an arena
for the tournaments OF political knights e.rant ana
that every pufed up broken down politician IS to
have champion here for the avenging of his wrongs:
had thought me, Mr. Speaker that il was designed ra-
Their for mutual consultation and dclberaon the best
interests
house for the institutions Of the Federal Government.
In this too sir, nothing but to the
summons Of their mighty chief reminds too forciby
of the discipline his followers of the renowned Rho
deric Dhu, when that Highland c t';n
And no answered Com the hill,
On right, on left, above below,
Sprung up once the lurking foe,
AZ if tho yawnins hill 10 heaven,
a subtcrranean host had sven'
Sir Mr. Leigh must be forced to give way before the
patriotic efforts of this great Democratic Republican
Party of Virginia. How, sir, and for what; by an IN
struction on their part for Mr. Leigh TO do that which
they know he cannot consistently do, or to submit 10 an
alternative that they have no righ to present to
him. They require at his hands, either directly or by
implication to expunge, 10 obliterate, 10 smear with
the miserable filth Of party politics, that journal of
the Senate which the Constitution of the United
States has declared shall be kept a record Of
their proceedings, follow the example Of his dplo
matte predecessor and throw himself back insulllnsly
upon the people. But, sir, curious to know whence
this right of interference with old journal OF the nj
ted States Senate has been derived, and if established
at ALL what metcs and bounds 10 be given to it?
wish to know, sir, whether this right is confined TO any
particular resolution upon that record whether 1t
tends every scrawl OF pen that is found there II
this principle is received in par it must be uken in
in gross; and if thus received its inevitable effect is to
DENY 10 the Senate the constitutional right of keeping
its journal, but gives 10 succeeding Senate the
r;oht of declaring what the journal of preceding ses
.;on should have been. Now, sir, wish to know
if the Democratic Republican, SIN of the prcscn, day.
finds this right in their strict construction Of our
FEDERAL Constitution whether they demand it as one
IF their reserosd ri hts9 | feaE me, however, Mr.
Speaker, that this new Democracy is not disposed to
eeek for the authorities on which they act among
the established principles of government but that
they prefer rather the sanction of the poTsEs that be-
fore Giving blind adherence to this measure for the vain
glory momsntary tramph to deliberate Der deeply upon
sn, TO do sots sir but the dictates of party to omit it.
gentlemen see to IT, them lest in thus , nsn
Inst will be felt through oil time. Acting upon their
plan, they may go and acquire, for the time being,
st greater powers but the same change that has eeva'
ted them may again operate to bring them within the
each Of those over whom they now triumph Then,
SIR counter resolutions may be adopted and that which
tbe ot1rna of the United States Senate, which must
form par. of the history of will be but
the lamentable record of our Inconsistencies and our
twill tell sir, to future times the story Of
people distracted by party strife each struggling for
power, each sowing The wind, reaping the whrwind
md garncring the storm. :,
Mr. SPEAKER, wish in this discussion TO look 10 the