Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-04-05
VIRGINIA EEaa&EIATgrRB..
DEFERRED DEB.3TE-[CoSriSuEp.
HOUSE OF DELEGArES.-.MOndn JGn. %.

ENPCNGING RESOLUTIONS.
Ma CIIu.g having concluded, Mr.. CRAIG rose and
DESIRE Mr.. Speaker, to expresses my sentiments in
relation 10 the resolution now under discussion briefly,
but freely. No rci;ng OF misrepresentation can lie more
strong none aversion Deep than that. entertain
towards it, regard it in lis tendency, us barerng The
dignity Of the State for TIE triumph Of party. violating
the Constitution Of the Union degrading the Senate OF
the nation.
To show that these are its tendencies Il maintain that
the resolution Of the Senate sought 20 be eSpupEd.
posses just sentiment, aud was properly adopted 10
prove this do not intend to go int" lci!"G$ argument
Woud not almost suffice to state tie fact tia, jack
son House Of Representatives dned not meet the qucs
ton presented in the Senate resolution, bGt tlnkrd it,
and that Jackson Legislature OF Virginia, decided II by
large majority, in form as strongly conGrnnatory OF
the Executive that which the Senate resolution
sumes: Soa member OF either House OF Congress- OF
rhe Legislature of Va rentHTcd at the mc entire to
justicy the proceedings of the Executive. will not call
up the history Of the past infinitely to review the facts 10
which the Scnaes resolution alludes and the reasoning
which was employed 10 sustain it-iacs which haze ne
yer been denied Powerful reasoning OF The es powerful
minds Of the which has never been met by GCe sound
or even plausible argument. Reasoning which sundercd
patty ties OF thousands from extent OF
the Union TO the other; which palscd for time the
strength and influence Of the strongest administration
that ever welded the government OF free county
Sir, whatever is profound IN the knowledge OF con-
stituticnal Iaw what=er is enlarged in the ccprehcn
sion Of SlacSnen; watcverss ardent. pure aud expan
sive in patriotism; whatever is eloquent and dconstra
tive in argument whatever is firm and noble IN man. Dig
nhcd and adorned the Senate who adopted the resolution
now souo Int he marked with niany their journal.
Can be s that The resolution oMa Senate odious,
80 palpabe aud dangerous assumption OF power not
warranted BY ulc Constitution: to demand this de-
grading rebukc: For, degrading it must be to them
vino receive til,sc who give. TO which of these
Sir, We should pause to determine. What is The rcso-
luton of the Senate, mere Legislative expression
Of opinion that the Executive, his proceedings in
ation to the pubc revenue transcribed his cons!lu
tiona powers. MIR. Speakcr-l do not intend to go into
the argument the point. whether the resolution is
true or But just tell me. you, sir who, diSCi
pie Of the Virginia Democratic School, opposed 10
the exercise OF all constructive powers uncons.ilu
tionai, and firm advocate Of Il rigid adherence TO
the exclusive exercise Of powers expressly granted
and those a5Soutciy necessary TO carry them into ct
feet as the only constitutional pnwcrscll me, sir in
what clause OF the CONSTITUTIONAL what section Of
the law did the Executive find express grant Of
the authority he exercised III relation TO the public
revenue! What power expressly granted to him
thai authority absolutely necessary I" carry into effect?
1t has been Democratic in Virginia tn deny that the
Legislative branch of the General Government
consptonaiiy charter Bank fiscal agent,
because the power not given IN terms, AdiSpcnSa
6y necessary to the exercise OF given power;
is Democratic to assert that Tie Executive may
Stu.io,ally discard that fiscal agent without the least
pretenSion OF grant u power to that effect
discard it, too in the face Of express law CT Congress
establishing it, and OF fiscal agents of
similar character lis stead The Executive. then in
relation to the public revenue, may break down that
which the Peoples Representatives nave established, and
establish that i'll its stead, which exceeds all that they
can rightfuy do Thus. sir, i Democratic to
give to one man, in relation to the public revenue
power denied to the whole body Of tho Pcnp!cs Repre-
senativcs-nay, more than this, power to nulliy their
solemn acts If the highest branch of those Rcprcsen-
tavcs clothed with the sovereignty OF the States dare
to express opinion that the Executive has transcend
cd his powers is Democratic to rrbukc teul in
the mos! odious and degrading FORM to deny them the
right their free thoughts and bring them down
in humble, tame and silent submission to the Executive
will Sir, that the free and lofty spirit Of independent
Representatives oi sovrrc States should thus b. iel
tered and chained down in subsrrvcncc to Executive
power, in the OF that people vi Virginia, whom
in part represent, so!emnly deny.
MIR. Speaker, object further TO the resolution Of Tie
Committee, that tie Senate cannot conStitu;onay do
the act which it requires To be done II so, then Of
course cannot constiluonaly for TIA, rcso!u-
ton. Mark the clause of the Constitution, sir, to the
JOURNAL Each House shall keep journal OF its pro-
cecdings and from time to time publish the The
Constitution then requires that the Senate shall keep
journal OF their proceedings. Now sir, whether a to
exPunge, as applied 10 record is 10 cancel to etlace
TO ohbterac to erase to drstroy whether ACCORDING
to the learned pathological deductions OF The Commute,
it is to draw black lines around the record ard wits
Eexpunged over il, (only that the latter is supremc
" ridculous it is virtually the same thing lf",o
has any meaning, any efficient operation
any virtual effect applied TO record il mus, ba T.,
cause that which exists record as such no lyncr
90 exist. AS 10 the mode by which this is to Pie !
done whether in ridiculous way auol;:rr AZ ,
to the meclanlcai, manual detail ol operation
to effect the object, it is surely the rng gucs.
ton that was ever gravely proposed ttl!bc1a.
live assembly That this view IS correct, sir, is
shewn by The course of the Committee themselves.
They propose to have record exPunsed. DO they
mean that a!ier MQt DONE that record shall still, have
full force and virtue such-,ha i. shall still stand rs
record1 If they do, then tey propose to 90 thing
which when done is to have cecla thing perfectly
die and vain The Committee, presume will not con-
.ent that they have proposed this idle and thing
Then, sir, in proposing 10 instruct Senator
,ungc the record of the Senalcs resolution they must
intend that they shall that record such longer
exist-that as record they shal longer 10
tand but be destroyed This, sir, the Senate have no
ight to do lis aganst the spirit and express letter Of
be- Constitution which requires the Senate to kep
ord of their proceedings. The Constitution requires
bat Journal a record of al the Senate proceedings
hai be Kent shall be yrcssrrcG The resolution of the
ommittee proposes that part of tie Sena,es pro-
ceilings shall be expunged, shall be made longer
, exist as record-shall, as such, DO destroyed