Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-02-02
THE EXPUNGING RESOLUTIONS.

EtI
The arguments of the Wings ESQ far as relates to the
point in opposition to the process Of ezPunging the
Senaes resolution o ccnsure of the President of the u
States, that is pointed out in the resolutions
under discussion in the House Of Delegates, may be
compressed in nutshell. 1t is this: "1he Constitution
ofihe IT, States requires the Senate of tho u States TO
keep journal Of its proceedings: "to e1pnnge resou-
ton recorded On that Journal is to destroy the journal TO
destroy the journal any part thereof TO violate the
Constitution, and therefore the resolution cannot be co7
stilutionaly c1Punscd.
Now, trace them thc Whigs,) from their premises 10
the conclusion TO Keep Journal say they, il 10 pre-
SET &c journal; prescruc Journal they continue
keep it untouched for the purpose of altering it, and 10
alter destroy it, Now, look back and how they
Jump from position 10 another: Tokcep is 10 prcs'rrc
and TO alter is dcstrOy and destroy violates the Con-
stitution To destroy the journal it is trur would rio
late the constitutional Injunction ito keep Journal
bu, It's not true that KEEP means prescrre unatcred
that alter means destroy.
But what does it avail them, regards tie process Of
e1pungng 10 contend that to destroy obilrrae the
journal Of the Senate would violate the Constitution
Why, forsonh, they take another jump, and say Il had
almost said they S1ccnr) that TO cxpungc is to defroyM
Now, what is the conclusive answer to nil that :
Plainly this: The term cIpungc in the resolutions
der discussion, is not used in the lexcogra piers
give it, and which is 10 erase IL blot out 10 odtcratr;
but il is used in that which Statesmen have given
to tin that which parliamentary and legislative
usare has given it, and in which it has been adopted
here it las been elsewhere in preference 10 the word
rcscnd because The proceeding TO be made null and void
and of elect was, in its inception and consumma-
ton without Just and without competent authority
To make proceeding null and void, which, al the tt!le
OF its ADOPTION Just in itself and within the const
tuona competency uf the body that adopted it, the APP
picaion Of the rcscnd would be proper and appro
pirate.
Hence it is curious that the advocates oftIc ofthc
word cJpungc in reference to The Scnaes resolution o
censurc are not liable the change of conlrudcling
themselves when they say they wish TO cxpungc and do
not intend destroy to oLcratr They the word
ahpuuge in its parliamentary definition and MT in its full
pathological Specification. They typungc in prefer.
encr rc<cind because this tcrnI in lis parliamentary
srrsr, would convey the conccssun that the resolution
Of The Senate for just and 'ntin its consiiin
ona cUmpcfcney; all which, the word eE"ngc, in tsrnr
lamcntary scDsr denies, in truth may, and in justice
ought to be denied in the premises. Such is the only
difference (apart from the harmless black lines between
e1punging and reending the proceeding of Legislative
body. The "black lines around, will only make the
cxpurgation more conspicuous Black lines may be
pied with as much facility as letters which are but
"scribbled lines, drawn with a pen upon parch.
mcnt. So, if the original manuscr pt journal Of the
Senate, shall be in fearful stale Of decay, If :hc
gentleman of kano'rha SHALL at any time, want a
copy of the journ l. there will be no mere difficult
y in getting copy of the c7pnngcd resolution, than
if it had not been cIrungedit will only cost the scribe
little more labor. But ho! The writing Of The words
"expunged by order Of the Senate Of the U. Statrs
across the face Of the entry will be apt to blot out some
Of the letters Of the resolution it stands the Jour
nall Then, for mrrcys sake, all We who arc go tender
of the Scnatcs journal, unite 1" direct those words
be written the entry, with Ted ink; and then, too
he-c will be less danger that Siloc-trusl and Backing
will be used ! And here beg TO be undo rSood-l say
1cd ink ard am sure do not W0od for, | would
not on any account have the of the gocd people
founded with the cry:
ly..,y..