Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1836-04-01

ON the lawuhess and cJnstuiionallty OF one oil
your public actS-a declaration, sir, which they
had no authority 10 make, and which is untrue, IN
'asnuch it dissenis from the opinion Of YOU the
'wisest and the best. The Senate have resolved
that it shall be expungcd from their journals, as
warning to poserily that this branch of the Legs.
'laturc shd H., in all time hereafter, keep within its
Constitutional powers, and express no opinion on
amy &C, Of The Chief Magistrate. The Senate
'fu 10 you. and more conlormabe 10 preoedents
drawn from the purest periods Of British history
that you should cxpungo this odious resolution
with your own hand. The manner in which the
'expurgation should be effected is left entirely to
your discretion. To erase the resolution by
drawing black lines around it, is the mode prefer
red by many of your friends, and particularly by
shat distinguished and high.minded body, the
Virginia Legislature. present you, sir this pen,
THAT it may, in your own hand, ayenge your
wrongs, and shall only further say, sir, that this
SIS the happiest and 'proudest moment of my life.-
IN is glory enough for any one man."
"Slr, [sad Mr.. P.] had also run out
the gracious answer which the President
would have made to this loyal and affection
ate address, but felt | was treading on
ground which could not approach, and |
therefore abandoned It," &c. &c. &c.
The correspondent OF the Commercial
Advertiser gives the following version OF
Mr. Senator Porter's reply.
The chamber was at first thnIy filled;
but as he proceeded it became and contin-
ued densey crowded. A other business
and amusement was thrown up, and even
Hill and Niles deferred the composition OF
their squlbs to another time. Porter COM
menced with the meaning Of the phrase.
"to keep Journal" Every plain and I'm.
educated man, woman and child in the
country. he said, coIld never doubt, for Q
moment, the true meaning Of the term To
keen, in this conneXlon. But when it
comes up among erudite and ingenious
lawyers and statesmen, at once q difficulty
arises
1t is found that the word has thirty six
different meanings, and it requires the Ut
most stretch Of ingenuity to determine
which is to be taken. The Senator UNDER
takes to keep a horse. He looks at his
dictionary and finds that to keep has the
meaning of to copy out carefully, and find,
ing the horse has no skill IN chirogr aphy,
he turns him adflft. Again he undertakes
to keep book and finding that to keep
mea ms to feed he throws away the book be
cause 1t will noteat its provender. Or in the
| heyday Of his life. he may, on the pleasant
banks of the Cumberland, which formerly
went by mere poetic name. have receiy.
ed q lock of hair and have promised to
keep it. as the token Of an undylng attach
ment. But at the next joyful meeting, he
is compelled to say, that not being able to
determine the meaning of to keep, the pre-
cious token is unfortunately gone.--[ Unin.
terupted laughing, Benton on his back,
face upwards and covered with his nand
Erpungmg in Tennessee. The Lagisla.
ture Of Tennessee, although still reposing
confidence in General Jackson, so far as to
disapprove of the resolution of the Senate
censurng him for the removal OF the de
posites, yet entertaining a just sense Of the
gross impropriety and the unconstitution,
atty of eXpunglng the resolution from the
journal OF the Senate, have passed the fol.
lowing resolution, with but twenty opposing
voies
Resolced, That it is the opinion Of thi:
General Assembly. that it is not constlu
tional to eXpunge The SAID resolutions from
the Journals of the Senate but said process.
would violate that provision of the constl
tuition of the United States which require;
that each House shall keep a journal of lis
proceedings.