Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-04-22
- ---s--
EHDfSrTt-/

EAPtJSGLN(;.
We are indebted 10 friend al Washington for the fol-
lowing singular documents The reader can scarcely
have forgotten the extraordinary fact which Mr.. Rvcs
has brought light in his late luminous and conclusive
Speech! 1t actually appears (says The Danvic Observ-
cry that trace of the manuscript journaL Of that bo-
dy, (the ID of + y from 1889 10 1884 period of Lrtyfrc
years. is be found II is thus apparent that after
the Journal printed it was considered md treated
paper Mercy u.s. what comment is that upon
Wing orators, and the eSpungng panic makers! VIVA,
becomes of the Of words poured forth about the
destruction at the rccorduoiatcd oahs-and outras.
cd Consitution9 Many Of the present anti-expungng
Senators, such Clay Calhoun, Tyler, Webster, &c,
were members of this House of Representatives.
during this period, and Of the gunrdians
the Keepers, the r-eserpcrS Of this deunct journal!
Good sirs, how can you again look honest men in the
face, after having thus: according to your showing,
suffered these sacred urchircs he thrown away and
destroyed for than the third of century, without
once raising your voice TO prevent the sacrrge?
Mr. Benton tells us that the journal (Gf the Scnate)
which it has all at once become sacred duty for the
Wings prcScrre, he found carelessy stored away in
the attic story 1.-THE garrett Of the capitol, without kccp
CT, prey and every kind of vcrmin that choose
to make upon it. We learn that there thou
sand und ten copies Of the journal printed which dis
rbutcd among the Colleges and Universities of the va
rous States and all the States Of the Union, for re-.
ference and prcserration-and also throughout the
word--as two copies each given to all foreign
governments who have resident ministers in this
country: and these printed journals admitted into
How then the journal lie destroyed by drawing
black line around resolution the manuscript journal
and writing half dozen words the face Of t''
So far from that excellent paper, the Danvie Obscr
yer! The documents which now lay before our
readers confirm title the statements Of Mr.. Ryes,
and show how notably the journals have been Kept for
the space Of 30 years according to the swelling doctrine
Of the modern Whgs and how completely the Constl-
lated by all purlies and through every epoch. What
does the following statement show, but this: That the
original manuscript copy Of The j'urnat Of ne House Of
Representatives, not preserved before 1924 and that
rts arc eopied from The printed eopcs ,rhieh rom
sidcred The ocin and perfect eopy icing printed under
the order Of tic Housc Of Representatives, and all errors
corrected az il. And yet, Notwithstanding the original
journal actually destroyed in the one House, and
carerssy thrown by in the dust of the gnrret, in the
other luusc, what holy horror have these good Wings
poured to at the very idea of marking lines around the
present manuscript copy, and writing across Expupg
Cd" SO as not 10 deface line letter
(coPr)
Houss or RErREsEsrhrlvEs THE U. STATES,
.7prd 6, lc:'6.
DEAR Sin In answer to the enquiry contained in
your letter Of this morning. have to state, that tue ORR
uina rough manuscript urnals Of the House of Repre-
srntatreS OF the IT, States Chose read in the House on
the murnings) have not been preserved TO period an
terror tho commencement Of the first SESSION. c'gh-
tccnth Congress, (leG3.4)
For your further information, enclose you COPY o.
a communication from MIR. Burch, OH tho subject.
With very great respect, am: Sir,
Your obedirnt servant
W. S. FRANKLIN,
Clerk TO- Rep. L. S.
Hon Isaac HILL, U. Senate.
(CopY)
OrricE. HousE OF REPRESENTATIVES,. u S.
4vrit t. 1S3G.
SIR: entered this Office youth, under John Beck
ley, who the first Clerk of the House of RePrescn-
tatves under the present Constitution OF the u oates,
and who oiud in the year IoUI
During the recess of Congress, he put me at what
was termed ';recordng the Journal OF the preceding
session. which was write il off from the printed copy
into 4 large bound volume. enquired of hun why IT
was that il was copied when there many print
ed copics-he answered that the printed copies would
probably in time disappear from use &c-the large Mo
volume would not The Trough Journal, as 1t was
then termed and still termed being the original rough
draft read in the House the morning after the dny Of
which it naraes tic proceedings, was moi ana mao not'
from the beg INNING, been preserved enq"red Tue
reason, and answered that the printed copy was the
official copy printed under the special order OF
the Housc-and errors which were sometimes disco
yeIcd in the Rough Journal, corrected IN the proofs
Of the printed copy, the printed copy was the most cor
rcct-and that therefore there was no use IN luoerns
the office with the :Rough Journal" after it had been
printed.
Two Of Mr.. Becklcys immediate in office,
MIR. Magruder and Mr.. Dougherty, viewed the matter
as Mr.. Beckley viewed it. know the fact from nav
ing called their attention 10 the subject often reflect
ed upon the subject and it appeared 10 me 10 be proper
that the Trough Journal should preserved; although
could not any purpose whatever 10 be answered by
doing often conversed with the clerks OF the Oh
Gce upon The subject but were only subordinates,
the practice changed till LIST session of the 18th
Congress, 1s23-4) when determined without con-
sulling superior, that the Trough Journal should no
LONGER be thrown away but be preserved and bound in
yol1mcs;n It has been regularly preserved and bound
since. - With great respect, am, Sir,
. : :; -. Your obedent servant:
-, S. BURCH.
~y.-LI 81
Tbs Ranks in Massachusetts, Charic7S-dnd Charter cd
IT, FoteS.
II is sad that no charter is granted in Massachusetts
ui,hnnt ciause reserSng roht the Legislature to