Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-03-08

na Una, which At knows, us well us do is there truly
ais,y public record, which il knows the Constituted
eSpeiiy requires the Senate keep; and 10
so'uS prcs4riIes the cxPunction Of the resolution
on 'ne journal, hguratively and typcay, In such a
manner as can only elude the positive piumc
on o. 'hr constitution, and tosgnaize The Humiliation
ana disgrace OF the Senate, without al all arct.y ,I
historical evidence OF the fact II i.slruc ma, TO d. Ills
--or resign 1t instrncs so 10 exnnn.. .s moi IN
Pungc, the resolution IL requires of me. in word
Jesu'tcai equivocation with my oath and c.nsc.nc,.
anu considering the knowledge il must have Of ,hr
opinions cnterain) II commands incur dshonor
sae, aho suiit-or resign IL requires me. in effect
% give my recorded sanction 10 the pr. rynves claim,
co ny inc President in his memorable protest
proceedings OF the Senate and Ia the li,nations lie
TANKS proper 10 set upon the rgbts powers aud priv
eges Oh inns body well knowing the opinions have
dI hoS On .e Questions of constitutional right and
oily commands me to inhict this lin INV sens. &C
ngs) vital blow upon the Constitution of my country
or resign cannot shut my eyes against the truth,
PLAIN and glaring upon the very face oil The trnn
acton-that such instructions we're not given me
, wl,a any exPec'aien' or view or perhaps WISH
In truth, no choice between the alternative propos
10 he and believe, most undoubtedly, that il was
mol designed to leave any choice; that the r. al
anu the only purpose of the instruction. was TO comnI
Inc To resgn-- TO instruct of my seat Indeed
seems to that this design almost ayowed in the
preamble and resolutions YOU have Transmitted IN mo
For the preamble reci,es as motive for The nroco;n
.nat Tue Assembly deem it their solemn duty again To-
roassert the duty the Representative to ole or
and Then alter giving instruction which the Az
sembiy knew that could not oJey without crime and
q the
preventative to obey the instructions of his constituent,
or 10 resign the trust with which they have clothed him
~ oiuel at may De transferred into the hands those
who VIII carry INTO execution the wishes and nsruc-
tons OF the constituent body"
IL was impossible that should have remained ioro-
rant ana IL Is equally impossible for me u FORGET Tho
pohticai operations in Virginia during the past wear
Know that the design of Constructing me ont of M
-or I'm courtly phrase) giving me a walking ticket,
was early aud openly nyowed and recommended that
II was an advantage not little Wanted ws,ch IN. VIC
aos pfyn,sed themselves from the they achiev-
Ia Ctlnna that Tho,
instruction was proposed and discussed and The xc,v
method OF typical expunction which the General Assem-
NY has adopted strenuously as the
ana sure means OF driving resig alton in m. nu
c prints, which sometimes the organs and sometimes
VI, ocators OF party plans know moreover that the
proceeding was aimed ut particularly me- and that
TO insure It's success effort been spured 10
gerace my faults, such as they are; fsiiy the hso-
~ OF my NE, simple and obscure, hitherto il had
oeep, and barren of incdcnt all INV
yves, sentiments and actions, and raise such storm of
public indignation against me- as should make me enJ
like Tire willow in the fable, preserve wr hl.sscy
istence by yielding, rather 10 be torn nm bv ,l,
ioos ke the sturdy oak and laid forever PROSTATE ON
tue earth shall fulfil my destiny with fr,uness and
composuie Let me thank my fol having given
me consequence which my merits would never
nave achieved that enables act conspicuous md
useful part IN the defence of the free nsttntans r
my country, ought TO be grateful to the General AS
seoy, Tor placing me as 1T werc at the head of for
nope Ia the contest now wagng for The preserya-
t"n OF the Constitution and the Laws; and thonob am
as sensible of the danger, Of The honor Of tic
posi- assigned me, hope with the blessing of God 10
approve myself not altogether unworthy OF IT,
If the General Assembly had any object at heart mr.
sued directly for its value and not as means ii
comprising by ndirection, other Objects plainly unjust
ana unconstItutIona-and should give me m nsirnc
70 use my endeayours, in my official station 10 promote
its Viewsan instruction., which it believed coI CON
scientously obeyan instruction framed with no sio,
TO force me to resignation; and it, in such a case
should think the end aimed uncon stitutionul and
should De therefore, unwilling TO be active agent in
accomplishing it, the case would be very sro5o on,
s,ance 'm' ATTENDED with the very peculiar
an obstruction to the accomplishment of the measure de-
sired But regarding the present instruction as mainly
directed TO the purpose Of forcing o resin the trust
with which the General Assembly sshas cluiIcd me in
order that 1t may be transferred into the hands of those
who will carry into execution the wishes nd ins,rnc
tons of the constituent body"-wlich wishes AMI in
sructonsl think plainly contrary the letter and shirt
Oh tie consultations and deeply convinced as am that
my resignation would more vtally affect the ipleorv Of
Tue Constitution, than implicit obedience TO The
Instructions have therefore, come TO resolution thai
cannot, ought not, and will resign
pray the Genera Assembly 10 accompany me for /,
oriei space and TO accompany me with patience, in
OF the practical consequences Of The prece
aent aud oil the doctrine or precedent will soon qrow
INTO doctrne,) which 1T proposes establish namely
nat The State Legislatures may give TO their
senators IN Congress- which they believe they cannot
OBEY without conscious dishonor and crime and there
lore VIII not obey in order force to the aernu
i've OF resignation.
The unavoidable effect win be To cbonoe ,I,a ,o..
oil the Senatorial slice, from term Of six years which
me constitution has ordained, tenure during the
pieusure oil the respective State Legislatures that elect
them to make the Senate which was plainly desgned
and that for the obvious purposes to be the os
III the government, effect
tce, Inc most huc,uaiing, TRANSIENT and unstable
The Senate constructed on the federalye principle TO
represent The sovclegnties OF the States which from
the nature oi sovereignty co-equa is SO TO
tneI existence and preservation, if the Senate were
aooiished from the system,-te other branches of The
government, both OF Which national IN their charac-
Ter, remaining III full orceit hard 10 imagine hov
the state Governments 0 any thing more than The
forms OF them, could long endure And whatever tends
10 diminish tie weight OF The Senate in the system ns
tehd 10 IMPAIR In exactly the proportion the State
scVereightes themselves and TO general consolidation
OF them all INTO one empire The Federatye Senate
representing the states, designed the balance of
,he sys.en-as check on the popular branch of the
and the Executive both of which are al
most entirely national in their constifutioDand in
matters OF important and permanent interest il il a
check mat can very rarely operate for ionger time
tnan may suffice to mature the judgment of the peo-
pie on sober, dispassionae reflection The Senate
cannon; ii IL would, conneract the permanent will
the deliberate, settled judgment of the nation \ he
House Of Representatives, elected for two wears re-
presenting the people immediately and therefore moro
exactly representing their opinions and wishes for tho
time beng, aud apt also represent their
rs ID that way, cndued with power and influence
winch The shortness OF its OF office hardly sufccs
TO counterva The President, elected for four years
cioed with ali the powers necessary for the Exccu
tive OF Government charged with the foreign reIa
lions OF the nation, with hs veto on tile acts Of tho
Legislature, and tile whole patronage Of government In
ms hands, IS far than the equal power Of either
Drahch OF the Legislature and, the opinion Of ma
ny, more powerful than both combined. His yerv
UNITY IS principle OF strength. The only means
oi making the Senate ordinate with the other de-
Partments, that which has been resorted 10:
namely TO make il more permanent. and hence it was
that the senatorial term Of office made three mea
as long that Of the Representatives. and half as long
AGAIN as that OF the President If the senatorial OF