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

are the inducements thus addressed to each member
be faithful 10 the trust confded TO him How much to
be admired the wisdom Of ancestors IN framing the
Constitution IF this its only feature, their title to
immortality would be established.
This simple provision ia of the great securities OF
American liberty. II takes nothing upon trust IT the
Senale kept juurnu would be secret conclave,
where deeds the most revolving mi ht be performed IN
sccrcsy and darkness The train might there be laid,
the mine prepared, and the first knowledge Of the rea
son might be 'hc explosion, and consequent overthrow
Of free government. Liberty could co.exis with such
state of things There is no liberty where there is
responsibility? and there can Ir M responsibility where
nothing is known To have Secretary seated the
table Of the Senate, tn write down its proceedings
and to claim f., itself the right TO cancel obii,craie
or expunge what he had written, is equivalent 10
having no iouena at ala mockery and a fraud
The Journal of the nr,rning may be cancelled in The
evening-that Of to-day may be cxpunged on to-mor-
row-canccl it in any way, whether by black or red
marks whether with circles or by straight lines it ceases
to be Journal and that which was is not The jour
nal is TO be published, hut there is no Journal There
yesterday, but ere II can reach the press, II Is
cancelled: marked out, expunged These are hc ne
ccssary results Of obedience TO your Instructions II that
journal contain transaction dsccdlable to the Senate,
should preserve il perpetual monument OF It's dis
grace Ito party leader, will give him and his trends
who may temporarily have the ascendancy, no warrant
trcra$c blur tic page which such an act OF hscon
duct recorded should be afraid alter performing such
deed, if Virginia is whit she once was-and de not
doubt ito return within her limits. The eXecrallons
Of her people would be Numbered III my ears The soil
which had been rod by her heroes and statesmen would
furnish me no resting place should feel myself guilty.
most guilty; and however mig succeed i'll conceallng
myself from !r sight Of men, could no IN my view vi
the subject, myself from the uphradings G" my own
ptrurcd conscience llow could return 10 mix G'nong
her people, share their hospitality and kindness, with
the declaration ny lips II have violated my oath for
Office and than surrender my place IN the Senate
have struck down the Constitutions:
If the Senate has ght 10 touch the journal under
instructions, it has right To do so without-li TO can.
Gel part. right u expnuge the whole II :" gsc "A
from pen, sht t" pun II i'"'" b";te-'o destroy
the Journal in any other way-lo burn ito make
bonfire of al that is bright and glorious in our history
know il has been said that the process directed to be
adopted by vour resolution is not designed 10 ex-
punge. cannot brlcvc this, and reject 1t rs equally
injurious to yourselves and ust To those you repre-
sent You direct the words s. Expunged by order OF
the Scuate be written across the resolutions on
which yUu propose 10 nuke war. Wi! not believe
that you merely design 20 enSnare my conscicncc-
mach less will ! indulge Tor moment the idea,
that you direct ialsrirod to be recorded ~ me
Those d. understand you who make such ascrlp.
tinns aud ain not mis!cd by them The General As.
scuIbly of proud and lofty Stale, is incapable Of
mere bubble, and such an one as would disgrace
Kings j"scr. No. grillcucn tine act which you direct
TO b. prrtnrncd is designed be- and is equivalent To,
un actual ntera!on in all is pract;ca! results Ihr
manner Of accomplishing this act OF caEcr!latlon, Is
wholly imnaleral. In publishing this j"ursat, tro'a
time time hereafter the resolution thus Cancelled
be r5runnr. upon its face But ii in this could pos
siby be miStakcn-ii, after all, it is merely child
pay--lhc making few t!nuris:rs, and pnla& the
SECRETARY OF the Scnutr TO The trouble t. write c" I'M
m"auing words, tie question would not be- cl7ngcd-
Such as IS the nu!n,I shall BIZ kept, unai,crrd in
letter, unchanged in cUnnIa-lc as It nov II,
the las, syllable Of recorded time Such is the fat
of the Constitution. There is not clerk or deputy
clerk in tin. Commonwealth at Virginia who would exc
cu!e such an order in regard to his records The rerpe
would be alive In the question: and III vnlcation 1" Their
rights, would Erpa"sc the Curt sooner than permit Tho
record containing tic titles 10 their esAtrs to he cancr-
led in any whatever. They surely cannot take
less interest IN the preservation ui the Constitution the
great charter OF all their rights.
The effort has been made to hunt up prccedrns TO JUS
tify this act. The pages Of English Parliamentary his
tory have been ransackcd and array has been made
of examples drawn from the times OF the Jainrses and
Georges ui England With equal force might exam
pies be quoted 10 Justify American President IN
executing capitoIly citizen Of any one Of the
States without The form of trial lie might equal
" be justified the Of lie bnw-slring, be.
cause such is the power Of The Grand SIgn;nr. The
power Of the English Parliament is unlimited. So
is that of many OF the States of this Union, in re-
gard 10 this particular subject. No precedent can
have force overthrow express enactment OF the
Constitution Under its provision the Senate IS directed
to keep journal Of It's proceedings II were permitted
to look where than TO that Constitution, would 70
to Virginia for bright and glorious examples 10 conduct
,rety. Tire hrs. In rsi". ~ prnnin~"es, "lsfo
not in point Of time, the attempted to br adopt
ed by the King patty in The Hous. OF BurgeSScs IN ICo
as To the celebrated resolutions of Patrick Henry, OF that
ucroI These resolutions dcclaatrry of the rights
of British America Alter their adoPiIon many oil those
" no voted for them left the city of liansburg. there
by giving The opposite party the accidental nscendancy
and they immediately formed the rrsuuon tn erpung6
them from the journal But by stroke of policy
bold as it was slccr>s!i Mr. Henry saved those resru
items from being cxpungrd. winch form at this day one
OF the brightest pages OF Virginia History and recorded
on any mans tomb woull rt"rnzc his fame: And yeti
to cxpinrn them from the journal, was regarded az
much OF duty 10y these who proposed 1t, as YOU
.niirC esteem IT to be IN me case under conS-
drra,inn. They itid-nnd my prayer, citizen Of
free country is that you too may be unsuccessiuy"uf
psertv may have good to lcnlcr in your failure
Another example, almost ustrruS, is TO be found IN
the conduc, of Robert Beverly, during the ad:nnsra-
lion of Lord Curc per. The history OF the incidents OF
tha: transaction Only instructive but highly in
tcrpstng. Lord "a prper, armed with ali The authority
Of the King u" Engand his master, ordered that reso-
luton adopted by the House Of Durgrsses during the an
mnislat!nn of lirrbtt JeifTirs should be rATunErd
from their records as highly derogatoy to his Majesty
prrrogativc. Robert Beverley Clerk to the House
OF Burgrsscs Every rort made TO induce him to
produce Tie journal III order 10 have 1t 'Jp""sfn re
was subjected To al manner oil PrrSecutr'nS; but lie
puricd in his suirrngs and his noble spirit rsr IN pro-
portion his prosecutions He rtmptoy refused 10
comply allcdgng "tlat his master: the House OF Bur
nessrs had alone Il right 10 make such demand, anu
that their authority alone lie burst would obey And
| too reply to these orders which now gwen me-
that will not eIpunge the records .! the SENATE unh
the Constitution, which, while it is permitted to remain
is master aver all shall be changed, altered or abolished
You will kare full opportunity, gentlemen, TO appoint
another in my place For my part will no, consent to
be made an instrument accomplish such ohrc-n"r
shall envy any whom you may send on such
mission.
Had your resolutions directed 10 repeal or resclnd
the resolution Of the Senate, would have obeyrd your
orders, although with great reluctance | would, ne
vcrlhcless have felt myself constrained TO DO 80 ny
my recognition Of your ght 10 nsrne. me. That pro-
cerding would have reversed and annuled the act com
p.antd Of II your object To vnd;caie the Ffrs-
dent in the authority winch he assumed and still exercises
over the public money, and esteemed il necessary in or
der to do So to had your opinions expressed through