Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-01-28


sides with their country, against France, and whe
will not lay the whole blame at door, We dc
not 60 for such politicians John c. Calhoun who will
listen to insulting propositions from Foreign Minister
and then without giving way to generous burst Of
indignant patriotism. will Immediately turn round like
the mad boar and gore with his tusks the Administration
because he hates the who isa the head Of it, IF such
be the Senators whom Pendeloi would RETAIN We say
for one, that will have Of them!
mi FIR dc Lrpunging Ecso HtionS FendIc!on
thinks ihem unconstitutional fIe passes en,itcy
Mr.. Claysr solution, which the first step in The
res We presume, int is all constitutional! There
! ara;n sis the diftIrnce between us'-And to show
way think so, "clcg leave To lay before him the fol
uwns rcEi9rn> t." the President himself which almost
puts The suit ct into nutshell. Here they are:
"NAsnIAGTuH, Dec lE 1855
"Col Bcntons speeches enrIcrd the adoption of his
resolution, 10 cXpunge from the Journals nf the Senate
certain proceedings Of that h".y coudcmn;ng my con.
duct in the removal oflhe Depusi,rs think It not i'm
proper to place you possession of the general cons
dctalI"ns which induced ne tnlake that liberty.
"By my oath Of Office, am not OILY bound 10 sup
port The Constitution Of the L. S, but guard protect
and defend It, to the best Of my abilities. Mr.. Clay 5
solutions arraigung and trying me without hearing,
violated the rights of the House Of Representatives, 10
which, as the Grand Inquest of the Nation exclusively
belongs the power Of impeachment. The Senate be-
ing Tie ricrs OF all officers nprachcd under the Con
stiunn of the United States, expressly denied the
right OF originating impcachments and cannot assume
II without usurpng the powers conferred upon the
other coordinate branches of the Government. Yet i'll
defiance of those plain nunctons If the Constitution
those resolutions introduced into the Senate and
acted upon by that body; and according 10 their Ian
guage, declared guilty Of Violating the laws aud
CONSTITUTING notwi hstanding the House of Representa-
Gvhs had not mpeached me, and was deprived o the
privilege secured to every American citizen Of being
heard in defence. protested against glarns at
temptto violate The Constitution, and deprive of nay
individual rights, but the Senate refused to receive my
protest upon their journals. Col Benton, animated by
proper of the ourages thus committed by the Senate
vp1 to tho from
mails. Judge White, from my State, not only failed TO
take part my defence but moved to strike The word
e:pungr, and all the reasons on which Col Benton mo-
tun rested. Thus assaIlrd, how was TO guard protect
and defend my constitutional rights but by making
known To the people how and wherein they have hecn
violated If this the on mode within my reach,
and am acquainted with other, 1t Is manifest that the
circulation o Col Bcntoms speech was not only proper
in ITSELF hut was demanded by my public duty to the
country. Those speeches discussed the great principles
involved in the proceedings Of the Scnatr and their Pc
rusa certainly endangered no political right OF the people
or Of their Representatives.
But il Mr.. CLAWS resolution he directly contrary to
the spirit Of the Constitution, and breaks down the bar
rers against the different Departmental the Govern
ment how is it to be treated: How is signal n
blow to be parrrd but by employing measure which
carries with it the strongest moral eitcteXpunging
from the Journalist But Prndclon cxclams against its
unconsttutonay End insists upon 1t that each House
'SaH keep oHrHai of lis proceedings But, does the
resolution before the H. of D. contravcne that provision:
FarrrnI it, Waving all other answers, what is the fact
That the Journal is to be unnulatrd and cn,Irc-not
line to be riiaced-no part OF ii to be obcracd But
it is be cxpungcd other States in this con!rdcacy
have expungcd their record by marking racross and not
affecting It's lrgbllitY.
But Icndcton says thai Senators may consider it
to be unconstitutional and TINT they not bound Icy the
Virginia d,ctrnr "r the Report Of 1872 10 rbcy m
constitutional instruction. .Nolr. who asks il? Not
not sing lc member Of the General Assembly But this
do demand, and what every friend OF tho goat Eight
of instruction requires. that if they cannot oJey they
ShDu1 their The la oil those who
il 10 trm-n order that others may be elected, VINO will
carry outline wishes aid opinions o their constituents. Is
the right of instruction. cardinal principle, in
preventative government Is 1t not especially binding
in Federal Government, and in that body too, which is
most truly Fcdcral-the Senate Was not this doctrine
held even 10y Hamilton and Rufus King, and John Jay
when the Constitution Was about 10 be adopted: But
of what virtue is this cardinal right, il the Senator and
not the Legislature the agent, the principal; the
want and the MASTER 10 he the Judge OF what is con-
sutonal what's not: II h. turns round 10 the Lr-
gislaurc and says, Il will do Us think and not YOU
think nd what is more, viii do your business, my
own wuv not vours-and put it in your power
employ any who will do it in conformity TO your
wishes and interests:
If Pendeton be correct in his views, the right Of in.
sruc,ion would scarcely be worth pinch of snuff The
representative mig always have it in his power tosuper
sedc the wishes of his Constituents Their voice would
be an empty sound. Pcndlcton objects to the phrase
"rcasscrt in the Resouons-and denies that Virginia
has ever asserted the duty Of resignation. But surely
the peep'c of Virginia have always asserted it, Mr. Rrcs
has acted upon in his memorable case-and Virginia
would laugh any Scnr,or to scorn, who would mel
thr obey resign We trust that we shall never see
such an example Nirginil-and last OF all, from Mr..
Lcrh himself Hr has not many feathers 10 boast Of, in
his Fedcra Relaons-and it would he singular nfalua-
ton for him to withcr the only splendid one which he
wear. in his cup. We really trust that Pendlcton does
not speak his sentiments and that Mr.. l.. will not listen
to lis councils.
TO TIE EDIroR OF TIE ENQUIRER.
SlR-When facts arc known which make 1t extremely
difficult to suppose that Gen. Jackson, Mr. Livingston
and Mr.. Forsyth would have pursued the course which
has been pursued if there had been no desire to cmbrol
this country in with France-when the whole
peoplc left to themselves and free from Gen Jackson s
influence, would still desire Pencc--yon sir IT seems
have determined to give to Gen Jackson the fullest sup
por in his warke prosenses and TO cndeavor to crush
all who presumr to dissent from your views Accustom-
cd as 10 keep aoo in great degree from party Po-
llics seeking no Office and caring for none, feel in
teres in this but what is common 10 my fellow
citizens large. The interest of US all foblds rush.
ing hcadIong into war and dictates that we should en-.
drayor preserve peace long as can be
consistently with honor Whether we shall have peace
or war; will depend much upon the prudence of the Sc.
nate You it sccnls sir, find fault with Senator, be.
cause he would not offer opinion on the President
message and the documents which accompanied it, till he
had had time read them at leisure, and could comPrc-
bend their character and bearing fully than 1t was
possible do upon merely hearing them read IN the Sc
nate This is openly said in the Enquirer Here Is the
difference between US; You would desire 10 see Virginia
represented by men, who if Gen Jackson should send
message peace would be for peace who If Gen Jackson
should send message for would be for war. desire
to see this Commonwealth represented by mon who will
not blindy follow Cen Jackson any other mortal man
men who WILL upon any message being sent to the
Senate carefully consider it, and endeavor TO compFe
bend its character and bearing. would have 1t repro.
scented BY men, who, whenever war caTcd whether
in their opnion it be wise not, will be for their
try right wrong; but who in the mean time, while we
are vet at peace will strive to preserve it, 50 long we
can preserve it with credit to ourselves.
For expressing these sentiments sir if were deserv
ing of such notice. you would perhaps say you have
said of another, "herc is not sentiment i'll what he has