Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1837-05-10

SeiLtu anu uTdSReu DeIOIe tue OCIldIe.
Some question arose about a quorum,
and he was taken from the bar TO
place behind the seats Of Senators.
The question about the quorum was
settled the victim-the citizen, was
not ordered to be brought again to the
bar; he was not asked if he was gull
ty of a contempt; no witness was ex-
amined as to his guilt or innocence;
but Benton again arose and, with all
his Internal and malignant effrontery,
about him, commenced homily about
decency and good behaviour-he said
nothing about honesty and probity.-
He then imputed the act to the man,
without proof or examination, imputed
the intention of guilt 10 him, fixed the
punshment--to wit +: most calling
and offensive lecture from his polluted
and impious lips inflicted the punish
ment without waiting to know if sin
| gle Senator agreed with him in opinion,
and then moved for his ignominious
discharge, without giving him an op-
portunity of being heard in his defence.
To his credit, the Senator, (Mr. Nor
ris) of Ohio vouched for the gentle.
mans responsibility and claimed from
him the right of being heard. This
was denied him, unless he would purge
himself on oath of a contempt as 10
which there had not been offered a IT,
tie ofevidence. The verdict and judg-
ment Of Benton alone were then CARR.
ed into execution-the citizen was dis.
charged and when he asked, himself,
if he could not be allowed the humble
privilege Of being heard, the reply of
the President pro. tenn. (King of Ala
barna) was, "take him out of the
House !"-The words sounded to me
like the words of tyrant respecting "a
Roman citizen" Bind him, Lictors p
Thus was victim inundated to the
work, an American citizen was seized
and scourged by the scorpion tongue
Of Tom Benton, in public, for daring
to express his Indignation at ruthless
violation of the constitution, committed
in his presence, by slaves calling them
selves Senators and guardians Of pub
lie liberty, TO crafty the pleasure ola
| tyrant-No, | am not too fast it is
not known and has never been inquired
into to this day whether the man was
guilty even of that high crime in this
free country. The body in whose
presence he was, was not the Senate,
it was a miserable cabal of a Tyrant's
tools sitting upon no matter on which
the Senate Of the United States could
act.-As soon as the excitement crea.
ted by the arrest ofLloyd ceased, Ben
ton inquired if the work was done:
"it is DONE" replied the clerk. He
asked again, and the chair replied, it is
done-"very good, very good" said
Benton, in implous imitation ofthe De-
ity himself. He was the Fiend. god of
the work, and all obeyed him of his
party. The Senate adjourned. |
went to the clerks table and viewed
the journal, mutlated as it was, as
would have looked upon the dead body
of fellow being murdered in my pre-.
sence. Benton came up and looked to
see with his own eyes that the work
was well done. He showed about as
much revulsion OF mind as he would if
he had been the murderer of fellow
beng over whose dead body he was
standing and wiping his weapon. He
| asked for the pen, and bore off the &C
cursed instrument as trophy for King
Andrew, for whose sake the Journal
had been expunged, the Constitution
had been broken, and the Senate hum.
bled and disgraced! Oh! my fellow
citizens, | saw and felt and suffered
more on that occasion than | shall ever
endure again, hope, for the sake Of 4
devoted country and its institutions.
What was most woanding was to know
that Virginia was there present and
conSenting to the death. | saw Massa-
chusetts, old Massachusetts, the elder
sister of Virginia, there--Massachu-
sets who, whatever may have been
her local politics, whether democratic
or federal; no matter how she has diff
fered with Virginia about mere ques-
tons between the plough and the loom,
about a tariff or bill of internal i'm
Massachusetts who hasev
err been side by side with Virginia in
defence of the old common stock prin-
ciples, the fundamental principles Of
free government-Massachusetts who
stood up in the North, whilst Virginia
stood up in the South, during the night
of the Revolution, their tresses strea.
ming in the bowling tempest of the
war against civil liberty and the rights
of man, which swept across the ocean
t encouraging each other to endure to
the end-holding the lights high up
| Hancocks responding to Henrys and
Henrys to Hancocks-the House of
| RnrneSSes 10 Ennnni Hall and Eannnil