Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-02-14
For the Waterman and State Journal.


ture or exqpsitely improved by cultivation,
altogether inadequate to command our humI
reverence nor have we adopted, in accoI
ance with the too fashionable subserviency
the world ,any honorable gentleman ms our
litical oracle-and yet, so high docs MIR. WI
ster stand in our esteem, as q man, a .hd|
and profound legal and legislative caassol
that we have, invariably, sat down to the pc
sal Of his published remarks, rs an cpicur
exquisite would do 10 his ragout and turtle, v
entire confidence of q luxurious repast-
have we, hitherto, been annoyed by q single
appointment.
We DO not, however, intend thC0o rcmd
as an elaborate culogy Of our honorable cd
tryman, whose whole life has been indefat
bly, and successfully employed in sccumt
ing the materials OF high and impersh
civil and political fame, which hasa slre
both at homo and abroad, exceeded The
guage Of ordinary commentator. But we
percmptorily forbidden, by the joint impul
gratitude and duty, TO withhold the just tri
of acknowledged admiration Of the Roma
tcgriy, the A,henian cloquence, and the
tan intrepidity with which he is always
to defend his country from. insult, and its
stitution from contempt Nor should bis
CENT failure, in the unequal contest Of MGR
man reason against the enthusiasm and -,
table arrogance OF party domination, &C
in tie least, from the high character o. hi
fence With us, at !cast, his promises al
raIpablc, and his arguments loo concillsi
admit OF indecision, upon the subject of h
| poal-nndhr, who can stem their torrent 0
victien, il altogether above or beneath On:
/ intellectual standard. ls there a propo
whose truth is more spontaneously recog
! by the human intellect, than that the con
ton OF government, or its articles Of 20
compact, is superlaivcly obligatory /; ia
ing its own character upon Subordinate
la,ion, and exercising dictatorial inf
upon every department ofi,s po'icy7 By
anomaly OF reason, therefore, can il be
deduced, thatirs iniunctions may be cvad
the mere suggestion OF private interest on
prejudice? Is it not strictly onjoined,
fifth section of the first article Of the CO
ton Of the United States, that the Senat
coordinate branch Of the legislature, sha
nlay) keep Journal of its proceedings
And shall we, notwithstanding, be told,
the solemnity of senatorial delhcratio
this is less obligatory than any other injr
ofthat compoct, and may be, therefore,
fully controvcrted, al the instigation Of
interest or whim.
The journals OF Congress are compd
transactions and opinions which, hay
sumed the character Of constitutional
arc, no longer, tho property OF ihat BIZ
Of its individual members but are, ir
bly,, alienated to the people and their po
forever. And whenever hangs are Cd
rionaly appended 10 n resolution, or y
either department OF Congress, they ar
reclaimable, from their appropriation,
misspent hours ofyosterdOy,
Had he, against whose inf,liibiltv, q
inal nrcourtcous* resolution was ainid
cccdcd to erase, with his own right ho
ungraci, us record, the assumption ola
and contempt of the constitution We
have exceeded those, more formally,
more jusiiiiably, displayed by tho Hon
OF these United States. Nor is lis GIN
mont obviaied by the unavoidable cor
that lis conduct, relative 10 the of nsl
lutoI, is 30 less irgcconci,oablc with
than with the constitution. That re
contained an official uyowal OF the Pc
pinion of the Senate of 1884, which
however personal, tcnsurious or ey0n
rul TO individuals or 10 the nation, hay
sumed the character Of formal and
ful resolution, became, OF course, nj
record, and, with the yeas and nays
tlonaly appended, passed, irrecovera
the mouths OF the Senate 10 the hand
people, and, however much, it may
come, subsequently, An object OF sena
even Of national resentment, II had
the fearful character Of political NJ
gere, or thing not TO be Touched, mod
amended but by casualty or the dc
hand OF time.
Were the Senate Of 1887 compose
same individuals whose affirmative vo
ced the unsayory document, and who
quent reflection had improved their VI
dings, or a modification Of whose pol
terests had oradcatcd the prejudice,
it had been ensendored, and howev
GUS for lis erasure, yet, buinc hr'on
ton, il must sand, IN The spiri! of The
ton. in the bold relief of a public d
"'til time shall be no longer"
Is the constitution of our roycTprt