Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1837-02-03

altered, is not the original record. II no
longer gives Just account Of the proceed
ings of the Senate. 1t is no longer true.
1t is in short no journal Of the real and
actua proceedings of the Senate, such az
the Constitution says each House shall
keep.
The constitution, therefore, is in our
deliberate jugement violated by this pro.
ceeding, in the most plain and open manner.
The Constitution moreover provides that
the yeas and nays. on any question, shall
at the request of one fifth Of the members
present. be entered on the journal. This
provision most manifesty gives personal
right to those member who may demand it
to the eu,ry and preservation Of their votes
on the record Of the proceedings Of the
body, not for one day or one year only, but
for all time. There the yeas and nays ara
to stand forever permanent and lasting
proof Of the manner in which members
have voted on great and important ques-
tions before them.
But it is now insisted that the votes Of
The members, taken by yeas and nays, and
thus entered on the journal, as matter OF
rige,, may still be expunged SO that, that.
Which it requires more than four fifths;
of The Senators to prevent from being put
on The journal, may nevertheless be struck
off, and erased, the next moment, or Of any
period afterwards, by the will OF mere
majori,y or, if this be not admitted. then
the absurdny is adopted of maintaining.
tina, this provision of the Constitution is
fulfilled by merely preserving the yeas and
nays on the journal, after having expnng-
ed aud obleraed the very resolution, or
the very question. on which they were
given aud to which alone they refer leav.
ing the yeas and nays thus mere list OF
names, connected with no subject, no qnes.
ton. no vote. We put it to the impartial
Judgment of mankind. ifthis proceeding be
not, in this respect also. directly and pal.
pablv inconsistent with the Constitution.
w. protest. in the most solemn manner,
= that other Senators have no authority, to
deprive us OF our personal rights, secured
to us BY the constitution, either by expun-
rinc, or celebrating, or defacing, tho
record of our votes. duly entered by yeas
and nays, or by expunglng and celebrating
tho resolutions or questions on which
those votes were given and recorded.
We have seen, with deep and sincere
pain, the legislature Of respectable states
lnstruc,lng tho Senators OF those states to
vote for and support this violation OF tho
Journal Of the Senate and this pain 10 in.
tintely increased by our full belief, and
entire conviction, that most, If not all these
, proceedings of states had their origin in
promptngs from Washington that they
have been urgently requested and insisted
on as being necessary to the accomplish
ment Of the intended purpose and that it
is nothing else but the influence and power
r of,he executive branch ofthis government
which has brought the legislature Of 90
many of the free states Of this Union to quit
the sphere of their ordinary dutiess for the
purpose Of cooperating SO to accomplish q
, measure, in our judgment. SO unconstitu.
tiona|, so derogatory TO the character OF
, the Senate and marked with SO broad az
impression Of compliance with power.
But this resolution is to pass. We ex-
Q pect it. That cause which has been power.
: ful enough to influence so many state legis
r latures, will show itself powerful enough,
| especially with such aids, TO secure the
passage the resolution here.
We make up our minds TO behold the
= spectacle which is to ensue
: We collect ourselves to look on. in al.
lencc, while a scene is exhibited which, il
we did no, regard it as a ruthless violation
Of sacred instrument, would appear TO
/, Us to be little elevated above the character
of a contemplate farce.
q This scene we shall behold, and hundreds
of American citizens. as many as may
4. crowd into these lobbies aud galleries, will
; behold it also with what feelings do not
r. undertake to say,
# Bat we PROTEST, we most solcmnly PRO-
: TEST, against the substance and against
the manner Of his proceeding, against its
; proceeding, against lis object. against its
!. form, and against its effect. We tell you
v that you have no right TO mar or mut,ate
i the record Of our votes given here, and re-
. corded according to the constitution; we
i. tell you that you may az well erase the
n yeas and nays on any other question oy
n on all questions and resolutions as on this
d we tell you that you have Just rs much
right TO ialsfiy the record, by SO altering Il
e as to make Us appear to nave voted on any
question, as we did not vote, as you have
v to erase record, and make that page a
blank, in which our votes, as they were
!, actually given and recorded, now stand
- The one proceeding, as 1t appears to US, 10
as much falsltical ion Of the record as the
, other.
Having made this PROTEST our duty
!. is performed, We rescue our own names.
d character, and honor from all participation
in this matter: and whatever the way
i ward character Of the times, the head'ong
Y and pungng spirit of party devotion, or
! love Of power, may have been able Ia
% bring about elsewhere. we desire TO thank
God that they have not. as yet, overcome
" the love Of Liberty, fidelity to true rePub'
Is lcan principles, and a sacred regard iol
n the Constitution. in that State whose Wi
N was drneched to a mife, by the first ant
hnsi hlnnd of Ihn Il eunlnllnn.