Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-01-31

keep u JOHIudl vi us pIOCObulnSS.' NO siOSoi
no ingenuity, no spocious Interpretation, and
much less can any fair or just reasoning rec
oncle the process of expunging with the plain
meaning Of these words, TO the satisfaction OF
the common sense and honest understanding
OF mankind.
If the Senate may now oxpunge one part of
the journal Of former session, 1t may, with
equal authority, cxpunge 0nother part or the
whole. 1t may cxpunge the entire record Of
one session, or of all sessions.
Ii seems 10 US incoDccivabc how any man
can regard such a power, and its exercise at
pleasure, as consistent with the Injunction of
The Constitution 1t can make no difference
what is the completeness or incomplctcness Of
the act of expunging, or by what means done
whether by crasurc, ob'iteraton, or deiace-
ment; If by DETACHMENT, us here proposed,
whether one word or many words ale written
on the face Of the record whether little ink
or much ink is shed on the paper; or whether
some part or the whole, Of the original written
journal may yet by possibility be traced. If
the act done be an act TO oxpungo, 10 blot out
TO ohllteratc, 10 erase the record, then the rec
ord is expunged, blotted Out, oblitoratcd, and
erased. And mutilation and alteration violates
the record as much us oblitcrnton or erasurc
A record, subsequently altered, is not the orr
ginal record. 1t no longer gives just account
ofthe proceedings Of the Senate. II is no lon
ger true. 1t is, in short no journal of the real
and actual procet dings Of the Senate, such as
the Constitution says each House shall keep
The Constitution, therefore, u.s. in our dclib-
crate Judgment, violated by this proceeding in
the most plain and open manner.
The Constitution, moreover, provides that
the yeas and nays on any question, shall, nj the
request of one fifth of tie members present, be
entered on the journal This provision, most
nfnniipsily Cvpe n nj ri chi fo thoeo
boss who may demand it, to the entry and
preservation Of their votes on the record OF the
proceedings ofthe body, not for one DAY or one
year only, but for all time. There The yeas
and nays are 10 stand, forever, as permanent
and lasting proof of the manner in which mem.
bers have voted on great and important ques-
lions before them.
But it is now insisted that the votes OF mem.
bers, taken by yeas and nays, and thus entered
on the journal, as matter OF right, may stiIl be
cxpunged; so that that, what itreuuires more
than four ffths of the Senators to prevent from
being put on the journal, may, nevertheless, be
struck off, and erased the next moment, or a;
any period afterwards, by the will of a mere
majority or, II this be not admitted, then the
absurdity is adopted of maintaining, that this
provision of the Constitution is fu filled by
merely preserving the yeas and NAYS on the
journal, after having expunged and oberated
The very resolution, or the very question, on
which they were given, s. to which alone they
refer; leaving the yeas and nays thus mere
list OF names, connected with no subject, no
question, no vote. We put it to The impartial
judgment Of mankind, if this proceeding be not,
in this respect also, directly and palpably in
consistent with the Constitution.
We protest, in the most solemn manner
mat other Senators have no authority 10 de-
prlve us Of our personal rights, secured to us
by the Constitution, either by expunging, or
celebrating, or Tnuilating, OF defacing, the re-
cord of our votes, duly entered by yeas and
nays, or by expunging and obteraling the
resolutions or questions on which the SC votes
were gwen and recorded.
We have seen, with deep and sincere pain
the Legislatures Of respectable States instruct
ing the Senators of those States to vote for
and support this violation of the journal of the
Senate and this pain is infinitely increased by
our full belief, and entire conviction, that most
if not all these proceedings of States had their
origin in promptinss from Washington; that
they have been urgently requested and insisted
on as being necessary TO the accomplishment
OF the intended purpose, and that it is nothing
else but the influence and power of the Execu-
tive branch of this government which has
brought the Legislatures of SO many of the free
States Of this Union 10 quit the sphere of their
ordinary duties Tor the purpose of cooperating
TO accomplish measure, in our judgment, SO
unconstitutional, so derogaory TO the charac-
Ter and dignity oil the Senate, and marked with
10 broad an impression of compliance with
power.
But this resolution is TO pass. We expect
II. That cause, which has been powerful c.
nough 10 influence so many State Legislatures,
Will show itself powerful enough especially
with such aids, TO secure the passage OF the
resolution here.
We make up our minds to behold the spec.
tacle which is 10 ensue.
We collect ourselves 10 look on, in silence
while scene is exhibited which, if we did not
regard ii as ruthless violation OF a sacred in
stIument, would appear 10 us TO be little eeva-
ted above the character OF a contemplate farce.
This scene we shall behold, and hundreds of
American citizens, az many as may crowd into
these lobbies and galleries, will behold it also
with what feelings do not undertake TO saw
but we PROTEST, we most solemny Pho.
TEST, against the substance and against The
manner OF this proceeding, against its object.
against its form, and against its effect. we
tell you that you have no right 10 mar or mu-
tIlate the record Of our votes given here, and
recorded according to the constitution we
tell you that you may as well erase the yeas
anu nays on any other question or resolution.
or on all questions and resolutions, as on this
we tell you that you have just as much RIGHT
TO talsify the record, by SO altering it as to
make us appear 10 have voted on any question,
as we did not vote, as you have 10 erase a rec.
ora, and make that page blank, in which our
votes, as they were actually given and record
ed now stand. The one proceeding, as it APP
pears 10 US, is as much Justification of the
record as the other.
Having made this PROTEST, our duty is
performed. We rrscue our own nomes cb,r
acter, and honor, from all participation in his
matter aud whatever the wayward Character |
OF the tines the headiong and pluneinq spir- |