Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1837-01-25

, yeas and nays thus a nero list OF names,
connected with no subject, no question,
no vote. We put it to the impartial
Judgment of mankind if this proceed
ing be not, in this respect also, direct.
Iy and palpably inconsistent with the
Constitution.
We protest, in the most solemn man.
ner. that other Senators have no au-
thority to deprive US of u personal
rights, secured t US by the Constiiu-
ton, either by e~xpunging, or oolltera-
1 ting, or mutiIating, or defacing,. the
record of our votes, duly entered by
yeas and nays; or by expunglng n
obliteratirg the resolutions or questions
on which those votes were given and
recorded.
We have seen, with deep and sincere
pain, the Legislatures of respectable
States in~structing the Senators OF those
States to vote for and support this VIC,
lation ofthe 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 promptlngs
from Washington; that they have been
urgently requested and insisted on as
being necessary to the accomplishment
of the intended purpose; n tina is
nothing else but the influence and pow.
err OF the Executive branch ofthls Gov
eminent which has brought the Legs.
~latures ofso many ofthe free States oil
this Union to quit the sphere OF their
ordinary duties for the purpose OF CO.
operating to accomplish a measure, IN
our Judgment, SO unconstitutional, SO
dsrogatory to the character ofthe Sen
ate. and marked with SO broad an im-
preston Of compliance with power.
But this resolution is 10 pass. We
expect it. That cause, which has been
powerful enough to influence so many
State Legislatures, will show itself
powerful enough, especially with such
aids, to secure the passage ofthe feso-
luton here.
We make up our minds to behold
the spectacle which is to ensue.
We collect ourselves to look on, IN
silence, while a scene is exhibited
which, if we did not regard 1t as ruth
less violation Of a sacred instrument,
would appear to US to be little elevated
above the character ola contemplate
farce.
This scene we shall behold, and hun
dreds of American citizens, as many
as may crowd into these lobbies and
galleries, will behold it also: with what
, feelings do not undertake to say.
But we PROTEST, we most solemnly
PROTEST, against the substance and
against the manne ofthis proceeding,
against its object, against its form, and
against its effect. We tell you that
you have no right to mar or mutilate
the record Of our votes given here, and
recorded according to the Constitutions;
we tell you that you may as well erase
the seaS and nays on any other ques-
ton or resolution, or on all questions
and resolutions, as on this; we tell you
that you have just as much right to
falsify the record, by so altering it as
10 make US appear to have voted on a.
ny question, as we did not vote, as you
have to erase a record, and make that
page q blank, in which our votes, as
: they we're actually given and recorded,
now stand. The n proceeding, as
it appears to us, is as much a falsifica-
tor ofthe record as the other.
Having made this PROTEST, our
duty is performed. We rescue our
own names, character and honor from
all participation in this matter; and
whatever the hayward character Of
the times, the headlong and plunging
spirit ofparty devotion, or the fear or
the love ofpower, may have been able
to bring about elsewhere, we desire to
thank God that they have not, as yet,
overcome the love ofLiberty, fidelity
to true republican principles, and a sa-
cred regard for the Constitution, in
that State whose soil was drenched, to a
mire, by the first and best blood of the
Revolution. Massachusetts, as yet,
has not been conquered; and while we
have the honor to hold seats here as
her Senators, we shall never consent
to a sacrifice either of her rights, or
our own; we shall never fail to oppose
what we regard as a plain and open
violation OF the Constitution ofthe coun-
try; and we should have thought our
selves wholly unworthy of her if we
had not, with all the solemnlty and
earnestness in our power, PROTESTED
against the adoption of the resolution
now before the Senate.
On agreeing to the resolution, the
vote was as follows:
YEAs-Messrs. Benton, Brown, Blu.
chanan, Dana, Ewing ofllIinois, Full
ton, Grundy, Hubbard, King of Ala-
bama, Linn, Morris, Nicholas, Niles,
Page, Rives, Robinson, Ruggles, Sc.