Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1837-03-31
MR.. CALHOUN against EXPUNGING.
T.,

In SENATE Jan. 49,
The gentleman from Virginia (Mr.
KlvEs) says that the argument in favor of
this expunging resolution has not been an
swerec. Sir, there are some questions 50
plain that they cannot be argued. Nothing
can make them more plain: and this is one
No one, not blinded by party zeal, ca n
possibly be insensible that The measure
proposed is violation Of the Constitution.
The Constitution requires the Senate TO
keep journal; this resolution goes 10 ex.
punge The journal. IF Won NAV expunro q
par'' you may e"punge the whole and if
II is eXpunged, how is it kepr' The Con.
stltutloD says the journal shall be kep,
TINS resolution says it shall be DESTROYED -
u does the very thing which the Consli,u
ton declares shall not be done. That is
the argument, the whole argument. There
IS none other. Talk of precedence? and
precedence drawn from a foreign country,
They don't apply. No, sir. This is to be
done, not in consequence of argument. bu,
IN spite of argument. | understand the
case. know perfectly well the gentlemen
nave no liberty to vote otherwise. Thew
are coerced by an exterior power. They
Try, indeed, to comfort their conscience bv
saying hat !: is the will of The People, and
me voice of the People. It. is no such
'hlng. We all know how these legislative
returns have been obtained. 1t is by die
non from the White House. The Pres,.
dent himself, with that vast mass of potro
mage which he yields, and The thousand
e%pec, atoms be is able to hold up, has OBJ
famed these votes of the State Legisla.
lures add this lors0oth is said to be the
voice OF The People. The voice of the
fcop'e! Sir, can we forget the scene
'"n!ch was exhibited G th. chamber when
shat cXpungng resolution was first intro,
d"ced here' Have we fotgotten the uni
versa giving way of conscience, SO that
tne Senator from Missouri was left alone /.
see oei"fe me Senators who could not
swallow That resolution; and has its ma
lure charged since then? Is it any more
constitutional now than il was then, Not
at all. But Executive power has Inferno
sed. Talk to me of the voice of the p co.
pie! No, sir. 1t is the combination of
patronage and power to coerce this body
INTO gross and pal pabIe violation of the
constitution. Some individuals, per
ceive' think to escape through the parllcu,
Jar FORM IN which this act is to be perpe-
tra'ed. t'ney tell us that the resolution
on your records is not to be expungcd, bu,
Is only to be endorsed "Expunged." Re
a'ly, sir, do not know how to argue
against such contemplate sophislry. The
occasion Is too solemn for an argument of
this sort. You are going to violate the
Constitution, and you get rid OF the infa.
my by falsehood. You yourselves saw
that The resolution is expunged by your or
ger Yet you say it 10 not eXpunged.--
fou put your act IN express words. You
record 1t, and then turn round and deny it.
not what is the mU,lve' What is the
pfetest Tor this enormity? Why, gentle.
men tell US the Senate hes two d,s,inc,
consciences--a legislative conscience, ant
Jud'cIaI conscience. As legsla,i
body we have decided that the President
mas violated the Constitution. But gen
t'emen tell us that this is an impeachabl,
offence, and, as we may be called IN trv i
IN our judicial capacity, we have no rich
10 express the opinion. | need not show
now inconsistent such a position ia, witt
the eternal imprescriplibe right Of free
- dom OF speech, and how utterly inconsis
fent 1t IS with precedence drawn from III
history OF our British ancestors, where III
same liberty Of speech has for centure
been enjoyed. There is a shorter an
more direct argument in reply. Gentle
Saen who take that position cannot, accoI