Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1839-05-09

Such report might have been expected from
one who, until recently, has been thorough
advocate and supporter Of the old Federal doc
trines Of '98.
A few days after, Mr.. Rives addressed the
Senate in opposition to the report the COM
mittee. After he finished his remarks, he Of
iered some resolutions which he had prepared,
as substitute for the bill of Mr.. Crittenden
which said he contained the doctrines set forth
by Jefferson, and offered ground on which all
those gentlemen could stand who had felt con-
stitutional scruples against the bill. The fol-
lowing are the preamble and resolutions offer
ed by Mr.. Rives;
Whereas, 'the constitutional remedy by the
elective principle becomes nothing if it may be
smoihered by the enormous patronage of the
General Government and whereas, hlso, free.
dom of election is essential to the mutual indie.
pendence CT the State and Federal Govern
ments, and of the different branches of the
same Government 50 vitality cherished by
American institutions:
"Resolred, therefore, That, in the opinion Of
the Senate, It is highly improper for officers
depending OIL the Executive Of the Union to at
tempt to control or influence the free exercise
of the elective right
"ResOlUed, also, That measures ought to be
adopted by Congress, SO far as their constitu-
tlonal powers may extend, to restrain by law
all interference of Federal officers with cleo
tons, otherwise than by giving their own votes;
and that the report of the Judiciary Committee
to a select committee, with Instructions to new
ponJ.I oon,.Iinr To 40 prip,in' Inolo I'D
in the foregoing preamble and resolution"
Mr.. Crittenden subsequently offered a sub
stitute for the original bill, emitting the fine,
and restricting the penalty to mere disability
for Office under the Government: and confined
himself altogether to the words of Mr.. Jeffer-
son and declaring, al the same time, that he
preferred the substitute to his original bill,
Now let US show how the bill and substitutes
were disposed of in the Senate, and lay before
the People the votes. The following, giving
the same, is copied from the Globe:
The question was taken on the amendment
to the bill offered by Mr.. Crittenden and deci-
ded in the negative--Yeas 10, nays %.
Yeas-Messrs. Bayard, Calhoun, Clay, of
KY, Clayton, Crttenden, Davis, Foster, knight,
Merrick, Pientiss, Preston, Rives, Robbins,
Ruggles, Smith, of Ia, Swift, Tallmadge, and
White-18
Nays-Messrs. Allen, Benton, Brown, Clay,
of Ala, Cuthbert, Fulton, Hubbard, King,
Linn, Lyon, Mouton, Nicholas, Niles, Norvell,
Pierce, Roane, Robinson, Sewer, Smith, Of Con.
Walker, Wall, Williams; of Me-, Williams, OF
Mi, Wright, and Young--25
Mr.. Talmadge then offered to amend the
bill by making its provisions aud penalties APP
plicable only to the officeholderS named when
they shall subscribe sums Of money TO carry
on elections, which was ost-Yeas Is, nays
25.
Yeas-Messrs. Bayard, Calhoun, Crttenden,
Davis, Foster, Merrick, Prentiss, Preston,
RiveS, Robbins, Ruggles, Smith, of Ia, Swift,
Tallmadge, and Whte-l5.
Nays--Messrs. Allen, Benton, Brown, Clay,
of Ala, Clayton, Cuthbert, Fulton, Hubbard,
King, Linn, Lyon, Mouton, Nicholas, Niles,
Norvell, Pierce, Roane, Robinson, Sewer,
Smith, Of Con-, Walker, Wall, Williams, OF Me.
Williams, of Mi, Wright, and Young-26.
Mr.. Rives then moved TO recommit the bill
TO the Committee on the Judiciary, with in
structions to amend the bill so as 10 conform TO
the resolutions which he had submitted TO the
Senate some time since; which was lost-Yeas
10, nays2 5.
The question then came up on the engross-
ment oflhe bil--Yeas S, nays %.
These are the proceedings of the party in
the Senate supporting an Administration which
claims to be walking in the footsteps of Jcfer-
son and Madison, and acting upon their princi-
pies, and carrying out their doctrines. That
which Jefferson deemed just cause of removal
from Office, these, his pretended followers, de-
nounced as "unjust," 'impotic,' 'tyranncal,'
and unconstitutional What he forbid en-
phatically, they declared it to be duty to
perform! Look at this, Virginia Republicans
of '98! Will you acquiesce in the principles
of your great apostles of Republicanism being
thus sandered?