Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1840-07-30
CONGRESS-.
THs gsW Jersey ELECTION. oyTRaG!
cansUMmaTt0.

rage which was commenced at the be.
ginning OF the session. The details of the
proceedings, as furnished BY the lnielli.
gencer, equal any of the disgraoeful ex-
hibi,Ions heretofore enacted IN the pro.
gress otthe same case. The end Is wo..
thy OF the beginning. and both are worthy
OF the perpetrators. A drama more dis
cretiiable IN all its parts 70 all concerned
A. IT. was never enacted in the face OF a
people pretending TO be free and ln,elli-
gent. The legally Commissioned mem.
bers were, IN the frat instance. evicted
from their seats. ia direct violation OF the
PLAIN letter OF the law. and in disregard
OF the constitutional rights Of sovereign
member OF the Coniederaoy, for the un
disguised purpose oi giving to the Execu.
tive the coniroul OF he House. The Fl .
nal vote, excluding them alloeether.
without any tcariog. was dictated by a
disregard oi the same nights, and 20 con.
inde the Executive coutroul already %.
tanned.
We have not space FOR tho proceedings
on Thursday. There are two ciroum.
stances. however. which cannot be sui.
iered 10 pass without some notice.
a; the beginning of the session. when
the Wing members, m virtue al their re-
turns. had their seats, ;he Van Buren, par
~ objected To their voting on any queS
ton bearing directly or indirectly upon
the controversy. By formal vote. they
affirmed this. On Thursday, Mr. Stanly.
with the view OF exposing these men,
raised the question whether the Van Blu.
karg
Questions bearing upon the election. To
a man, the party voted that they should
thus solemnly reversing the decision
which they had made and proving that a
sense fngh; had no influence over their
actions.
The other Circumstance is, the indecent,
and extraordinary haste with which the
resolution Of the Committee was forced
10 vote. There has been nothing to
equal this IN the legislative annals of this
country. In the morning the majority
Dpi the Committee made an elaborate Re
port, based upon testimony, which filed
a volume OF 600 pages. The minority Of
tho Committee made a counter Report.
oased upon tie same testimony. coming
to a directly opposite conclusion. No
one IN the House, except the nine men
bers OF the Committee, had had an OPP
poTiuniiy 10 examine the testinony-yei
The House, acting IN the capacity OF IA.
rofs. sworn TO render a verdict upon the
facts, was forced, before adjournment, TO
vote. without knowing any of the facts
In vain did gentlemen demonstrate against
this monStrous and tyrannical proceeding.
In vain did they urge that they could not.
as conscientious men, respecting the OBJ.
legations OF their oalhs. give their votes
blind fold, and Without knowing the facts
la vain old dozens ask to be excused from
voting. protesting that ii the majority had
no scruples Of conscience and no respec,
TOR the laws and Constitution. that tha,
was no reason they should be compelled
to violate the same sacred obligations. In
vain did they appeal TO precedent, 10 the
outraged rights OF New Jersey. 10 the
rights of the contes,iug members, who. in
being refused hearing in defence OF their
claims, were deprived OF privilege guar
aniied TO every citizen. The Govern.
ment majority were memorable. They
were sieadlast IN their determination 10
confirm their Federal associates in their
seats, diregarding all enireaty. sud in
contempt OF night. justice and decency.
We subjoin the reasons urged by a
few gentlemen for desiring to be excused
from voting:
Mr.. Andrews. Of Kentucky was the
first who asked 10 be excused, and lie wa,
;he only one whose request was granted
He said that he considered himself AZ Z
sEorn Judge or juror. and knew nothing
OF the facts upon which he was called e
decide.
Mr.. Adams asked that he might be ex,
eussd from voting, Tor NE same reasons loi
which Mr. Andrews had been excused
Bu, the House refused 10 excuse him
ayes 80 noes 81.
Mr. Calhoun said | ask to be excused
from voting Tor three reasons, and 10 three
words. The reasons are. that profess Il
br guided by my cooselsncS. bv The Con
siifgii0n, and by eridsnce 10 I'll Of which
! should 10 violence should vote undet
existing circumstance on either side o.
/ this question.
Mr. Calhoun was not excused. III
could not have urged reasons better cal
cgli'ed 10 make them refuse.
Mr. Wajdy Thompson SAID Task d.,
/ House 10 excuse nic from voting on th,
resolution ltisin no wanton disrespect q,
the House that say I canno, aud wi
not vote upon the question. Thu. j. no
an ordinary matter of legiIation II 80
csse here m the very terms Of the Con
stiuiion ] an 10 act as fdge and undo
40 the sanctions of that sacred character
I The case which an 90 decide - purei,
I q matter Of evidence: that evidence D.
comprised 10 SIX hundred pages o. manu-
script to-day. tor The first time. pfesente,
I 20 The House, ADD up 10 this moment .
/ has neiihrr been resd nor printed To,
I resolution ray be usht: how an ! Il
know shat 30 b. not cannot ibefefou
vote no. u may DOT be right. | cauno
I vote av There IS bot ore idgc Of Wh0n
either history or poetry informs us who's
ha5it vas TO decide before be bed heau
I ihe evidence be was ire Judge 81 He'll
! shall not adopt bim a. model kno1
no case Oh which an issuo can be mos,
properly made. none that uill better sho,
I % ihe peorie the extent f8 which 3D.