Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-02-11

| ing, (and { viii not permit myself to think
otherwise,1 Lam yet TO learn how / incur the
hazard of @subvertiHg the rights of the House
of REPRESENTATIVE, and the fundamental prin
ciples Of free government" by having declared
IN slilsf ance, what, as member of the Sen
ate, did by my vote declare--that the Presi-
den had mistaken his course, and that his
conduct was snderogation of the Constitution
ano laws" Have done more In this than /
yon have done in your declaration? and, If not. /
submitit IN all candor to your dispassionate /
/ judgment to say, whether, if / were liable to |
tr,al on impeachment before you, you would |
consider yourselves as having already pro- |
| nadnccd upon my guilt in advance. should |
certainly not dream of excepting to Won as my
judges, because, resting on nv integrity of mo-
tTves, / should feel confident ofacquittaL There
can be no guilt without a criminal design: and
am sure you would be among the last to as
crIbe to the President any criminaItv of de-
sign. Am | TO understand you as declaring,
| because the House of Representatives may
originate an impeachment against the Presi-
| dent or other officers OF the Government that
the Senate has no right to express an opinion
as to any act of the President or other officer
no matter what may be the act EVENT. it ami
hllates the power of the Senate Has it no
rights inherent in all other bodies, of self-pro-
lection and dnfences A Brennus NAV invade
the body and pluck if by the head, and yet, ac-
cording 10 TINS, it has no authority to resist
10 to that venerable patriarch of Montpelier,
(Mr. Madlson,) and ask him whether, in fra
ming the Constitution. he designed that the
Senate should be mere motionless stock, or a
Vigilant sentinel TO give notice ef the approach
danger to that Constitution which it is sworn
10 support.
NVbofhar tbo -o-wS.z,,,,k -s:.,,<-. x>c
States are such mere automatic, as to move
only when they are hidden, and to sit in their
places like statutes TO record such etlicts as
may come to them? If the President recon-
mends measure which the Senate believes
impolitie, shall it mol say so! If he adopts
course which he may believe to be correct, but
which the Senate thinks unconstitutional, may
1t no. say so? And does its SO declaring tend
to Subrert or support the fundamental princi-
Il pies Of free government! You surely can be at
no loss to decide. The Senate, in the instance
of the late Postmaster General (Mr. Barry)
who had contracted loans, in his official char
acter, for the use of his department, without
authority, declared BY a un0ninaeus roe, that
his proceedings in this respect were in viola
ton of the Constitution; and yet no complaint
has been uttered against that resolution in the
Senate. How comes it about that anathenIas
have not been Numbered in the ears of the
Senate because of that vote Why is that not
ordered TO be expunged! Why is no. also that
: declared @subversive of the rights of the House
of Representatives, and of the fundamental
principles OF free government! E" Isnot the err
ror as vital when it affects William T. Barry,
as when it affects Andrew Jackson! IF so, ev-
cry motive of generosity prompted an interler-
q zee in behalf of the first. He was powerless,
and is now in his grave. had personal re-
gard for Mr.. Barry. He was talented, ard his
faults lay in being too confiding honest him.
self he did not suspect others, and they deceiv-
ed him. This was the rock on which he split.
In voting for that resolution, did not design
to impute to him moral guilt did not believe it.
designed nothing more than TO vindicate the
!, Constitution. | thought that, in doiag so,
gave support to the Fundamental principles of
free governments" and never once dreamed
that had done an act in the remotcst degree
"subversive of the rights Of the House of Re-
! presentahves.
But, YOU say that in all this was wrong In
.ot,rr for the resolution of the Senate, against
,,b;ob Won are now so indignant. did no more
than carry out the expressly declared views of
tba ,gislature, as expressed in their resolu-
tons Of the d y, and which were passed by
overwhelming maiorities of more than two to
one III both Houses. The terms employed by
/ the Legislature were strong and decided. The
conduct of the President was represented as
dangerous and alarming. / was told that it
could not be TOO strongly condemned; that he
had manifested disposition greatly to extend
: his official influence; and because, with these
declarations before me, / voted for resolution
which declares, .'that the President, in the late
D executive proceedings, has assumed upon him.
self autho and power not conferred by the
: Constitution and laws, but in derogation of
q both" am now ostracised by your fiat, which
!. requires obedience or resignation. Compare
# the resolutions of the General Assembly of
t that day with the above resolution, and its
: mildness viii be entirely obvious. | submit,
with all due Difference, to yourselves, what is to
J, be the condition Of Senator IN future, if for
: Welding obedience to the wishes of one Legis-
iature, he is to be called upon to resign by an.
e other. If he disobeys the first he is condemn.
o ed, if he obeys the last, he violates his oath
Il and becomes an object of scorn and contempt
s / respectfully ask if this be the mode by which
the great right of instruction is to be sustained!
: Nav il not degenerate into an engine of fac.
], tion-an instrument to be employed by the
o OUTS to get IN? Instead of being directed
Y to noble purposes, to the advancement Of
0 the cause of civil liberty, may it not be con-
e troverted into political guillotine devoted
! to the worst of purposes! Nor are these an
s tcipatons at all weakened by the fact, a.
|, it exists in the case now under considera
u ton, that several Of those who constitute
) the present majorities in the General As
II sembIy, and who now call upon me to ex
: punge the journal or to resign my seat, &C
Y tually voted for the very resolutions of
! previous session to which have referred.
/ have thus, gentlemen, with frankness
d but without designing offence, expressed t
a YOU nv opinions With the question whe
It ther the resolution of the Senate which yoI
1t direct to be expnnged be true or false,
Of have nothing in this place to do. If false
o to rescind or repeal if, was to annihlate il
4 force as effectually as TO cancel It. You haV'
le preferred to adopt different course dar'
q. not touch the journal of the Senate. TIL
ID Constitution forbids it. In the midst Of a
o. the agitation of party, have heretofore stoo
IN by that sacred instrument. It is the onl
N post Of honor and of safety. Parties ar
er continually changing. The men Of to-da
" give place to the men of tomorrow; an
s the idols which one set orship, the mex
ur destroy. The only object of my politici
to worship shall be the Constitution of my couu
Ill try. win not be the instrument to oveI
~ throw it. "A seat ia the Senate is suif
y GENTLY elevated to fiji The measure Of an
Ia mans ambition, and, as an evidence OF tn
IN sincerity Of my convictions that your resolu
tons cannot be executed without violatln
i, my oath, resign into your hands three "
L.