Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-02-08
POLITICAL.

,r IN , hn, s,,a,, ppo,b he Iealms above
And meet thy father there
POLITICAL.
NEW JERSEY.
Governor Pennington and his brass members OF Con-
eress, who have been the means of hitherto delaying
the legislative action of Congress, and cost the nation
million of dollars at least, finding that one broad seal,
nrostutea as it has been, to cover fraud, cannot
smurgle them III the seats awarded by the people Of
New Jersey to the OF their choice, have made
little attempt at revolution. The governor sent spe-
cia message to the Legislature of New Jersey on the
fourteenth nstant complaining tbs: the House OF lie,
representatives. would not admit his toaLch images anu
that although that body had the right to Judge OF the
elections and of its members yet the Governor
and Legislature of Jersey had the right to prescribe
them the time and of exercising that right line
Legsluture of course thought the Governor thought
and passed long preamble and some indignation re-
solutions against the House Of Represehtatives-deny
ing their constitutional organization, without an iniu-
sion of Gov Pennngons manufacture, and addressing
the resolutions to the Hon. R. NJ. I. Hunter one OF
the Representatives Of the State of Virginia We
have not heard what the honorable Speaker has
taken IN regard to these very extraordinary resolutions
but he might have found an example worthy OF his emu
lation in that of noble OF his iusrious State, III
our Revolutionary annals. The manner ia which this
new project Of Gov Pennington has been received by
the Democratic portion of the people OF Now jersey
will be told in the following proceedings OF the minority
of the Legislature OF that patriotic State. Hard indeed
>
are compelled submit to be cheated out OF their right
of suffrage or to be placed bv the acts OF their servants
out of that Union which is as dear to then, rs their
life blood We, however, have no fears on this sub
iect The House of Representatives wall "vindicate
the abused honor and violated rights of the State III
firm and manly and constitutional manner, and Co.
re.nor Pennington revolutionary message Will iali
harnlcss the ,eet of the Democracy OF that State
But il will forever illuminate page IN the history OF
Whisgery. We ask the attention Of our readers to
this report and resolutions 1t contains all the facts
and the law applicable to the subject, and will prove
conclusvely the right of the Democratic members
elected by the people of New Jersey to their seats
IL is true that New Jersey has been wronged, but by
whom? Certainly by her own officers, clerks Boor
aem, and Fithan, and Governor Pennington aud his
Privy Council, and their recusant members OF Con-
press whom they dismissed, and who refused to sur
render their pacrs 10 their masters They must an
ever 70 The people of New Jersey for their acts
The only Of complaint against the House Of Re
prcsentatives in their proceedings in respect 10 this
matter is that they have paid too much respect to the
great sea-too little to the acts OF the people, ana too
much to their servants In opinion, their duty IS
pain; TO do what the Governor neglected to do-de.
termne the persons who had the greatest number OF
votes from the whole State and thus vlndcate the fun
damenal principle Of Republican institutions and the
rights of the people. But the Governor and his COM
missiOned members must not shrink from the RESPONSE
bility Of their acts attempt to cast II Cd others
[Gloac.
cares that "hc House of Representatives shall be
posed of members chosen every second year by the
people o the several States and that the electors in
each State shall have the qualifications requisite for the
most numerous branch of the State Legislature, and
that athc times places and manner Of holding cleo.
tions for Senators and Representatives, shall be pre-
scribed in each State, by the Legislature thereof but
that Congress may at any tnie BY law, make or alter
such regulations, except to the places of choosing
Senators" and that "cach House shall be the Judge o.
fha rptu
bers." And whereas, the Legislature of the State OF
New Jersey, acting in their Federal capacity and not
Dy virtue any inherent and right Of State
sovereignty have prescribed the times, places, and
manner holding elections for Representatives in Con
cress from the State Of New Jersey, in conformity to
the said Constitution.
And whereas, in pursuance of the said law, the peo-
pie of the State OF New Jersey did, at the times places
and in the manner thereby prescribed, by majority
of votes choose Peter D. Yroom, William r. Cooper,
Philemon Dickerson, Daniel d. Ryall, Joseph Kille,
and Joseph f Randolph, to be their Represe natives
in the Twenty sixth Congress of the United States.
And whereas the law of the State prescribing the
times, places, and manner of holding elections for
its Representatives in Congress- also Prescribcs that
after the election has been made By the people Of
the State, the judges and inspectors of each town.
ship election, together with the clerk of the cleo
ton, shall proceed, without delay, to take an ac-
count of and cast up the votes given in for each
didate, and make separate lists Of the same, and
sign, certify seal up, direct, and transmit the same
TO the clerk of the county, who shall attend at the
Courthouse of the county on the Saturday next sue
ceedng the day Of election, for the purpose of recev
ing the same, which list shall be delivered to him be-
fore five o'clock of the said day, and that the said clerk
shall then proceed, in public manner, to make one
general list Of all the candidates voted for in the
ral townships, together with the number of votes
ceived for each oil them 10 the said several townships
and transmit the same, al the expense Of the State,
the Governor within days thereafter, having first
made duplicate thereof, to be filed in his Office
t,nr,y tba and
the Governor SHALL within five days after receiving The
said list lay the before Prvy Council to be by
him summoned for that purpose and after casting the
whole number Of votes from the several counties Tor
each candidate the said Governor and Privy Council
shall determine the six persons who have the greatest
number of votes from the whole State for snch Repre-
sentatives which six persons the said Governor shall
forthwith commission under the great seal of the State
represent the State in the House of Representatives.
of the United States.
And whereas the said law of the State of New Jer-
sey, far respects the result returns of the cleo
ton of such Representatives, is gratutous exerton
of State legislation, not expressly conferred upon the
said State by the Constitution of the u s. but thereby
tolerated to the House of Representatives OF the u
States and reserved to the States the people
nasmuch the right to prescribe the manner OF hold.
ng an election terminates upon The closing OF the |
POLLS and taking an account of and casting up the
yer of votes given in for each candidate, and is merely
iirectory and not imperative to the duty of the re-
urning officers.
And whereas the said law upon the true and settled
Jules Of construction, derived from the principles OF
ho comm,n Jaw, and adopted uniformly by the Con-
..ess Of the United States in all cases, ought to be
construed not toGefeat the voice of the majority
he people of The State 10 whom the right Of elections
,nder the Constitution OF The United States, exclusive
belongs Independent of any State authority tojudge
hereof Of the default, ignorance, want of form neg
sct, omission fraud Of any State oser clothed with
state authority, to transmit the results osach election
, Congress.
Uniformity to the said rules Of construction, and the
publications Of Congress- has prescribed that the sole
uty Of the Governor and Privy Council shall be,
as. up the whole number of votes from the several
ornties for each candidate, for Representatives and
determine the. Fix persons waa have the Creates