Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1840-12-10
THE RUPTURE IN THE GEORGIA
LEGISLATURES

uiying to every American who loves his
country aud Its institutions-who fondlv
hopes that 1t may survive the mutations
which attach to all the works and creations of
"ian-'o witness the state of violence into
winch Some of our Legislative bodies have
neen thrown. 1t is one ofthe most fearful of
OH tue ih'nicai indications which have ap-
Pearea IN the operations ofour Government.
Lynch law Is bad enough, the resistance Of
law and violation of order bv mohs .nJ
little factions among the mass. are sufficiently
abiiorrent to the lovers of order, and TO the in.
teiiigeni and right-minded citizen; but to soa
the ia"-givers violating the customs which
from their time-hnnorvd character have he
come In effect laws-contravening the plain
intentions of the constituiion-and ASSUMING
d stale OF Violence TO accomplish party ends
cXcites feeling Of modification, of disgust
Tor the men who can SO far descend from their
high estate, and ofdeep solicitude for the well
fare oil our country, which words are impo-
tent to describe.
The occurrence in the Georgia Legislature.
which calls forth these remarks, we Shall de,
scribe as impariially as we can from the two
party accounts we have before us, and leave
the reader to form his own conclusions. 1t
appears That, according TO the constitution of
the GEORGIA Legislature, no election by it can
take place until both houses have adopted
resolution TO 90 into such election. and il
shall have received the sanction of the Gov.
ernor ''lf one House refuse TO auree tn a
resolution for proceeding to such election.
none can take place. says letter from Mil
iedgevllle; but we would have supposed that
by suspension ofthe rules or some other mode.
the subject could be again brought up: this
opinion, however, seems erroneous with re-
gard to the Georgia Legislature, both from
inc extraordinary measure of absentinu itself
upon the eve OF the rejection by the Senate of
the resolution to proceed to the election of U.
). Senator on the I'd Dec, and upon the as
Sertlon OF the same letter to which we aiIude
10 above, that ''if the Democrats succeed in
rejecting the resolution, the Legislature Of
ISL VIII have to make the choice.n So
much for the rules of the Legislature.
1t appears that, all the Senators present. the
Wings have majority of in the Senate
Az to 10; but by the death Of one Van Buren,
Senator, the majority is increased to i. 1t
appears that two Wing Senators had not an
peared' and that the Wing majority has occa-
siohaiiy oeen faoo. In consequence of sick
ness business, &c. many Senators were abb
sent, the larger part of whom being WhiGs.
the Administration had majority Of three or
four. This was the state OF parties on the
Odd inst.
| On the 23d in the Senate, motion was
made by Mr.. Munagan to suspend the rule in
order to take up certain resi- lutions previously
laid on the table by him, against a National
Bank. Mr.. Echols moved to amend this mo-
ton so as to take up and dispose of all reso-
lutions on the table. "rhe Harrison nartv
not suspecting the trick" says letter per
United the motion to pass, which required the
concurrence OF two-thirds of the Senators
present. The anti-bank resolution was
made the order for a subsequent day, and the
next resolution In order was one for the cleo
ton OF U. 5. Senator on the 4th Dec. Mr..
Echols moved to lay this on the table for The
balance Of tie session. .:Upon this motion
debate was mad, in which both parties
engaged. The friends Of the motion uroino
the postponement of the election, on the
ground that II the election of Senator was
gone into during this session, the majority
would elect to that high office man who
would favor the charter of u. S. Bank. with
reference to which question they alledped the
people of Georgia did not act in their late O.
lection of Legislators.
Son the other side, the Harrison Senators
urged that the Legislature had been elected
with direct reference to the election of a SEN
ator to Congress, that the Constitution reouir-
ed the filling Of the seat now occupied by
Senator Lumpkin, and that if the motion Dre-
vailed, the Will OF the majority of the people
oil georgia (the great conservative principle
oil this Government,) would be thwarted, by a
minority of the Senators of Georgia.
This discussion was arrested by a motion
to adjourn, on which motion the yeas and
nays were ordered, and were yeas 81, NAYS
Al. BY this vote the Senate, according &c
their rules, as decided by the chair, could not
adjourn until the motion OF the Senator from
Walton, to lay the resolution on the table
was disposed of. st this crisis of the pro
ceeding Mr.. Dawson, Senator from Columbia
suggested to the Harrison party the prophet,
OF Withdrawing, to which they assented. and
the whole withdrew, leaving the Adminisra
tion party without quorum. In this predic
ancnt they determined to adjourn until
; O'Clock, and directed the Messenger to sum
mon the seeding members to attend. At TIN
: appointed hour the Administration member
re-assembled; but the seceders not appearing
and there being still no quorum, those presen
adjourned ill the next day, 9 O'Clock.
On the night the 23d the Harrison part
ofthe Legislature held d meeting, at which IN
following preamble and resolutions were ?
dopted
"Whereas, the people of Georgia, on Il,
FIRST Monday In October, by trinmphar
vote, elected a majority Of both branches {
the General Assembly, opposed to Mr.. Va
buTen' his principles, policy and party"
I, ''-f'd whereas, The Van Buren, party Of III
Senate IRON accidental causes, growing out
I the sickness and absence or other nccess;
ry reason, OF considerable number of SEM
: tors, had this day majority i'm that BODY. h
y aid Of which accidental majority, they soncl
: to postpone indefinitely the election Of a /
e =. Senator. and fherehv deco,. H. Ill 49,. -