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


mot to touch that forbidden fruit entered
into q covenant with my Creator, to break
which would not fail 10 place in my bosom a
promethean vnlture to tear and devouF me-
The obligation then to obey an instruction
which calls upon me to break thai covenant,
cannot possibly exist. should be unworthy
the confidence of all honorable men, i'll could
De induced, under any circumstances, to COM
mt an act Of deliberate perjury. Instead Of a
seat in the Senate, should most richly de-
serve to be put In the pillory, and to lose both
my ears, as an indelible mark of my baseness,
and such would be the sentence which the
laws of Virginia would pronounce against me.
You have admitted the truth Of this position,
IN the alternative presented in your second re-
solution. Between these alternatives cannot
hesitate to choose. It is not for every differ
ence of opinion which may arise between the
representative and constituent which necessa-
rlly require the resignation of the representa-
tive. In the course of somewhat long poIiti-
cal life, It must osten have occurred, that my
opinions have been yarient fom the opinions
OF those l perpendicular IN presenting TO
me the alternative of resignation in this in
stance, you give me distinctly to be informed,
that the accomplishment Of your object is re-
gafded as ofsuch primary importance, that nv
res nation is desired, if compliance cannot be
yielded. / am bound TO consider you as in this
fairly representingthe sentiments of our com.
mon constituents, the people of Virginia, 10
whom alone you are amenable, if you have
mistaken their wishes. My position in re-
gard this whole subject is ola character to
preclude me from gong into distractions.
do not hesitate, on the contrary,to declare that
ifyou had, as the accredited organs of the peo-
pie, addressed me a request TO yacate my seat
IN the Senate, your request would have had
with me the force of law. Not day or an
hour could desire to remain in the Senate be-
yond that day and that hour wherein came to
be informed that it was the settled wish of the
people of Virginia that / should retire from
their service. That people have honored me
with the highest Offices within their Gift. II
the talents which have brought into their SER
vice be humble, have at least brought fidelity
to their interest. No where else have look.
ed for reward, but TO their appreciation. have
served under -four Administrations, and might
dOubtlessly, by course of subserviencv and
sycophancy, have obtained what is called BY
some, preferment. But what could have com.
penSated for the baseness of my prostitution
and the betrayal of the confidence Feposed in
me by a generous people The Executive
files furnish no record of my name as an ap-
phcart for any of the crumbs which have faller
from the Executive table. ! repeat that
have looked exclusively to the people of Vir.
ginia--and when they have extended to me
their confidence for twenty odd years-when
am indebted TO them for whatsoever of credit
and standing possess in the world, cannot
and will not permit myself TO remain in the
Senate for a moment beyond the time thai
their accredited organs shall instruct me thai
my services are no longer acceptable. Ifgra.
titude for the past did not, my own conscious
weakness would control my course. What
would itprofit the country or myself, for me Il
remain in the Senate against their wishes p
By retaining my place in opposition to their fix
! ed, declared and settled viii, should aid M
cause--advance no great purpose--be power
less for good and provoke only to harm re
posing on my own feeble strength, shoulC
vainly flatter myself that could with my sin
gle arm, sustain the Constitution and keel
back, what might consider, the tide of error
wien. in very truth, should but excite thl
popular pfejudices more strongly, and emf
nently endanger the Cons titution by my ef
forts TO sustain if.
In resgning, then gentlemen, into you
| hands, my place in the Senate of the United
States, to which | was called by your prede
cessors, / trust, | shall be INDUCED in brie
exposition of the reasons which have led me f
the confusion, that 10 obey your instruction
would be to violate the Constitution of the U
nited States. / shall do 60 boldly and fearless
", but with all becoming respect, and with a
the brevity in my power.
The Senate is ordered by the Constitution
to keep Journal ofits proceedings and to pu
liSh ii from time TO time. This injunction
thus solemnly imposed upon the aggregate be
DIV, and on each individual Senator Il hatso
ever shall be done shall be faithfully recorde
by the Secretary, and shall be faithfully KEEP
i NOT for an hour, and then to be defaced-
not for day, and then to be erased-not 70
a year and then TO be expunged-but forever
as perpetual witness, faithful history, b
which the conduct, the motives, the action {
men shall be judged--not by those Of the pre-
sent day only, but through all time. Ii wa
a wise custom among the Chinese which re
quired the biography ofeach Emperor TO b
written before the close of his life, and place
before him so as to give him fore-knowledg
of what the world would think of him after HI
death. It was designed to restrain his ev
passions--to curb the exercise of despoti
sway. Itaddressed itself to his ambition, an
excited within him a longing for an immorta
Ity in the gratitude and admiration of ages
But this provision in our Constitution is sti
wiser. Each Senator writes daily his own biz
praphv. lie is required to record his ow
acts, and takes an oath to keep that record, an
to publish it from time to time. The applaus
or censure of his fellow men is not postpone
until he has descended to the tomb. tits da
" uttered by the living generation. How pow
erfuI are the inducements thus addressed I
each member to be faithful to the trust conf
d ID to him. How much TO be admired is ii
wisdom Of our ancestors III framing the Const
tuition, Ifthis was its only feature, their in
mortality would seem to be established.
This simple provision is one Of the yreat 81
! curities of American liberty. It takes notl
ING upon trust. 1.-THE Senate kept no Journ
. II would be secret conclaye, where deeds Il
i most revolving might be performed in secrec
and darkness. The train m;glst there be lai
! the mine prepared, and the first knowledge
: the treason might be the explosion and cons
/. quent overthrow offree Government. lsIber
: could not co-exist with such state of thing
f There is no iberty where there is no respons
bility, and there can be no responsibility whe
/ nothing is known. To have Secretary sea
) ed at t6ctable Of the Senate. to write down
! proceedings, and to claim for itselfthe right
E cancel, obliterate or expunge what he b;
written, is equivalent to having no journal /
E ALA mockery and fraud. The Journal
j the morning may be cancelled in the evenn
: Cancel il any way, whether by black or r
s whether with circles or by stralg
lines, it ceases to be ajournal ard that viii
{ was is NOT. The Journal is to be published, b
o there is no Journal There was one yesterds
r but ere it can reach the press It IS cancele