Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1840-04-14

votes.
The subject went to the Committee a
precipitation which we deem In high de-
gree exceptionabIe.-The majority of the
committee adopted resolution directing
all the votes given to be reported as Laao.
fal, under most extraordinary mentald de
fusion that the instructions required it, be-
cause she committee were required TO re-
port forthwith. All efforts TO have the
testimony then before them examined
were successfully resisted-Ieasona6le
time to the minority to report these and
other facts to the House, denied. The
report was prepared, presented and re-
ceived, without delay, the title to which is
well adapted to create the impression that
the votes reported were all tqvful votes,
while the body ofthe report itself (which
few comparatively of those who see the
title will read) labors to excuse the COM
mIttee for not ascertaning whether the
votes were laagful or unlagful-a men,
Der ofthe minority of the committee at
tempted to explain the facts to the House
THE Speaker decided that he was enti-
tied to the foor-the minority of the
House overuled the decision Of the Chair
and refused him the privilege ofspeaking
the previous question demanded, all de
bate stiffled-in the mean time counter.
report is prepared and offered TO the House
they refused to receive it, and proceed
ed at once, wholly ignorant of what the
testimony established with madness and
blindness belonging to desperation only,
TO vote by the entire strength of their par
ty, that the noncommssioned members
had received a majority of Kalcful votes,
and were, therefore, duly elected, and en-
titled to occupy their seats as the repre-
sentatlveS ofthe State of New Jersey =
and while the public funds are to be freely
used for the distribution of the report of,
the five administration members of the
committee, private means are to be resor..
ted TO, to distribute the report ofthe four
minority members.
1t Is circumstance, not the least re-
markable in this extraordinary case, that
the individual members of the majority,
f refused to recognize, or adopt the reason
ling of the report, but were entirely satisi-
ed with the conclusions drawn from it,
while the author of the report, was equal
; ly well satisfied with his own reasoning,
but could not adopt the conclusions, as e.
vinced by bis refusal to vote for the reso.
: luton based upon it, though present at the
, time.
For every fact here stated, we pledge
Yourselves TO produce the proof whenever
called on, either before the House or the.
country, they being facts on record, to
: be found on the journals of the committee
and of the House.
And now, we ask by whom these FIVE
gentlemen have been elected By the
people of New Jersey, or by the adminis-
tration in Congress And have we said
too much in characterising this proceeding
as novel, extraordinary, and appalling =
Have we done more or less, than our duty
: as citizens of this republic, and as Repre-
sentatives Of the people, in thus calling
your attention, emphatically, to this sub
: iect; in warning you of your danger, and
in asserting the necessity of an immediate
2 in:erposition of the majesty of the people,
e att the ballot boxes, to correct such mon
Q strous abuses in force.
d 1t has been said, and was generally un-
). derstood that the party in power, had, in
d secret caucus, resolved on the, necessity of
Y admitting the Administration claimants,
] to carry through some of the odious
schemes of the present Administration
still we hoped that before they struck the
a final blow, they might he induced to listen
n to reason and TO justice. We appealed,
c but we appealed IN vain-their resolution
/. was as determined as it was unjust; they
e voted, and. succeeded, and that by boas-
S ted majority oftAirty.
How was that majority obtained Only
because some Of the members regarding
the outrage as highly gross and violent,
I refused TO vote, or contribute to the forma-
!. ton of quorum, for the adoption of a re-
:, port and resolution not founded, es we all
0 conceive, on the testimony ofthe case and
? not warranted or justified by any conside.
Is ration whatever.
y A noble subject for boasting, truly. Let
L them make the most Of if. 1t is matter of
! pride TO US, that we, at least, resisted it and
: resisted to the last :,
We feel that we have discharged our
duty If YOU are too Indifferent to your
own liberties, to discharge yours; be it so
the consequences must fall partially on
: yourselves, but mainly on posterity but
u as citizens of this Republic, we tell you we
! are mournfuly apprehensive for the future
= and that you may not think we are too
grave and too solemn, on this vitality inn
= portant question, we beg leave respectfully
to invite your attention to proceedings in
several of the State Legislatures, particu-
= r. larly those ofNew Jersey, Massachusetts,
:, New York, and Virginia, and to the Spe-
: cial Message ofthe last mentioned Com
} monwealth; and fall this does not arouse
., . you to the importance of this subject, all
y further effort on our part will be vain.
But we win not permit ourselves to in
: dulge in apprehensions-we are not yet
y old enough--we have not yet come to that
. pass when those who are clothed with pow
= er, for the protection of our liberties, can
. be sustained in such an encroachment on
the rights of the people, either for the pur-
% pose of propitiating Executive favor on
a the one hand, or of perpetuating political
!. power on the other.
= We respectfully ask. that our report,
! which those who should have acted upon
:. it, have refused to receive (the. first in.
ss stance ofthe kind as we believes that ha.
"a occurred in the goyernment,l may meel