Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-02-05

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precious toscissto the House had enjoyed OF the
iture of that document which the Chairman oi the
Committee on Foreign Relations might be expected
10 send forth 20 the world, should his own ins,ruc-
tons to the committee be adopted. This was al
laying agitation with Vengeance! This was
| soothing Irritation; this was n healing rersus sive
to convince them that the union these atcs mu :,
lie maintained! The gentleman from Virginia
'onssu una. tne opportunity should be given to the
gentleman from Massachusetts, that he might by
ms eloquent pen, by the force Of his luminous ur-
de-shnding, and the whole weight Of his persona,
influence, pu, down forever the unhappy spir.t OF
Northern diScontent, and make h, Constituents
ashamed that they had even hatboted n thought ol
So DIRE saerieee as the dissolution OF this Union
What! trust this task OF an angel Of peace to the
man who openly avowed that Tie had introduce ed
'ne memo'al Tor the purposes OF alarm assign this
ASK OF hHihns III the mhn who fortified the
right tn abolish this Government by nm sppesl Ia
| the Constitution, and who stimulated men to the
exercise OF this right 10y presenting an accumu,a
"on oil grievances such as never had been endured
On eatth before and the only remedy for which W
destruction Of the Union, And an Amrr,e an
tonse OF Representatives, themselves the embodied
image OF TINS great nation, were TO leave To hands
me 'hese the task ct soothing the ir,,a,ions and
quleuns the alarms OF q discontinued Peopie,
Mr VI. confessed that he had listened TO the zen.
t'eman with wonder; but if he wondered at thr
ground taken oy the gentleman from Virginia IN,
boits) how had that wonder been increased wher
he listened 10 the sentcmnn's own immediate
gent emAn from Mass ,chusc,ts mir S,l,ons,aII ,
apersonal iTi,rd and ne .hhor Il the accused. had
Appealed not only TO the aga ca 10 the past servi-
ces OF his friend but to his descent from the British
regc des. Tie had dwelt on his talents. his learn.
inS' MS nigh standing, his influence, his weight OF
eharscter, ard above all to his injomnble pers,.
venng courage. The gentleman had advised IN,
ionsc not 10 take HIM IN hand. Tor he was A descen.
cant OF mat Stubborn crew who. beginning with a
psuton o, right, had gone forward wh unti,ins and
indevta,ing footsteps. tall they had ended in nvrr
turning the British Government, and hrinsins ;bs
I head oi Charles To the bock-of men who h.
cast themselves on the bosom of the Wild ocean. and
han sought home upon the bleak ard tlesolate
SHORES o, an unknown lani, rather than Weld one
inch 10 what they deemed denial of their risbts a,
home-men who had warred, and warred. and war
tei 20 the death, rather than cherish for one mo
| uen1 nc 'housht OF submission Finding in this
ouse one ct the descendants Of the forty rcsit id
England, whose Ima -inaiion WAS ihorouslv possess
ed wun the IDEA that he and his associates wer. as
gne.ousiy and Is intolerab!y oppressed on this DC
ue atlantic as ms ancestors had been their native
shores, anu who remembering that those ancestors
had overturned and prus'rated the British tb,or.
seemed 10 be equally confident that they could nm
henVc the foundations of the American R,nuhl,.
'he gentleman would persuade the House that IL
was thing altogether vain 10 think of lav;,, 90.
hand OF authority upon one who had such n Cd -
MS VEINS ana that therefore the course alike of du,v
ana OF pohcv was, that they should fold their hand.
anu give HIM rope. And why1 Because that
by attempting tn control him, We should opiv -
'"Ae MS people more and more, and that they would
nnt come upon US the sooner, should ,hev src a.,
niger Land, however shilv, upon their indonoi,,IJo
leaief' For one, (Said MIR NJ so helm mo He.
ven, II is an argument will never Weld ~ n
ever could I've brought to iesisIa,e under tcrr,,
standing, as do, under my oath TO the Cnn.t;,,
uon and my obligation to tn, American peonIc
'hese are tne things. these are the very consider,
uons' ~hch would induce me vote for dscner
ana sorer punishment than that now proposed Tbe
gentleman from Massachusetts, told me tbo, I -
not able TO comprehend the right of the citizen. thu,
knew nothing Of the Constitution of NV ,,,n
country or o the liberties and franchises wbi-h ,bat
instrument was made 10 protect, and that the rrso
.uiions have offered here indcAe such isnor,r..
listened, too, 10 wh1t my colleague said about Nh.
charge OF high treason which these resolutions ia
vowed. VIII the House bear with m, so far a.
70 a'o" me TO read the passage with which il was
my desire to preface the resolutions have offered
The lords these:
Nv hereas the Federal Constitution is n norm,
hent form OF Government, ami OF n perpetual obli-
satson unui altered or modified IN the mode ,oint,d
ON IN mat instrument; and the members of this
tiouse, deriving their political characters and novsrs
RON inc same, are sworn TO supper, il; and the
ossou luton OF the Union necessarily impli, The d.
s"uc'on OF hat instrument the overthrow of the
american Republic, and the extinction OF our ma
NonAl existence; proposition therefore 10 ,;. Re-
personalities OF the People TO dissolve the ors,nic
avs framed by their constituents and To sunoo,,
winch they are commanded by those Constituents
10 oe sworn oeiore they can enter upOn the execu.
''on OF the political powers created by IL and entrus,
go 10 them, IS high breach of privilege A cont.mnt
1HereH 10 TINS House. direct proposition To- the
Let's azure, and each member OF it, to commit per
Jury, and Involving necessarily IN its execution and
us consequences the destruction OF our country and
the crime o. high treason.
DEBATE