Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-07-14
ANOTHER RENlyrscEScE.

|
"Open Stsame,"
! A fact Of rather curious character occurs in n
early annals of oar Federal Government which n,
escaped the notice of most OF our poli,,csns tt.
constitution wen, into effect on toe 9Th March, l1sq
ana, Tor nearly four years, the doo.s of the SeG,,
chamber were shut, and the Debates vera seal,
book 10 The People.
Among The other objections, w hch were uroedb,
hlr Henry and his friends in the State Con
a2ains, the adoption of tue Con,,tu,ion the foi,o.
was one OF "a minor cha,ac.er"-"Tbst the .rb,ar,.
with which the direction for publishing ,ha
Of Congress ex pressed, (fsom ,ia,e to ,r,s
IN their power, TO keep The people n utter
their proceedings and thus to seize the pubic bs,,s
/ by ambo.csde l'".r,s Life OF Patrick Hen :
| Chap VIII y
The hrs. part of this prediction was orginal, g.,
filled, so far az related 10 the Senate. very ~.
to! volume has been recently published b. NIes.,.
Lea & Blanchard, Of Pn;!adeI,h .-sps Ne hope Il.
design may be continued, 70 embrace the Pr.
ceedinss uncer every ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS" H.
tory of Cansress-eIhlbIi'ng Classification Of Il.
Proceedings OF the Senate, and TIE Hoase Of r..
preseniatiTss from si..ch 1, ]1-1 10 .'.:cs 3 L.,
OF General Washington The 18Th pEge h.s m.
renark lit IS 20 Be regretted, thar ;he rules Of In
Senate, during The period embraced i5ts yo!a,.
preclude the possibility OF reference 10 say cstss,
which have taken place IL ,sa: body -
a; the mex, session of Congress. nation as sub
lila
Senate Chamber shat! be open when the Senate as,
ting in their Leg'-la,ive capse',y, 10 the end IN.
sucn Of the Citizens Ct the United States as ma,
choose to hear the debates Of this House. mar has.
opportunity OF so doing Bot 10 on ;he faoyio,
day "this resolution was consideytd and negs;.yee
Virginia, however. cid rot sleep over tbs abY.s
At the mex; session Of her stature VIZ on Noat,
the 22nd NoSecbe', 1870, they unanimously adopted
The Owing resolutions:
the General Assembly OF Virginia. con.i daring.
as enc among the m poriant privileges of the Peo2s
that they should nave tree admission hear he debates
OF the Senate, we'll as CT the House OF Represent,
,i7es, whenever they are exercising their Lessl...
functions
Resolred, therefore, ntnine coniradiees:t Th,. Il.
Senator'S OF this Stale the Senate OF the L. S.a,.
be instructed 10 use their utmost endeayors procu,
the admission OF the citizens of the l. States 10 her
the debates of their Houses henever they are strr
in their legislative cap:c,ty.
"Resoired, nemine eontradictnte, That the Speaker
of the Houses Of the General Assembly be reques.
ed to enclose copies of the foregoing resolution 10 ii,
Legislatures Of the several States in the Unioe -.
qaestlng their cooperation simila. Instructions
their respectse Senator's"
Here began her great .ys.em Of the Rish, Of il,
strue;iag her Senators. And IN conse9peoee OF tbs
MIR Monroe, one of her Senator'S submit,
ted 10 the Senate the following resolutions, on Ii.
24th February, 1901
"sR,soised, That il be standing rule that the doors
OF the Senate Chamber remain open whist the Sen,.
shall be sitting legislative capacity, eIcep.
occasions as 10 their judgment, may require secrecy
and that this rne shall eomcrnee ard Dc IN force on
the frs; day et the NEXT season 0: Coogrsfs.
"sReso!red, That the Secretary oi tse Senate re-
Guest the commissioners of the city and county Of
Pals6elphs, 10 cause proper gallery W D. erected "a,
the accommodation Of sn audience
This motion led 10 debate, which continued I'll
the boar Of zeiou,nmen,, and resumed on he
folo= ing tsr, when the question being taken by Yeas
and nays, i, Was decided as follows:
.Yeas-sessrs. Bu;ler, Foster, Gum, HaUka
King Lee, Msclay, Monroe, Schuyier-9.
"Nsps-Mess,s B,s.e;,, Carroll, D,l;ou ID caiascn,
Eils= ortb, Elmer, Few, Henry, Johnson, Johnston,
lizard, L.ngdon, Mcrris, Read, Stanton, Strong, "a
gae-l7.'
Blu, the Legislature of Virgins followed up Ii.
blow, and on the 26,h Of November. 1871, knocked
again at the door Of the Senate Chamber, By paAtg
the following Resolutions
"FtGnesdGs. Nor %, In.
"The General Assembly of Virginia, con.'dttsJ
tina, The doors Of The Senate of tie e. States shoat
epen, when they exercising their Judicial or s.
tive functions
"Resoised, therefore, That the Senator's of tbs Coo
monweslth IN the Senate OF The L. States tie,
utmost endesvors to procure the admission oil the CT.
zsns Of tie L. States to hear the debates in their H9as
whenever they are sitting in their Legislative cap.
city.
"Resoired, also, That The Senators OF this Comu.a
wealth in the Senate Gf the u. States use Their ct,
most endesvors 10 procure the admission of The en-
zens Of the L. States whenever the Senate shall K
sitting in its judicial capacity
On the 26,h March, 1872, MIR Monroe again m.u !
10 the business, and again the proposition rejees
by vote OF il nays 10 3 yeas.
But, again, Virginia, true to herself, and true =
the principles Of free Government, renewed her p
tes,aton, by re-atep,ing on Thar.c=y, Il,h Octo2'
l192, the Same series Of resolutions.
On the 4,h February, l793 the resolution to o*i
the doors of the Senate Chamber was again rsjtc'.
BY the Senate-snc it Was no, tall the I9h FrbrssT
1874. that the following resolution was adopted, Hi
Of II 10 o
"Rtsoired, This. after the end Of the present ssa',
of Congress, ard so as suitable s.erte. shall
provided for the Senate Chamber, the said galGa
shall be permitted 10 be opened every morning solo,
as the Senate shall be engaged in their Legislative
pac'iy, unless IN such cases as may in the opn'sa
the Senate require seeresy, after which, the sad a.
Ieries shall be closed
At the mex, session Of the Senate, their doors air
for the FIRE; time thrown open to the people Of es
several States of this Confsderated Republic
And for our own p,,st, We are free TO say, that ne
doc rs Of the Senate Chsnber might, consistently aa
the gsnins of our Government and the great ihsei
OF the People, he sometimes thrown wider open W.
do not see. why the Debates Of The Senate Sino1
appointments, and sometimes our foreign rslaucn
should be shrouded in the mysteries OF secfesy We
IN Virginia make our appointme MIS- in open dsy-Gf
the preensons of all candidates before our liz
la,ure with open doors-and record The votes Q! ias
members by open votes, and not by secret ballots
And We do not see why 10 most cases, the Seai,
the United States should no; initiate orr example
openly, fairly, and above board Mystery may sui n'
genius of monsrches Publicity is more consistent" a
the bold spin, Of Republics.
1.-THE Richmond Enquirer has after long isia- itr
rhcaiinn OF ,ts friends. We DESTROYS that
hltIi n.nt-. IL