The Cecil Whig., 1854-04-29


It's gratuiious originator NJ. Stephen A
Douglas, if it has not the present Admins
tration. We have published nothing III rcla
\ ton to it because we had not room or time t,
b stow upon TIT has been i'll fact, rather on
tof the reach ofa county Iapcr, the b.lsincs!
Hoi which is mere particularly with county ai
Wars. We, however, take froln a speech de
kliycred in the House cf Representative OF
&Fucslay by MIR. Benton, the following re-
Enarks, on account CT the history contained il
chem, and may make farther extracts mex
Eyetk:
- Mr.. Benton said irary bill to i:nrair IL,
Missouri Compromise line of 1920, had boel
brought into this House by Il r,n,her from
slave S.a'f, " und dr the administration of
PioSldent l,cttd f.om Save State, shoult
have dyencd it my duty to have net it az tht
t e'hhold and to have made the motion wl.icl
the parliamentary law prtsclljcS for the &c
pulse OF SUBJ Cts which are not iii to be con
sdcrc'l; should have moved it's rejection At
the st reading But the bill bt fore us. 10,
this too may BE- cous;d>rc'l as one docs no.
come from that quarter. i comes from frct
State, and rn;,c: the administration Ola Pres
idcnt elected from free State, ana under that
aspect Of its origin deemed it right TO wait
and hear what the mtmbcYs Of the free States
lad tc say to it. 1t was proposition from
their own ranks, to give up t!ieir half Of the
| =, Of \ IL
to do so, did not SC, low Southern ,.cllbers
could l>fuso to accept it.
1t was Il fr,c State question, and the mem
bers fem the fr'c States wcre the majority,
and could do as they pleased. So l stood
aoo!, waiting to STE their Lad, but without
the slightest intcn:or cfLCi"G governed by it.
| had my own convictions Of right and duty,
and mcant'to act upon tECm. had come in.
10 political l,f. upon that 2lmpronliYc, | had
stood upon it above thirty years, and intend
ell to stand upon it to the end ''so!.ta,y ard
alone" if need be. applause and laughter
but prtfclTing company to solitude, and not
doubling for al instant what the result was
to he.
] have said that this bill comes into Con-
@rcss under the administration of a free s,a.c
President bat do not mean to say or insinll-
ate by that remark, that the President flvors
the bill know nothing of his disposition to-
wards it, and if | did, | should not disclose it
here. 1t would be unparliamcn,ary and a
breach of The privilege ct this House to do 50
The Presidents opinions can only be MA lo
known TO us by himself in message in writ
ing. In that way il is his right, and of;,n
his duty to communicate with lis. And in that
way there is no room for mistake in citing
his opinions no room for an authorised use OF
his name 10 room for the im;utatiom Of con
Trajectory opinions 10 him: and i'll lhat way
he becomes responsible to the American rco-
pie for the opinions lie may d,lyu. All otl-
cr modes Of communication are forbid 10 him
rs tending TO an undue and m2uns.iN,.o..a
intcrf, renee with the freedom cf |, gi,aticn.
1t is moi bribery alone Attempted upon y
member which constitutes breach Of the
privileges Of this House. 1t is an attempt to
operate upcm members vote by any consid-
Grafton Of h0 or ar, flyo. cr a:tr ';ion, pros.
poet orreward or dread OF punishment. This
is parliamentary law as cid rs the English
pall;amcnlS, constantly maintained by the
British House Of Commons, and Lately dcclar-
cd in most signal manner. It was during
the reign Of our old master, George the 3rtl
and in the famous case of Mr.. FoX's East In
da bill \ report was spread in Pallia.
mtnt hy Cnc Of the Lords of the bed cha,nlcr,
that Tic King was opposed to the b;ll that he
wished it d, feat, d, and had said tia: he would
consider any ncmb,r his cncmy who s!lo"ld
vote for it. The House of Commons took fire
at this report and Immediately resolved,
That to report Any opinion or pretended
opinion Of his majesty ui'on any bill depend
ing in either House Parliament is Il high crime
and mistlcm,anor, dcrogatory TO the honor Of
the crown, Il brca IN of the Fundamental pri-
vilcgcs orpalliamcnt and Subyersiyc of the
constitution cf the country"
This resolve was adopted in full house,
| ly Il liiN,J'liN vi HtNtit'. ii'C 'otIS, uliu NaS
only dccaratory Of existing parliamentary
law: such as it had existed from the time that
the English counties and borougls first sent
knights Of tie >l!ile and bii.gcsSos to repre-.
sent them in the Parliament House. 1t is an
old English parliamentary law, and is so re-
corded by llatacll and all the writes on that
law. Ii is also American law, as old as on!
Congress, and as sucl recorded in Jefferson
Manuel. II is honest law, ami as such cXis
tant in every honest heart.
Sir, the Pre- dcnt of the United States car
send us no opinion except i'll written MESA.
gcs, and no one can report his opinions to i'll
tlucncc the conduct of the members upon
bill without becoming obnoxious TO the cen.
sure which the British House Of Commons pro
nounccd upon the Lord Of the bed chamber
in the case Of the King and the Fox East In
dia bill. Nor can the Presidents S secretaries
his head cltlks, as Mr.. Randolph used to cal
lhom, send us their opinions on any subject
of legislation depending before us-Thcy
can only report, and that in writing, on thu
i