Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 9.djvu/116

 THE WORLD'S FAMOUS ORATIONS through the particular form in which this act is to be perpetrated. They tell us that the resolu- tion on your records is not to be expunged, but is only to be endorsed ' ' Expunged. ' ' Really, sir, I do not kaow how to argue against such contempt- ible sophistry. The occasion is too solemn for an argument of this sort. You are going to violate the Constitution, and you get rid of the infamy by a falsehood. You yourselves say that the resolution is expunged by your order. Yet you say it is not expunged. You put your act in express words. You record it and then turn round and deny it. But what is the motive ? What is the pretext for this enormity? Why, gentlemen tell us the Senate has two distinct consciences — a legisla- tive conscience, and a judicial conscience. As a legislative body we have decided that the presi- dent has violated the Constitution. But gentle- men tell us that this is an impeachable offense; and, as we may be called to try it in our judicial capacity, we have no right to express the opinion. I need not show how inconsistent such a position is with the eternal, imprescriptible right of free- dom of speech, and how utterly inconsistent it is with precedents drawn from the history of our British ancestors, where the same liberty of speech has for centuries been enjoyed. There is a shorter and more direct argument in reply. Gentlemen who take that position can not, accord- ing to their own showing, vote for this resolu- tion ; for if it is unconstitutional for us to record 106