Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-09-15

'iSNo, hcSlbs 10 ONs shds4OnS
entirely on Tie sun shine of royal favor.
To guard against this great evil, this gra.
yitating principle OF political Institutions,
the Cons tuition OF the Uuited States has
wisely laid down certain rules SO plain
that every MUD can determine how far
they have been observed. Let US, then,
on this occasion, resort 10 them as our UNI
errlns guides.
The Constitutional duties and powers
OF he President are
/. To give to Congress, from time to
time, Information oilhc state of The union,
/ and 10 ;ecoDmShd, 10 tneir consideration,
such measures as ne shall judSe necess
ny and cXpediemt.
2..Ippass q;a ified veto upon the laws
}. 10 comld.d in ch.ei the X my and
Navy; * ,he Mi,iIia, when 10 actual service
A. 10 appoint al executive and iudic
al oiiicers Except oil "a subordinate nature.
). /" mokl treaties.
o. 10 take care that the laws be fAi,h
| .ui,y executed.
/ \ ID 10 secure the execut on OF ;hes
Il t :, AID such others as are imposed by
h Constitution, he Is ellied TO take the
following oath Ci flee.
= do soienniy swear that will faith
! iu',y execute Che obi { OF President OF ,ne
/ Uuiied STATES AID MI To ihe beat Of my
ability, preservr pro ect and defend The
Cons i'u,l"n Of thc Um;ed S.sies.''
The first du,y Is two 1 Id he Presi-
! lent "hnH, rom umr 10 time, give Ia The
! Congress milo. Nation OF The STATE Of the
u1ioH and recommend To- their CONS dc.
! ration, such ncasui IS as he shall Judge ne
ccssmy aud expsdient."
! IL must uUtescapc notice that both these
/ duties are mandatory; tne term used Is
! : ShHI : lit does no, therefore, rest in The
d SC ION of he Chicl Magistrate, 10 give
! information or advice, according 10 any
! theory OF government established in has
own mind; but tie shall give information.
! and Hc ShuH reCoD.m Il such measures as
I he shall judge necessary and eXpedicn t.
for ODE, 90 noe ncsi'a'e TO say, that
consider The ab>oiu juncs or OF this du
! ~ 50 !ar as IL rcia.cs 10 The recommen-
daiun OF measures detect in the con-
siitnuoH. l. tends uane cessar!ly u blend
iegi iauVt and cX cutive pvwev--to give
! the e., culIve dangerous ageI GYM The
cnactlon of avs: aud To diminish the
!
tree viii and u'pi lndlced dci!bt rations II
thc leg s'a ire. s.-tness Coz siderations,
h1"sNer p"weci, Dn hr minds ot The fra
NETS at iha clnsl uiiDn, ase UiVes'ed of
al ihe.s s'lence hen appNtd to The
Niagist'a d, whom is xecu.ion is de-
lived WHAT Mud b. virtue In one
case, become, c'Imr IN Tho 9th =.
The mi,r nation required by a., nsli
tniIon has b-en suDpheA b. ,pc rr-,ident
T. ii LTD raj S.rean. l. may confidently
DC all Md tn ,, the mass l. d before Cun
SresS during the last four years has NOT
been exceed d. either III interest," II ma.
niludc, b. that hIl.;iohcu during any aue
cedeGt "a .ai period. Whalever relates
to interior cCncrr"s, hos ~ every instaACe
where its importance justified ill., been
exposed; and the mysterious obscu;i,y,
IN which diplomatic relations are Usually
invoir-h has been happily dis spated ~
an emi,ent deg. &c. Ine wishes oil the
legislature and f the people have IN mos.
instances. beer, q" ic,pa.ed and la 40 case
a. under preced'pg administrators has :.
veto been pa sd Oh legislative rcqms,i
nnS. In som few Cases /, IS true, com
GIANTS have been made that the pubic
were not duly informed of passing or i'm
pending events; but IN ali these cases, il
has afterwards naniles,ly appeared III this
government had withheld no Information
whose mnWnication would not have
d-he more injury than good.
IL Is, perhaps 70 &c regretted that there
10 10 regula' Official Journal published of
executive acts: Wee such journal pub
listed, at periods however remote from
the 9c"urre 1ces recorded, it would ulti.
ma'ely afford more correa means Of udg-
iug 81 the conduct of the cabinet, and
thereby produce more rigorous RESPONSE.
bili'y o public opinion, than at present
exist. BTuntil provision is made Tor this,
We must expect from the nature Of exc
cuuve acts, : me degrel oil obscurity 10
envelope the grounds on which they were
taken.
Considering the peculiar circumstalices,
under which he present Chief Magistrate
came into Office, the people had right to
expect from bin a full and ha5itual dis
closure 81 his measures, and tn: motives
which dicta,cd them 50 far as either couid
tend TO promote the public good. An o
mission Inv his nVerigcae-pr tn mob. ..,~t.