Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-05-26
CONVERSATIONAL
SPEECH OF MR.. TAZEWEII,

IN thc senate OF The United States ON Mr..
Brduch's Resolution
Mr.. PREsrDESr: The question for the con.i-
Iteration uf The Senate is, whether the Constitution
20! tie United States confers upon the President
that power, which, in his message of the 26ih nf
december las, 10 this body, he asserts 10 be within
MS exclusive ' constitutional competency.''
CONCUR entirely with the Senator from Mary
land (Chambers,) in the opinion which he has ey-
pressed, that it is necessary 10 understand 1is,ir,
ly IN the first instance, what is the true nature and
precise extent OF the power the President has so
asserted, before we can properly decide. ,vbe,Lp,
Kills power be within his % constitutions co,,na
iency" or not. Bat differ very widely from ,ha,
senator as 70 the correctness Of the rule TO which
ne refers, TOR the purpose of learning wha, the
nature and precise extent of this power ia
According TO all received opinions upon %.
subject of inter probation, which have evo. 60
Under my Observation, the meaning of Iauauac. is
10 - sought Tor, first, in the obvious sigp;6ce,io
III lhe words used II This be certain, the inicn,ion
ci MN who used them is fixed and tleter-,ineI. b,
u DOUBT still remains, this doubt mus, he ed
oy reference to uIelr Context And if certainty y,
29i there found then resort must be had to other
WorGs, u$eu co'emporaneUusly by the same author
in reference TO the same, or even similar sni;ec,o
1t is by these rules the President must adre of the
meaning OF our language, used in bills sent 10 him
IoF his appropriations; and by the same rules there
tore, we must judge OF the meaning OF his language
used In messages sent by him 10 this BODY.
Tried by any Of these well approved standards.
me Hue nature and rsecise extent Of the power
asserted b the President, upon this occasion i.
~C!shr and confessed. The - Inea>ure'' which no
deems 10 be within his constitutional compe,encv
ne expressly declares 10 be rIa, mentioned bv him
III HIS message 10 both Houses of Congress At the
commencement OF the present session. In tia,
message this measure is pronounced IN he
me commissioning Of ministers on tie mart of
Afrrf. f,x H.. n
9t the Congress Of Panama, and TO take mari i,
them" 30 that the Obvious Specification of the
woSus used TO denote the true nature and nrecise
extent OF the power asserted by the President non
iDe occasion, IS, that the authority to appoint and
commission such ministers, is within his exclusive
cons'iInionaI competency; and this wiihou. any
d. iinitdtIon or qualification whatever
1T, however, any doubt could vet 1enoa;, ne ~
lie nature and extent of the power thus claimed
"thont STINT or limit, that doubt must Weld 10 the
explanation OF the woods used by the Presiden,
given by himself, in their context. His Iangmaoe
-, that g although this measure was deemed 70 6e
within the constitutional competency of the Exc
cuifye. have not thought proper to take anv
'stepin It, before ascertaining that my opinion Of
lls eApejIeacy viii concur with that Of both bran
cies Of the Legislature" Hence it plainly an
peaSs, that the power asserted by the President.
was power not then (viz. December Ply exc
cnied, but remaining yet to be executed power
which although deemed to be within his cons,itI
tIonal competency, was one, in the execution of
which he had not then (December Pr tbouobt
proper to take any step: a power in the eyern-
ton OF which he needed no aid from the copcr-
ring act OF the Senate, whom he had consulted no,
IS 10 the power, but as to the crpedieney Of t.-
eriing It IN the particular case. 80 that Il THE &C
sefton be correct, the Senate are indeb,eI f,- ,to
privilege Of giving any opinion in relation ~ ,J
- measure, not 10 the Constitution but so the a.,
ciors good will Of the President alone viii,
whose exclusive constitutional compctencv ,,
Che power Of creating and of consumrna,ipg ib,s
AeH political relation is deemed by him TO reside
And II a single cloud ofdoubt yet remains. i,
must be diSsipated at once, by referring to the CO.
.empor'neous language Of the same author. psed
10 ms previous message of the 9Th of December
10 Oo'n houses OF Congress, in relation 10 this Same
SUBJECT In that message he asserts 10 this bodv
anu 10 the world, that these Ministers 10 Panama
D"' &c commissioned" Words which can an.
x Oe esaroed as communicating a prophetic nre-
u'I''Ou' uuiesS they are considered as intended q,
convey 'De Imperative annuncation Of lie pei
ee"l purpose And as none suspects the pre,i I
4enl o. possessing The gift Of prophecy, uolss.
"Hen' IKE sop'e Other modern prophets, he on. I
Joys the means Of verifying his own pre- sc,ion b.
m'.I Ve considered as intending By these ,vo,is I
70 oescriDe me true nature AMI precise ee,c, -
nat power which lie then December 5tlO des,,
% 20 us wNhln ms :" constitutional competence .,
Inc obVi1irs Specification Of the yyordsgsed o.,
1fmel by 1hat nj hare fo.-l 4 trsy e7r.,S, ~ ,