Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-04-08

tchch opposed his oppoinfrnenf A. ,hosc which ra'
qocstcd L., and the President complicd with the
ca without complaining against the Senate for hav-
ing exercised power unconstitutionalIy or inproncr
". The first President of the United States. ,ybo
was also the President Of the Convention that made
the constitution, considered the Senate as entitled
10 inc utmost latitude of inquiry. When thew re-
Jeeted his nomination OF Benjamin Fishbourne. for
me place OF Naval Officer of the Port of Savspnah
washington, in bis message nominating Lacbian
nelhtosh lot tho place, says-'Permit me 10 submit
70 your consideration, whether on occasions where
tue propraiy of nominations may appenr ouest;on,
Die to you, u would not be cxpetent TO commnp;
cave that circumstance TO me- aud thereby avail YOUR
selves of the information which led me 10 make ,hen
d tchfch ftcouid NTH pleasure lav Jefoye ,o,., A CO.
mittee was then appointed wall ON tho Prea,,Isn,
ana confer with him the mode of comn,,,n;cst;.,.
proper 10 DO observed between him and the Senate,
IN the formation OF treaties and making appointments
70 ou1ccs This committee, by their chairman Mr.
lizard, on tho 2st Of August after rcporte he 90
~ rule OF the senate now to be found in our
g 10 ~, 90, which with the very view to give time
ior these inquiries, provides that whom nominations
snaIi be made, future day shall DO ASSIGNED nIe.
inc senate unanimously direct Otherwise. for taking
them into considerations prescribes tho form of af
wnen the PRESIDENT shall meet the SEN
ate TO give or receive information and even directs
their own attendance ut any other place where ne
may convene them for such purposes. with this
history of that rule, which has been carefully pre-
served by oil our predecessors, but appears now To
De forgotten, who can doubt that, in their op;n;on
the utmost latitude of inquiry was to be .Ilotv. o.,
,ne senate on all Presidential nominations, We bavc
nigh authority In favor Of our constitutional r;ot -
inquire, IN the report of the committee on Excc,t;
patronage made in this body on the 4h of Nav Iaes
Ia committee which then thought as they informed
.ne world, that they were deting IN me spirit orMe
constitutions in laborDg multiply the guards ana m
strengthen the barriers against the possible abuse rs
power. The I'd section of tho bill reported hv ,hot
committee provides, That, in all nominations mado
stoned by an exercise of the Presidents power N
move from office, the fact the removal shall bo sta
ted TO the Senate, nt the same time that the nonins
tion Is made, tont statement ote reasons for oeh
sue" Dlcer may hare been TemOved., Now sir vonld
that committees have reported ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
vision Tor the adoption of the Senate. The nronns;
ton IN IT was TO exercise the right of enquiry in t
case, and thus by one sweeping clause TO supersede
tue necessity OF any future resolutions for that mr.
pose in particular cases. WHY no,o consider M H.
trine unconstitutional which was thus snnnoytcJs g
highly were the principles of this rcport then annro
e. tat SIX thousand copies ordered 10 be print
ed and the arguments contained in it were hss de-
ciared to be unanswcrablc.t These INQUIRIES we-a
all right then, and the thought that il was wrono to
establish court of inquiry did not occur to The
nt.se. 90 100 tue House OF Representatives, in the
exercise o. It's legislative power, has scrutnized the
motives Of the Heads of the Executive Depa rtmen,s
Ihat House demanded, by resolutions on the ath &c
May 1879 from the Secretary ofthe Treasury "a mr.
ucular and minute account Of each transfer Of tha
public money from one bank to another which haS
been made after the first Of January 1917 and ,ho
reasons and motives for making the same., and In
Moich' Ioz2 they obtained the information demand
cd IN report BY us the right to look into the cor
ses OF executive action not claimed as an incident oP
the mere legislative power of the Senate but Of lie
executive authority, and therefore stands on much
stronger grounds. S-
In 1921, the Senate thinking a charge da6a;r,.
not proper representative of this government AZ Rio
Janelto, mterfered to recommend the Appointment,
Minister. Their opinion that subject had nnt
Deen requested, when, by their Resolution ~ ,ba "a
OF that year, their advised the President ~ $500;
such minister. The act was voluntary and gr.,,,;
tous They did not then regard il Us an obir tI,
MGR auVce was unasked, nor consider themselves
conhhcd 70 tho htress or unftncss OF the charoe C
(a'res They did not feel bound to remain s;lsn, ~
inc slaves around the throne of dnspot and ons,,o
only when spoken to. Audit appears TO me ,Lss =.
So1heGted with either treaties or appoint
ments, before The election of tie present Cbef NJ
SsiEaie, they have considered themselves in tLe en-;
rh OF the Constitution, and under the solemn ohl"
tion TO advise the President which it imposed mon
them, equally bound to warn him of annrosch; r.
ger to the country, and TO consult with him - ~
means OF avcrting IL; equally bound 10 rive b;r, :;
formation which could tend to increase tbe ,,aif,.
ana prosperity of that country and to discuss with
nm the means of securing and promotino Il ,bo,L.
he had or had not frat asked their advice WoniS 49,
sIT' regard linn as faithful adviser and true lrerd
VINO should never warn you OF danger or oive Won in;
formation until you asked him to do SOP And ifnot
are we acting IN the spirit fthe Constituton hcr
we restrict our advice to the President 70 ,bo ro
htness or unbtness Of his nomnec9
The treaty making, as wclas the appoint;no rov,
eI' 10 'es'ep III the PRESIDENT and Senate The advice
and consent OF this body an indispensable prereoni
site to Sbe ratification Of all treaties, and is an essen
tIal component part ofthe power to make them. IL
looks well tho annulied as To Tho an
nung spulations with other nations; ,os ALWAYS re-
iceied new treaties, when pTeforring old ones and
though indugng the utmost attue Of inquiry init all
the reasons and all the facts connected with both II
has never yet been met with objections 70 The nost
ample exercise ofthese powers
IL IS wen understood, sir, that within The wear of
which this day completes the circle n preat reyoi,,
ton has boon ohecled in tho public Offices, by he
discharge OF the former incumbenis, and that tho
representatives Of many Of the States are apxous To
spread upon the records here for the benefit of ms
teriy, as well Of The present ago. the latent esuse
OF THIS great Executive reform. We have another
motive TO make the effort 10 effect this. We desire
that the simple facts should appear in Justice to oil
those who lave been dismissed from the public service
without charge or accusation against them. We
consider tbs necessary act Of Justice not oplv
TO the sufferers, but TO their families their friends
aud their postcrity We seek to distinguish Inc
innocent from the guilty, to exhibit 70 public view