Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1830-04-15

I
SENfER AND A PROTESTANT. and al
though expect indulgence for such transgres
'ions, sIronly suspect that | shall carry my
abomnabe heresirs TO the grave.
The Senator from Missouri, mir. Barton
having In tue range ofths debate, invited III,
! concurrence of others IN certain Fundamental
principles and Important objects, enameraie ed
among the number the preservation OF the free
dom aud purify OF elections, unawed nv ofica
punIshments. and uncorrupted by official re
wards. IN opposition TO reno, ais from exercise
| OF the great elective franchise or TO make room
Tor the reward OF parlizans in our Presidential
Elections, Ivy the besluwal of public employ
tnens. he submitted that the power OF re-
moval from office by the President wns n high
'egal trust TO be exercised for the public bene-
hi ~ sound discretion. for cause relating TO the
nihcla conduct or fitness Of the incumbent ;
nat the Senate o.ihe United States had res
raining powers in the matter OF dsplacIng. as
well as of appointing Federal officers; and
'hdi nv the Executive power, could never be
arbitrarily exercised. He advocated g." the free.
dom of inquiry into the exercise of Executive
discretion and official trust, in opposition To
Executive iTresponsIbility and Observation-Disclosures
and to the suppression of free inquiry INTO our
political affairs" the Senator from Maine
| (Mr. Holmes) merely adyerted 10 the general
prescription in New England. In reply 10
these geniienien, the Senator from New HamI-
SHIRE says he will not accept thu invitation OF
the Senator from Missouri (Mr. Bartoh) 10
stand on his new political platform, composed,
as ne considered II, OF ARTICLES oil opposition to
the present AJminislraion-defend the whole
course Of thai Administration as " democratic
and constitutional, , and informs us that, in the
prlnclple OF removal from Office, for even 20
lltical motives, their policy only follows up tn
doctrines of The great revolution in 1900, He
speaks of these removals as mere rotation M
office, first made by tho people Themselves IL.
the highest office in HE land, the Chief Execu.
tive OF the Union, for political cause then IN
CURES, trIumphanly, il The same cause should
nor aiiert the active deputies and subordin
ates, as well as the principal. Whatever
dSappoln men's and suferIngs by removal,
says he,) soar individuals may sustain ; vel
heB kneW The legal supe otMer Offices" Hr
therefore thinks the agents of the people can
no, fear the cry of cruelt, or persecution be
cause the power of removal as now exercised
only " changes one good man, Uhal is, for
political oplnions.) Tor another eoud man
aud therefore does no injury to the pubic He
ihrn proceeds To say, these agents need no.
dread the discussion ofthe constituilonaity Of
their exercise of tins power thus plainly avow-
ed by him 10 have been leveled at the righI Of
oplulun. SIR, the honorable Senator from
tennessee Mr. Gfundy) If understood him
avo"ed the same opinions, for he denied the
right OF the Senate 10 inquire into the cause Of
removal, and insisted thai the present Admin
tration had not gone beyond his prInci pies on
this subject. He contended that the Senate
would transcend their constitutional power,
and thus violate the instrument which II is then
interest to preserve, by examining into and
judging Of the proprety oil removals from Of
fee or by controlling the executive in the dis
charge of this branch Of his authority. lie
entered into n full DISCUSSION of the rights Of the
President with great ingenuity, aud maofplly
challenged Us 10 come oui boldly aud discuss
this subject with his freHlb freely and frank
Iy." The honorable gentleman Is formida
BILE antagonist lie wleIds a long knife with
strong arm IN defence oil his friends but when
he throws down his gauntlet 10 what is here
called the opposition, aud defcs them to CON
test nth these principles Of his 1dminiSird-
lion, he will be met freely, frankly, aud boldly
too.
Mr.. President, another year has rolled a
wav.-Our ides Of March come. This day
which is the anniversary OF the Chief Magis.
uate Inaugnl alton, brings with II some strange
"reminiscences the past, & some still stranger
anticpat ions ofthe future. On The last 4lh o.
March, and that at about this very hour of the
day, the American Senate followed the Amefi-
can President, in the progress OF his stately
triumph 10 that scene where. in the presence
of assembled thousands OF his cOuntrymen, he
proclaimed 10 the world the principles upon
which he inteRded TO administer the Govern
men, Independently of the fact tia, The
whole subject has been thrust into tins debate,
as have stated there seems TO be some pro
priety in devoing portion oil the passing hour
to The consideration of the extent and influence
of Executive authority. These on this day
would be proper subjects Of reflection for the
Chief Mag istrale himself and rs we are his
institutional advisers exercising, IN one sense,
a portion of the Executive power, we may
lcarn our own duty better by the temperate
examination of his ! concur with the gentle
man, that in discussing this or any other subject
involving a question OF constitutional law, pas
Stop and feeling areto be regarded as poor
sur;aries. we should go for nobler game
than mere party interests. Principles are
to be first settled here hut then the appicH-
ton of them must be fearessly made. The
first inquiry ought to be, what are the true
uriuciples not what is the interests of my
party II will be found that my view OF those
principles differs, as much IN some respects,
from those OF some 10 whose alignment usually
de fer, as it does, in others, from tbnse Of some
who profess to be politically arrayed against
me.
The power Of removal IS no where expressly
by the Constitution, except IN the sec
ton which provides that all civil officers Of The
L. States shall be removed from Office on I'M
parchment for, ar on conviction OF treason,
or other high crimes and mlsdeneanOr..
iudge. the tenure Of whose Office is dun bene Sc
gesscrit, l., removable only by this means. But
where good BEHAVIOUR is not the tenure OF
Office the power of removal Is properly and
incident 10, aud a consequence OF
the mower Of appointment. The power TO de
stroy is ordinarily implied from the power TO
create. II is common axiom OF our jurIseru-
dence, that the authority TO Dissolve a thing
must be as high as that which formed IT. The
I legislature which has the express power 10
pass law for raising revenue, for example,
has the necessary power TO repeat II. The
Governors Of many OF the States enjoy. by e1-
n,ess provisions in their respective Consiitu-