Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-04-12

made to establish such relations and connnv
ions, by both the Adamses while they presided in ON
government. But the effort OF the elder Adams al
though approved by the Senate failed. by reason OF
the refusal of the minister appointed by him to ac
cept his appointment, and the subsequent abandon.
ment Of this scheme by those with whom it oria,na
ted. And the secret efforts of HE late President
10 establish such relations, without The advice or
knowledge of the Senate, also failed for reasons re-
Gently disclosed to this body, to which will not
now make any further allusion Whatever NAV
nave been the desires of these Presidents however
the fact Is undoubted, have stated it TO be- that
until the year 1929, there never was any connection
or relation between the S. and the Sublime Porte
more than now exists between the former and the
Empires of China and Japan.
In THIS state OF things the / eth day of Septem-
Der, 1929, and during the recess of the Senate the
present President, caused letters pateat TO be exped-
tea from the Department of State, signed by his own
proper hand and ihsniiested b. tie great seal OF
the U. s., whereby he commissioned the three per-
sons named In the amendment proposed by the Com
tmttee to be Commissioners on the mart of the u S.
ana thereby endowed them with Pcnlpotentiary
powers, TO negotiate a Treaty of Commerce and
Navigation, with the Ottoman Porte
beg the Senate to bear in mind flat this author
NY was not conferred upon these PERSONS by apy
private letter or warrant written by Secretary and
intended Tor their own guidance and governance
merely; but hat II purpors to be granted by the Chief
Magistrate himself, is communicated to them bv let
tiers patent under his signature authentca: ed
| by the great zeal of the S. addressed 10 all whom
they might concern, designed to be exhibited to the
inspection of foreign Sovereign, and to be eychan
ged against similar powers TO be gramed by HIM TO
others who might equally possess lis confidence
To whomsoever this seal was shewn At proved itself
When recognized by any Sovereign, If entitled those
who bore the Commission au, henticied 10 all the
| rights, privileges and mmunlties accorded 10 the
ministers of any Potentate earth; and authorized
then to pledge the faith and honor of this nation to
the performance of any within the scope of the
fuii power 1t purp0rted to bestow THIS Is the char
! cd hryti
upon the present OCCASION a copy OF winch is now
upon our files
In assurance of this Commission and of the in
structions that accompanied it, Mr. Rhind one of the
commissioners. proceeded from n York w here he
then Was) to Constantlnope. The other iwo Com
mlssIoners were already the scene of action;
one or them beng the commander CT our suua dron
In the Mediterranean sea, and the otter a commercial
agent of the U s. resident at SMYRNA. Arrived at
Constantlnople, M Rhlnd exhibited his commission
TO the Sultan, was received and accredited as the
representative of the u. s., and his proposal to ne
goclate Treaty was accepted Other Minister'S
clothed with equal authority, then appointed by
the Turkish monarch, to confer With him upon this
subject They met, exchanged their powers, and
began the business of negotiation. This was ter
minated bg Treaty, which although Ii bears date
concluded until several weeks afterwards
The Senote of the U. S. met on the first MONDAY
III december 1879, and continued in until the
last Monday, (beng the 3Ist day. of May, 1880
| appointments was ever communicated TO this body
nor were they at any time consulted, in any form
Whatever as to the propriety Of nsttutng this mis-
SION The message of the President TO both Hous-
es at the opening Of the present session of Congress-
IN announcing that Treaty had been entered into
with the Sublime Porte, gave the first information to
Il any Senator, that any negociton had ever been
had with that power
j Such are the facts existing this case, every
member OF the Senate well knows and bv these facts
these two questions presented-Did the Presi-
dent possess any authority to institute sush original
i nsslon during the recess, and without the advice
| and consent of the Senate?-And if he did, was it
not his bounden buty, to have nominated to the Sc
nate at their next session, the persons he had SO ap-
| pointed during the recess?
The amendment offered by the Committee, promo
sing 1t does to give san outfit and salaries to
these commissioners" thus appointed, is a direct
affirmation of the Presidents authority so to appoint
them, and an appreciation of his course in withhold
ing all knowledge OF their appointments from the
Senate. Then, the proposition involved in NV mo-
ton is. will the Senate sanction this surpation of
authority, which has been thus exercised in fragrant
dero9atlon Of their rights? This is the questions;
and 1t is vain for to seek to hide it from ourselves
\ power has been exerted by the President without
our advice and consent, and he comes here ask
ing an appropriation of money as the pledge of our
aCqulescenCe in and appreciation Of that which he has
SO done. Ought we to grant the application which
has this object'-l pray the Senate to consider the
matter well before they agree thus Voluntarily and
|
red upon them by the Constitution for the wises
purposes.
Before ! undertake to examine the questions
have stated, let me call the attention of the Senate.
the nature aud character Of what is supposed by
some to be the trl6ing power which has been exer-
ted upon this occasion.
If the President alone, without the advice and con-
sent of the Senate, may originate a mission to a
State with which we have never before had any DO
tcal conneXIoD or diplomatic intercourse, all must
coDcede, that he may compound that mission Of what
materials he may think proper. If he may dispatch
one minister he has the authority to send three,
as he has done, or five, was done IN The ncrocia
tons at Client or as macy more be may think fit.
The same power he possesses to send Ministers he
must also possess, to accompany them with such and
so m ny Secretaries. interpreters, Students Of Ian
guages, and other attaches in lis discretion he NAV
Judge useful to his new egatlon.-And ifbe NAV aD-
point all these, doubtless he may contract with all
and each Of the members of this newly recruited
Corps Dipi0mntique, to the quantum of the COM
pensatIOn to be paid for their services Thus he will
have an unlimited power to pledge public re
venue to any extent he may choose We shall
then have these strange anomalies In our govern
ment, that the President who cannot touch one cent
even of his own salary without the consent of both
houses Of Congress, may nevertheless by his own act
properly create any charge upon the Treasury in
6, r,C, .t,-t,b c a.