Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1831-04-15
FoR THE RICHMOND VINO.
To clNtS

10 mo- out Vor nave presented yourself before the
public, and OF course, subjected yourself to the lust
criticism Of u, who shall choose to examine your
opinions. These opinions. i consider as erroneous
and calculated to mslcad the public mind unless they
be anaazcd an dcXposed | respectfully take leave
TO do this
With tho Presidents motives and patriotism. in
causing treaty to be made with the Turkish Go
vcrnment. have nothing TO do, and, if you will par.
don me- l think you had Just as little Ii The mode
and manner, of appointing commissioners or whatc-
YER else you may choose 10 call those who made the
treaty, cannot be justified by the Constitution YOU
will find 1t difficult 10 justify the President by any
appeal to public feeling. If the supreme written
law of the land, fail IN his vindicaton Won will m
VAN appeal to the moral law. Written constitutions
are of value If they liable to anv chance and
all changes which the conscience Of a Prcslden,
shall may require The wisdom of our ancestors
has left nothing to discretion, upon the subject of
public officers, except to the individuals whom the
President shall choose to nominate to office: The
manner of putting these individuals into Office IL
plainly prescribed in the Constitutions and no Presi
dent can change II with due regard 10 his oath of
office. Taking II for granted, that YOUR appcal Ia
feeling Of little consequence, proceed 10 examine
your constitutional doctrines.
YoU say, that treaty with fore On nation NAV
be contaminated without any negotiation; and, IN ii
lustraon, you ask, 'lt treaty be proposed to the
President by foreign power, which had not been
negotiated by any agent, the part of the United
States would it not be IN the constitutional power o
the President to send tn tho Senate for ratification"
Is,
that such paper is by no means entitled to he name
of treaty Treaty, means negotiation act of treat
ing, a compact or accommodation relating to public
affairs These things plainly imply, mutual agency
OF the parties, and OF course require more than
person IN forming - The President, therefore, IN
my humble Judgment, would have no constitutional
right to lay such paper you have supposed before
the Senate, treaty, for their rat6caton alt though
1t Is true, that he may make any respectful commu
nicaton that body and ask their advice upon points
which shall submit. ia mt i'm &c
uemc one, and by no means calculated 20 develope
the plain meaning of the Constitution.
Your next proposition Is, that although the Prcsi-
dent is required by the CONSTITUTIONS to nominate to
the Senate all public ministers, he bound to
nominate to that body secret commissioners. Let us
what the Constitution says upon this subject
The second clause OF the second section of tho
second article, is in these words-"Ho Ohio Pre-
sident) shall have power, by and with the advice
"and consent of the Senate, To make treaties,
provided thirds of the Senators present concur;
che shall nominate, and by and with the advice and
consent Of the Senate shall appoint ambassadors
''and other public ministers, consuls, and Judges of
the supreme court and all other officers the Uni
tied Sta'cs, whose appointments not otherwise
provided for and which shall be established by law
but he Congress may, by law, vest the appointment
''Of such officers they think proper, in the Pr
'ident alone, in the courts of law, in the heads of
departments
In giving to this part of the Constitution plain
interpi citation, he that is free from the influence of
party, would say, that the word public, has been
perverted by you INTO meaning not intended by the
wise trainers of the instrument. a candid mind will
probably say that the word public, as is here used
IN the Constitution, does relate to the character
of the agent, but to the QuenCcs of his agency
The Constitution plainly means, that in the appoint
ment of all persons who designed 10 act for the
public benefit, the President. shall nominate such
persons to the Senate II contrary opinion should
prevail, then il will be in the power of President,
TO call any appointment he may choose to make, a
81, 50, f1
Senate to check him in reward Nc partzan; though
he may be fcOn. II the President may form trca-
ty with Turkey, by means of a secret agency, why
may he not do tho thing with England,
France, and all other foreign natIons' Wonders IN
politics, Showing themselves every day IN these
United States: and that which will be little Won
drous will be dissolution of the Union. The tenn
per Of the times plainly point to this disastrous event:
the Constitution is violated every day, for the hum
BILE and servlle purpose, of sustaining men, dlsre
gard of principle men too who are unworthy of
support in every view III which they can be placed.
When Mr. Adams, by his message to Congress, simply
told the American people that he believed the appoint
ment of Panama commissioners, embraced III
ccuve powers alone yet, that he chose TO submit a
nomination to the Senate, the whole combination
denounced the sentiment and the man, IN terms as
cruel they were Opprobrlous. None was more
prominent than Mr.. Tazcwcll IN that dCnu citation.
Now, that Gen Jackson has carried out Mr.. Adams
sentiment into practice The comblna' ION, with Mr..
Tazewc at their head, say many kind things a.
opposition wall allow then. They obliged TO
condemn the act TO be- sure, but then, they believe
it was very innocent mistake, like Mr. Barrys
Post Office frauds, and that IL was done with the
most patriotic motives, &c. &c. Now, that Mr..
Tazowc is called upon to take the same ground
against General Jackson that he took against Mr..
Adams, oil VIC get from him Is, cool constitu-
tonnl arpumen'. The man Who committed the
wrong is left untouched, though he touched MIR
Adams with his heaviest hand This same Mr..
'Tazewcll is 50 mnch afraid Of siding IN the present
excitement, that he will not even accept dinner
invitation, lest something might grow out Of 1t. in
i1ious 10 the interest Of Gen. Jackson. Away with
such pale faced politicians. From them the country
can never derive good. Henry Clay never you'd
pursue such Virginia, never much, as
Mt the present moment, required the aid and advice
Of her talented and independent Sons and where
can she 50 naturally look for il, from her Sena-
tors? Yet, they will not give it. They Will in oil
probability, still go for Jackson, though they both
o.. D :.