Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-03-29
CHE Constitutional ,gNbia.
IN SENATE OF THE U. Frp 10, 1881.

Post Office Department from investigating the
principles upon which the removals have been
made i'll that Department.
Mr. PRESIDENT: 1t Is with uniformed reluctance
That rise for the purpose of again engaging in 4
discussion of the resolution of the honorable gen
tlcnan from Tennessee. Laboring as do at this
time under considerable indispositiou it would be
much more agreeable to my feelings if consistent
with my Of duty, to suffer those who oripna-
ted this debate to Storm their political Textbook for
the year" as the gentleman from Indiana has phra
SEQ IT, without any attempt my part to its
beauties or correct its errors; but the remarks which
had the honor to address to the Senate on this
SUBJECT nave been grossly perverted, and the real
state Of the funds Of the Post Office Department as
they appear from the documents before u.s. has been
sh incorrectly represented by the members from
New Hampshire and Tennessee, (Messrs Woodbury.
and Grundy.) that am again compelled to trespass
upon the indulgence of this honorable BODY.
Before proceed to discharge this necessary ,lutv
suffer me- SIR, briefly, to notice observation wlncb
fell from the member from Missouri, (Mr Benton y
IN the course of debate the salt tax originated
by him, and which you then pronounced to be disor-
DERBY: He was pleased to say that the Senate
ought not to deny him hearing on this important
motion to abolish the duty on alum SALT while they so
willingly consented to this investigation, "which
gagged them as petty consableS ferretiny out crimes
OF which they might afterwards become Judges. 4"
There was nothing, sir, in the source from which
this sprung, IN the manner in which was made, or
IN the occasion which gave it BIRTH that would have
entitled 1t to any notice from ME, but for the repe-
ttion of the argument involved in it. that the Senate
ought not to inquire into mpeachabe matter. That
argument, sir has been urged by the Senator from
New Hampshire and supported by the gentleman
from Tennessee, to deprive the Committee of the
power of nscertainng the principles upon which
your Postmaster General has removed so many hun
dreds of officers from his Department. If it has not
been sufficiently met aud answered already it was
because such an argument was not deemed worthy of
any labored reply 1t is not every hypocrtical pre-
tehce which ingenuity for the purpose
OF screening guilt or condemniug inuocence-not
nnnnlu MI Of ,l~,.,
power and who would prustrate the dignity of the
Senate while he affects TO over It's fall that
merits an answer from me. But TO the gentleman
from Tennessee, who represents the highly respect
able Legislature which elected him, and WHO doubt
less thinks there is weight in this objection when he
presses it, answer that the object of the whole
inquiry as expressed on the face of the resolution
under the authority of which he and are acting,
as members OF Committee, Is to enable US to ie-
s|state; that 1t was not instituted to Law the foun
datIon for any impeachment that the right which
the SENATE enjoys as 4 coordinate branch of tho
whole legislative power of the Union, involves the
right to enquire into every abuse all the Depar
mtnts OF the Government which legislation can
reach and which Congress ought either to limit or
prevent. The power to inquire whether law he
necessary, must be incident and subsidiary IN tho
power to make it.
His reasoning TO screen the Postmaster General
from this investigation proves too much. II would
prevent us from examining the conduct Of oil thos.
subordinate officers of this Government VIM are 40
liable TO impeachment the President or Chiefs of
Department.. The gentleman from Maine has Justly
remar kcd, TINT the Senate is for some purpose =
judicial, Tor others Legislative body 1t exercises
all che powers incident to each of these Cd M in
dependcntly of others. Was it ever heard tbnt tho
Senate f0r0oIe to counsel and advise the Presden, in
their executive character, because they rpioh there
by prrJudge matters which, by possibility miJbt
afterwards be submitted to them lepsa,ors2 Should
we refuse to hear word to convince us of the no
cessity OF passing an act to prevent by increasing
inc penalties Tor eztortlon in our public officers be-
cause we might be called upon to Try them as Judges?
Dih we refuse to decide i'll iudical cauacifv :.
question OF contempt, bccaGsc such bill as has since
been introduced, TO regulate The law of cnbtemp,
might be brought before Us? The argument. if if
deserve the name OF one, would sobvert the power
ana oosTuLt the whole action of The Senate In MI
such cases the objection of prejudging met G. crush
cd by the anita gonzlng considerations that our dutvt
the people and this the magma ctnrtn of t6er
loer'ies require OF us to close every against
the possible abuse OF power, and TO expose and
tram every encroachnent upon their rights Sir thorn
are perhaps hundred cases appearing on MIR ron
cords, in which inquiries have been made here into
abuses OF the Government, for the purposes of leos
lation and 1t IS not too much TO say that this is the
fIrst time, IN the history of this body VIXEN sch an
objection has been advanced to screen public Office,
from fair and full investigation of the PRINCIPLES
which have regulated his official conduct II is mn
loss striking than novel, too that the friends of the
Postmaster Genera! should betray such sensIvenpss
TEST Tie examination ofthe Committee StouM IcaJ rs
ms Impeachment When that Committee was an
Poi"'c" in He cary part OF thIS Session, IL
vauntngly urged by bis friends here, that thew def
81 Th the investigation, and eourted the Inquiry
every thing and you will find
all right" The original resolution directing
the inquiry into the entire management of the De-
partment, was adopted with air of triumph though
the anxiety to avoid the scrutiny Of Select Com
Inittee did not very well comport, as | Thought
then, sir, with the lofty and sounding Rhrages Which
,Se it. When the trnl begins, we see
That a new light is suddenly shad on tho ouos,;l
then decided. A part of the power which was del
1@ated on the Committee must be now revoked.
he light begins to shine too brightly, and the crv
Is we are afraid you will disclose Impeachment,
matter In other words, the fear that the POST
master General has grossly violated the law and
the Constitution, that if suffer your COMMITTEES
to examine his principles of official action wIth
view to restrain him, we may BE- compelled to try
HIM on an impeachment! l will not DENY this, sir
hecauee it has doubtless been permitted to tbcoo |
gentlemen to learn much more OF the secrets |
Of his Department than MYSELF and MS / do |
not love to contradict gentlemen when ] can
avoid IT, 1 agree that the apprehensions tbev
express may be we'll grounded. If the proof
pc not arrested scene of barter and juggling for