Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-03-10

IL. -
isa'ion OF Congress- or the action OF the Executive
Department, above the Constitution Shall the crea.
ofe claim to cen,roi the creator! Pile precedent up
on precedent. until you ke O,sa ike a wart and yet
no sufhcisn, Justification 10 furnished for the Execu
Tive. Sir, am willing TO admit that these pecedents
may be urgeS, aud ssrs not how successfully, in ex
euss OF the President Toey havs m.lsd others, aud
why not him But, In my opinion, he has been msed;
and u Il my so emn duty to say
My colleague has anticipated tbs to all those
cases aud II would be idle for to tread upon the
ground over which he has gone. They have no Jus
| application to the question under discussion.
Much stress is laid the circu instance that treaties
nave been soiated by the Secretary OF State. Now
do not mean to decide question before me- bu,
can well conceive marked and strong diff renee be.
tween that ease aud this The Secretary Of State 10
an oicer known TO existing laws. He Is nominated to,
and appointed by aud with the advice and cousen OF
the Senate. He charged with the diplomatic reIa-
| tons Of the country. With Ministers near this Gov
eminent, is his duty to carry correspondence He
Is the true constitutional channel through which the
sentiments Of tbs President made known TO
nations aud can see 10 great impfop iety in the
Presidents investing him with pow or to sign trea v
which the Secretary has himself Sotiat.d, and to
exchange its aications But, Sir to make that case
parallel with the present, imagine that the President
commissions him as Minister to foreign country,
without any nomin i,ion to tbs Senate or suppose he
appoints him Secretary OF State without the sanction
or authority OF the Ssnate then iks that under
discussion arises; and the both Is the same
the Constitution forbds H.
1 have expressed to you candidy my own convic.
lions upon this subject many gentlemen will, no
doubt, take Opposite views from those entertain II
20, know how to tolerate differences OF opinion be-
tween men. Such Sena will, doubt, be scuat-
cd by as honest intentions myself. For myself the
path Of du'y is straight, and shal walk in it. Shall
di please the Pre'i by doing so II | do
cannot help it, But claim to follow 10 the footsteps
OF his examps; aud bright and glorou, 10 that EXAM
pie. When he exercised his veto certain bills,
during the last Session OF Congress he had my most
unqualified applause. have seen much in his career
to afplau! The patriot who has shed his blood the
emoauhsd plain In behalf OF his coun ry, will not
neaate to approve tho effort which is made to cave
tins Constitution from the ef,c, 40 error into which
ne may have ailsn. He ra'ihes error Of our, The
two Houses OF Congress, doubt, with solemn con.
vieton, OF both it's pc ency and conslitu,iouaity
pass bill, which, in his estimation infringes on the
Constitution; with Roman hrmne's he forbiis it. be-
coming law. Shall we rival this example, or shaIi
we be less faithful to tbs trust confded to us. The
fsrent departments OF tbs Government are intended
to check each other. Is the Legislature, each branch
has check upon the other and the President on both
while each has check on him. We will do our duty
then, as becomes us.
is however repeated that il is too late to CD
jet shluId have objected to ratfyug the Treaty
had hoped not to have hsari this argument repeated
after the conclusive watch was given TO il by
my colleague. When a Treaty il submitted TO the
SeDa Q, the ouly question which properly arises is
merely is 1t good or is it bad If the hrs il should
he rauhed; il tbs last, rejected. The Pre- sdent IL
invested with full power to negotiate all Treaties, and
when he asks appropriation to the Ministers en-
p'oyed in negotiating il, the question IN an, rst
time comes up as the legality of IN cir appointment
Herr, then is for not having discussed IN
naiie' in secret session, apart from all other. But
furthermore, two alternatives preseated, and
we had rsh,io exercise sound discretion in cho
ing between them. We would obviously take that
which would produce The slightest injury Again it /.
said, that We have taken 10 Ourselves the benefit of
others labor, and we ough TO pay for It. No de-
MES L.: IL has nsver been denied Butt taks it, chat
there is inifest diff-rs between an application
IN 'de by the Government, and made by an in ii.
vdual. The addresses itself to obligatio of
duty, the other 10 conviction. of what NAV be lust
EQUITABLE, Ia sanction tn a frat. ia IN
course which the administration has pursued, and to
sacrifice prime pie. To respond to the duplication Of
the individual ia 10 obey tn suggestions of benevo
iennt policy. The err'rof Government will not
sanction; but will redress to tn, man. tn = injury
which the error may have producsd-but it must be
on MA private petition or application The Secretary
OF State would then be heard a mere witness in be.
half Of The applicant not officer of GJvernmc
making reqri.iton upon us. 1 care no., however
Tor the mere form Ia which this thing isdoue provid-
cd the great principle be saved aud before take m
seat, shall move msndment, which will save that
pr rcipie.
Why, then, should we have been goaded into oppo.
sitiou to the administration by a perseverance in
course which we cannot approved Why presented to
the public in an attitude which earnestly sire
TO avoid! Is il part Of the policy Of tho times!
Heretofore for have differed from the President
bnt upon che question Of importance--ws acted then
as we do row, upon high principles. We deemed it
then, the lu,iotai advisers of the President
our mperous duty differ from him in opinion The
prnc iPle involved Dtm ately connected with the
freedom oil the press; we deemed it as hazardous TO
make the press Tue prominent SUBJECT OF Executive Ia
vor a. OF Executive displeasure. The influence Of
money is Irresistible than that OF force In this
country there is danger from the last; but the FIRST
IS the lever by which free systems are overturned.
We rested upon the good of the public for our
vindcdion and folded arms in silence. We there
by gave the most conclusive evidence OF desire for
the Presidents success in the admnis alton of he
Government. What was reward? Were we treat
ed with ordinary civility9 We declared TO be in
opposition to ths administration. Hard names were
bestowed upon us; abuse copi)uy poured out on our
head, ives assailed and misre presented; our
designs Represented dark and evil. This language
has been persisted in Tor the lat twelve months
Gu bono' For the good OF the President, or Of the
party TO which beongl IL this the way TO attach
high-minded men 10 any cause! Human Lature,
speaking almost eudibiy from the heart of ALL answers
10 the negative. new discoyery made. My
| colleague was represented old federais the mo
ment hs gave vote e1nsecrated, verify believe
II 10 be, TO the purest republication. The history OF
his iie exhibiting m did reared in the very arms
OF democracy was not sufficient to protect him. The
crcu instance OF his being actor in the spirit;
criis oil 1885, OF the par, which he bore 10 that
sion OF Congress which witnessed the retirement OF the
elder Adams from the Presideney of the uniform cons
ency OF his life in adhering to the soyernDe al doc
which he bore In the late arduous struggle; nothing
sufficient to protect him from this charge, or shield
him fIom the bitefnss, OF there hostile attacks FIR
myself, had nothing but ous egrity to plead
| in my behalf, and that svsiled little the SER
vices Of my colleague availed him. Our coesitu
ens urged no complaiD on the contrary, seriously
declare that have scarcely seen the within the
broad limits OF Virginia who did not approve course
To the language OF Of her citizens, that sun
eauseless clamor. None Of these attacks were mads
/ from thence. or from anv mart nj souih dil