Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1832-08-16


ganized rs nat 10 infringe on cur own dele
gated powers, or the reserved rights Of the
State. The President is a coordinate
branch of the legislative department. As
snch. hills which have passed both Houses Of
Congress. are presented TO him for his an
nrovsl.or rejection. The idea of going to the
President for the project Of law is totally
new in the practice, and utterly contrary to
the theory of the government. What should
we think If the Senate calling upon the House
or the House upon the Senate for the project
of law?
Tn France the King possessed the initiative
of ali laws. and none could pass without its
having been previously presented TO one of
the Chambers by the Grown, through the
Ministers, Does the President wish to in
troduce the initiative here ? Are the powers
of rpco N n1endatiOn, and that Of veto, not suf-
6cient? Must all legislation, in its COM
mencement and in its termination. concen-
trate in the President ? When we shall have
reached that state Of things, the election and
annual sessions of Congress will be an useless
charge upon the People, and the whole bu-
siness of government may be economically
conducted by ukases and DEGREES.
Congress does sometimes receive the sug-
ees,ions and opinions of the Heads Of De-
partments, as to new laws. And, at the COM
mencement of this session. in his A0nual Re-
port, the Secretary Of the Treasury stated
his reasons at large, not merely in favor of a
Bank, but in support OF the renewal Of the
charter of the existing Bank. Who could
have believed that that responsible officer
was communicating to Congress opinions d.
rectly adverse to those entertained by the
President himself? When before has it hap
.,f
mendcd The passage of a law which, being
accordingly passed and presented TO the Pres
ident. is subjected TO his veto? What sort Of
Bank it is with project of which the Pres
dent would hare deigned TO furnish, Con-
gress, if they had applied to him, he has not
stated. 10 the absence of such statement, we
can only conjecture that it is his famous Treas
ury Bank, formerly recommended by him,
from which the People have recoied with
The instructive horror excited by the approach
of the Cholera.
The message states, that an investigation
unwiliingly conceded, and SO restricted in time
as necessarily to make it incomplete and unsat-
istactory, discloses enough to excite suspicion
and alarm" As there is no prospect of the
passage Of this bill. the Presidents objections
by constitutional majority
of two thirds, it can never reach the House
of Representatives. The members Of tina.
House, and especially its distinguished Chair
man of the Committee Of Ways and Means,
who reported the bill, are therefore cut off
from all opportunity ofdefending themselves.
Under these circumstances, allow me 10 ask,
how the President has aseertained that the
Investigation was an,Oillingiy conceded?
nave understood directly the contrary; and
hat the Chairman. already referred to, as
we'll as other members in favor of the renew
Il Of the chafter. promptly consented to and
rOted for the Investigation. Aud we all know
hat these in support of the renewal could
nave prevented the investigation, and that
hey did not. But suspicion and alarm have
,een excited. Suspicion and alarm! Against
whom is this suspicion? The House, or the
Bank, or both ss
Mr.. President. protest against the right
II any Chief Magistrate to come into either
House of Congress-, and scrutiniZe the mo-
ives Of IFS members to examine whether a
has been passed with promptitude or
and TO pronounce upon the will
ingness and unwillingness with which it has
been adopted or rejected. 1t is an interfer-
rnce with concerns which partake of a do
nestle nature. The official and constitution
II relations beiwsen the President and the
wo Houses Of c. ress, snbsist with them
IS organized bodies. His action is confined
o their contaminated proceedings, and does
Tot extend to measures in their incipient sta
;es, during their progress through the Hous-
$, nor to the motives by which they are ac-
uated. 4n ra
There are some parts of this message that
,ught to excite deep alarm /; and that espe-
Tally in which the President announces that
Zach public officer may interpret the cousti-
ution as he plcases. His language is--" Each
public otiiccr,who takes an oath to support the
constitution, swears that he will support it as
ne understands It, and not as it is understood
oy Others" saThe opinion Of the
Judges has no more authority over Congress
than the opinion Of Congress has over the
Judges; and, on that point, the President is in
aePenoens q 6oth." Now, Mr.. President,
conceive, with great Difference, that the Pres
loent mas mistaken the purport of the oath TO
support the Constitution Of the u. States
~! y one swears to support It as he understands
q, Dut 10 support it simply as it is in truth
=! a" men are bound to obey the laws. of which
the Cons'ltut'On is the supreme; but must
tney obey them rs they are. or as they ander-
s :. them IL the obligation Of obedience is
J. ana controlled by the measure of in
.ol'na.o"' 10 other words if the party is
oou'u 20 "hey the Consultation only as he
unuerstsnds It, what would be the conse
S r"nIG d;.o Inc judge Of an inferior court