Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-12-21
22d ConSress...2d Session.
HOUSE OF RESENTATIVES
FRIDAr, Dec. IA. 1882.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

A"o ''""se having resumed tic consider atiOr
OF the unfinished bus ness. being the reference
OF various parts Of the Presidents Message.
| The question being on an additional resolu.
ton, u5th,) moved by Mr.. Daniel ia committee
which referred SO much of the Message as rcIa.
ted TO the exercise Of doubtful powers by Con-
gress to a Select Committee:
MIR. SfEGHr suggested that tho gentleman
hnd better insert his proposition as an amends
nent to tho 9th Resolution. SO as TO make ,ha,
Resolution read
Resolved That so much Of said Message az
recommends All amendment Of the Consti,u tion
IN relation 70 Internal improvements. and the
reducing the snme TO some fixed and certnin
rule and The exercise by Congress Of doubtful
poioers, DO referred tn Select COMMITTEE.
MIR. DANIEL replied, that rs the gentlcman's
views were usually sound aud wholesome, he
would tnke his advice.
MIR. WIcKLrFFE said TINT no did not know
that the President had recomne ndcd the exer-
Gle OF doubtful powers by Congress.
| MIR. DANIEL then modified the Resolution 80
as to read land go much relates to the ex-
crcise," &c.
MIR. MERCER though, it would he hest to
strike out the clause. lilo had thought. u, first.
that the gentleman from Kentucky, (Mr. Da-
| nIcI had been intending only the indulgence of
IA vein OF hum1r; but lie perceived that it was
otherwise, and be thought the subject was "a
very proper sub ect of reference. Tie que, ton
whether, before amy power is exercised by
Congress which some gentlemen considered ns
doubtful, resort must be had toa convention of
three-iourlhs of all the peop!o of ,he United
States, was certainly u subject that might be
very properly referred to committee Of that
House. Ii furnished n subject Of serious con-
| eIderaiicn. Yet It's seriousness arose more
from tho high source from which such sug-
gestion had proceeded, than from any thing
else He unprecedented, that ii Congress were
! N We IN
doubted until TWO thirds of the People of the
Union had been called upon to decide the unes-
ton, their path from darkness to day would be
long and difficult, and would be very seldom
travelled. slr. NJ. objected to coupling this
clause with that in relation TO Thermal Imp, owe
ments; IL seemed to imply All affinity between
the two subjects which lie was disposed TO alb
solve.
MIR. POLK moved to strike out tho words
land the exercise by Congress of-,loub full DOW
ers." The Presidents message suggested the
prorricty of hisslpa,ing all doubts about the
constitutionnlily of works of improvements, ms
conducted 10y tho General Government When
the gentleman from Kentucky moved his reso
luton about doubtful powers, Dir. p. had sup.
posed, AS other gentlemen seemed 10 have done
that II had been done merely in spor,: ii he had
no., he houid have opposed the resolution.
Here some dcsullOry Discussion arose on the
Question whether it wonld be in order to receive
Mr.. Folks amendment, and tie Chair was un-
dersto"d as pronounciug it to be in order
MIR. DANIEL said he could assure the g.utlo-
man from Tennessee, MIR. PoIk,) ihat ia ma
King the motion he had done, he had been en-
tIrely IA earnest. The gentleman vas mista-
Ken IT he supposed Mr. ID. came To that House
Tor The purpose of making sport will so i'm
portant part Of the Message Of the Exccm-
tive. Ills object had been TO ascertain whai
rowers The President considered as "doubtful
IN and
gross might not exercise them against his will
IL had been his desire, il he could be so foriu-
nate ms TO sc, upon the committee, TO hunt out
tho Presidents opinion, if it were possible TO
discover what that opinion was, on points OF
Constitutional law That had been his wish,
aud that was his purpose in Offering the reso,
luton. Was this sporting with The House?
lie " as now, however, apprehensive that the
gentle man from North Carolina (Mr. Speight)
had go, his resolution into "a ST ate that he ould
he unable to do hat he intended. lie wanted
10 have examined the various communications
of the Executive 10 that House a: different
times, aud also the expressions o: his opinions
out OF doors because he icas ,ceH npdre that
me expression Of an opinion ty The President
mat ne doubted The consittutionatty Of any par
hcuidr poWer rendered that '.doubiJuL poper,'
and that power ought not therefore TO no ex-
crc'sed by Congress. For example, he desired
particularly to know what was the opinion of
me PRESIDENT otbe repeal Of tho 25lh section
OF TIC Judiciary act; this lie hoped To got from
Tie gentleman from Tennessee, (Alr. Polk !
VINO was said TO lie very intimate at tho Whi:e
couSe' lie wished farther to know how far a
! state might act IN regard To us own internal
ponce lie wished In get at these Executive
| opinions, as they were to be gathered from de-
| claTatIous, public or private, aud among other
| things from the Proclamation of tho Executive
lie thought that if this could be ascertaned.
t"e UNION, instead of being dissolved Inighi
be preserved, 1T the House would only de-
clare how far a State might go. Ills wish
was To save tnis Union from riyIl war also.
| which was not unlikely 10 be excited by
tho course the President was pursuing. lis
would have desired To make Report upon
| thlS SUBJECT; upon tho subject Of lnreinal I'm
prOvemeOts also. lilo wished il settled exactly
! now lar tie House might GO, so lllat VLroEs
shJuld cease. TIE House must not run touu-
ter 10 the Presidents opinions on Constitutions
! ~ Iaw' provided 1t could discover what those
opinions were. That What Mr.. n. had thought
/ to be perfectly constitutional, I've now found Tn
he doubtful He wanted 10 fluid out lust how
! inr Congress might GO The Presidcui had do
cared I'D his Message that no power ought TO
| TIE exercised Vt one fourth part Of tie Statcs
believed II To lie unconstitutional all such
we're doubtful powers,' aud should by no
means be exercised Mr.. ID. said tia. in this
TIC fully accorded with the President. All such
| Questions ought to he referred TO The PsUple.--
1t was the exercise Of these doubtful powers
winch had Occasioned so mach excl erncnt in
some OF the StHtes. IL was the People who
| we're The proper members Of the Constitution:
'hey were rs authors, and IlIsy copId modify il
! at pleasure. Mr.. ID. was anxious To- obtain a
HePori which should slew how { r tho eScr-
Csc Of doubtful powers had produced The pub
lie dIscontents. The People would never eom-
PLAIN of having these questions submitted to