Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-04-01

tnat the ffesiuelt anu the Senate h 'Hce
junction. The first Congress tha, ancoa.
took up the whole question, and d1scn.nolet.
most deliberately. Mr.. Hamilton's oniniosSNed /
undergone a decisive change, as he ayo~nsAa mad
forwards in the discussions under the utowed az
of Pacificus and Helvidius, written h. "n%ssaatGfe
olson and himself. And yet with : MI Ma.
known opinions of Mr.. Hamilton HVSe vel
been without a sentiment of surnrisa Ids no.
have seen it asserted, that he was aG.i tnat We
power of removal in the President, a5 9S4nSt tbs
maintaining the authority of Congress "aSh
litical struggles, parties will seek to ca., II Pl
their adversaries the odium of offensiyo'HS upol
as such names often carry more Weigh ,hhdnlel
tempted argument. 1t is we'll know naA a.
now stated with confidence, that 50 f m' anqk
power was claimed or resisted in the a. az ms
gress, the Democratic party generarv Con
it, and it was urged and obtained bv H. o'sSlec
uous exertions of their more succrsS mT sle1.
nents. The elder MIR. Adams gave tbo opPc
vote in the Senate in behalf of its eyiSt SdSllg
1t is matter of historical truth. that tSa
er was not claimed as incidental to tbe - Pog.
ing action of the Executive, for that voU UiP5POdt
united with it the concurrence Of the So nav
was put upon that other provision Of tIo a Il
s%titution, which requires Of the presi6o"... Co&
he should see the laws faithfully eyecrtog Uai
on this single ground was the power Ta-ul
serted and conceded. We say excInsiv "gn as
on this provision, and upon no Other 8 W
sulting by construction, it must. Accord Il
the Report of '98, bear a relation direct ins "
date, and appropriate to that which bajo raDs'
the Executive by express grant in the Cons."
ton; and that it flows from no other sonrs~t o
the Constitution, than that which reoniro-,
Executive to see the laws faithfully eyac,,
1t does SO happen, that this same duty is ani,.
ed by the amended Constitution Of VIZ
in those identical words, upon the Co...
Of this ancient Commonwealth. What wng.
be the revolving spirit of hot displeasura w..
which your Governor would be visited bv 49,
people, were he to enter your Treasures Or.
and demand a surrender Of all the none ~
the good people of Virginia into his ba.5.
Sir, your Treasurer might say to the State b..
e%cutive, my duty forbids it; my oath forbid,
my official bone forbids it; the genius If On,
free Constitution forbids it. The custody 9TH.
public treasure is confided by law to me. and
owe all my responsibility to the representaare
of the people. Could your Governor %rjoEff,rr
reply, my duty is to see the laws faithfully pys
cuted; the power of removal is in me, As an in
cident to this duty. The laws of Virginia h
not mean what the Statute Books import-th.r
l lIlCul ia l. Wttt lIItIll " HlCuI, anu lOlM|.
more; and | hereby remove you from Office. and
seize the public treasures, by putting them into
| the custody of another, who construes his On.
ties as founded in the laws, and as Iinterpre
them. And yet, would such an occurrence pe
sent q scene widely apart from that exhibited
upon another theatre, by another Executive
drawing power by a grant expressed in I.
guage precisely the same?
The act of Congress Of 1889. defines wit.
minuteness, the duties of the Treasurer of theU
States. He shall receive and keep the mOn.a
of the United States; he shall, on the third day
of every Session, lay before Congress, fair and
accurate copies Of his transactions, and a per
feet account of the state of the Treasury For
the fidelity with which he is to discharge those
functions, bond and security to a heavy amount
are given, and he is required to take an oath Of
office. Would the Presidents Interpretation Of
his duties, shield him from prosecution on tie
bond or the oath? Would your Courts receive
it as a plea in bar? The spirit Of liberty, ofjG
tice, and oflaw, would rise up in rebellion agara
it. The custody of the Federal treasure waSde
signed to be his by law. And ifthe 18th seciOnC
the act of April, 1916, changed that c~uStOdytT
the time being, and in a contingent event, the
yer did intend to repeal the act Of'69; n|Orsn0
be repealed. That there is repugnanCe between
the two laws, for a certain time, is not doubted
But that r%epugnance is temporary; and the d.
slant the contingency occurs, in the act OF lie
Secretary, who may otherwise order and d.
rect" the care and keeping Of the treasure oy
the Treasurer, springs into action, win all Nt
responsibilities of his official oath and DonG
But where now is the Treasury? Where ld
salutary check in the popular behalf pTOyael
in your constitution. that no money shai w
" drawn from the Treasury except IN cons
"quence of appropriation made bylaw -.
Treasury is now the vaults OF certain OO"
Banks, irresponsible to the control OF CohgIea
of doubtful solvency, and some OF them uen,
bling upon the verge of a temporary eAlSIsI III
Is not every dollar of the federal money d u,
moment within the Executive controls Is %'
this an assumption of power, vloIauVe VI 60
ry saving principle that can guard ana Pr
the popular rights2 Nor is it any alleVIauon~
the ills and errors Of this act, that the non
of the present Executive is our secuiIy oom.
deity. It is the lawless act OF which VIC ' Ia~,
plain; the %usurpation of the power WIZ I0I
its hand upon the vitals OF the cohsutuIio .o coo.
system of government does not resi- III We rr
fidence that may be reposed in any m %aoror,.
tues. The principles Of the revolution, ions
ing with tears and blood our free lhSl!U ~ mn.
are founded in diffidence and distruSl u az 50
lie agents. 1t is known that this mI"2p nnol
deeply to be bewailed, was consumnaIeu =
the Presidents RESPONSIBILITY. AcqWesvJw nI3
such assumptions essentially changes, d.u orn,
finally overthrow this whole system Om ~
of government do not rest upon REsPoN'' r@ia.
but unon the division and constitutional ""'
ton of power. ,M
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