Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-01-06
6 O N g R E s 9 !.


Mr.. Benton said he would take leave. before
he took up the subject under debate, to vlndlcate
an officer Of the Senate who had been unjustly
assailed, aud who had not the right OF speaking
for himself He alluded to the Secretary OF the
Senate MIR Lowrie) and to the threat puoliciy
expressed in open debate by Senator from hen-
lucky (Mr. Clay to move to expel him from MS
Office if he should remove any OF ms c'efks TOT
their political opinions. The threat imphed a
knowiedse. or belief, that the Secretary intend
cd TO make such removals; when 10 point o. lacs
M such intention existed. The Secretary now
had every clerk in his Office which was in it when.
he came 10 many years ago. He was living in
the utmost harmony with these clerks, and could
not but feel himself deeply wounded by threat
which raised an implication which had no man.
ner of existence Mr. B. said that an acquaint,
ance Of fourteen years with the Secretary enaoieu
him to say that he was incapable OF the disnooo-
8 rahle coniocr. attributed. by implication. TO him;
mat he was a high exemplihcation OF the charac-
ter Of 4 christian and gentleman, and would
conscientiousiy discharge his duties to the Senate
and his clerks without the slightest regard TO un-
merited threats. Mr. B also spoke OF the ami
madyersion which had been made at the same
time. and for the same cause, upon an otncer OF
another body, (the Clerk OF the House OF Repre-
sentatiyes.) Mr.. B. was a strangerto hun, knew
nothing Of what be bad done, had no opinions 10
give as to his conduct; but he would say in VIM
dication Of the privileges of the House of Repre-
senatyes, that the conduct OF their clerk belong
ed to them, not to the Senate, and that 1t was I'M
parliamentary for the Senate to take notice OF 1t.
Mr. B.. then proceeded to the order OF the day
the resolutions submitted by Senator, from
Kentucky (Mr. Clay on the removal OF the pub
lie deposites froh. the Bank of the United States,
and asked for the reading OF the resolutions.
The Secretary read
/. Is Resolped. That. by dsmissing the late
Secretary of the Treasury, because he would not,
contrary TO his sense of his own duty, remove the
money Of the United States in deposte with the
Bank Of the United States and its Branches. IN
conformity with the Presidents opinion; and by
appointing his successor TO effect such removal,
which has been done, the President has assumed
the exercise of power over the Treasury OF the
United States, not granted to him by the Constr
tutor and laws, and dangerous to the liberties
OF the people.
Resoiued, That the reasons assigned by the
Secretary Of the Treasury, for the removal OF the
money Of the United States, deposited ia the
Bank Of the United States aud its Branches com
municated to Congress on the third day of De-
cember, 1883, are unsatisfactory and INSULT
CENT?
Mr. B. said that the FIRST of these resolutions
contained Improbable matter. and was in fact,
though not In form, direct impeachment OF the
Presidentsof the United States. He rected the
constitutional provision, that the President might
be impeached, 1. for treason: Q. for bribery; 5.
for hieh crimes; f. for misdemeanors. and said
that the first resolution charged both high crime
and misdemeanor upon the President: high
crime in violating the laws and constitution TO
obtain power over the public treasure TO the
danger of the liberties of the people; and mis-.
demeanor in ds,nissing the late Secretary OF the
Treasury from ofice. Mr.. b. said that the terms
of the resolution were sufficiently explicit to de-
fine high crime, within the meaning OF the con-
stitution, without having recourse to the srgu-
ments and declarations used by the mover in il.
iustraton of his meaning; butif any doubt re-
manned on that head it would be removed by the
whole tenor of the argument. and especially that
part of it which compared the Presidents con,
duct to that OF Cesar in seizing the public trea-
sure to aid him in putting an end to the liberties
of his country; and every Senator in voting up
on it would vote as directly upon the guilt or IN
nocence of the President as II he was responding
to the question of guilty not guilty, in the con-
Guiding scene of a formal impeachment.
We are then, said Mr.. B. trying an impeach,
ment But how. The Constitution gives to the
House of Representatives the sole power to orr
ginate impeachments; yet we originate the i'm
parchment ourselves. The Constitution gives
the accused right to be present; but ne is not
here. 1t requires the Senate to be sworn as
judges: but we are not so sworn. 1t requires
the Chief Justice Of the United States to preside
when the President is tried; but the Chief JUS
tice is not presiding. 1t gives the House of Re-
personalities right to be present, and to man.
age the prosecution; but neither the House nor
its managers are here 1t requires the forms of
criminal justice TO be strictly observed; yet all
these forms are neglected and violated. 1t is a
proceeding 10 which the First Magistrate of the
Republic is TO be tried without being heard, and
In which his accusers are TO act as his judges.
Mr.. B, called upon the Senate TO consider
well what they did before they proceeded further
in the consideration of this resolution. He cal
led upon them to consider what was due to the
House of Representatives, whose privilege was
invaded, and who had right to send message
TO the Senate, complaining of the proceeding, and
demanding its Abandonment He conjured
them to consider what was due to the President,