Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-01-02


e nature Of the case rendered the of men
zen aud decisive remedy indispensable 20 " SUI
mr.. lawrence, IN his speech, says: "ln tho Co,.,,,
non me heads oil departments as ~. ,
assistants OIL The Presidents in the performance of his o.
eeuve d1ie:' He has the superintendent the con.
no aud the Inspection OF their conduct he has an in,
mate nnec,ion with them; thew must receive From, n
his orders and dire ctions; they n,,st answ h;s no;
wiling, when he requ'resh Shall the person having
oil discovering and defeating the base o G
ncer' '"er delnquencies, their detective abilities or
Their negligence, be restrained from spp wing ,he.s adj
v"ntages 10 the most useful in cases the onv
useful purpose which be answered by them ' '
appeas to me that the power can be safely io5o.J
here. bu, has been said by some g.n,lsns % e
1t is lodged here II will be sufficient 10 abuse. tia, a..
may oe ehsnge OF ohcers. and complete revolution
throughout the whole executive department. upon the
election oil every new President ! admit mi, NAV ha
the case and contend that it should be The case n the
President thinks II necessary contend ,ha, ev.,,,
president ought to have those men about him I'm ,ho.
ne can place the most confidence provided the Senate
hs choice but we are not from hence to infer
."at changes will he made In wanion manner and
uoin cspricous motives" $50
Now .ir on the other side of the que-,ion-wi,a was
pos lille to place their officers in such situation
deprive them oil their independently and frmne.s: for
~ s". IS, nor ,n'enaeu TO stop with the Secretary
stiuion gives the President the command of the n;r
afy. IL you give him complete power over the man
WIN the strong box, he will have III. liberties of Anne
RIGA under his thumb is easy see the evil which
may result If no establish an arbitrary su,ho
ry, and finds the Secretary OF finance net ;ncinsd ~
second hi: eneavors. he has nothing more to do than tn
remove HIM: and get one appointed Of principles more
sonEen,ai with bis own Then say. he have got the
army let me have but the money, and will establish
my throne upon the ruins Of your visionary Republic
call the House to some further views on the same
sue OF the question: still stronger than these and strictly
analogous to the Of argument of those gencme
who deny any power in the President 10 remove the Sc
| cretary.
| Mr.. Madison says Vest this mower IN tho s.r,,.
J"hy WIN the President. and you abolish at once that
great principle Of unity and responsibility in Execu-
1--WE bePartnents which int for the securv NJ
liberty and the public good IL the President should oos
sess alone the power Of removal from office those Who
are employed in the execution the law will be in their
proper suaon and the chain Of dependence be preserv
ed The lowest officers, the middle grsde and The high
s M, aepend, as they ought on the President tho
| president on the community. The chain Of dependence
therefore, terminates in the supreme body, namely in
ne people; who will possess besides, in aid of their ORR
| Mr.. Gerry opposed these views:
but what conseque result from pyinu IN. prs
siueh the absolute control all officers A,tong IN.
rest, presume. he is have an unlimited conri ov s
the officers Of the Treasury think n tbjs 10 ,,,a 60
you may as wei give him at once the appropriation Of
ne revenue ior OF what use is il TO make laws on This
head, when the President by looking AZ The o,i.or 49,.
make IL his interest to break them We NAV exnec IN
and not OF the law" ~ '''
Can any thing he analogous to the arr,,men,s ws
now hess But let me treapass so far as to read ors
more extract, in which the forebodnrs Of DANCER h
nae oeen expressed during the debate are summed up bv
moon these three days with great attention. and think
when taken together they consist in this the raising
ich fret
sight, appear very terrible, but when thew are aten
avey contemplated they appear to be the vagaries of
dsordered Imagination. Let us examine one or two
OF Wese irighui pictures, merely a sample of the
whole set, and see what they amount TO- The most
ghIiu oil all that have been brought into view is that
he treasurer must be the creature of The Presj
den' aud CONFORM 10 all his direcions or he arbitrarily
removes him from office, and lays his hands violently
upon the money chest; then, having the sword and
"e purse you see the President boldly advancing sun
ported by the army and navy, and the money chest in
ne back ground engaging the liberties of the people
PUSHES onward with irresistible mpetuosiry; so sudden
and fatal is the stroke that the expiring genius OF Anne
T Tea mas hardly time family to say-frewe Liberty.
mus despotism rides triumphant and freedom and
happiness are tramplcd in the dust Strange that ALI
tins should arise from the Executive Magsrate having
Tue power oil removal But gentlemen tell, us that IF
we keep the Treasurer the power of The pres;
dent he cannot inure us; that, being thus independ
ent Your strong box will be well guarded and the e.
sideDt cannot get your money unless he steal and If
he steals it, and the Treasurer sees him he will 4, 4.
this will lead TO Impeachment and we shall ae, ;
oi me cause oil our approximations. But the Consitu.
ton says that money shall be taken out of the Tres
sory but by appropriations: this Alone think a sui.
soften down the harsh features which the terrible MIC
lure have just now mentioned displayed. saw sir
Without syesi ay DC III ns Treasury by millions and
PRESIDENT and Treasurer, either both together cam
not touch ar!hng OF it., unless they steal It. This be-
,ne Independence OF this officer, danger arising from
ms dependence, without single exception; for If the
President with strong army at his back comes vio
ienty to lay hold of the money chest this stands
uu very poor security against such power think
the PRESIDENT, supported with the army and navy max
ing descent upon Treasury, would be very ant 70
in his way" wv - "e ''ooo
Here, Sir is summed up the whole argument advanced
al na gay against the power which has been exercised
oy Tue PRESIDENT on the present occasion.
in the Constitution (sa;d Mr. Ames) the President Il.
required 10 see the law faithfully cu,ed He can.
nor DO ms Without he has control officers appoint
ed TO aid him in the peifo OF his duty Take mi.
power out OF his hand, and you virtually shp linn Of
D" authority you virtually destroy his responsi Iity the
great security which this Constitution holds mn 10 tia
people OF America" " 80
ake IL, SIT, the only power the President has eyer
csed Is one not only clearly conferred on him by lie Con-
su'uuon and by the act creating the Treasury Denarl
nenf, but one which has bee exercised without oi;ec
uon from the very foundation of the Government TO lie
present hour The power exercised under his te,pon
'"y 10 the country IL is not TO he exercised capri-
cousy though may be without The as,igBme mt Of anv
reason IL u Is abused, the corrective is found n the fact
me Executive power returns every four years to the
hands Of the people; and, if that too long I, wait the
President can be reached by impe schmenr
But is said that the Secretary of the Treasury il hound
20 make his annual report TO Congress. and that If he
sha remove The deposiie he is assign his moi
10 we President, but TO Congress And why this n,
asked, unless he be independ Of the President? Sir
wiz NOT repeat what have already said but will saw
hat u The act intended by this provision 10 control the
ftesihenrs power Of removal it s unconstitutional and
yo'" But Why then, must lie submit his annual report 10
Congress! answer, lst because Congress the guar
dian oil The public purse; Ii the laws by which the
revenue Is collected and by which alone is discussed
ana Is peculiarly proper that the head Of the Treasury
Department should report 10 that power which controls
4