Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-06-11

OF
whom are appointed by the State Legislatures
Where, then is the authority for saying that the
President is the direct repreS entdtive OF the Peo-
DIen The Constitution calls the members OF
the other House, Representatives, and declares
that they shall be chosen by the People; and
there are no other direct or immediate repre-
sentatives of the People in this Government
The Constitution denominates the President
simply the President Of the United States: it
points out the complex mode OF electing him,
defines his powers and duties, and imposes Ii
mits and restraints on his authority. With these
powers and duties, and under these restraints
he becomes, when chosen, President OF the Uni
ted States. That is his character, and the de-
nomination Of his Office How is it, then, that
on this official character, thus cautiously Great
ed limited, and defined, he is to engraft another
and very imposing character, viz: the charac-
ter of the direct Representatives Of the American
People? ! hold this, sir, to be mere assumption,
and dangerous assumption. If he is the repre-
sentative of all the American People, he is the
only representative which they all have. No
body else presumes to represent all the People.
And ifhe may be allowed to consider himself as
the SOLE REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE, and is to act under no other responsible
lily than such as have already described, then,
say, sir that the Government q will not say
the People, has already master deny the
sentiment, therefore, and protest against the
guage is to be found in the Constitution Of the
country; and whatsoever is not satisfied to de-
scribe the powers Of the President in the lam
guage of the Constitution, may be Justly suspect
ed of being as little satisfied with the powers
themselves The President is President. His
office and his name of Office are known, and
both are fixed and described by law. Being
commander of the army and navy, holding the
power Of nominating to Office and removing
from Office, and being, by these powers the
fountain of all patronage and all favor, what
does he not become if he be allowed to super
add to all this, the character Of single repre-
sentative of the American People? Sir, he be-
comes, what America has not been accustomed
to see, what this Constitution has never Great
ed, and what | cannot contemplate but with
profound alarm. He who may call himself the
single representative Of nation, may speak in
the name Of the nation; may undertake to WELD
the power of the nation; and who shall gainsay
him. in whatsoever he chooses to pronounce as
the nations Will!
will now, sir, ask leave to recapitulate the
general doctrines of this Protest, and to present
them together. They are
That neither branch Of the Legislature can
take up or consider, for the purpose OF censure,
any official act of the President, without some
view to legislation or impeachment;
That not only the passage, but the discussion
of the resolution Of the Senate OF the 2Sth OF
and repugnant to its provisions;
That the custody Of the public treasury always
must be entrusted to the Executive; that Con-
gress cannot take it out Of his hands, nor
place it any where, except with such super
ntendents and keepers as are appointed by
him. responsible to him, and removable at his
will;
President, and that, therefore, the duty of de-
Tending the integrity of the Constitution results
to him from the pery nature of his Office; and
that the founders Of our Republic have attested
their sense of the Importance of this duty and
by expressing it in his official oath, have given
to it peculiar solemnity and force;
That, as he is to take care that the laws be
faithfully executed, he is thereby made respon
sible for the entire action of the Executive de-
partment, with power of appointing, overseeing,
and controlling those who execute the laws
That the power Of removal from Office, like
that Of appointment, is an original Executive
power, and is left in his hands, unchecked by the
Constitution, eXceptin the cases of judges; that,
being responsible for the exercise Of the whole
Executive power, he has a right to employ
agents Of his own choice, to assist him in the
performance of his duties, and to discharge them
when he is no longer willing to be responsible
for their acts;
That the Secretaries are his Secretaries and
all persons appointed to Offices created by law,
except the judges, his agents, responsible to him,
and removable at his pleasure;
And. finally, that he is the direct representa-
tiue of the american people.
These, sir, are some Of the leading PROPOSE
tons contained in the protest; and if they be
true, then the Government under which we live
is an elective monarchy. 1t is not yet absolute;
there are yet some checks and limitations in the
Constitution and laws; but in its essential and
prevailing character it is an elective monarchy.
Mr.. President, | have spoken freely of this
protest, and Of the doctrines which it advances;
but have said nothing which do not believe
On these high questions of Constitutional law,
respect for my own character, as we'll as a So
lemn and profound sense of duty, restraints me
from giving utterance to a single sentiment
which does not flow from entire conviction |
feel that am not wrong. feel that an Unborn
and inbred love of Constitutional liberty, and
some study Of our political Institutions have
not, on this OCCASION misled me. But have
desired to say nothing that should give pain to
the Chief Magistrate personally. l have not
sought to fix arrows in his breast; but believe
him mistaken altogether mistaken, in the senti-
ments which he has expressed; and must con-