Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-01-06

49, 10 civil relations which the Office OF adyl-
car nresu,nes: they might be his judges, and
sho,Id he the last in the world to stir up an &C.
| cessation against him. to PREJUDICE bis guilt, OF
10 attack his character with defamatory language.
| Decorum, the becoming ornament OF every func-i
tionary. should be the distinguishing trait OF an
American Senator, who combines IN his own Of
fce the united dignities of the Executive. the
Legislative aud the judicial character La MS lu-
dicial capacity especially. he should sarcnce 70 ae
corum and propriety, and shun, as ne woula TUG
contagious touch of sin and pesence the si'shtes'
approach 10 the character OF prosecutor. ne M
red to British Parliamentary law TO sno" 'na. 'Oe
.ords could not Join in an accusation, because they
were TO try II; but here the Senate was sole &C
cnser. and had nothing from the House OF Repre-
sentatiyes 20 Join; but made the accusation OUT
and out, and tried it themselves.
He said the accusation was double one, LOT
high crime and misdemeanor. and the latter
more fragrant proceeding than the former; !or !.
assumed to know for what cause the President
had dismissed his late Secretary, and undertook
to try the President for thing which was not TIL
able mr. imneachable From the foundation OF the
4 Government il had been settled that the fres'.
dents right to dismiss his Secretaries resulted
| from his constitutional obligation to see that the
| laws were faithfully executed. Many Presidents
had dismissed Secretaries, and this was the hfst
time that the Senate had ever undertaken To I0und
an ip pea hment upon it. or had assumed to know
| the reasons for which 1t was done.
| Mr. B. said that two other lmpeachments seem
ed to be going on at the same time against TWO
other officers, the Secretary OF the Treasury, ana
/ the Treasurer; so that the Senate was brlm iull
Of criminal business. The Treasurer ana the
Secretary of the Treasury we're both civil otfcers
| 81 nNhf Nnnft nr IN
meanors in Office: and great misdemeanors were
charged upon them. They were. In fact, upon
I trial without the formality of resolutions; and
if hereafter impeached BY the House OF Repre-
sentatives, the Senate, if they believed what they
heard, would be ready to pronounce Judgment,
and remove them from Office without delay or
further examination
! MIR. B. then addressed himself TO the Vice.Pre
sident (Mr. Van BUREN, upon the novelty OF the
scene which was going on before him, and the
great change which had taken place since he serv-
| ed in the Senate. He commended the peculiar
delicacy and decorum of the Vice President him
self, who in six years. service, in high party times,
and in a decided opposition, never uttered word,
either in open secret session, which could have
wounded the feeling of a political adversary II he
had been present and heard it. He extolled the
decorum of the opposition to President Adams
administration II there was brilliant exception,
the error was redeemed by classic Wit. and the
| heroic readiness with which noble heart beared
its bosom to the bullets of those who felt az
grieved. Still addressing himself to the Vice
! President, Mr.. B. SAID thatlf he should receive
] some hits in the place where he sat, without the
right to reply, he must find consolation In the
case of his most lustrious predecessor. the great
apostle Of American liberty Mr. Jefferson) who
often told his friends of the manner 10 which he
had been cut at, when presiding over the Senate,
and personally annoyed BY the interior-no.
! young aud Observation-Disclosures of the old
federal party.
Mr. B. returned to the point in debate. The
President, he repeated, was on trial for high
crime. IN seizipg the public treasure in violation
of the laws and the constitution. Was the
charge true? Does the act which he has done,
| deserve the definition which has been put upon
| it9 He had made up his own mind that the pub
I lie deposites ought to be removed from the Bank
of the United States. He communicated that
opinion to the Secretary of the Treasury, the
Secretary refused to remove them; the President
removed him; and appointed a Secretary who
gave the order which he thought the occasion re-
Quired All this he did in virtue of his const-
tuIional obligation to see the laws faithfully exc
Cuted; aud in obedience TO the same sense OF du-
ty which would lead him to dismiss Secretary
at War, or of the Navy, who would refuse to
give an order for troops to march. or fleets to sail
True, il is made the duty Of the Secretary OF
the Treasury to direct the removal Of the depo-
sites; but the Constitution makes It the duty OF
| the President to see that the Secretary performs
his duty; and the Constitution is as much above
law as the President is above the Secretary.
The President is on trial for misdemeanor--
for dismissing his Secretary without sufficient
cause. To this accusation there are ready an
Lswers; first, that the President may dismiss bis
Secretaries without cause; secondly. that the Sc
nate has no cognizance of the case; thirdly, that
the Senate cannot assume to know for what cause
the Secretary in question was dismissed.
The Secretary of the Treasury is on trial. In
order to get at the President it was found neces.
sary to get at gentleman who had no voice on
this floor 1t had been found necessary to as
sail the Secretary of the Treasury ina manner
heretofore unexampIed in the history of the Sen
ate. His religion, his politics. his veracity, his
understanding, his Missouri restriction vote had
all been arraigned MIR. B. said he would leave
a.. ~ Io,k