Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1834-05-22

j. sell from its effects by proof. shall
y have occasion hereafter TO advert to
precedent to show what has been in HI;
: respect pursued in impeachments.-
E Affer this view of this part of the sub
Ject, II Will be perceived, that if the sen
ale mas not convicted the president of ;
criminal violation of his duty, with Dur
suing the regular constitutional course
,hsnseobers voting for the resolutio,
have'a at least, forever disqualified them
selves from being bis triers upon regu
lar prosecution for this alleged violation
-lof duty, by forming and expressing al
opinion Of his guilt. And whether tn,
one or the other ofthesc things has beef
done, the constitution has been equal,
and flagrantly violated.
Gentlemen object to receive this pro
test, because they say it is an appeal tc
the people. If by this is meant that the
presidents DESTROYS to submit in spir-
it of candor and decency to the people
OF the United States, whose servant he
is, an account of his stewardship in this
matter of the bank, and to Justify him
self before those who have right to call
him to an account for his conduct in re.
lation TO it, the charge is true. He is
neither afraid nor ashamed 10 acknowl.
edge that all his powers are derived
from the people, and that he is account.
able to them. II he has consulted their
substantial and durable prosperity by
lnterposing bis character and the eonsti.
tuition OF bis country soundly construed,
between the power of gold, and the
pending destruction of the liberties of
his constituents, it is his duty TO maintain
himself, by the exhibition Of the truths
and reasons by which he has been gov>
erned. 1t will be for the people to de-
eide now and after he shall have left
his station, upon the wisdom of his &C
tons, and the virtue Of his motives.
Whatever politicians may say, Washing
ton, the father of his country, was not
ashamed TO appeal to the people, for their
judgment upon his official conduct. Estate
upon the authority of Mr.. Jefferson, con
tanned in the fourth volume of his works,
that in 1898, when the country was CON
vulsed upon the subject of Mr.. Genets
conduct, who was the minister of France
near the government Of the United States,
when party violence ran high, and when
his cabinet were decided as to the proper
course 10 be pursued with regard to him,
and other questions of political nature,
in discussion which took place in his
cabinet, Washington "manifestly inclined
to the appeal to the people," His own
character and motives had been impeach-
ed; and during the same discussion, the
father of his country complained of "the
personal abuse which had been bestowed
upon him." and he "defied any man on
earth, to produce one single act of his,
since he had been in the government, which
was not done on the purest motives: that
he had never repented but once, the having
slipped the moment of reslgning his office,
and that was every moment since," that
she had rather be in his grave than in his
present situation; that he had rather be on
his farm than be made emperor of the
world" "and yet, that they were charging
him with wanting to be king" What a
striking parallel is here observed between
the personal abuse heaped upon President
Washington and Gen. Jackson. Yet they
both agree upon the propriety of appealing
to the people, as the just and appropriate
Judges of their conduct and motives.
The president says in his protest, with
regard to the condemnatory resolution, ''It
asserts no legislative power; proposes no
legislative action" To my infinite sur
prise, one or two senators have declared
that legislative action acas intended. The
discussion upon the resolution was carried
or here for ahou. four months. 1t was re-
peatedly asserted, by friends of the admin.
istration, as an argument against the cen
tinuance Of the discussion, and the adop
ton of the resolution, that it proposed no
legislative action; this was never denied !;
nor did any senator, within my hearing,
intimate during the whole period, that any
Legislation was to grow out of its adoption.
This resolution was referred to the commit
tee on finance, an appropriate committee,
to report the plan of action. Yet the com
mittee reported no legislative proposition ;
in truth, sir, they disregarded this PROPOSE
ton altogether, and did not report upon it
at all. Already have five months of the
session elapsed, and not word about this
Legislative action has been heard, except
the mere assertion referred to, in contra
diction to the presidents allegation. Slug
gish Legislators indeed! One prediction
will venture upon, that if the senate con-
tinues its session five months longer, we
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