Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-02-13

theirs; should law be passed inlur;ouste
I the dignity of another nation, in sill these
and other similar cases, demand for eX
PLANTATION would be respectfully received
and answered In the manner that justice
and a regard to the dignity of the com
plainiEg nation, would reqtlire'
But he maintains that these principles
the wisdom of which is evident, are no.
!, applicable 70 an act by which the Presi
dent, sole representative Of the nation TO-
wards Foreign Powers gives to Congress:
an &C count of the situation Of foreign rela
tons.
1.-The utmost frecdom,'' saws Mr.. Living.
ston, the Utmost freedom from all restraint
in the details into which he is obliged tO
enter, Of international concerns, and of the
measures in relation to them, is essential
F, to the proper performance of this impor-
tant part OF his functions. He must ex.
ercise them without having continually
before him the fear of offending the sus-
ceptibility ofthe Powers whose conduc he
is obliged to notice."
"Were any foreign Powers" continues
Mr.. Livingston, ''permitted to scan the
communications of the Executive, their
complaints, whether real or affected, would
involve the country In continual contro-
versies; for the rig hit being admitted, it
would be duty to exercise it by demand
ing disavowal Of every phrase thew mig hit
deem offensive, and An explanation ofevery
word to which an improper Interpretation
might be given. The principle, therefore,
has been adopted, that no foreign ,nwer
has right to ask for explanations Of any
thing that the President, IN the exercise of
his functions, thinks proper to communi-
cate TO Congress, or Of any course he may
advise them TO pursue.''
| We cannot, sir, admit such principle !;
we cannot admit it, at least without con-
dfion or limit, in an absolute, general, and
Peremptory sense.
1t does not depend upon nation, from
the mere fact of its having adopted such or
such firm ofgovernment, to acquire, with
regard to foreign Powers, more rights than
1t VIC I'D have had, or to arrogate to itself
other rights than those which it would
have enjoyed, under any other form of
government.
! Nations are free to choose, without any
constraint, the Government they please
precisely for this reason, and under this
condition, that such choice NAV be, il
cannot affect the rights OF iniure the leoit-
innate interests Of other nations.
Now, il is the acknowledged right of
every Government, when the legal repre-
sentative, or when the official organ of
another Government expresses himself
publicly in reference to it, IN language
which is deemed offensive, to demand an
explanation Of it. Such right the Con-
stifution of the United States can neither
abolish, modify, nor restrict 1t is an inter
national right (un droit International 1t
SUITS ;hc People of the Uuited States to
divide the power of the Union between the
President and Congress. Be it so. 1t
suits them TO oblige the President to give
PUBLICLY to Congress an account of the
state OF foreign relations. Their right is
questionable. But that the President of
the U. s., the official organ, the legal rep
resentative OF the Union towards foreign
nations, thereby acquires the right to press
hImselfPMbficly upon foreign Governments
IN language offensive 10 these Govern
mcnts; that he should, in asserting the
liberty, the freedom necessary for such
communications, dispense with all reserve
IN his language, aud with all responsibility
towards the Powers whom that language
concerns, Is what we cannot admit.
Irresponslbli,y, Q'invioIabIite) whether
1t relates TO persons, to acts, or TO words
irresPonsbiiity. when it is legally estab-
ilshed, is a purely natlonai Institution. a
purely internal regulation, and can never
be used as an argument in :he intercourse
which governments hold with each other
Ii it were otherwise. and we were disposed,
after the example Of Mr.. Livingston, tn
carry the argument TO its extreme conse-
quences. it might be maintained that the
President of the United States has the
right. provided :. De message 70 Congress,
to impute publicly 10 foreign Governments
and 10 foreign nations the mos; o3ious acts,
the most pefverse intentions; to hold them
up publicly TO the animadversion of the
world. without these Governments or these
nations having the right 10 manifest the
slightest resentment, since, according TO
this very strange doctrine. they would not
even be allowed to take official notice of it.
I To state such doctrine is to refute it.
4 However. sir. We Do not wish 10 exag-
gerate any thiDg. Mr.. Livingston Is per-
fectly right when he says that the cause
which he supports is, IN general sense,
common 20 all free coaairies:-that all
Governments founded on the division OF
power. and on the publicity of debates.