Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-01-04
2ith CONGRESS-lst Session
From the National InteHyiocp,,, D.e oo

| Documents
neads oil Department and Bureaus, and other OF
'ee,s, oil the Government, some remarks were
made BY MIR. Wise OF Virginia, which. ahhovph I'M,
subject Of the Debate was in itself Ono yreai mar.
ni'ude, deserve 10 be brought out into strong re-
uel. We have always been under the imprcs>iou
nat a majority of the last House of Reuresen,a-
yves was opposed, IN conscience and in princi-
PIE, TO the removal of the dcpostcs of public mo-
ney irom the Bank of the United States. and
something was said, in other quarters, The man.
dgemem by which their votes were made 10 uisrc-
present their opinions. But we never expected
to hear the facts of such management 10 be made
matter OF confident and uncontradic,ed assertion
o" on the floor OF the House, they were by Mr.
Wise IN the remarks which follow.
REMARKS OF MIR WISE, OF VA,
In TIE Hous. ~ Representatives. on 7hurslav
Mr.. " tSE said, that he was utterly opposed
10 thus resolution on the score OF ECONOMY but il,
announcer, and much more important, point Of view,
such resolution actually abhorrent to the
principles OF our Government, and 10 the indie
pendcnce OF the legislation of this House Sir,
instead OF beng what we are by the Constitution.
an independent branch Of the National Leei,la-
t'irr, tins resolution would resolve us INTO a MERE
COMMITTEE, 10 repon proceedings Of the Ecgiska-
ire department 10 the Erecntirci Gentlemen
does in sembtance and in substance, recognize a.
responsibility on the par, of this House TO The En-
ccuiivc Tor IT'S legislative acts and proceedings
hat, sir has ii come to this, that We shall dotiy
carry 10 the foot OF the throne report of our pro-
ccedlngs, in order to show--not TO the President,
but To his very mdcriines- "thus far have we
gone, III order that hlcv may say, g" thus far shalt
thou 90 and NO I'm her - The Executive Depart
ment sir, intermediates already too much viii the
performance OF our legislative duties and functions,
aud do >olcmnly protcs, against resolving upon
tins written invitation to supcrnend and interfere
with our action here, more than il has already
done. wish To preserve own Independence
and the checks and balances of our Government
Here Mr.. Anthony (ofPa made some remarks,
which he concluded by saving thai the EJccR-
tire Departments had rshtto tnor ,chot ,cc
'rere doing IN THIS Uusc."l
MIR. WISE again rose and said, that be WAS as
ton>hed TO bear >ucha rlGht admitted or claimed
for the Executive on HAT floor. He uor4 only
cali tine attention of the House and the country to
this. claim for Tie Executive rs right
Mr. JOHNSON, of kcntcly in rtpl, 10 the ocn-
tleman from rCna, challenged linn topui is
finger upon any one act OF Executive usurpdlion :;
remafking at The sam" time, hat ii easy To
deal in general denuncauns and Declarations
hnt more difficult to support them hy facts. He
Mr.. J. looked to the voice Of the people "a, his
Guide, and he doubted not that the President did
The President had been supported. in all his acts
by large majority Of the people, and cot.d there
fore, will more reason, complain OF the course Of
the gentleman, than the gentleman could of his.
MIR. WISE SAID IN rcjoinder, that the gentle
man from Kentucky. (Col. Johnson) Lad called
upon him do that &lich it was tie easiest thing
imaginable to do. He would give him and the
country the inform kcl for with the create 81
pleasure; was happy to have the opportunity 10
give the gentleman satisfactory and dircctreplY,
and was ready and willing to put J,is finger upon
some acts OF Executive interference With the lc-
gi>latiop Of thai House. Wien speak, however,
of Executive Interference, do not mean the acts If
the President alone and let me be understood,
but the acts of the whole ofthc Departments. Is
il possible sir that the gentleman means il to be
understood by his making this call, and by his
manner OF making il, that he himself does not sup
pose specifications OF active incrmeddline with our
business oflees'ation can be made Why, SIT,
the gentleman ,ripss Not specify acts of ENccu-
tive Interference Surely the gentleman knows
that the Constitution makes it the duty Of the Pre-
sdcn, 10 communicate to Congress, by his Mes
sage, his, the Executives, views ofall our rca-
'tions, and on all subjects of legislation. lie is
constitutiopally bound TO give us Gftlciay his OPT
Mons on what we should do and should not do as
legislators.
! But let not the gentleman understand me as pom
ting to this constitutional dirty as one of my spc-
citications of executive interference. To send us
his message is no act of mtermcddiing, it is an act
of duty and Obligation Sn, do no, intend 10 E.
wade the gcnteman's call. | lever will cvadc
any responsibility on any occasion. | allude to
tins unconstitutional duty, to contrast il expressly with
other acts which the Presidents the Executives
! duty forbids. audc to it for the purpose OF re-
minding the gentleman that The Constitution fixes
the measure and mode of Executive mtcrpoSIIion
! in acts of legislation. The Constitution intends
I, at tie President shall, by public message, call
our attention to all subject. of legislative action,
and that the the Executive functions shall cease
until we have performed our acts, and referred
them 10 him for his constitutional sanction or veto.
And the Constitution intends, most cautiously and
lcalou>lv intends, -that whilst performing our acts,
whilst delibeiatng whilst discussing, whilst dcC-
ding on laws TO be passed or rejected. we shall be
free and indcpcndcnt Of Executive influence.
! And now sir, " hat have said, meant Ia say, and
mean to repeat, is that we are not thus free and
independenf, that the Executive does nte1mcddf",
! improperly, dangerously, and frequently with our
| legislative action The gentleman asks fur me
! to point TO the instances, and will specify some of
! them.
Was it not admitted TIC other day ON the floor
b, a member of the party" and the Clmrn''"
ola Committee. (Mr. SUTHERLAND) that ou' Com
mt,ec, do not make their own reports W no does
make thcm1 not 'rritc them, Sir, make them !
H.. ,,. ..,u.ult,i and VD O nd ylSt'