Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-02-11

tlf re can never he any fceesshN Iof sueh pro
ccr,ipes bu, Iegned and false necessity, mere
idle and hollow prcience .! necessity least oi al,
can !, be said that any such necessity actually es-
is,ed on the Sd oi March. There was 10 sner'
on our shores there were guns pointed against
tho Csritol we were In no Wal, NOT "at ih' Il
reason able probability that We should have val
unless We made IL ourselves.
B,, ", .fpy,r MI. tie state ot ctr foreign tela-
,;ans. IA il not prenoslctous 10 say, that II WIS
necessary for Congress 10 adopt is MEASURE, ana
y., mol necessary ior tie President Ia recommend
IL vi, shonll We ,hGs run III asiVah'e of al oui
.,.n fpti5.. and leave tie President completely
.hrldci from HI, ust responsibility WHY Should
ihrro BE- nothing but grant, and trust and o"fh-
denrc. On eur side, and nothing but discretion and
power, onl.is 7
Sir, if there lie any philosophy IN history 3; II
human blood still runs in human VEINS; II man >ht
conforms 10 the identity al lis nature the insita-
,iofs which secure constitutional liberty can neh-
.r stand lunr against TIA, excessive personal con-
fdencc. against tbs devotion to mcn--in utter
disregard both Of principle and Of experience,
which seems TO me 10 be strongly Characteristic Of
our times This vote came TO US, sit, from tic
popular ranch Of lie Legislature and that such
vote should conn from such branch of the L.
e.laiufr. was al ohg the circumstances which ~
cited IN NC the greatest surprise and The deepest
concCrn.- tcttainly y, sir, CciiaihlN, was MOI, on
that account, tie more inclined 10 concur. II was
Iio UrenInen ",th ii" iaa; a;hr!s seemed To be
lnShinew iii such needless, headoug Trust, such i'm
petuosit, al confidence, into the arms Of Executive
newell leld back tie stronger. and would mold
lack tie longer. ste, o. ilink see, II 'ithot
tive vision 81 lhc future, revealed " tho history
q past or II it he un illusion, II Is an Illusion
which appears 10 II, all the brightness and SUR
IehI oiltond noon. that is IN tl' cancer oi per-
>onal confidence alrre this track OF man m0I sap,
marked, every iurlong, ~ the fragments Of ct't
free Governments, that our own system s making
progress to it, close. personal popularity, hon
orably carnrd, 1T first by military achievements,
and sustained now |, party, by patronage, aud by
IN enthusiasm which Looks for 10 Ill, because II
nrans 10 ii s.lt, srcirS TO tciGtr M NIiiinr t.
rfatfis power. even lclofc lis demands are made,
and 10 stitc Executive discretion, oyrn III anIcf-
patton u us onn app.lHe. Sn, II ON lir I'd oil
March las, il lad been tic purpose oi both Houses
of Congress 10 create military dictator, what
, toImula had been better suited To their purpose
than this vote OF tie House I 1t IS tue, We might
have gwen money, if We lad II to give. We
might lave cmpcd the Treasury but AZ 10 the
form ol tho glfl, We could not Lave bcttcrcd il.
Rome has 40 better nlod,ls. Nhrn Nc give our
money Tor any military Purpose whdterfr, what
To decide, no, ol, whether the mGtar, means Of
lhc country shall lie used all, bnt low ihcy hall
IL used, and 10 what cxtcn, they shall b, emf ny
cd, what remains either for Congtess %, for the
Peop'e, bit 10 SIT st, and see low this dicatofiu
power viii be rArieia,dl
Onihr Sd of March, sir mad not foreoiien--ii
was impossible thai ! should Lave iorsoien,-ile
recommendation III Tic message, AT the opening u
that .cs>ion, that power Should be vested in The
President 10 ISSUE letters u marquc aud irprisa
against France, AT bis discretion. in the recess Of
Congress. Happily tins power was not granted.
But suppose IL had been, what would den have
been the true condition Il tins Government
Why, sit, this condition Is yer, shortly described.
The Whole war power would have been ia tie
hands OF hc President. for no man can doubt a mo-
mrnt rcprsals would bring ON immediate war;
AID tic Treasury, TO the amoun, of his vote, in
addition To all ordinary appropriations would have
been At HI, absolute disposal also And all This
III time Of peace. hcseech sober nen, sir, al
all parncs-l brsccch all true lovers Of ,onSti,u-
hunal liberty, 10 contemplate tins state Of things,
and tell me whether such he Il true republican adj
mnlsira,o" VI mis- Governments VIII, lhor parlic-
ilar consequences had cusGed or not, * such an
acounuaiun ri power IN the hands ol ,lc Esecu-
i've according 10 ,hr spirit of our system Is it
either ui>c or sat, 7 Has il any warrant in he
practice OF former tne>} Or arc gentlemen ready
ID establish the practice, a an example fer the
bcnehl Of hose WHO a., 10 come after uSl
lu', Sr, II tie power To ma,e ,pri,als, aud this
money from the Treasury had both been elan,cd
IS there not great reason 10 believe HAT w should
have been now up 10 oar ears IN a hot war tlnuk
ilorr Is great reason 10 believe Ills. II will be said
know, that II we had armcd HE President " it'll
this power ofwar, and supplied him with this grant
OF money! France would have IA y, This Tor surh a
proof OF spirn ON our part, that She would
have paid the indemnity whou, further delay.
This is the old story, and the old plea Every one
who desires more power than the Constitution or
the Laws give him, alsayssays, that ifhc had more
power, he could do more good, Power is always
clauucd fer the good OF the People and dicla,ors
are always made, when made At all, for tie good Of
the People. For NY pant, sir, was content and am
,on'cni 10 show to france that We are prepared 10
maintain our gust rights, against Ter, hv die eNcf-
ton OF our power, when need he, according 10 the
forms of our own Constitution thet, il wc make
war, we viii maze II constluioudlly and II we
vote money,"" wlapfronratc il conS,itutonally j;
and that We VAL trust all our interests, both ia
peace and IN war, to what tho intelligence ard
>rcng h OF the country may do for them, without
breaking down or endangering tie fabric Of free
Institutions.
Mr. President il is the misfortune of die Senate
10 have differed from tho President ON many great
questions during III. last four or five years.
have regretted this state Of things deeply, both on
personal and on public account bat it has been
unavoidable. II is no pleasant employment, it is
no holiday business to maintain opposition against
power and against ma lorites, and to contend for
stern and sturdy principle, seains, personal popu-
'aril,, agans, rushing and overwhelming conf