Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-05-09

ID sanctioned, manileslly aud plainly, that cX-
erciso OF power, which Mr. Madison had said
would deserve impeachment; and it complete
~ defeated one great object, which we are told
the trainers of the constitution contemplated
in the manner of forming the Senate; that Is
that the Senate might be a body, rot chang
ing with tho election Of President, and
therefore likely TO be able to hold over him
some check or restraint IN regard TO bringing
his own friends and partlsans into power with
him, and ihus Tevordlng their services TO him
at the public expense.
The debates in the Senate Oh these questions,
were continued and earnest. They were Of
course IN secret session, but the opinions Of
those members who opposed this course have
all been proved true BY the result. The CON
tcst was severe and ardent, as much so 0s any
that have ever paHakon in and have seen
some service, I'D that sort Of warfare.
Gentlemen, when look back 10 that awful
moment, when ] remember who those were
who upheld this claim for Executive power,
with SO much zeal and devotion, as well as
with such great and splendid abilities, and
when look round now aud enquire what has
become o! these gentlemen, where they have
found themselves, at last, under tho power
which they thus helped to establish, what has
become, now, OF all their respect trust conf
dcnco and attachment, how many of them, in
decd, have not escaped from being broken aud
crushed under the weight OF the Whccis Of that
engine which they Themselves sci in motion,
feel That an cdhylne lesson may DO read by
hose who, in tho freshness and lulncss Of par
ty zeal are ready TO confer the most dangerous
powers in the hope that they, and their friends,
may bask in its sunshine, while enemies only
shall BE- withcrcd by its lrown.
] will not % into the mention Of names.
viii give no enumeration of persons but !
ask lou TO torn your lain93 back, aud 10
reco.loct who the distinguished men were,
WI supported m the Seratc, General jack
sons administration for the two lirst years;
and ! will ask You what you suppose that
they think, now, Of that power, aud that dis
oicIion which they so freely oonhded 10 EX-
ecuuvc hands What do they ihink OF the
whole career Of that administration, the COM
monremeni of which, and indeed The existence
OF which, owed So much TO their own great
cXertluns.
Ia addition 10 the establishment OF this
power Of unlimited and causclcss removal,
another doctrine has been put FORTH more
vague il is true bur altogether demonstrations
all and tending 10 like dangerous results In
some loose, indefinite and unknown sense, the
President has been called the Representative
oriie ,rboie ,9nericrn beople. LIE has called
himself so repeatedly and been SO dcnomi.
uat.d IV his friends thousand fines. Acts.
far which M eneciGc outl,oritv has becn Cound
either in the constitution or the laws. have
been justified on ,be ground that the President
is The amcsenintivo of tho whole Amer,con
Peopl,. The constitutional Representatives
Of Tie Prollc are in the House Of Representa-
;;y.a cxarcisinu movers of leuislation. 'Thc
President is an executive officer Amounted in
a particular manner. and clothed with pro.
scribcd and limited movers # NAV he
Ihouoht TO be o(no CONSEQUENCE. that fine Pre-
sideGts, oull call himself or that other, ehon'd
call him tbe solo represonlatiyss of all the
Pcople. nlthough he las no such nppellot on.
or character in The constitution. Bui in tbeso
matters words are ttinos. If he is the peo.
ple's representative, and as such may exercise
power, without any other grant, what is the
limit TO that power2 And what NAV not an
unlimited Representative of the peopie do2
When the Constitution cxpressly creatcs
Il Representatives, as members of Congress, il
regulates. defines and limits their authority.
But if the Executive Chief Magistrate,
merely because hrs the Executive Chief Mag.
istrate may assume 10 himself another char
acter and call himself the Representative OF
the whole people, what is 10 limit or restrain
lhis Representative power IN ms hands
| fear, Gentlemen, that II these Pro;cnsions
should be continued and justified, we might
nave many instances OF summary PoliHcaI log