Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1839-04-04

guy upon honor. but 1 will say that, al
though duel!Ist .nav demand satisfaction,
al tho risk Of his lie, because another may
have too ru!cly brushed the skirt ofhis coat,
YET, when The n,cquences of a mans
action ara nol to he 'unlined TO himself,
nuI drag with ii the misery of millions, he
has no right to stand upon mere imma-
terIal poiut of honor. What mean To saw
Is, that, before free People can be drag
ged ino war, 1t must be in defence Of
great national rights, as well as national
llOnur.
Before examining the second section Of
the bill. | desire to notce some of The OBJ
servalions which fell from the gentleman
from Pennsylvania (Mr, Bddle.) In ma
ny OF his remarks entirely concur, but re-
gret that he, as we'll as others, had thought
proper on this occasion to call up topics
not Immediately connected with the SUBJ
jcct. The, discussion in which we we're
now involved, would interest foreign pow
ers, and attenlion would be particularly
drawn to it in Eugland. As it is rcn-
test between Us and foreign Power, re.
sret that it should have been thought ne
cessary not only TO 60 into The history of
our faults upon this question, but also to
cen,ule our diplomatic controversies " itl
other Powers. The gentleman (Air. Bid
dle) had alluded to our blusleii and
talk exciting The ridicue of foreign Powers,
and had even gone hack to the Iasl war
with Great Britain, and said we had come
ouI of it i :" t sanlus single puini, or,
al least having mad all The points of con-
troversy lad djourned over" canno, Sec
with whaI propriety these things are now
brought up.
Mr.. Biddle was understood to explain
that he meant to illustrate the propriety of.
only taking such grounds al first, as would
be maintained and enforced, if a conflict
should occur.
MIR. P. continued. and said he was will
ling 10 forget the past, or. al least, wheu
critical controversy was pending between
US and foreign Power, he rather desired
10 cover over the faults of the country than
to expose Them III the gaze of The world
| have been taught from my mothers
chamber by examples drawn from Holy
writ, to dread Heavens avencins curse
pronounced upon that son who uncovered
The nakedness of his parent. Bht ! pass
over these matters aad propose 10 exam.
Inc the bill. The first sectiun gives power
to the President 10 call out rhe militia. The
Army and the Navy. in certain coulin.en-
cies that may Eappcn. III the case of ac-
lual InVaslon," he now has this power by
the existing law. But a new contingency
is now to be created, and thai Is, in case
Great Britain should attempt % .enforce
exclusive jurisdiction" over the disputed
territory, by "force of arms" This is n
new an' dlsiinc' power, as defined in this
section, and makes point in legislation.
The second section proposes .rhal, in the
event Of actual invasion of the u. States
by any foreign power, or orimminent dan.
ger of such in aston discovered. in bis the
Presidents opinion, to exist then, aud in
that case, The President is clothed with
powert0 enlist Il regular army,witli twenty
new regiments, or nearl, 10000 men. I
contend that this is a dangerous power 10
be placed in The hands of any man. From
what | know Of The present President. |
would as soon trust him rs rry an ever
sa-S. lie is cautious, and MS nature is
pacific; but it is a dangerous precedent to
allow any Chief Magistrate to be the sole
Judge of The contingency and necessity for
creating at one step. Standing army of
2O,0O0 men. The Constitution has made
Congress the judge of The necessity for.
war, and we have no right to delegate, di-
rectlv or indirectly. any portion Of thai pow
or. have NJ h'ea Of authorizing the !.
Presi enr to take any step that may here
alter compel us To sanction Thai which will
force us into war. Lei us declare war
before you raise such an army. ] have
said that | do not fear 10 trust the present
Executive with military power, bur am Z
sworn enemy Of Executive discretion
in any important matter that can be regn-
lated b, law. The precedenr of to-day,
becomes the law Of to morrow. And we
may have prudent exercise of adaneer-
Gus power by wise and viriuons Presi-
dem; but let things change--let US. have
some future hero with his laurels green
from he plain of some Taladega, E,nuc-
fau, or New Orleans-and then this very
Precedenr, which you propose ITO establish;
will be quoted by him as continuing The
principle upon which he will ask TO have
discretionary power over conditional ar.
my. which will be called upon TO sustain
him in waving bis sword triumphan,ly
above the PROSTATE liberties Of his country.
A standing army should never be crea-
ted except by Congress, and we should he
the sole judge of the time and manner,of
its creation. Iftlrere should he necessi-
ty for II, there can be no difficulty. The
country can be defended until Congress
can,br convened; and il there should be
any such necessity for this army, Congress
ought to he cow ned. Besides, suppose
the President were TO call for eulislments
in the regular service now, what would be