The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-05-04

We pbt On the EXECUTIVE No W iact Iot 'u~W
on the hands Of the people Sir know full veil how
much easily telusio Of this kind NAV srise IA
our Government. than in.the British any other mo-
naTchca government aud Is rne that there - dsn-
ger OF an nrercsple increasing Of Executive power
unknown 10 us from this circumstance, that the Eve
cuse Is but enanstion r,m the people he ). me
individual for the time heinR whom the people delight
TO honor and ihus. when letters are imposed on me
Executive he and hts supporters all The moie readily
persuade that they imposed on the people ihen'-
selves, General Jackson took the ground hodiy that
he was The people, tho very inpersoistion oil the de-
nocraey aud he argued that all the powers Of The peo
nile we're Ia his persoa that he be booked 10
a. a sound representation of the people, providing and
controlling every thug Az, sir and he did he tram
Piled down every thing that came ~ his Nav. even 10
the capitol itself: nj fearful blow he crushed Us,
and the record Of shame is he found IN the pro-
clamsion end law ~ regard to South Carolina. SIR
the legitimate elects Of his docrne this point
fell everywhere, and felt because Gen Jackson
regarded the npersouatioo OF the democracy of
the country. And he was 80 and, In consequence
the Government turned iopsy iuryy. But this
no, our Government, this was not Republican Co
verinent with distinct aud different departments. Sir,
tine very Object OF your occupying that chair Is watch
the Executive. And ge,hlcnsu To tell ns that to
foyr msnscles for that power 10 fprge them for the
people De Tpcqptv,lle speaks Of onr Executive
power as comparatively imminent and alarming, for ~
the contest betaeen The AID The people. al every
doubtful and suspicious movement of the Executive,
msny are alarmed Tor their rights. and rise mp
hut Ia this eonny where The people feel that the Pre-
sdeni Is vinanstop FROM themselves ,hes are liable
Ia argue when he angnenis hs power. is Tor the
pie, and thus every Executive 90 on In the selni-
son OF the prorr poAer nf The legislature and the jn
d,eiary And we have Ill been mutually waping war
against each Other different branches Of the Govern
mct, hut for ,hi people YET u wasa war OF one
branch apa,,st snorher. And WE have in fact, PR
United the I,,~er Of 10 rule the country; and
we have proposition settled - as rs the sppro-
baton Of the Senate concerned that Executive office
holders are The people Sir IL does not require TO go
Que inch farther 10 prove that the Pres'dent Is Tho
people.
Before proceed to answer sno,hcr hrsrch OF the
subject, wish advert TO two alleged aud principal
facts which the foundation uf This report, and
will show that such Facts exist On pge 81 Of
the report, II Ia stated = fact and an incepvt princi-
pie which the committee rested. that the Stale CO.
vernnens had made discrimination between the
Of their citizens AID the office holders Of the &C.
neral Government Now. sir, The fact is exactly the
opposite Tor such is the hsbtua jealousy OF the States,
aud their watchnlness Of Your power, that believe ~
every State there is fundamental law foblddiny the
officers Of the United States Government from holding
any oice Of profit in the ah Of the State. The
fact Of holding ce under this Government Is re.
g,rdcd acknowledgements in all the States OF the
Union. But beg leave to qiote the language oil the
report
Happily institutions, resting upon the just foun-
dation of popular rights neither demand viii admit
Of The mutilaton OF the person the privileges OF
citizenship, prerequisite for office. Under the
isig laws citizen Of State does not by accepting
any OF the offices designated in the billy under the
Federal Government, forfeit any Of the rights and pryi
leges which belong TO him as citizen Of State"
Forlei,s no right Sir, he is DISTINGUISHED il he
holds office under this government And what Is
the fact ia regard 10 The sodery Of the United
States And on what principle can you disftan-
chse soldier any more than an Office holder, ftheSe
rights are inherited in him as a ctzen2 Unques-
lionably you have in that such right. Yet
a United States soldier does not vote; and gentle
men from all parts OF the House, ma roce, have
declared that the oice-holders the enlisted sol
dierS Of the Executive thus identified The very
persons who are diSfranchiSed. And vet these per-
sons who are hus characterized enlisted soldiers,
il is now declared not TO he disfranchsed, while
the whole army proper Of 5000 or 10000 are SO in
! fact.
| Now this, Mr. President in ordinary times and cir
| ca,sances, wonld have shocked The public mind so
much. that the Senate would have Immediately revoted
at the mere suggestion OF propositions monstrnus
And yet this statement only shows this fact that the
Senate have nega,ived the principle aud policy Of the
bill, but am prepared to demonstrate that the
Of these propositions is nov arpncI aud mel
oncers 10 interfere ~ elections and that
upon them Is unconstitutional proscripve horrible and
monstrous, and deserving the severest possible
! ton by the committee. And now, Mr. President on
what times have we dllen, and what Of things has
| pccn WouuCtu Wnch, instead oil The usual uniform
direction vi argument and defamation against these
practices all at there open and bold avo@al
TIA, they are not To he led but they are yiudca-
Nd anu justified. and stimulated by official rheioric
Heretofore we could find an Argument in relation to
them IN which they were not regarded and treated as fit
subjects OF dennncIaliun Viii gentlemen Of The com
mittee deny this They have declared there has been
40 such mischief and that, If the practice existed
II would not he mischief and that it is not ouly JUS If
able but desirable and praiseworhy; and snch is the
language OF the report itself Sr these are exrraorIi
nary ptopostIoms and what has brought us Il, this
monstrons and appalling decisions SIR, can well I'M
dcstand that IN private affairs. and ia prvae way
thugs are done which no dare vindcate in public
a'Irs and all know that there has fact been Inerer.
ence IN the elections by pnlic officers But never ,ll
now Ia, there ever been the open and daring avowal
mat me thlnI Is right IN principle aid that il i. one If
The poiiical acts III the country which is pxpe,et md
proper AID that Is desirable tha, should be encour-
aged Ivy possible means
Sir. Princiocs make Practice and still more fully
rue Is II, thar prtcice makes principles. Because this
tang has been done, The idea Of 1t becomes familiar
though abhor'd then IT Is he necessary for the
support Of party; aud they rise up and declare that
these praeuces Mhch have heretofore been announced
VI eIhels heezlng the blood, founded on correct
principles
[Mr Wall. The grntemsn has ss.nrncd things
"icn are not IN The report, which utterly deny, and
which are not true
Mr. Preston ! will show the pentlsman tha, he de-
mes @hat Is true. and that these principles abound both
IN the arguments Of Senators and in lie formal report
II II were not So nigh, regard j, with The same
seriousness. might think it the Temporary eifervcs-
cence OF heated imagination the part Of the gentle
men concerned. which, when sober. they would not
sanction Bot the doctrine Of the report struck the an
probation OF the gentlemen once il by an electric
movement, aud they forthwith them abroad in thou.
sands OF copies. the foundation on which the party
purpose TO place these great questions. Sir confess
,a' nad she made up no Judgment in regard to this
mn, Dn "hen this report heard. and It's principles
suddenly and instantly received The appreciation and sp
p'anse OF gentlemen the other side slrunk from il
appalled, And every Of those gentlemen by voting
20 print ioooo copies Of that report. has made il his
~ gwen y the sanction OF his name.
Aud now. II the L