The Madisonian., 1840-01-18

ber, and my votes have ever been IN favor Of
removing this duty, and should still CONFORM
my conduct to my settled conviction, that my
past course on this subject has been correct.
In your sixth resolution you state, that you
"henrtIly approve the leading measures and
policy Of the Administrations Of Andrew
Jackson and Martin Van Buren, and" in
siruct "your Senators 10 support in good
faith, the leading measures and policy,
brought forward and advocated by the present
Presi .ent OF the United States, and 10 use all
fair and proper exertons 10 carry out, sustain
and accomplish the same"
The phraseology If this resolution is so
general and indefinite, that | am not sure
comprehend the meaning Of your honorable
body; but believe you intend that shall sup
port all the leading measures of the Chief
Ma. istrate, as well those hereafter to he
brought forward as those heretofore recon-
mended.
To instructions Of this description. could
not with prcpriety, pay any attention what
\ ever.
Our fathers and statesmen believed they
had done much towards the security of civil
liberty, when, by the Constitution, they divided
the great powers conferred into three Depart
ments, each, in its sphere, independent OF the
other two. These we'e the Legislative, the
Executive, and the Judicial
! If the powers Of any two of these Depart
ments should be placed in the same hands,
the whole machinery of the Cover ment IS
destroyed, and the checks intcrposed are re-
moved
/ You instruct your Senators TO conform
their votes all the leading measures, to the
will Of the President, who is at the head OF
the Executive Department. II you have
right to give such Instructions, and your Sen
ators are bound to obey, every other Legisa-
ture in the Union has the same right, and their
Senators would be equally bound to yield
obedience.
Why not let the President at once make the
law and then execute it If we are bound
| to vote as he recommends, II is solemn
mockery to consult US at all. The law would
not be the will of the Senate, but the will OF
the President. By this process the whole
legislative power would be yielded up and
surrendered to the Executive.
have been educated to believe, that con-
iinued watchfulness, and constant jealousy OF
those in power, are essential to the preserva-
ton of liberty.
Your honorable body would now teach me
n different lesson, and instead Of being SEN
tincl on the watchtower, 10 guard the liberty
OF my constituents, / am to betake myself
to sumber, examine nothing, but vote on all
leading measures as the President may re-
commend.
If this be the kind Of service to which your
Senators are TO be applied, never can per-
form it, and feel myself unsulted to station,
which have heretofore considered most hon
orable as well as confidential.
After your Resolutions shall have perform
ed their ,conted office and my resignation shall
hare been received, before electing my sue
cessor, hope in your wisdom you will either
rescind or erpunge this sixth Resolution
Our common constituents, the free and CHI
valrous citizens of Tennessee, hope will
ever be represented in the Senate by those
whose principles and feelings are in accord
ance with their own; and while this Resolu-
tion is suffered TO remain, no man can accept
that high station but one who is himself en-
siaped and fit only to represent those in the
like condition ynh himself.
| have now troubled you with all the re-
marks l deem it necessary to make upon
your sly Resolutions, taken separately, but do
not feel that will have discharged my whole
duty until have shown the deduction to be
drawn from them when connectedy consi-
dered
They contain the political creed Of the pre-
sent Chief Magistrate OF the United States, as
expressed through his friends in the Tennes-
see Legislature and what is it 7
By the I'd Resolution il is proved he wishes
the whole moneyed power Of the United States
vested in him and subject to his control
BY the 3d it is proved he will not agree that
the patronage and power he now exercises
shall be either lessened or regulated by law.
By the 4th. it is proved that in order to
have full Golfers, he wishes the States to sur
render their right to the moneys arising from
the sales Of the public lands, and
BY the 6th it is proved that he wishes Con-
gress compelled to vote for every leading mea-
sure he may recommend, and am instructed
in good faith to give my aid to maintain this
creed.
These instructions | cannot and will not
obey. So far from it, my creed upon these
points is:
lst. That the power over the public purse
ought to be constantly kept under the control
of the legislature.
I'd. That the patronage well as the ex-
penditures Of the Executive are already too
large. and ought TO be reduced.
3D. That instead Of surrendering the rights
of the States to any portion OF the public
moneys, they ought to adhere to those rights
and in due season provide for a fair di,trbu-
tiol of the land funds and
Lastly, for no consideration ought we 10
agree that any other portion Of the Legislative
power shall be vested, either directly or indI-
rectly, in the President, save that which is
already vested in him by the Constitution of
the United States.
At last, no person can help seeing that the