Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-05-04


lands
! J consider Tennessee MS honestly entitled to her
proportion OF this fund, as any OF your honorable
idy is to tract of land devised to him by his
| father.
It appears to me even at this time orr State
very much needs her proportion of this fund, and
that in short time we shall be much more in
want Of II.
Your honorable body may he satisfied that
majority OF our citizens are willing to renuuish
their interest in this fund, but am so satisfied
and Senator ia Congress, | will not do any
act by which sueii idea is TO be sanctioned A
| II may be in tho course OF a very short time,
that this fund will bu indispensably necessary to
save our citizens from h.apy tardiion, and should
never forgive myself, if by yielding TO your in
utructions did an act which produced a serious
injury to the people, who have so long honored me
with their confidence.
| BY the last clauses in your fourth resolution,
ami instructed to vote tor graduating the price Of
the public lands, und for granting presumption
rights to occupants.
These instructions correspond with the opinions
| have maintained and acted on, therefore, should
find no difficulty in conforming to your wishes in
relation TO them.
In the fifth resolution your instructions are "to
vote for and use all fair and proper exerlions 10
procure the passage of law repeating the duties
on imported SALT
This subject has been before the Senate on sew.
eral occasions aimee have been n member, 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
" heartily approve the leading measures and policy
of the Administrations of Andrew Jackson and
Martin Van Buren,, and' instruct "your Senators
to support in good faith, the leading measures and
policy, brought forward and advocated by the
present President of the United States, aud to use
all fair and proper exertions to curry out sustain
I and accomplish the salne."
, The plraseology ofthis resolution is 80 general
and indefinite, that ! am not sure comprehend
the meaning of your honorable body; but believe
: you intend that shall support all the leading
! measures of The Chief Magistrate, well those
hereafter to be brought forward as those hereto
fore recommended.
To instructions Of this description, l could not
= with propriety, pay amy attention whatever.
/ Our fathers and statesmen believed they had
done much towards the security of civil liberty,
when 10y the Constitution, they divided the great
, powers conferred into three Departments, each, in
it's sphere, independent of the other two. These
\ were the Legislative, The Executive, and the Judi
cial.
:, If the powers of any two of these Departments
y should be placed in the same hands, the whole ma.
+ chinery Of the Government is destroyed and the
checks interposed Gre removed.
You instruct your Senators to conform their
votes on all the leading measures, to tha will of
the President, who is at the head OF the Executive
: | Department. If you have Il right TO give such
instructions, and your Senators are bound to obey
every other Legislature in the Union has the same
right, and their Senators would be equally bound
a TO yield obedience.
II WHY not let the President at once make the law
" anI then execute it, If we are bound to vote as
- lie recommends, il is n solemn mockery to consult
. us at ALL The law would not be the will of the
= Senate but the will oil the President. BY this
r. process the whole legislative power would be yiel-
I ded up and surrendered 10 the Executive.
khave been educated to believe, that continued
;, watchfuness, and constant jealousy of those ia
II power, ,nal TO the preservation of liberty.
Your honorable body would now teach me
different lesson, and instead of being sentinel on
r. the watchtower to guard the liberty of my con-
n suents, aln to betake myself 10 sumber, exam
q inc nothing, but vote on all leading measures as
y the President may recommend.
n III this De the kind of service 10 which your
Senators are TO DE applied never can perform it,
and feel myself unsuited to a station, which
,r have heretofore considered most honorable well
n as confidential.
- After your resolutions shall have performed
he their Donted office and my resignation shall hare
been received, before eiectiag my successor, hope
70 in your wisdom you will either rescind or erpunge
this sixth Resolution. Our common constituents,
! the free and chvalrous citizens of Tennessee, |
J. hope will ever be represented in the Senate by
a those whose principles and feelings in accor-
), dance with their own and while this Resolution
is suffered 10 remain, no man can accept that high
station hut who is himself ensiaved and fl
~ y 10 represent those in the like condition with him
: self
4. have now troubled you with all the remarks
re deem 1t necessary TO make upon your six reso-
ID lutions, taken separately, bur do feel that
of will have discharged my whole duty until have
shown the deduction TO be drawn from them when
l. connectedly considered.
in They confirm the political ereetl OF the present
.,C Al, Nf
s. ed through his friends in the Tennessee Legsla-
n ture and what is il :?
u By the al Resolution il is proved he wishes the
le whole moneyed power OF the United States vested
$. in him and subject to his control.
b by the 81, il is proved he will not agree that
the patronage and power he now exercises shall
Sc be either lessened or regulated by law.
BY the 4th il is proved that in order TO have full
in Golfers, he wishes the States to surrender their
ir right to the moneys arising from the sales OF The
vi public lands, and
of BY the 9th ii is proved that he wishes Congress
10 compelled to vote for every leading measure he
may recommend. and nm instructed in good faith
MS to give my aid to maintain this creed
Nv These instructions cannot and will not obey.
r So far from it my creed upon these points is:
lst. That the power over tie public purse ought
to lie constantly kepi under the control of the
us legislature
ID. That tho patronage well as the expend-
id lures ofthe Executive are already too large, AMI
c. ought to be reduced
~ 3 That instead of surrendering the rights of
the States 10 any portion OF the public moneys,
to thew ought 10 adhere those rights, and in due
X. season provide for fair distribution of the land
of funds; and
,n Lastly, for no consideration ought we TO agree
he that any other portion of the Legislative power
q shall he vested, either directly oY direellv in the
NJ President that which is already vested in him
ii. by the Constitution Of the United States.
1t At ast no person can help seeing thar the diff
n ference between your honorable body and myself
r. is, that you wish add to the power and patron