, 1840-03-14

~ '0' W t"S $500
honorable BODY is to a tract Of lana devised
to him BY his father.
1t appears to me even az this time, oar
State very much needs !Rr proportion OF THIS
fund. AMI that in a short time we shall be
much more in want OF 1t.
Your honorable body may be satisfied that
Il majority Of our citizens are willing to re-
linquish their interest in this fund, but am
not SO satisfied, and as aSenator in Congress,
| will not do any act by which such an idea
is to be sanctioned.
Ii may be in the course OF n very short
time, that this fund will be indispensably ne
cessary to SAFE orr citizens from hcary tar
alton, and | should never forgive myself, ii
by Welding to your instructions, | did an act
which produced Il serious injury to the PEG
pie, who have so long honored nc with their
confidence.
By the last clauses in your fourth resolu-
ton, | am instructed to vote for graduating
tie price of the public lands. and for grant
ing presumption rights TO occupants.
These instructions correspond with the
opinions | nave maintained and acted on,
therefore, | should find no difficulty in con
to your wishes in relation to them.
In the fifth resolution, your Instructions
are "to vote for and use all fair and proper
exertions TO procure the passage of alaw re.
tho duties on imported salt"
This subject has been before the Senate
on several occasions since | have been 4
member. and nv votes have ever been in
of removing this duty, and ! should
still conform my conduct to my settled con-
that my past course on this subject
has been correct.
In your sixth resolution you state, thai
you 'heartily approve the leading measures
and policy Of the Administrations Of Andre "
Jackson and Martin Van Buren,, and" IN
siruct "your Senators 10 support in good
faith, the leading measures and policy, os
forward and advocated by the pres
snt President of the United States, and 10
Use all fair and proper exertions 10 carry out,
sustain and accomplish the same
The ~phraseology of this resolution is so
and indefinite. that | am not sure J
comprehend the meaning of your honorable
BODY; bu; believe you intend that | shall sup
port all the leading measures OF the Chief
as well those hereafter TO be
forward as those heretofore recon-
nended.
To instructions Of this description. | could
lot with proprlety, pay any attention what
,ver.
Our fathers and statesmen believed they
lad done much towards the security Of civil
liberty, when. by the Constitutions, they d.
'ided thesreat powers conferred into three
each, in lis sphere, indepen-
lent of the other two. These were the Le-
TIE Executive, and the Judicial.
If the powersof two Of these Departments
should be placed in the same hands, The
whole machinery OF the Government il de-
and the checks iuterposed are re-
novedr
You instruct your Senators TO conform
heir votes on all the leading measures. TO
he will of the President, who is at the head
If the Executive Department. If you have
right to give such instructions, and your
are bound to obey, every other
legislature in the Union has the same right.
nd their Senators would be equally bound
o yield obedience.
Why not let the President at once max
he law and then execute it? II we are
,ound TO vote as he recommends, it is 4 So
mockery to consult US at all. The law
would not be the will of the Senate, but the
VII n c. the President. By this process the
whole legislative power would be yielded up
nd surrendered TO the Executive.
| have been educated to believe, that con-
inued watchfulness, and constant jealousy
{ those in power, are essential to the pre-
of liberty.
Your honorable body would now teach
4 different lesson, and instead of being Il
entinel on the watchtower, to guard the lib
rty Of my constituents, | am TO betake my
Elf to slumber, examine nothing, but vote on
leading measures as the President may
scommend.
If this be the kind ofservice to which your
are to be applied, | never can per-
it, and feel myself unsuited to a station,
hitch | have heretofore considered most
onorable as well as confidential.
After your Resolutions shall have perform
d their wontcd office and my resignation shall
arc been received, before clecting my success
| hope in your wisdom you will either re-
ind or erpunge this sixth Resolution. Our
ommon constituents, the free and chival-
JUS citizens of Tennessee, | hope will ever
n rapre cnntad in the Senate by those who's