The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-11-06
LETTER ERoM GEN. SCOTT.
wAsnrsoros, Oct. IS, ls4i-


many letters from many different States, eaon pr
pounding on the part of the writer and MS
nearly the same political interrogatories 70 winch "
swers requested. -
,he ;ote,es, that some Of my countymen take IN the
onin,ons that have formed on certain great pnePes
~ abiding importance 10 the success oil our systems oil
Goyernment and as | have nothing TO conceal, u
nothing of value 10 communicate, shaii al once,
without policy reserve, and In the form OF ccu
lar comply with their several requests
Parry politics. Although, from early manhood, l
have by the profession Of arms in defence OF country
been thrown out of the arena OF party Polets yet
have never ceased to be attentive observer OF pub
lie events and thus believe, there has scarcely been
a discussion of moment in Congress- within my time,
on which did not form, and modesty, but hrmiy, eh-
press a passing opinion
mere youth felt the liseliest joy when the alien
and sedtou laws expired in the triumph oil MT 1ei
ferson From 1906 was old enough, by speech ana
pen to call for prompt and energetic redress OIL our
wrongs suffered from Great Britain under ner ORDERS
in council attack on the Chesapeake frgats anu long
continued impressment Of our seamen anu "hen 'ns
war of 1912 alIlength came was among the nrs' ana
Longest in the presence Of the foe, The insults re-
ceyed from the French Directory their dePredatons
on our commerce renewed under Napoleon's DEGREES,
Berlin and Milan which followed the British orders
in Council, also largely shared in my indignant re-
probation. - -
Monroe like tina, of Mr. Jefferson, had, in their res
pectiye periods, my humble, but hearty APPRECIATION
and have since censured nothing in either but the
sale of part and the dsman,ling OF the remainder
of our Navy the gun-boat system OF defence that
followed and the indefinite embargo, which, GRIPPING
US for war by destroying our commerce and finances,
and expressing agriculture, was long continued with
out redressing one outrage from abroad.
give this little sketch Of the growth Of my party
feelings opinions unimporant perhaps, except 10
myseif and few partial friends TO show that If l
h.y. n Epla llst n q
the term, so neither have been jacobn, an imprdc-
ticabie or abstractionst in any sense whaeveT but
always an old fashioned republican, devoted to the
support of law and order Democratic Wing, just
as all my family had been Wings in the great struggle
Tor national freedom and independence.
The Judiciary. From an early and long-contnued
study Of elementary law, my mind has ever been i'm
bued with deep reverence for the bench-State and
Feleralan independent departmentin our systems OF
Government, and which, holding neither the purse to
corrupt the sword of power to terny, addresses
itself only with the mild force of persuasive reason to
the intelligence and virtue of the whole community.
BY the Federal Constitution, every possible safeguard
is provided shield its judiciary against feeng pre-
judice political rancour, and party dependence to
which Legislators and the Executive are unavoidably,
directly and constantly exposed. Hence to the Zone
Supreme Court" wisely extended (by appellate Ju-
risdicton all cases in law and equity arising under
this Constitution the laws of the United States, and
treaties made, OF which shall be made under their au-
thorty
Looking TO this express provision, have always
held that when doubtful question, arising under e
Their the Constitution itself, the supreme law Of the
land: under an act OF Congress- OF treaty, has
once been solemniy adudicaied by that court, the
principle of the decision ought to be taken by all
de6nitvely set,led-unless, indeed, it be upon re-
hearing before the tribunal. This appears to
me too clear for dispusaon for the court is not only
declared to be supreme and hence there can be no
bench beyond but to Congress is only given the pow
to constitute inferior" tribunals. BY appeals to
the Supreme Court, settlement was intended to be
reached, and anarchy through long distraction Of
the public mind, great questions Of Legislative and
Executive power, thus rendered impossible. Pract-
cay, therefore, for the people, and especially their
functionares to deny, to disturb impugn principles
thus constitutionay established, strikes Of evil
example, if of direct revolutionary tendency, ex
cept indeed, in the of judicial decision cnlarg
ing power and against liberty and any dangerous err
Of this sort can always be easily corrected land
should only be corrected) by an amendment Of the
Constitution, in one of the modes prescribed by that
instrument ilself-the organic law of the States and
the people. Msconstructions of law, other than the
Constitution, are yet readily corrected by amend
atory declaratory acts Of Congress.
The Erecutirs Yeto.-This, by the trainers Of the
Constitution, could only have been designed, l. To
enable the President to defend his own nghtfu pow
against usurpations the part Of Congress; 2.
To enable him 10 forbid other legislative infractons
against other acts Of hasty violent legislation.
1t is hardly possible to conceive a case under the
first second OF those heads against which the Ju-
dicary-the balance tcheel Of the system--does not
afford Of ITSELF all the security that the people can
require.
But without the protection of either the bench OF
the Veto-would the Executive department, become
super judicial of late years) be too weak TO fulfil the
strictly Executive functions for which par
tcularly createdl raher-wOuld not that depart
Ha tha rfSl far in (rnV-
eminent
The President is, under the checks of the Constitu-
ton and law rghtfully invested with the power of the
sword, and he has again and again had that of the
purse also Tie Houses of Congress, it is true, lay
taxes FL imposs and regulate the sales of the public
domain but II is he Through his agents who handles
the proceeds From 1888 to 1886 Ito say nothing OF
he presently he alone nominated and dismissed all the
agents who kept, as well those who collected dis
trlbued and dsbursed the public revenue. The apo
egatees, has frghtfu application to such agents and
the immense treasure that annually passes through
their hands
The rapid increase and spread of population, the
growth Of national wealth, the amount of revenue
collected and discussed, the relations (by the cx-
tension of commerce) with foreign countries; the adj
dional appointments at home and abroad, the number
and value of contracts-al constantly and necessarily
tho increase-a general decay in morals perhaps
great in Congress as elsewhere; the habit that we
have prevail during several Presidential terms of
filling public offices with but little or regard to moral
standing have, taken together already opened 10 he
head of the Government elements of power and cor
rupon, which II was impossible for the trainers and
adopters of the Constitution oresee to conceive
Who at that distant day. for example, dreamed
of the specaces which have recently Disguised every
honest citizen }-of pos,masters mail contractors,
mail agents and takers covering the land with
Government pamphlets, handbs and extra gazettes,
sufficient Of ready to sap the morals public and pri-
vate of an entire generation 2of the custom-house
mercenaries in the large cities, living the public
neglecting every duty for party meetings and the polls
and rendering to power the most bribe- worthy
vicesl-of district atornies and collectorsrambling
missionaries, defending every abuse of tce--,heir
the most indecent, in order maintain power in
the hands Of their patron2 All who have reflected on
the foregoing faclr must be ready to afrm--tha Err
ecutire patronage "has increased is increasing and
oup ht 10 be diminished"