Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1841-11-18

Letter from General Scott.
WARRINGTON, Oct. 25th,

each propounding, on the part ofthe writer and his
nsighbor, nearly the same political inlerrogatores-
to which answers are requested.
The scope of the inquiries is iat,ering proof of
the interest that some OF my counrymen take III tho
opinions that have formed on certain great prncl-
pies of abiding importance TO the success OF our
systems of government and as | have nothing TO
conceal if nothing o. value 10 communicate, shall,
at once, without policy reserve, and in the form
of circular comply with their several requests.
PARTY PoL1rlcs Although from curly man
hood. have, by the profession ofarms. in defence
of my country, been thrown out OF the arena o: pr-
ty politics, yet have never ceased TO be an alten-
tive observer of public events, and thus, believe,
there has scarcely been discussion of moment in
Congress, within my time, on which did Hot form,
and moderately but firmly, express passing oPin-
lon,
mere youth, felt the liveest Joy when the
alien and sedition laws expired in the trlumph Of
MIR, Jefferson. From 1906 was old enough, BY
speech and pen, 10 call for prompt and energetic
redress Of our wrongs suffered from Great Britain
under her Orders in Council, the attack on the
Chesapeake frigate and long continued npressment
oil our seamen; and when The war of lol2 al length
came, Twas among the frat and longest in the pres
ence Of the foe The insults received from the French
Directory; their depredaions on our CONNIE rec,
renewed under Napoeonss DEGREES iBerlia and
Milan) which followed the British Orders in Coun-
Gil. also largely shared in my indignant reproba-
ton
The administrations of Mr.. Madison and Mr..
Monroe like that of Mr. Jefferson, had, in their re-
spective periods my humble, but hearty appreciation;
and have since censored nothing IN either but
the sale OF part and the dsmantIlne of our navy;
the gun-boat system of defence that followed, and
the indefinite embargo-whch, crppling us for war,
by destroying our commerce and hnances, and OPP
pressing agriculture, was long continued without
redrsssing outrage from abroad.
give this little sketch of the growth OF my party
feelings or opinions --unmportani, perhaps ex-
cept to myself and few partial friends, TO
show that. if have never been Federalist in any
party sense of the term, so neither have | been
Jacobn, impracticable, or abstractlonist, in any
sense whatever, but always an old fashioned repub-
lican, devoted to the support Of law and order-a
democratic Wing, just as all my family had been
Wings in the great struggle for na,lona! freedom
and Independence
THE JUDIclARY.-From an early and long con-
tinued study of elementary Law, n,y mind has ever
been imbued " it'll deep ence for the Bench
State and Federal AN Independent department IN
our own system of government, and winch, hold
ing neither the purse to corrupt, nor the sword to
,errify addresses itself only with the mild force of
persuasive Reason, to the intelligence and virtue OF
the whole community by the federal constitution
every posslDi6 SdlPguHu Is PIoNiueu " e'ic'u 't'
Judiciary agains, fleeing prejudice, political ran
cour, and party dependence which Legislators
and the Executive are unavedably, directly and
constantly exposed Hence, 'to the one supreme
court" is widely extended 10y 'the appellate juris'
dicon") call cases in law and equity, arising I'M
der HIS constitution, the laws Of ths United suites
and treafies made, or which shall be made under
their authority"
Looking TO this express provision, have always
held that when doubtful question arising under
the constitution isef the supreme law of ;hc land;
under an act Of Congress or Il treaty, has once
been soemnly adudcaled, by that court, the prin
cple of the decision ought TO be taken, bg all as
deiniiively settled Unless. indeed II he upon re-
hearing before the same ribunrl This appears to
me clear FIR dspn alton; tr The conh Is not on
" declared TO be supreme, and hence there can be
no bench beyond it,: but 10 Congress is only given
the Lower 10 constitute inferior tribunals. by ap-
peals 10 the Supreme Court a settlement was lnien-
ded to be reached, and anarchy through long dis
traction ofth4 public mind, on great questions oil
legislative and executive power, thus rendered I'M
possible Practically therefore, for the people, and
especially their fnnclionaries TO deny, disturb, or
ia,pugn principles thus construlonally established
strikes me ~ Of evil example il NOT OF direct rev
ouonary tendency, except ndree. IN the case 81
a judicial decision enIargIng Pawer and against hp'r-
"; and any dangerous error ofthls sort can be al
ways easily corrected, land should only he coTec-
ted BY an amendmen; Of the Constitution IN Que o.
the modes prescribed BY that Instrument Itself the
Organic law of the States and the people. Mscon-
Snc.ions Of the law other than the constitution, are
set more readily corrected By amendatory or dec ara
tory acts Of Congress,
The EXECUTIVE FEro.-This by the fran :rs
Of the constitution could only have been designed,
]. To enable the President to defend his own
rightul powers against usurpttions on the pat oil
Congress 2. To enable HIM to forbid o.her legls-
latve infractions OF the constitution; and 3. To
guard the country against other acts Of hasty vio
lent legislation
il is hardly possible 10 conceive a under the
first or second Of these heads, against which the Ju
-dicary-,Ae balance wheel of the system-d does
not Afford of ITSELF all the security that the people
require.
But whou, the protection Of either the Bench or
tho veto, would the executive department. become
50 super- ud cal of late years) be too weak 10 fu
I'll the strictly executive functions for whch il was
more particularly created rather. would not that
department still b, the pc Herful, for evil, ia
the government
The President is under the checks Of the consli-
tuition and law, rightflIly invested with the power
of the Sword, and he mas again and again had that
of the Purse also The Houses of Congress, it is
irue Law taxes on imports and regulate the sales of
the public domain; but il is he Ohrough his agents.
who handles the proceeds From 1888 to 1886
Ito say nothing of The presently he alone nominated
and dismissed all the agents who kept, well as
those who collected. distributed and discussed the
public revenue The apoihegm-make us your
executor; we care not your Legislators; has fright
full application to such small 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