Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-05-26
Sinking TIE RespoNsrpu ,rv

Several OF the Washington scribbeT, have writ
ten that the acting President does not mean to re
commend any measure Of finance, but will either
leave It TO his Secretary Of the Treasury TO prenarc
plan, or TO Congress itSell. We contend upon
the plain letter Of the Constitution that this would
be direct evasion of his Executive duties Hear
no" emphatic the requisiton is:
Gle shall, from time to time, give to the Congress
information OF the state of the Union, and recon.
mend TO their consideration such measures as he
shalIJudge necessary aud eRpedient," sc.
Here, then, appears no doubt about the duty i'm
posed upon him. He shall "reccmmendn &r-
Words cam OF be more distnci. But to show how
carefully they we're selected for the express purposc
we lay before our readers the following extract
from "The Madison Papers"-pago .4I2. volume
third: 49, '''''''
"On motion Of Mr. Gouverne ur Morris ,6e man,
was struck out, and and inserted before recon
mend, IN the second clause Ofartce second section
second, IN order TO make It the duty the President
70 recommend, and thence prevent umbrage or cayi
al his doing it,"
MIR Tyler, then, will please to reeolect TIM, II !,
not he may, but shall recOmmend.-R Richmond In.
quTsr. ''''
The Enquirer has cha nged his tune since las,
summer When Poinseu's Army Bill ,V,s IN. ell.
Ject OF discussion and denunciation, the Enaur.r
earring It's effects upon his party, and not daring 10
defend the bill, took the unique ground that Mr. Van
Buren, knew nothing about the bill, and was not 70.
sPonsI6le for u, although he had, in his message,
said The could moi too strongly recommend IT,,
Now suppose the Secretary Of the Treasury. in
his Report TO Congress, furnishes a plan Of n Ma
tIonal Bank, and suppose Mr. Tyler SAYS that che
cannot too strongly recommend" that nlop IN IA.
attention oiCongress-whai will the Fnouirer say,
Willie saddle the plan on the Secretary. and bold
The President oIcuScd-or will he throw tbe respoo
sibHy Of it on the President
Weask these questions without any oroscto,;on
OF getting an answer 10 thom, but Tor the purpo,o
OF showing how little reliance can be placed on the
opinions Of the Enquirer. lie blows no, or cold.
just as It suits his Interest," and m expression Of
opinion by him to-day, is no guarantee Of his con
duct to morrow.
When Jackson turned out Duane, for no, remov
pg the Deposits, the Enquirer defended the Presi
dent, on the ground that The Secretary was his Sc.
ere'arY' and that he (the Pfesiden) vas responsible
for his conduct.
When Poinseu advised the creation Of a Stand.
ing Army and the President warmly approved "A
the plan, the Enquirer took tho ground. thai IN,
PRESIDENT never saw the plan" had nothing IN do
WIN The plan, and consequently was not res,o,.i.
bic for the plan.
Such being the Enqurors course, wbat vaI,e ran
he place on Executive recommendations 49,
ing TO his doctrine, the Presidents Recommend,
ions are mere matters Of convenience. n, -
nc responsible or not responsible, according "a
Tho popularity or unpopularity flhe measures pro
F.. posed. P''
hs~o eave no moin' Of knowing the nature
, Mr. Tyler's Message, we cannot tell wbs, scheme q
hn"nce he will advise; but this We know that what
ever plan he does recommend, he vm abide bv. sne
not throw that responsibility which he should him
.et incur on tho shoulders ofsuo,hsr person. PEI
lat