Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1841-11-15
E'e,a.lEaa''A9..

LETTER FROM GEN. SCOTT.

been drawn from HIM, we understand. by eraus
letters from various parts OF the Union, lncludn /.
applications from ciifzens OF New jersey, asking his
oplnious concerning the polnlcs OF The day.
WAsuiNoroS, Oct %. 1sil.
Gen,lemen:-l have IaIc, had the honor 10 re
cesr mans leucfs iron ~ many different States,
each ptoponading ON the pant oi the wrlier aud his
neighbour, neal, the same political lntenogMotiGs,
Ia winch answers Ate requested.
The scope OF the lrqpIies ~ Hlldlefng rfooi Of
the int esttha some of ny con0ltymen axe IN the
opinions that have formed ON certain great prlno-
pies OF abiding importance In the success OF our
system OF governments; and "a have nothing 10
conceal, II nothing 81 value To communicate, | shall
AT once, without policy OF reserve, aud IN the form
of cltculn. comply with Their several requests.
PdfiJ PoliticS Although from cMly manheod. |
have, by the profession OF arms. ~ the defence ol
country, been thrown out oil the arena of parry poll
tics, yet have ceased 10 be attentive oh.
serve, Of public events. aud thus betve thoie has
scarcely been discussion 81 moment IN Congress,
whln my time, on winch did not ioim. and mod
csliy but firmly, express passing opinion.
4 mere youth, tell tho l,ecst j1y when the
alien and sedlion laws expired IN The iuumpl OF
Mr.. J,nrr,on. from 1906. | was old enough by
speech and pen, to call for prompt md energetic
redress OF our wrongs suffered from Great Bnta,n,
under her orders IN Councn the attack the
Chesapeake Ifieatc, and long continued lmpfcssment
Of our scameu; aud when the val of 1872 At length
ca ne was among The first and longest in the pre-.
senre Of the Tor. The insults received from the
French Dtectoty-thrif DEF relations ON our cam
meice renewed Nndef MAJ oleon's DEGREES, (Beilln
aud Miami which followed The British Orders in
Council, also largely shared IN my indignant repro
baton.
The administrations Of Mr.. Madison aud Mr..
Mnnroc, like that ot Nj. Jefferson, hal IN ller
speclne periods, my hun bile bat hrmty nprobn
unn; aud have tver since crnsnicd nothln. IN ell
thci but the sale Of pat aud tie dIsmann ny oi our
NAVY; the gun boat system OF defence thai followed,
.ul the nd,doac embargo, "mch, cnpplne US Tor
wal, by destroying our commerce aud hnauces, aud
depressing agriculture. was long continued without
icdfessing one outtageirom abroad.
rive tins httle sketch of The growth of my parry
feelings on npiniuns-uuImpoiiaBl perhaps, except
my self aud few partial irlends, To show that II
have never been Federallst, IN any party sense Of
the term So neither have been Jacobln. an
practicdbie abslracIonst. IN any sense Whatever,
but ALWAYS old fashioned iepoboan, devoted 10
the support OF law aud order; dcmocr Tie Wing
lust as all my family had been Wings IN the
great struggle ton national freedom and 'ndepen
denee.
Tie Julicialg-Frnm an e,t, and long connu
I'd study ol elementary law, my MUD has ever been
lnlbued with deep iefer, nee I the b.hch-Slait
& Fedela; an independent department IN our system
of government, aud winch holding nenher the Purse
to calrup nor tie Sword 10 tefrliy addresses nsel
ou'y with the mid Iofce # persuasive reason, 10 the
the Federal TO s,lutlon, cv,iy possible safeguard
is provided 10 shield IT'S judiciary aganst neeln 9
prejudice, pol1Ital Tau, or aud pry dependence, ~
which Legislators aud the Executive are unavolda'
hl,, directly and constantly exposed. Hence, 40
the Que Sulreme Gouu" Is wisely extended t5y
appellate urIsd,ct,on, "aIl cases IN law aud eqii
w. arising under tins Constitution, the laws oil The
United States, and treaties made or winch shall be
made under thcit authority
Luuking 10 this express pro ,ison, have alwaJ
held ihat when doubtful question, arising under the
CONSTITUTION, itself The supreme law oi the land,
der an act oil Con ress Of "a Treaty, has once bern
soemnly adjndicarcdby that CouI, the pr'nc'pie OF
the drclson ought Ia he taken, by all ~ de lnhey
settled; unless, lndred,lt be upon hearing b.oie
dt,pulaIjon Ion the Cont is only declared 10 be
supreme, and hence incte can be no bunch beyond
u; bui 10 Congress Is only gwen the power to con
stIiule interior tribunals. By appeals 10 the ST
pteme Cuut, settlement was intended be reach
ed, aud anarchy, Ihrougha long distraction Il he
public mind. gieal questions II legislative aud tx
ecuIse power, thus rendered Impossible. Piacii
cay therefore, for the people, aud especially Their
ia ctionaties, 10 deny dslulb OF imppgn principles
tius con, lutloLally established, strikes me as ii
EVIL example, # not OF direct revolutionary ten
dtpuv, except, iudc i, IN the Of u1lcal de-
ci,Ion enlarglng pnwer and against liberty; and any
dangerous eltor Of tins SON can be always easii.
Z nrrted, md should only be eotecied) by an II
meudneut OF ihe slitution, IN one oil the modes
prescribed by mat instrument lscH-ne ofEdhlt
law of the states and the people, Nj constructions
Of law, uthel than the COusutuiion are yet more
readily corrected by ameujatory OF decatatoy acts
If Congress.
Tie Erecutire Vcio-'Ths by The trainers If the
Constitution, could only hate been desIQned-l
To enable the Presid III 10 defend his own rlsht-
u powers against usurpaiious on The pat oil Con
press .. / o enable hIn to forbid oher legislative
mi, actions of II Constitutions aud 3. To guard the
CO .ni,v against other acs Of hasiy orylocul legs
Ian u.
1t IL hardly possible 10 conceive case under The
first IL second oi these reads, agalns, which the
JudicIuy--lhe balance wheel oil The sysem-do.s
not afui1 oil Itself, all the teunry that the people
can require.
But Without the protection Of either the b nc
or Velo, would the Executive department, (become
so super Judicial OF laie years. be too weak /" iuh
the slrIclIy Executive functions for winch II w. 5
II ore parlicularly created Or rather, would not
thai department sirl be Tie most powerful, Tor evil
ia The govern nenl!
The President is under the checks OF The Consil-
tullon a d law, rghiully invested with the power
Of tie Sword, aud he has again aud again had that
ol The Purse also. The Houses oi Congress, it Is
true lay taxes for imports, aud regulate The sales :"
the pubic domain; bul II Is he tmohgh ms sRrn'sl
vino handles The ptooeeds. From 1888 10 1886 4,
dismissed all the agents who kept well as thos'
~ no collected, distributed and d,sbutsed the public
revenue. The aputhegm-n as your trecutor
ne care mol rho are your legislators; has fright
luI application 10 such smatl agents aud the IN
mense ireasuIe that annually passes til ough theI
hands,
The rapid increase and spread Of population, tn
growth ol national wealth, the amount OF revenue
collected d disbursed the new relation (by The ex