The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-02-10
[ NUMBER 20.


resistance to his appointment should sue.
eeed, they nigh. generally calculate on
another nomination not more to the taste Of
the Senate aud when at length tie ciiiee
was filled, the tenure Of the incumbent was
rot on The join, will of lie Presideu; and
Senate acting together, but upon tie single
will, upon the mere afbiirary breath, Of
one man.
Mr.. c. said that il was not his purpose
10 60 into all the details Of these eucroacl''
ments by the Executive npon The coastiu-
tonal powers and prcrogatiyes Of single
Legislative branch Of the Gascrumen,-
lie would no@ pass 10 lis attacks ou lie
powers Of the Congress Of the U. States.
And the first instance Of this 10 which IL
should refer was the creation Of officers
and the designation Of their salaries, with.
out the consent Of Congress or any consul.
talion with IT. Anorber aud more forum.
dabie Instance was to be found in tho
assumption within the last few years Of Tie
purse Of the nation. He ailuded, as every
body must understand. TO the seizure by
late Executive of the public deposiles
placed by law in the Bank ef the United
Slate--~a removal which had been effected
uuder the avowed claim of power to employ
4 tho prerogailye Of removal as means 10
compel subordinate executive officers to
comply with the will of the President, on
the principle that the Executive was unit,
and that single will must control the en-.
tire Executive Department. THIS seizure
r of the public depostes had yet been unpio.
yided against the Congressional power to
control them had been unresumed, aud thus
state Of things was permitted to continue
by which the nation vas virtually placed
al The feet Of the Executive.
Let the gentleman mock him BY talking
about imposslbiity Of the Presidents draw.
ing money out Of the Treasury except IN.
, der an appropriation by Congress; let
them not tell him Of the responsibility Of
public officers let them look a, what had
actually occurred on the removal Of Two or
: three Secretaries of the Treasury, 10 order
to accomplish tins very seizure Of the pub.
E lie treasure, and then let them look at
the dismissal OF countless host of subordi.
, nate officers because they did moi happen
\ 10 hold the same political opinions that
we're held by the President. OF what avail
q we're laws! The President had nothing
$ warrant for such sum of money and di.
G rect the Register and Comptroller to sign
:. it, and if they should talk about regard
!. for their oalhs and boggle at obeying, tell
o them to do what | command them, and if
not, | will find men that will. And he
, would here say to all those who proiessed
| 10 be desirous Of guarding against such
abuses of trust, that unless II were done by
an amendment Of the Constitution or By
revival and resumption Of the power alrea.
! dy possessed by Congress under the Con.
stltution, tney never could effect their pur.
pose. All efforts, all devices, all guaran.
ties, all attempts Of whatever kind, TO sepa-
rate the purse fran the sword, would provo
in practice utterly vein and Inefec,ual.---
+ There was thlrd instance of this en-.
croachment which no was authorized by
facts 10 safe, but on which lie should not
at this lime dwell. Nor only had the purse
Of the patton been seized not only did it
still remaiu 10 the hands Of the President,
but the nation had seen armies raised by
Executive mandate, not only without al.
lhority or shadow Of authority Of law, but,
as in the case Of the Florida volunteers, af.
Ter law had been asked for and positively
refused. Other instances nigh, be cited
in which military force had been raised
without the sanction Of Congress.
Without, therefore, going any further,
Mr.. c. said that lie thought careful review
Of the operations Of this Government down
70 the present hour. would fully demonstrate
that while il had made no eucroachment on
the States, there had been a constant en-
croachment by the Executive on the Leg.
isIaiive authority.
And was not this in the nature Of things!
The Executive branch of the Government
was eternaiy in action it was ever awake;
il never slept; its action was continuous
ard unceasing, like the tides of some nigh.
tv river which continued flowing and flow.
ing on, swelling and deepening and widen
ing in its onward progress, till it swept
; away every impeachment and broke down
and removed every frail obstacle which
ltHilt W UP " tibpOuC 40 SSSiSS' A@SN
gentlemen look at all history, and they
would find that il had been ever so. The
legislative branch of Government met only
periodically its power lay in IFS assem-.
bling and acting; the moment it adjourned
its power disappeared; it was dissipated,
gone bu, there stood the President at the
head of the Executive department, ever
+ ready TO enforce the law and to selae upon
every advantage which presented itself for
the extension and augmentation of its
power.
Aud now no would, upon principle, ex.
anime for few moments the motives
which might be supposed to have actuated
the members of the Convention in confer
ring upon the Executive this veto power
Let us throw ourselves back 10 the pc.
Rod in which they lived and acted, and