The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-17

100 'Nii"uey drought Their minus 10 this Hi'e' 49,
Jcet, not as theme for experiment, but as practical
question involving the fate Of great experiment OF
seigoveinment, 1t must be obvious, that all the ac-
tive powers of sovereignty must be delegated 20 pot
cal agents, as we'll in Republic in any other form
Of government weakness and confusion will una
voidasly ensue. We must have a revenue system and
consequently host of revenue officers. We must
have an Executive Cabinet to give counsel to the
President and superintend the several Departments
10 elect these obects the Constitution has invested
Tue President with the power of appointing all the Of
hcers oil Government. Against the exercise of the
power TO appoint the commissioners it has been urged
that the President would abuse this power. BY al
guing from the possible abuse of power against the
use or existence of il, you may and must come to
Inc conclusion that there ought not to be- and is not
any government in this country in the worldr Dis
organization and anarchy are the consequences
that can he deduced from such reasoning. Who is it
that may not abuse the power that has been confded
to him Has the Congress Of the United States
never abuaed power7 And if they have, does not
the argument from extreme cases, prove that they
ought not to have power1 What have the Congress
OF the United States TO do with such specuaiions
these Are they TO form, or to submit TO the Cons
tuition as 1t has been given TO them for rule by
! those who are their masters Can they take upon
themselves the office Of poical casustry and because
they think that power ought to be less than il is
compel il TO shrink 10 their standard But why is
this power lodged as we contend it is, with the Pre-
sident and Senate likely to disaster US as we are
quired TO apprehend il will Sufficient checks have
been provided by the Constitution Have they not as
respects the President all the security upon which they
may rely for the discreet and upright discharge of his
duty Look at his controlling power over the whole
machinery of diplomacy. For effect il is the most
comprehensive, for expansion il is the largest, yet no
fears entertained that this power will be abused
/ But the power ofthe President is further checked by
the necessity of the of the Senate. The
commissioner must pass through the probation of
time before they can be chosen, and must bring with
them every title to confidence The duration of their
office is that of few years their numbers few
their responsibility is great il can be; and their
moral responsibility beyond all question. The power
of impeachment may be maintained as a check upon
the President and Secretary Of the Treasury in the
administration of the affairs of the revenue As
the Constitution seems TO place reliance on this
provision so do we. Is tnothng, ask that you can
bring them to the bar, expose their misconduct the
world, and bring down indignation upon them,
and those who dare to acqut them. And lastly we
remark, that the President will exercise this power
10 the preservation Of the liberties Of his fellow cou
trymen His habits and modes of thinking have
| been formed in the Republican school, which recog-
nzes prudential restraints in the exercise of constu
tlona powers. He will act in the full view of his
constituents and under the consciousness that ac
count of the ngleness of his station all eyes are up
on hun. He knows full well the temper aud nclli-
gence of those for whom he acts and to whom he is
amenabe. He cannot expect that they will be blind
to the mschiefs Of his Administration, subjects of
high CONSIGNMENT and vital interests and in proper
ton he acts upon his responsibility, unassisted
and unduted by the infusion of that of any other
political body, is the danger of i-advsed conduct
! likely to be present to his mind
lin Government constituted like ours predicate
upon law, and whose whole scheme is in opposition
to despotism it is well to multiply the barriers
against an increase of patronage; but check it as
you may still much must be left to the Executive de-
partment Of the Government Confidence must be
placed somewhere, and the theory of our Govern
ment vests it in the Chief Magistrate. Sound policy
therefore requires that specific limitations should be
! created for the exercise of all power that can be
limited, thus reducing the underlined field of general
aud unlimited discretion to those limitations and re-
strictons which the case is susceptible Of
! Now what are the restrictions imposed upon the
exercise Of the powers vested in the President, ac-
cordng to the bill of the Secretary OF the Treasury
The first section of the bill creates and establishes
board to be called '''rhe Exchequer Of the United
| States Three commissioners are TO be appointed
by the President Nth The adpice and ofte Sem
aeand not removable from office, ercept for physical
inability, incompeency neglect rioiaion Of duty;
and in case of any such removal it shall be the duty
of the President TO lay the thereof before the
Senate 1t also creates number Of agencies this
however left with the discretion of the parent board
and the agents appointabe by the board and not
by the President According to our reading Of
this bill, the only augmentation of patronage is, in
the appointment of three commissioners and there
his influence terminates.
In justification Of the course which Mr.. Tyler has
thought proper to pursue in relation to the exercise
of the Veto power, we will refer to the positions he
has occupied at several disjoined periods Of time
At the early age of 81, Mr. Tyler was elected to
the Legislature of Virginia lie found that body
conyulset by great diversity Of views upon the sub
iect OF establishing BANK OF the United states He
found also much divided in relation to the conduct
of Messrs. Giles and Brent Those conyersant with
the political events OF that day will doubtless reco
lect that the legislative body of Virginia instructed
her Senators i'll Congress to resist the establishment
of a Bank Mr.. Giles condemned the Instructions
and Mr. Brent dlsobeyed. II became the duty of
Mr. Tyerto introduce resolution condemnatory of
the conduct OF those distinguished Senators On
this accession he boldly and undsglisedy opposed the
establishment of National Bank, as yolatory of the
principles of the Constitution At subsequent pc
Rod he translated by the partially Of his friends