Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1842-09-08

KeSOLCed lhat the Clerk oil TINS House De directed
to return the Message and Protest to its author
In the Senate, the Fertilization bill, from the
House, was taken up and, after brief consideration,
was passed with amendments, and returned to the
House.
The Bill for tn e payment OF Florida volunteers in
1888 and '99 was passed-IriLune.
PROTEST OF THE PRESIDENT.
To The House of Representatives:
By the Constitution of the United States,
it is provided that " every bill that shall have
passed the House of Representatives and the
Senate, shall, before it become a law, be
presented to the President of the United
States; if he approve he shall sign it, but if
not he shall return it, with his objections, to
the House in which it shall have originated,
who shall enter the objections at large upon
the journal. and proceed to reconsider it."
In strict compliance with the positive obi
CATION thus imposed upon me by the Consti-
tuition, not having been able to bring myself
to approve bill which originated in the
House of Representatives, entitled IAN act
to provide revenue from imports, and to
change and modify existing laws imposing
duties on imports, and for other purposes"
returned the same to the House with my
objections to its becoming law. These ob-
jections, which had entirely satisfied my
own mind of the great impolicy If not uncon-
situtionality of the measure, were presented
in the most respectful, and even deferential
terms. would not have been so far forget
full of what was due from one department of
the Government to another. as to have inten-
tionally employed, in my official intercourse
with the House, any language that could be,
in the slightest degree, offensive to those to
whom it was addressed. If. in assigning my
objections to the bill, had so far forgotten
what was due to the House of Representa-
tives. as to i'npugn its motives in passing the
bill, I should owe, not only to tina! House but
to the country, my most profound apology.
Such departure from propriety is, however,
not complained of in any proceeding which
the House has adopted. II has, on the con-
trarv, been expressly made subject of re-
| mark, and almost Of complaint, that the Ian
guage in which nv dissent WIS couched was
| studiously guarded and cautious.
Such being the character Of the official
communication in question, I confess was
wholly unprcpared for the course which has
been pursued in regard to it. In the exercise
Of the power to regulate its own proceedings,
the House, for the first time it is believed, in
the history Of the Government, thought pro-
per 20 refer the message 10 n select commit
tee of its own body, for the purpose Gas nv
respect for the House would have compelled
me to infrr) ofdeliberately weighing the oh.
iectons urged against the bill by the Execu.
tive, with view to its own Judgment upon the
question OF the final adoption or rejection of
the measure.
Of the temper md feelings in relation TO
myself of some of the members selected for
the performance of this duty, have nothing
to say. That was mntter entirely within
the discretion ofthc House of REPRESENTATIVES.
But that committee taking different view of
its duty from that which should have sup
posed had led To its creation. instead Of con.
filming itself tn the objections urged against
the bill, nvailed itself of the occasion formal
Nv to nrrnign the motives Of the President for
other of his acts since his Induction into of
fec. IN the absence Of all proof and Ms am
hound to declare, against all law or prece-
dent in parliamentary proceedings, and, ut
the. same time, in n manner which it would
be difficult to reconcile with the comfy hiih-
erto sac:edly observed in the intercourse he.
tween independent and co.ordinnte depart.
mentS OF the Government, IL has assailed nv
whole official conduct, without a shadow Of
preteXt for such assault; and stopping
short Of impeachment. has charged me never.
,hcless, with offences declared to deserve i'm.
parchment.
Had the extraordinary report which the
committee thus made to the House been per.
! mtted To remain without the sanction of the
latter. should not have uttered regret, or
! complaint, upon the subject. Butt unaccom.
panied as it is by particle Of testimony to
support the charges il contains, without
deliberate examination. almost without any
discussion. the House Of Representatives has
been pleased to adopt it as its own, and
thereby to become nv accuser before the
country, and before the world. The high
character of such nm accnser, the gravity of
the charges which have been made, and the
judgment pronounced against me-, by the
adoption of tho report upon distinct and
sepernfe vote Of the House. leave me no alter.
native hut to enter nv snlemn protest against
the proceeding. MS unjust to myself as man.
as m invasion Of nv constitutional powers of
Chief Magistrate ofthe American people, and
MS n violation, in nv person, Of rights secu.
! red to every citizen hy the laws and the con.
stitution. That Constitution has intrusted to
the House of Representatives the sole power
Of impeachment. Such impeachment is re.
CURED TO be tried before the most august tri-
| bunai known To our institutions.
The Senate of the United States composed
OF the Representatives of the sovereignty of
the States. ia convert0d into a hoIl ~ ;,,ct;oa