Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1842-09-10
PROTEST OF THE PRESIDENT.
To the House of Representatives.:


ed the House of Representatives and the Senate,
shall, before it becomes law, be presented to the
President of the United States; IT ne dpprore, he
shall sign IT; but II not he shan return 1t, Win
his objections TO that House IN which II shall nave
originated, who shall! enter tho objections at large
upon the journal, and proceed TO reconsider IT,
Ia strict compliance with the positive obllgn
ton thus imposed upon me by tho Constitution
not having been ablo TO BRING myself 10 approve
a bill which originated IN tho House Of Represen
tative entitled "An act to provide revenue from
imposts, and to change aud modify existing laws
imposing duties on imports, and for other purpo-
sesn returned tho game to the House, with my
objections 10 its becoming law. These otJec
tons, which had entirely satisfied my own mind
Of tho great lmporcy, 1t not tho unconsii'uton-
atty, of the measure, were presented III the most
respectful, and even deterenttaI terms. "oaId
not have been so far fofgetful Of what was due
from one department Of the Government 10 nm
other, 8 to have intentionally Employed in my
official intercourse with the House, any language
that could be, III the slightest degree, offensive TO
those TO whom II was addressed If, IN assigning
nv objections to the bill, had 50 far forgotten
what was due tho House OF Representatives.
as impugn its motives IN passing the bull, |
should owe, not only 20 that House, but 10 the
country, my most profound apology. Such de-
parturc from proprieiy IL, however, Dol complain.
ed of IN any proceeding which the House has
dopied. II has, on tho contrary, been expressly
made n subject Of remark, and almost Of com
plant, that tho language IN which my dissent
was couched studIousiy guarded and cautious.
Such being the character of tho official com
munica,on IN question, confess was wholly
unurepared for the course which has been pursued
in regard TO it. In the exercise Of The power TO
regulate its own proceedings, the House, tor the
first time, 1t Is believed, III tho history of the
Government, thought proper To refer tho Mes
sage a select committee OF ITS own body, tor
the purpose Gas my respect for the House would
h.xA oil cd IN fpi n
weighing the ELECTIONS urged against the bill by
the Executive, with view to IT'S own Judgment
upon The question of tho final adoption rejec.
ton of the measure
OF tho temper and feelings in relation to my
self Of some of the members selected for the per-
Torrance Of this duty, have nothing 10 say
That a matter entirely within the discretion
of tho House of Representatives. But that Com
mttec, taking a different view Of its duty from
that which should have supposod had led TO its
creation, instead of continlng itself 10 the ohJec-
tons urged against the bill, awaited itself of the
occasion formally TO arraign the motives of the
President for others Of his ucis since his Undue
ton into Office. In the absence OF al! proof, and,
as am bound 10 declare, against all law or pre-
cedent in parliamentary proceedings, and at the
same time in a manner which 1t would be diff
cult TO reconcile with the comfy, hitherto sa>
credly observed in tho intercourse between indie
pendent aud coordinate departments OF the Gov
eminent, Il has assaiied whole official conduct,
without shadow OF pretext for such assault and,
stopping short of impeachment, has charged me,
nevertheless, with offences declared to deserve
impeachment. Had the extraordinary report which
the Committee thus made 10 the House been per
united to remain without the sane ton OF tho lat
ter, l should not have uttered a regret, or com
plant, upon the subject. But, unaccompan ied as
1t is by any particle of testimony to support the
charges II contains, without deliberate examl
nation almost without any discussion, the House
Of Representatives has been pleasd 10 adopt i, as
its own, and, thereby, To become my accuser, the
gravity of the charges which has been made, and
the judgment pronounced against me, by the ad
option Of the Repor, upon distinct and separa e
vote of the House. leaves mo TO alternative bat |
TO enter my schema protes, against the proceed |
Ings, as UNI is; to myself as man, as an inva- t
sion OF my constitutional powers as Chief Mag |
istrate Of the American People, and viola
ton, in pers nn of rights secured to cit
izen by the laws md the Constitution. Tia, Con |
stltutlon has entrusted 10 the House OF Represen-
'atives tho sole power of impeachment Such lm, .
parchment Is required 10 be iricd before the most
august TRIBUNAL known to our institutions.
The Senate of the United States, composed of
the Representatives of tho sovereignty Of the I
States is converted into hal! of Justice, and IN
order To insure the observance of the rules
of evidence, the Chief Justice Of the United States
the highest Judciil tunctionarv of the land is re-
CURED 10 preside over its deliberations In the
presence of such Jidicaorv the voice Of faction is
presumed 10 be silent. and The sentence of guilt
or innocence Is pronounced under the most SOL
onn sanction OF religion, of honor, and of law
To such tribunal does tho Constitution author
iZe tho House of Representatives 10 carry up lis
accusations against any chief Of the Executive
Department whom IL may believe 10 DO guilty Of
high crimes and nisdemeanors. Before that trI-
bunai the accused is confronted with his accusers
and may demand the privilege, which the Justice
OF the common law secures 10 the humblest citi-
Zen, OF n full, patient, and impartial inquiry into
the facts, upon the testimony of witnesses, rigid
y examined, and deposing in the face OF day
II such proceeding had been adopted toward
me, unjust as should certainly have regarded it,
should trust, have me. with a becoming con-
staney a trial as painful as it would have been
ondeserved. would have manifested. by a pro.
'oond submission 10 the laws Of nv country. my ;