Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-07-06
Correspondence efihs Wig.

| correspondence 81 ht UAis.
WAsHiscroS. June 90. 1912.
Many runnors aAoat TO change in the Cabi-
net, but it will prove only. Negotiations have
been going on for some days past for the purchase,
with the honours and emouments Of office, OF n
I.ocoioco interest for the President, but for some
reason other whereof am not informed, the trea
| ty has been abruptly broken of; and so, for the
present, at least, there will he no change. But
mark my prediction sooner or later, there will he
a rupture, and The Cabinet reorganized Of out and
out LocofocoS, with the exception OF Judge Up.
shur, whom the President cannot well spare.
Each day adds another to the list OF Executive
assumptions. On Saturday last the acting Presi-
dent sent message TO Congress informing that boz
dy that he had signed the apportonment bill, and
that his reasons for signing it had been fled in the
Department OF State.
should like much TO be informed what line in
the Constitution it is tina, authorizes President of
the United States to assign reasons for signing
bill He is required to give his for veioine
an act Of Congress, but i, is certainly something
new under the SUM-" that he can assign his reasons
for signing one.
Whether the motive was to shew his contempt
for Congress, or to hand down to posterty through
the public archives, views which, in his inflated
vanity, he regards worthy Of Immortality, pretend
no, TO decide. But this do aver: view the mat.
ter in what light we may, It is an impudent assump-
ton OF undelegaied power, and furnishes another
proof of the indispensable necessity OF calling into
exercise the Impending provision OF tho Constitu
ton And il, as have heard, he has, in the paper
he has handed over for safe keeping to the State
Department, expressed the opinion tina, the States
are not bound to comply with the acquisitions of
the AppOrtiOnment Law, he has committed the high
and impeaehablc offence Of inviting and stimulating
sedition and treason, and has robbed himself OF
what little glory he had won in his course in regard
10 the Rhode Island Insurectionis,s.
could not but feel supremely disguised with the
apology proffered by once distinguished champion
OF the Wing cause for this most immodest and sr-
rogant pretension of the Executive. What was that
apology7 Why, that Gen. Jackson once did the
same thing And who is Gen. jackson, that he
should be quoted us an eXpounder Of constitutional
Law, and the interpreter OF Executive prerogatve?
The isnoramus who could not eonstrue the plain
meaning Of one Of the articles OF War; and the ty-
rant who. on ~-..y occasion he was trusted with
authority, put the laws and Constitution under his
feet, and who, while Chief Magistrate of the Union
stretched prerogative to the extreme OF arbitrary
power, and even to downright monarchy. And yet
the illegal act of such character is the only autho-
ri,y that be fetched up 10 justify this new kick
OF an arrogant and infatuated President!
Really II does seem to me that there is 10 be no
end TO Executive assumption. And the thing seems
10 he contagious. The President retains men in
Office who have been rejected 10y the Senate; (see
! oT D.
Representatives Of the People public documents
which iiwoud be strange, If they had she right,
% see; and takes occasion, in signing bill, read
Congress a lecture-while his Secretary Of War
copying the example OF his master, turns up his
nose at Congress when called on for public papers
on file in his Department! Well, ifthe people con
,inue to endure all this, be it so-,hey will hut de.
serve the chains which, sooner or later will clank
upon them.
| IL is IN be hoped that Congress will call for the
reasons which have been stored away in the State
Department, and vihdlcaie It's own self respect, and
the character of the Government. I venture to
foretell, however, so Jrezen has Executive power
| become. that they will be found snugly enseonced
away in the confidential file, and that the same man
thot dared to send to Congress the message Of Sa
1
Not The least remarkable circumstance in this
matter, is, that the individual who these high
capes. assumes to be strict constructions, Of the
s'rietost seet-n Simon Pure disciple Of the State
Rights school, who shrinks with horror from the OK
ereise Of ony powers but those which are expressly
individually written down in the Constitution
High time it is the people were taking this thing
! Of Executive encroachment in hand Let them
turn their thoughts TO a remedy. What that rene.
dy shall bc, is obvious enough. impeachment
Impeachment That's the word. This and tbir
only will wake up the dreamer, and teach this in.
faiu,ted creature Of accident, that he is the func
tionary Of a limited Government, and the officer o
a free people. And this, in my humble view, is III,
only measure that con roll back no long sweeping
current Of Executive usurpntion, and return tb
Government TO iiS original character.
Your Representative, Mr. Bolts, has had the firm
ness to broieh this subject for the popular consider
alton, md, in nay opinion, deserves, for so doing
the lasting gratitude Of the country. The spid
which his New York letter brealhes, is that whiol
alone con save the country, and would to Heavei
thot the manliness which distinguishes the whole
his public conduct, were no, so roro in our publ
y men it's. Faint hearts, and timd spirits know
pronounce upon him, the grave animadvsrsion o
intemperance, and violence, and impruJence-so
Q has ever been with those who have been roremos
in opposition 10 arbitrary power-but in my poo
; judgment, if there is in the public council
who Is deeply nbued with the true spirit OF saEol
4 Liberty, ard whose name may hghtfully claim as
g ISOLATION with flampdon and Sidney, that man j
John Minor Bolts. Let him perseverc, and he con
4 solsd and animated by the Uheclion-that En-
s long, free and reused people will seorn the crouch
i ing tameness which has so long truekled to power
and not fail to draw the proper distinction between
true manlinoss and inJstrelion.
r. Yours, truly.
Since his death, il appears that Col. Haynes, lat
Treasurer Of the State Of Georgia, isa defaulter
. The present known deficit is about $40, 900, but