Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-07-11
RICHMOND WHO.
MONDAY MORNING., JULY N.
THE QUESTION:

we are no. surprised Ia hear that there some,
who think tina; Congress should yield to the Execu-
tvc-rhat the Representatives. olihe People should
abandon their convictions OF public du,y-and por.
init the One Man power to shape and control the
Legislation OF the Country. These gentlemen, by
way ofapology-( advocates Of arbitrary power are
never wanting in pretoxts,) seek to depreca,e the
Distribution Question, and by representing the
amount Of the Distribution fund MS paltry and pitt
full desire to persuade the people tina, i, is unwor>
thy OF their consideraion-ccrtanly not of cons.
quencc enough to endanscr the passage of whole
some revenue law. The same class OF men, who
advance this notion, existed in the times OF he Re
voluiion, and s,renuously urged submission to the
tea tax. The amount WAS nothing obey said) and
to resist the payment Of ii would cost millions.
The Free spirits OF that day resisted the appeal to
submit to servitude then, will the order OF
men do now.
The question has ceased TO be one Of cxpediency
of dollis and cents. 1t is merged into the greater
one of principlc-of liberty or servude-of Repre-
sentative or despotc Government. The people, in
This professedly free country, told that they mus,
take such law-not as their Representatives, coming
from their midst, knowing their wants and respon.
slLle TO them, may enact, but such n single indi.
viduul-in this case accidentally in power, and
without the confidence OF thousand men in the Con.
federacy, may vouchsafe to them.
Will the people SUBMIT Do they desire their
Representatives to submit, for them Would il not
be more consonant to their character n proud and
free people, to bid the petty ,yrant Defiance and en-
dure whatever evils he may visit upon them, sooner
than be niders and abelteEs in their own disgrace
and setvitude1 BY pursuing the mAnler and the
nobler course their iierinss will continue but for
season-by tame submission to the kicks and cuffs
of such creature now fills the Executive chair,
they may expect and they will deserve nothing but
stripes AMI chains from all his successors.
We arc told, that it the Representatives of the
People adhere firmly to their proud position yield
nothing TO Executive dctaton--but in the spirit Of
their fathers enact the wses; and most wholesome
laws, which their patriotism and wisdom devise
that the Government, through the wickedness and
folly Of the accidental Executive, may be left with
out resources and great and serious injury be done
to the public service. Well, be it so. On the head
of the infatuated creature be the conscquenccs.-
The "good old cause" for which Sydney died, will
sustain dotriment. The friends OF freedom lheic
cause un,arnshed by di'gruocful Submission, will
renew the conflict with redoublei visour-and with
proud and spirited peope battling against n mer
cenaEy horde seeking TO subdue them-ihere will lie
no doubt OF the issue
IL is our solemn conviction that higher duties
are devolved upon the present Con eress than have
been upon any assembly in this country since the
Congress of 76-which declared these States free,
sovereign and independent. The same great ques-
ton, which convulsed tho land at Tint time is the
VIII oh le IN o &c, IL
gatve OF the Executive usurpng the liLer ty ofthc
People. Ii is the arbitrary exercise Of power by
one man in derosation of the rights and immuni-
ties of the multitude. Our conviction Of the imbe.
ciIity OF, and contempt for, the Executive in.
eumbeni, should not permit US to deprecale the
danger, or close our eyes to the immense i'm
portance oil the matter in controversy. II is true
that he may not possess any OF those CAPACITIES
to endanges the pubLc nberiy-Lut he is the
officer-hs acts will grow into preceden,s, md
all concessions Of power TO him will be claimed
hareaiIer by those, may be able to WELD them 10
our destruction. Meet the frat advances Of des-
potism, by whomsoever made, at the very threshold
You must do this, il you would keep alive the
spiri. absolutely essential to the preservation of
freedom.
Whatever, then, may be the immediate effects
upon the Revenues Of the Government and the
public service, it is the high and holy duty of
Congress. duty to iisef-n duty to the peose
whom 1t spfesenis-whoss honour, whose inter-
st' and who's, liberty, entrusted to its care that
1t yield not one jot or title to Executive usurpa
ton. Its province is simply to frame laws the mos,
conducive to the public veal, without any refer.
ence whatever to what may he the action of any
other branch Of the Government. When this is
done, It will have discharged its du,y-and should
a sef.wed and despolc Executive choose to frus
trae its measures on his head be the responsibility.
We rejoice in the belief that tho present Con-
gress will prove itself equal to the emcrgoncy;-
That. will prove itself the true, fearless and in
domable Representatives Of a Free People.