The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-08-31


Chief Justice of the United States, the highes
Judicial functIonary Of the land, is required e
preside over It's deliberations. In the presenc,
of each judicalory the voice OF faction is pre-
sumed TO be silent, and the sentence of guilt o.
innocence is pronounced under the most solemn
sanctions of religion, of honor, and of law. TX
such tribunal does the Constitution authorize
the House of Representatives 10 carry up II:
accusations against any chief Of the Executive
Department whom it may believe to be guilty o.
high crimes and misdemeanors. Before tba
tribunal the accused is confronted with his accu
sers, and may demand the privilege, which the
Justice of the common law secures TO the hum
best citizen, of full, patient, and impartial in
quiry into the facts, upon the testimony of wit
nesses, rigidly examined, and deposing in the
face of day If such a proceeding had teen
adopted toward me, unjust as should certainly
have regarded it, should, trust, have met
with becoming constancy trial as painful as
it would have been undeserved would have
manifested, by profound submission TO the
laws oil my country, my perfect faith IN her JUS
tice, and relying on the purity of my motives,
and the rectitude of my conduct, should have
looked forward with confidence 10 a triumphant
relutation in the presence Of that country, and by
the solemn judgment Of such tribunal,
not only OF whatever charges might have
been formally preferred against me, but
of all the calumnies of which have
hitherto been the unresistlng victim. AS 1t
is, | have been accused without evidence,
and condemned without hearing AS far as
such proceedings can accomplish II, | am de-
prived of public confidence in the admlnistra-
ton of the Government, and denied even the
me from patriot father, priced as my proudest
inheritance and carefully preserved for those
who are to come after me, as the most precious
of all earthly possessions. | am not only sub
jected TO imi utalions affecting my character as
an individual but am charged with offences
against the country, SO grave and so heinous as
10 deserve public disgrace and disfranchisement
am charged with violating pledges which |
never gave; and because execute what be-
lieve to be the law, with usurping powers not
conferred by laws and above all, with using the
powers conferred upon the President by the
Constitution, from corrupt motives and for un-
warrantable ends. And these charges are made
without any particle of evidence to sustain
them, and, as | solemny affirm, without any
foundation in truth.
Why is a proceeding of this sort adopted at
this time? Is the occasion for it found in the
f,ot h,,, bna ,lo 81 III nf
fee under the Constitution by the free and vol
untary suffrages of the People, have succeed
ed to the first, according to the express provisions
of the fundamental law of the same People
1t is true that the succession of the Vice Pres-
dent to the Chief Maglstracy has never occur
red before, and that all prudent and patriotic
minds have looked on this new trial of the wis
dom and stability of our institutions with a
somewhat anxious concern. | have been
made to feel too sensibly the difficulties
of my Unprecedented position, not to
know all that is intended to be conveyed in
the reproach cast upon President without a
party. But found myself placed in this most
responsible station by no usurpation or contriv-
ance of my own. | was called to it, under Pro-
violence, by the supreme law of the land, and
the delib trltely declared will of the People. 1t
is by these, the People, that have been
clothed with the high powers which they
have seen fit TO confide to their Chief Exc
cullve, and been charged with the solemn
responsibility under which those powers are
to be exercised. 1t is to them hold myself
answers ble, as moral agent, for free and con-
scenlious discharge of the duties which they
have imposed upon me. 1t is not as an indivd-
al merely that am now called upon to resist
the encroachment of unconstitutional power.
| represent the executive authority of the Peo-
pie of the United States; and it is in their name,
whose mere agent and servant am, and whose
will declared it their fundamental law, dare
not even were inclined, to disobey, that pro-
test against every attempt to break down the
undoubted constitutional power of this depart
ment without a solemn amendment of that
fundamental law
am determined to uphold the Constitution
In this, as in other respects, to the utmost of
my ability, and in defiance of all personal con-
sequences. What may happen to an individual
Is OF little Importance but the Constitution of
the country, or any of its great and clear princi-
pies and provisions, is too sacred to BE- surren
dered, under any circumstances whatever by
those who are charged with It's protection and
defence. Least Of all should he be held guilt
less, who, placed at the head of one of the great
departments of the Government, should shrink
from the exercise of its unquestonable author
ity on the most important occasions and should
consent, withouta struggle, TO eface all the bar
riers so carefully created by The People to CON
troll and clrcumscribe the powers confided to
their various agents. 1t may be desirable, as
IL at