Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-09-02
PROTEST OF rae PRESIDENT.


PROTEST or rHE PRESIDENT.
Ts ths HoEss Of Representatives.:
BY the Constitution Of the United States it i
provided, that "every bill which shall have pas,e,
the House OF Representatives aud the Senate shall
before II become law, be presented TO the Presiden
OF the United States; Il he cpPrors, he shall sign II
but II not, he shall return il, with his objections,
that House in which 1t shall have originated WHIT
sha ener the objections at large upon the Journal
and proceed 10 reconsider IT,"
In strict compliance with the positive obligation
thus imposed upon by the Constitution, mo-
having been able to bring myself 10 approve q bi.
which originated in the House Of Rcpges natives
cnited IAN act TO provide revenue fiOm mposis
and 10 change and modify existing laws imposing
duties on imports, and for other purposes" return
ed the same 10 the House. with my objections 10 il,
becoming a law. These objections, which had en-
tiFely satisfied my own mind Of the great impolicy
If not the unconsIiutiona!Iiy, If the measure were
presented IN the most respectful and even dsferen-
| iia terms. | would not have been So far forge'fl
OF what was due from one department OF the Go
veTument 70 another, as 10 have Intentionally en-
! poyed in my official intercourse with the House
any language that could be- 10 The slightest degree
offensive TO those 10 whom II was addressed. lc in
assigning my objections 10 he bill. had far fore
! gotten what was due 10 the House Of Representa-,
lives as 10 impugu lis motives in passing the bill,
should owe, not only TO thrt House, bu, 10 the
country, my most profound apology. Such dopar
ture from propTte;y Is, however, complained OF
=" my prosecuting WHICH Ane lluuse has ClOuffd.
Il has, on the Contrary, been expressly made SUD
Jeei OF remark, and allOost OF complaint, that the
language IN which my dissent was couched was
s,udiously guarded and Cautious
Such being the character Of the onieial conlnau-
nieaiion in question, confess l was wholly unpre
pared for the course which has been pGrsuei in
regard 10 Il. In the exercise OF the power 10 resu
late lis own proceedings, the House, for the f,st
time, 1t IS be.ievcd, IN the history OF the Goyern-
ment thought proper TO refer tho Message TO a Sc
leet COMMITTEE of its own body, for the nurpose ias
my respect for the House would have compelled me
TO inier) OF deliberately weighing the objections
urged against the bill by the Executive. with a view
10 its own judgment upon the auestion of the final
adoption or rejection OF the measure
or the temper md feelings in Tela.ion TO myself
OF some OF the members selected for the perform
anee Of this duty, have nothing TO say That
was matter enufeiy within the discretion of the
House OF Representatives.. But that COMMITTEE
taking dilIeren, view or It's dliy from that which
| should have supposed had led 10 its creation in
stead OF conhn.ng itself 10 tho objections urged
gainst the bill nvaed itself Of the OCCASION formally
TO arfagn the motives OF the President for Others Of
his ac;s siRce his induction in;o Office Ia the ab-
sence of all proof, and, as am bound 10 declare a.
g'in5i all Law or precedent 10 parliamentary pro.
ceednss and az the same time, IN manner which
Il would be difficult 10 reconcile with the comfy,
hitherto sacTcdy observed IN the intercourse be.
tween independent and en- ordinate departments
OF the Government, II has assaied my who
Official conduct, without a shadow Of a pretext
Tor SUCH assault, and, stopping short OF impelch
menti has charged me, nevertheless with of
fences ceelare1 10 deserve impeachment. Had
the extraordinary report which the Committee
thus made 70 the House been permitted 10 re-.
main without the sanction Of the latter, / should
not have uttered regret, or Complaint, upon the
sutJeei. But, unaccompanied as il is by any p7r.
Hcle oftesiimonY 10 support the charges il cOntains
without n deliberate examination, almost without
any discussion, the House Of Representatives has
te'n pleased to adop Il az It's own, aud. thereby, 10
become my occuser before the country and siore the
void. The high chaia. ter OF such an a.cucer the
gravity Of the charges which has been made, and the
judgment pronounced against M, by the adoption of
tie Report upon distinct and separate vote OF the
House, leaves me no alternative but - enter my so
Tenn protest against the proceeding u5 unjust 10 nv
self as man, as an invasion Of ny constitutional
powers rs Chief Mag rate nf the American PEOPLE
and cs violation 10 nv person, Ol fi,hts scored 10
every ctzsn by the Laws and The Constitution
Ihit Constitution has entrusted 10 the House OF
Representatives the sole power Of Impeachment
Such Impeachment is required to be tried before
tbs most august tribunal knogn 10 our Institutions
The Sen1te Of the United States. composed Of
the Representatives OF he sovereignty ofthe States
IS converted mo hail Of justice, and IN o,dcr 10
insure nc srcicS Observance Of the rules Of wi
denee and OF legal procedure, the Chief Justice Of
he United states the ~ th3st Judicial unctionnrv OF
the land, IS required 10 prciic ovtTits deliberations
In the presence Of Zach udlcat0ry the voice Of fac
ton IS presumed % be silent and the sentence NJ
| guilt or innocence ID Pronounced unser tho mos,
solemn sanctions OF religion, Of honor, and ol law.
To such tribunal does the Constitution authorize
the House Of Representatives, 10 carry ~ its accu.
satons against any chief of the Executive Dep,rt-
ment whom tmiy believe TO be gull y OF nigh crimes
and misdemcanorr. Before that tribunal the nccus.
oI T. confronted wi bis nccuscrg, md my denim
the privilege, which The justice q the common law
s3tutes no humbts, citizen, Of a fuli, pa'icnt
and impartial inquiry into the llcis. upon the esi
mony o. Witnesses, reid'y ox m rcd, and deposine
~ the ineo OF day. u such proceed ne had been
adopted toward me, uniustug should certainly
have regarded o., should, trust, have met with
Gceomingo eonsinlcy iral ne painful ns i. would
lave been undcr5ervcd. would have mani
tested, by n profourd Submission 10 tie laws oil
my country, my perfect faith in her Justice
md relying on tho purity n roy mo.iv,s, md
tho rec udo OF my conduct, slould have look
cd forward with confidence 20 o Triumphant re-
luiaiion IN The presence Of tai county, and by
the solemn Judgment II such tribunal, not only q
whatever charges might hive been form liy prefor
red against me, but Of on the cn'umrics n uhci
have hitherto been the unrosisling victim. rs d
: r., have been accused without evidence and con
{ demncd without hearing. As flrns such proceed
ings can accomplish h., nm deprived Of pubt
ic0nhIcnco 90 tho administration Of the Govern
mcnt, and denied even tho boast Of a good name
: a n'ms tran7mIucd 10 mo ifom pitriot father
Pred as my pg0udcst inheritance, aud CAREFUL,
; preserved for those who nro 70 come ofof me-, aI
the most precious Of M earthly posscrsions.
an not only subjected 10 imputatiOn8 rif citing mi
! character as an Individual, but nm charged viii
ohorcos against tho country, 81 grave nr1 ~ hoie
Gus as 10 deserve public disgrace and dtlrsnchiss
ment. ] am charged with violating pledges vhi,l
! never gave; and because execute what beliov
! 70 DO the law with usurping powers not conicuC,
I by law end above 90, with using tho powers con
ieued upon the President by the Constitution
from corrupt motives ard for unwauan'able ends
And these charges arc made without any particle
Of evidence TO sustain then, and, as solomnly Of
firm, without any foundation in truth.
. Why 70 proceeding Of this sort adopted at hi
timer Is the occasion Tor il found in tho fact, ,ha
having been elected TO The second Office under th
Z Constitution by tho free and voluntary sufages o
Q the People, have succeeded 10 the FIRST, aee0rdn.
70 the express provisions Of the Fundamental law