The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-02-02
MR.. CALHoUN's SPEECH ON THE OREGON
QUESTION.

MR.. CALHoUN'S SPEECH ON THE OREGON
QUESTION.
We listened on Tuesday with great pleasure,
as we ever do when Mr.. Calhoun speaks, TO The
remarks which fell from the South Carolina
Senator. The little State Of South Carolina is
noby represented in the Senate OF the oniIed
States General McDufhe IS the superior oil
most men in that body, and inferior 10 none
and, in expressing this sentiment, we hoid 'ha'
no matter what regard we may have Tor MT.
McDuffie personally, we only do The reputation
of this distinguished statesman justice Mr.
Calhouu's powers of intellect are unquesl,oned,
and if his mind be NOT Of higher order, he has
more extended reputation than that OF his elo-
quent colleague.
But there was one remark made by Mr. Cal
houn, in the course of his argument, the force OF
which we cannot perceive, and TO The sentiment
of which we cannot subscribe. As an argu
ment against Mr.. Linn's BILL he urged the po-
lilical weakness Of the Government. He said
that the Government POLITICALLY had never
been so weak that there were but three parties
in the country, one in possession OF theExecutive
department of the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES in pos
session of Congressman the third in posses
sion of the country. And he concluded by de-
claring that the three parties were so constitu
ted in reference to each other, to balance and
check each others action. Ii this latter remark
be true, then, in party sense, the first cannot
be So For if the Executive party, no matter
what its numbers, few many, mbodies the
positive fact of check upon the other two,
then does il follow by necessity that ii Is equal
iy powerful with the other two parties. Mel
Their is The remark true, when il applies to the
question Of abstract power and constitutional
design. The Constitution makes The strength
ofthe Executive arm ofthe Government, and n 1
parties. The power of the letter of The Exc
culive department, is the same whether sup
ported or unsupported by party, and its spirit
may be affected by the accidental circumstance
of having or not having majority party at COM
mand-but in the one case it has direct and
positive action, in the other direct negative
action Of precisely the same force. AS ques-
ton Of original power and constitutional prero-
gative, the party in possession of the Executive
department is just as strong as the party in pos
session of Congress. Ii is true that Congress
may refuse to act in conformity with the
Executive rccomme ndations, and thus, 10
a certain extent check the power OF
the Executive parry TO do good but such a
course on the part of Congress, does not injure
the Executive, alter, or lessen its powers in the
least. On the contrary, in this very exigency,
the Executive department may be called on to
exercise its very highest powers, namely, 10
use the peto poper. Thus thu account stands bal
anced, TO say the least, between them. But
enough of this. The Executive does not as
pire 10 have an Executive party. The Presi-
dent has voluntarily placed himseLfin his pre-
sent altitude, and in defiance Of all party
combinations, he has thrown himself on the
country for support. If the People do not sus
tain him they will not sustain themselves, for
he is now in advocacy Of the interests and wei
fare of the People against politicians and eau
Gus legislation. If they do not sustain him it is
their fault, not his. He will regard it as a mis-
fortune to be lamented by succeeding genera
lions Does any one doubt thai, if the Presi-
dent had looked TO party combinations and ALI
ances, he could not have found party
among the politicians No, he has made
desperate struggle, and is now continuing the
contest, for the p, ople and for the country,
against the politicians, who have usurped all
power, and ridden the People nearly unto death,
aud he wi do battle in this cause Jill he wins
the victory, or falls before the sword.
As for the observation of the distinguished
Senator about the party in possession Of the
country, if he las reference to the great Re
publican party, this is fraternity of which the
President claims to he member. And the Sc
nator, no doub', with his accustomed frankness,
will admit that the President has, by his firm
ness and patriotism, brought this party from ut
ter prostitution back again into power. His We
toes, the votes of his friends, the moral and poll
teal influence Of the Executive Department,
have accomplished this great work. The Sena-
tor, by his remark, (unintentionaly we pre-
sume) would seem to have excluded the Pres-
dent from any association with the party in pos
session Of the county, As well might the limb
of the tree deny the roots. As well might the
other members Of the body quarrel with the
belly. There can be but two parties, the one
for, and the other against the Administration.
Unique tionably the People are with the Admi-
nistraon, and this is as il should be, for the
Admnstra ion is just as unqueslionaby with
the People in point both Of interest and
principle.