The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-23

complaints for the others in the first case are
purely graluitous And It is something worse, when
utons complain that they are extended TO others In place
Of irregular and revolutionary establishments scarcely
deserving the names OF systems or institutions at all This
is the law laid down BY elementary writer's and II Is
strictly in accordance with the practice Of nations and
among them OF our own. When we took Upper Canada
IN the late war; General Harrison issued his proclamation
under the instructions OF President Madison who
profoundly yersed in international law in which il is
true he continued all civil officers in the exercise of their
functions but required OF them oath Of fidelity the
United States No will dispute that all these officers
held their office and derived their authority from the
United States; and General Harrisons proclamation
was nothing more than wholesale appointment
OF Them. his was Idone from convenience. But
the same power which authorized him 10 appoint
these persons, would have authorized him to appoint any
Others and whom ne should appoint was purely mat
ter OF expedency and convenience Suppose any of these
officers had refused to take the oath of fidelity and serve
Can any one doubt that the commanding general might
and would have appointed others The civil officers
whom he appointed by wholesale in the way we have
seen were the inferior officers will appear from the
proclamation ITSELF for il speaks of the officer who is to
administer the government as to be appointed by the
commanding general | have never heard of any com
plant Of this proclamation Even amid all the mad and
unparlohc opposition to Mr. Madson's administration
even when then, as now impeachment was threatened
being produced as ustfyng it, That has been left for
these days. Again, when the British forces took pos
session OF Michigan, Col Proctor established civil
Soyernmentthere, and proclaimed governor The sec
ond article OF his regulations of civil government
in these words '2d The civil executive powers
shall be exercised BY civil governor The civil COVER
nor shall appoint TO all civil Offices which OF shall be
vacant, and shall take care that the laws be faithfully
executed" In the 9th article he says: 1.-The under
signed viii act as civil governor for the time being and
signs himself Henry Proctor, Col When the enemy
were driven from the territory Gen. Harrison found
necessary 10 proclaim that all appointments and commits
sions derived from British officers at end Now,
l have never heard that there any irTegulanV in
all this Yet great camor has been raised against the
administration Tor having authorized no more, as the
facts lad before US on yesterday will show Butis
tended that although was proper 10 establish civil gov
enments IN the territories for the protection OF the rights
OF persons and property Of the inhabitants pending the
war yet that the authority to do is vested in Congress
ana not IN the President No one has conended, nor
does the President claim to have authorized those
acts IN virtue OF his function as the civil execu-
tive What he has done he did as the commander in
chief Although the Offices OF President and commander
n-chlet are held by the person, the offices them
selves are dlstnct-as much If they were held
by different individuals In establishing these civil gov
ernments he has but executed, commander in-chief,
the duties which the law OF nations impose, the oblga
ton OF which upon all public unconaries and cit
zens recognised by the constitution itself in the clause
conierng upon Congress the power 10 punish offences
against them II is true the President the
functions in question in subordnaton to Congress The
constitution vests 1t with the power Ito make rules
corning captures on land or water; "to make rules for
the government and regulation Of the land and naval
iorces and also coners upon it exclusively the power OF
making all laws which shall be necessary and proper to
carry into effect the granted powers And it has
doubleday the authority, either before declaration
OF war at the time of the declaration, or at
any time afterwards, II il dlstrusts the wisdom
prudence OF the commander chief, to prescribe, the
forms OF civil government in the event OF conquess BY
arms, which shall be established BY our commanders
ter W hich may fit But if they declare war; or
or and may make all other regulations pertaining to the mat
cogniseits existence without any such legislation beg
and inquire they do not thereby require the commander
nchef TO follow and obey the usages OF civilized nations
BY the very act OF providing for carrying the you
implicitly require this OF him. The President has done
no more than strictly to follow the law. And yet
clamor raised Into what absurdy will partisan
ship lead u.s. The President is sworn to execute the
laws OF nations: They recognised by the constitu-
ton He would be Impeachabe If he declined to exc
cute them. He
Here the hour expired
MI. B. Did you make allowance, MIR Chairman, for
the lntenuptions'
CHAIRMAN. About half minute Laughter
Mr.. STANTON then followed the side but
the report of his speech is necessarily deferred,
Mr.. c. }. lNGERSOLL submitted a resolution pro-
vdng that the debate upon the resolutions referring the
Presidents message shall close committee o'clock
standing committees might receive the several portions OF
the message expected TO be to them referred. II not
sent to the said committees tomorrow, the subject
would have to lay over at least until Monday next as it
was not probable that the House would sit much longer
during the present week
Mr.. SEABORN JONES moved to amend the resou-
ton by striking out the words wo o'clock" and sub
shutting "15 minutes past l2" he did not think the
House would sit later than that
Mr.. PRESTON KING said that he was opposed to
the resolution, as it might prevent his colleague Mr
CioRDoNl who had the floor, from submitting to the
House the remarks which he proposed to make upon the
subject under discussion He therefore moved that the
House adjourn which motion adopted
rive requested to state that the correction of the
journal made yesterday in relation to Mr. VANcE's vote
was not with reference to Mr.. THoMAssoNs resolution
ton to the tariff act OF 1916
The House accordingly adjourned.