Weekly national intelligencer., 1847-01-23


designed and has been plunged into the vortex OF foreign
war; find her commander and his officers and pilots all de-
nouncing any investigation OF their conjuct and imperousy
deandng OF the People and their Representatives that they
shall satisfied with parte yndcaton of their
and motives All denial all doubt othe supreme wisdom
and cosummae justice Of their conduct is boldly condemned
from the very quarterback itself, not without omlnous
gances the yardarm and those who honestly entertain
mgvngs their course called upon to close their lips,
submit the base putaton of giving aid and comfort
to the enemy" ~.
Sir if this be an evidence of the progress of Democracy, it
only be of that of Democracy which find its esi
innate goal in despotsm ssch doctrine is TO receive the
sanction of this House. had better the old custom
of the British Parliament and send our Speaker, at the open
ing Of every Congress- 10 the Presden to beg that he Will
graciousy grant his most faithful Commons the privilege
of free debate. Nay might well at to the
Old Roman practice, III time OF and invest Chief Ma
gistrae with the irresponsible preogatve of the Dictatorship
and leave him alone to take that the Republic receives no
detriment. 49,,
We are gravely told that may question the policy and
Justice of Administration time OF peace much
please hut that when engaged in war all such
tioning is unparotc and reasonable 80, then Mr. Char
man. if the rulers of our Republic shall content themselves with
some ordinary Of misconduct with cheap and
vulgar msdemeanor the people may arragn and impeach
them their hearts content Bot let them only lift them
selves boldly the preparation Of agan crime let them
only dare to commit the worst act OF winch they are capa
be aud they find their impuniy i'll the very enormty
of their conduct and to be safely screened behind the
mountain of their own misdoing s. ...
his message This the length to which gentlemen have
followed him this floor. Be it, they that this l.,
in your judgment, wholly unjustifahle be II that It has
been commenced by Executive assumption and usurPa-
ton be it that prosecuted in utterly inconsis
tent with the constitution of country yet, 1t
and for the very that is this monstrous wrong,
you must not open your lips; you must not express or
intimate opposition discomfort; you must not inquire,
discuss do any thing but vote supplies for It's vigor-
GUS prosecution The enemy will hear YOU and will derive
ad and comfort from your conduct and you yourselves
will he guilty of treason
Sir say let the enemy hear-et the enemy hear, and
let the world hear all that say and all that we think on
this subject rather than rights of free discussion shall be
thus wrenched from and rather than the principles OF
constitution and the spirit OF Government shall thus be
subverled and crushed.
Mr. Chairman, | can find words strong enough to
press my utter eprobaon and condemnation OF this abhor-
doctrine. The doctrine that whenever exists,
whether produced by the acts OF others by our own
Representatives OF the people to resign all discretion and
discrimination the by which, and the for
which, it is be carried The doctrine that, in time of
war; bound by the obligations of patriotism to throw
the en the neck OF Executive power and let Pance
and plunge according to Its own wild and ungoverned I'M
pulses have heard before of standing by ones country
right urong and much as we may scorn such sentiment
general principle there is at least in which
liberty revolt at it. As maxim Of defence, i'll
time of danger proprey be disputed But whence
came this doctrine that to stand by the Efecuue,
right wrong From what soil of Democracy hasit sprung
In what part of Republican history do you find the germ
L u
Sir the Democracy OF other days not without voice on
this subject of warning, voice OF rebuke, which
will not be heard in vain Every body will remember
celebrated controversy which occurred between Alexander
Hamilton and James Madison the year 1893, the sub
jec the Proclamation of Neutrality But every one is not
familiar perhaps, with the principles brought under considera-
ton in that mastery discussion. beg leave refresh the
OF gentlemen with few paragraphs from the papers
| of James Madison on this occasion
Eyery lust view that can OF this subject admon-
ishes the public of the necessity Of rigid adherence to the
simple received, and the fundamental doctrine of the
tuton that the power TO declare war; including the power
Of Judging OF the of fully and erctaS'ue vestet
in the that the Executive has right
decide the question whether there or is not cause for de-
carng that the OF convenng aud Informing Con
gess whenever such question seems to call Tor decision
all the right which the constitution has deemed requisite
proper and that tor sueh than for other contingency
this right specially given to the Executive
In part the constitution is more wisdom to be toun
than the clause which conde the question OF war peac
the legislature and the executive department BE
sides objection such mixture OF heterogeneous
the aud the temptation would be too great tor any on
man not such nature may oler as the prodigy OF man
but such as NAV be expected in the ordinary
sons of magsracy. War in fact the true o Exec
tive ACKNOWLEDGEMENT In ply force to be created
and the Executive will which is direct it. In tn
public be unlocked and il is the Executive
hand which is dispense them la war, the honors
emouments of Office TO be multiplied and is the Exeeu
tive patronage under which they to be enjoyed is u
finally, that laurels to be gahered and it is tic
Executive brow they encrcle The strongest passions
aud dangerous weaknesses OF the human breasamb
tion avarice vanity the honorable vens lover OF fame
all conspiracy against the desire and duty OF peace
Hence has that the Executive l.
the department of power distinguished by its propensity
hence is the practice of all Sate proportion
they free, dsarm this propensity OF its influence.
"As the best praise, them that be pronounced on All
magistrate that he is the friend OF peacea praise
in its value there may be known capacity to shine
must be OF the most sacred duties OF Tree
people mark the first in the society OF principles ha,
stimulate the hopes other magistrates OF another pro-
peny, inrude into questions which its gratcaon de-
pends Ii free people be wise people so they will not
forget that the danger of surprise be great as
when the advocates tor the prerogave OF war can sheath
| in symbol OF peace.
the constitution has manifested similar prudence in
this instance aso would be great for the wisdom
citizen.
And there is another paragraph of the anne papers
| of infinitely more significant import
Those who conduct war, cannot in the nature o
things proper safe Judge, whether ought 10 be
commenced continued concluded They barred from
the latter functions by great prncipein free government
analogous that which the sword from the purse
the power of executing from the power OF enacng laws
Much has been said, in the of this debate, Mr.
Chairman about the doctrines Of old fashioned federalism
Now, here, SIR the doctrines Of old fashioned democracy
in the very language Of of its ables and most honoed
And how strangely do they contrast with the mani
fesocs of that modern brood, which boast themselves so
vaing orousy of their borrowed pumes In which one OF
these golden of James Madison do you find any
justification Of the idea that the Executive department OF the
Government be implicitly trusted in time OF and
that the vigilance of Congress to suffer itself TO be lued