The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-05

q
bal jurisdiction, the President stands to them In nr
he same relation he holds when in the exercise, NJ
war power they pass an act declaring war Re i
each case the officer entrusted by the Constitution M
he execution of the laws which enaeed BIZ Cons.
In each case he performs the public will, as that w1
been expressed By the Congress OF the C. States VIII
other responsibility than that which devolves upon ava
officer charged with the performance OF q fNblc 9ur
President OF the United States he executes Law ~
United States under the authority of Congress WI;
enact it, As commander in-chlef OF the army and my
OF the United States, he carries INTO execution the ac
caring war; exercising his power IN precisely the en-,
relation, and TO the same extent In such II il
pubic will declared by Congress-not his will
his purpose-which he is called upon to execute
YOU can ake that perfectly obvious to the mind Of
man BY the consideration OF single question Sum-
the President of the United States in the exerrg,.as
the veto power, should tail to give the exeCg6y.3
appreciation to ACT OF Congress declaring war; and M
pose that should be passed BY the requisite constitute
al majority the President IN that case would unque,l
ably not be acting according TO his own will and M
the accomplishment OF his owr purpose! Nav aaai,
his own WILL ana against his own decided conyetc
but in submission 10 that superior legislative authors
created by The constitution, rather Of that powa,
which the special delegation is he power to declare va,
had right to control him. Well, under these circun
stances, propose TO senators the question: would the
sponsiby of the President be less han il now Won
he be less bound than lie IS now to carry into execuon
purposes OF Congress And If nor, then most assule
the proposition which have state is true Ii the m.,E
act of declaring does not upurn the constitution
the country-f such declaration by the act of maxi
IL does not create mi ary dictatorf it leave in ,bs
full and undsturbed authority those principles Of fa
government which II was the ect OF the trainers OF h
constitution TO establish then say, that the propos6u
submitted in the outset is true The power to decae
the power TO prosecuie-the power to conduct a wal
belongs, and belongs exclusively TO Congress Isyb
have the right from time 10 time as occasion in lherE
judgment may require, TO specify the objects, the motives
and principles which to be conducted and then
fore 1t IS that presume when an application is mades
US for appropriation either OF men or OF money car
ry on which we are waging with ioreign powg
we have the right to infer that, as members OF the ma
tonal Legislature, is not merely right but il is ou
duty TO inquire and TO satisfy our own Judgment TO M
proprety OF the application that is made US before va,
yield H. Mr. President, if we look back for Yeas
in the history OF our government. we Will find abundant
evidence that such the understanding of the states
men who have preceded us. We have passed through
one war of upwards OF three years duration with le
most powerful nation in the world, and ! will call the
attention OF the Senate TO the fact tina, the Con.
gress so far from being willing to cast upon the
President exclusively the responsibility of conducting
that war-they were. so averse to shifting from them
selves that responsibility which the constitution i'm
posed upon them, that they adjourned without pro-
vdng for the recess, and Tor reassemblng at shorter pc
RODS than contemplated by the constitution That
speaking Indicative of the view OF the statesmen Of
that period on hsPoint Here the honorable gentleman
read the following memorandum ):
The lst session 18th Congress commenced Monday No
veinber 7h, 1871 comfortably the proclamation Of the
President OF the United States of the 9th of july, 1871
July 9th, 1872, adjourned 10 meet lst Monday in No1embe
agreeably to law.
The I'd session 18th Congress commenced Monday No
vember I'd, 1912, cononaby the passed the last
session. entitled SAN act fixing the time for the
ing of Congress-" approved oh July, 1872 March 3D.
The Isl session 3h Congress commenced Monday, May
oath, 1913, contonnaby to the act passed 27hFebaT,
1915 entiied San act ae HE for the meeting
of Congress" August 2d, 1913 adjourned LIST Monday
December next, agreenbly 10 law:
The III session 18th Congress commence d.Monday he.
cenber6 1873 conornlably TIE passed the 9th july
1873 entitled An act liking the time for the meeting
of Congress April Isth IslA adjourned to meet on the
las MpnG1V in III apllae blV Ia law
The sd session 18th Congress commenced Monday. 18th
September, ISL coniosmaby 10 tie proclamation oih
President OF the United States OF the 9Th August, lSl4
March 81, 1915, Congress adjourned without day.
Now two things obvious from this brief reference:
first, that during the continuance OF the with Great
Britain, Congress never adjourned without themselves
providing earlier day for their reassembng than that
provided for by the constitutions and, secondly, that du
ring OF nearly three years duration Congress was
in session. and that by their special provision,
nearly two years OF that time Now, in view Of the
doctrines advocated at this tme that the whole respon.
sibity rests the President OF the United States ask,
where was there on the part of the Congress OF 1912
-14-if the war power of Congress had ceased by
the act OF declaring the war- the authority to
duct it, rested exclusively with the President Of the Uni
ted Sates-if Congress was only to furnish the
and to furnish these means without deeming il ne
cessiry to ask any other question, Why did they
not leave the President to summon them when h
deemed 1t necessary to call upon them for supplies
of men and money? The reference which have made
Affords in my judgment. satisfactory means of deennln
ing the views OF the statesmen of that day. Such, how
ever is not the doctrine which is presented to
such is not the principle which the operations Of the
government at present conducted. The estimates in
this look to the power OF the President conduct
this war uncontrolled during the long recess which
awaits The President OF the o. States fees-as has
been said he is authorized to eeitha lie is quite com.
peent to conduct this war; unasssted by the Congress
the United States There is therefore, no provision io
an earlier session than December next Nay, the mpu
tation that by possibility the President might find it ad
visabe during this long interval TO call an extra session.
is at repudiated and put down by the official organ
OF the government repeat, that 10 me it is more START
ling that such doctrine should be Observation-Disclosures
be the basis of the practical administration OF this govern
mcmillan any war in which we could be engaged
will not detan the Senate by eYpatiang farther upon
this branch OF the question: My Judgment istha
suices regulate my act onand assume that the
Judgment OF the Senate also, upon the point which have
presented will be the sametha il is the power and iii
be within the constitutional power, that it is the consttu
onal duty OF Congress to superntend the prosecution Of
the which they have recognlsed--that they cannot
absove themselves from the responsibility hold my
self free to inquire what are the purposes to which
intended that this money should be applied The bill
proposes to give to the President three millions Of money
Ito do what To bring the existing war with Mexico
to speedy and honorable Inclusion That is the sole
parpose which is avowed in the bill Why, then how !
this We have already placed at his disposal near!
thirty millions OF money, addition to the ordinary rev
Of the country We have placed his disposal sucf
portions OF the public force as he has required and hav
done all this for what purpose Why for the idenea
to speedy and honorable conclusion. To bring # to
speedy and honorable concusion-how By the o
the public money and the public force placed at his dspo
sal But he wants three millions OF money for the &C
complishment of this self same object in some othe
way! We have furnished him with the money
which he required--we have placed at HIS dis
posal the whole public force of the country, 10
bring this TO speedy and honorable conclusonby
an open, manly, vigorous exerion of the public force
That does not suffice What other means are to be
sorted to- What other purposes are sought in the us
Of this money! Why, we have been hitherto told tina
one object has been to conquer peace with Mexico The