The national whig., 1847-06-16
" LIAM TEIR ,sTA1E -

i. AS Mr.. Polk claims. that, HE is the Govern
meni Of the United States dsfacto and dej1re, il
is.no more than just and proper. that he should
assume and exercise all rhepowers OF Govern
yment! Accordingly, we see him. daily and
hourly in the assumption and exercse'of those
powers. We see Mr.. Polk bringing on a war with
a neighboring nation ca nero motu, in the very
presence of the Legislative power Of the
Union, 10 which the Constitution has entrusted
the sole right TO make war, We see him max
ing tariff law for levyng duties upon Anne
rican and foreign merchandise, introduced in.
TO the captured ports Of the United States, in
the very teeth and face of the Constitution,
which declares that TO Congress alone belongs
the power TO lay taxes, and make rules for the
captured ports. We see him ordering the dis
bursemenl of the revenue obtained by virtue Of
the Presidential statute thus enacted. without
authority Of Congressional law, when the Con-
sttution expressly declares that no money
shall be drawn out Of the Treasury unless a
law Of Congress authorizes its withdrawal
We see him admitting into the Union the ter
ritories Of New Mexico and the CALIFORNIA;
without any authority given 10 him by Con-
gress 10 do so and in utter contempt Of the
Constitutional provision upon this head.
We see him refusing to inform the Le-
gisla,ive power of the Union what ul,erlor de-
signs he has in prosecuting The. war, and how
he intends TO reduce the enemy, in utter disre
gard of his constitutional relations to that body
and in. violation Of his prescribed duty We
see him, because it was his pleasure 10 do so,
vetoing bill authorizing the payment to our
own ciriHens Of Al sacreddabt, which the Gov
ernment, near fifty. years ago, assumed to pay,
and tha, debtarising ou, ofspoliations of Anne
rican commerce, The power Of the Government
to assume which is not denied by the Consti-
tuition. Ii ~ : ~ ~
Wesee him refusing to sign. bills for i'm
proving the harbors and rivers Of the United
States, whose improvement his administration
expressly asked Congress to make, and when
those bills were exacf transcripts OF the Exc
cuiiye reports and estimates. We see him orr
dering the, interpretations Of. the Post Office
Lawssso as to oppress, the cilizen with vexa-
l.tious and expensive regulations and.to prevent
the dissemination ofintelligence BY interfering
between the publishers ofnewspapers and pur-
chasers Of the same, and declaring that the
latter shall not receive their properly by the
payment Of the legal rales.of postage unless
!, - ,hecr ,l,roa r,oc,L, st1T.
him causing every obstacle to be placed in the
way Of The circulation Of newspapers, by wrest-
ing these Post Office Laws from their obvious
meaning so as to arrest as much as possible
the diffusion Of correct information respecting
fthe unconstitutional and illegal acts and deeds
! Of the President and his administration Of pub.
lie affairs. y A .., eaI
We see him claiming the right to dothese and
the thousand other unconstitutional and iillega
acts, which have so far characterized his ad
/ ministratIon, By virtue, OF the power which The
Laws Of Nations give TO the Executive Of. .
whole nation as the governmental representa-.
| tive of that nation, notwithstanding that his Of
fee is not the Government Of the United States
lis an office created by the Constitution and
defined and limited by that instrument and by
the laws.
From these brief reflections i will readily
be conceded thai Mr.. Polk is not man who
lays claim 10 a barren sceptre. -L'etats- C'esl
moi!-is noille, holiday phrase with him. He
means what he says, when he says-"THE
STATE I'll AM THE STATE - r
The New Orleans Bulletin ha the following from
a correspondent Gen. Tay or aat down on the
night OF h3 2lst February, just hours before