Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-07-24
PRACTICE VS.. PROFESSIONS.
FROM A coRREspoSnEST.

FROM A CORRESPONDENT.
81 shall return my duties at the seat OF Government
with confirmed regard for that venerated constitution which
hare faithfully TO administer. Augusta speech Of
President Polk.
eve claim for it he Administration the merit of having
bod and successfully carried the great principles of the
Democratic pary-cf observing strict construction Of the
constitution" }c.-Union.
''he party plants itself upon strict construction of
the constitution, and seeks to restrict the action Of the Govern
mento the exercise of specified powers and of such ncden
tai powers only may be necessary carry those specified
powes into effect ibid.
Has the Editor who processes this creed become the dupe
Of Others crafty than himself has the overshadowing
patronage Of the Federal Government obscured his keen per-
ceton of pristine principles The the other of these
conclusions would to be inevitable, if advert to the
establishment Of tariff and commercial regulations in the
ctpured ports of Mexico by the Executive, the justification
Of them by the editor of the Union, and the grounds upon
which has been placed viz that the President of the United
States has right to enact and carry into effect tariff and
commercial regulations, including the alteration of the
law of nations contraband, by virtue of his powers
cpmmandernchef Of the army and navy of the United
States (See former numbers of the Union passim.
Now, we ask all the seriousness Of searcher after TRUTH
and with all the alarm of admrer of strict adherence
the constitution of country these powers thus
gated by the President of the United States specified Incl
Of Republcanism-he orthodox interpreter of the immortal
resolutions of ss-recently become "burning and shin
ing light Of Progressive Democracy.
The powers arrogated by the President fall under
the first class unless in supposng that the powers
taxes duties and commercial regulations not incidental
by the constitution, but that they specified by that nstru
men specified, executive but legislative powers
absolutely and exclusively beyond all question and that they
cannot be both legislative and executive There them
direct grant of the powers assumed by the Executive
they therefore, incidental and granting them to be So
the question resolves itself into this Is specified pocer
tie Congress Of the United States to be set al naugH BIZ
incidental poper in The Executive?
He, indeed must be most hopeful advocate Of the prnc
Piles nculcaed by the resolutions Of 9S, and withal most
honest expounder of them, who will this question az
rmaivey. Such would be sirocco breath which
those nguary celebrated resolutions could survive for
moment il would shock every settled sober idea of cons
tuona Government of checks and balances Nevertheless
such is the which is practically given and carried out
by the Executive of the United States and sustained by tho
Washington Union Boston Post and other spenday presses
and parasites who pick up the crumbs that fall from the table
of Executive patronage Nay this Presidential power
is not claimed incidental power Of the Executive
SUCH but incidental to title which imports no extra Ex
ecutve duties and expressed in the constitution as mere
designation of civil officer whou; epauet or sword
Congress possesses the sole and exclusive constitutional pow
taxes, duties and Here are specified
powers enumerated subjects This is what nobody in
TERMS denies but the powers Of Congress conveniently
disposed of in the practical construction and application of
the constitution Ivy the illuminate of Progressive Democracy
and secr educed by the persuasive pap of the Treasury
who vociferae, Ave. but the President
the army and navy ergo he exercise powers although
they are legislative in their character and by the express pro-
visions of the constitution Trade and taxation are two of
the most important elements Of social organization they are
two of the highest subjects of craftsmanship yet they are to
be regulated by the of the army and navy
under resort to incidental powers and the same time
while the commaneernchef is regulated by the rules and
articles Of and the legislation Of Congress- he is to
control incidentally the Of the constitution, which