Washington telegraph., 1847-12-15

I = - w hhiAAh hlNiii II AfAtAiliAiA
upon ihe solemn Question oi peace or wa
Congress must consider aud deliberate an
decide upon The motives, objects. aud cl.,s
es ol the war, And, ifa war be eommene
ed Without any previous declaration OF it
objects, as in the cass Of the existing wa
with MeAlen, Congtess mua uafes,afil
pnssess the authority, al any time, To De
clare lor what pufppse il shil be lIuhe
prosecuted. II Ne suppose Congress doe
not posses the Controlling aulhnfifY ailriba
ted 10 III II II be eoniendrd that a war hap
ing bren once commenced, the Ptrsidsn
ni the u. States mar direct IL Ia the ae
eompllshaienl oI aay objccis he pleases
. without consulting and without any rraaff
10 The viii nj Congress. the convention vii
have utterly tailed in guarding the nation
aga'ns' The abuses anl ambition al a sinple
individual. Either Congress or he Pm.i.
dent must have the right ol Determining
upon the o6lesis lor which a war shall he
prosecuted. There Is no other alternative.
IL tho President Possesses Il aud NAV prY.
feu'e lof ohJecls against the will of Con.
gfess, whefe is The difference heiWern opf
lfrn Government andiha Of any nihrr na.
i'on which may he governed h, an absn.
lutte Car, Emperor, or kinal
e"ngfess may omit. as il has emitted in
me prrsetl war, 10 proclaim the obrrts
,'f "h''h II was commenced ar has since
been prosecuted, aud in case If such omis
sion the President, being charged with The
employment and direction Of The n,ii.psI
latse Is. necessarily LEFT to hi. aNn f,a,.
inen' 10 d eide upon the objects. tot.aut
lalhmrni OF which that iolrr shall he ae.
pied But. whenever Consfe.. Sian
ihnk proper To declare by som- authentic
act, ior whai purpose war shall L. roo,.
menced al continued ii is lle daiy If ibe
President to apply lhe national laiee in The
attainment ni those purposes. In tie in
stance ot The last war with GHaai Ri.
IAN, the ael Of Congress by which il
was declared, was preceded hy n mes.,gr
u ffrsidrni Madison eaumefaIins the
afangs aud injuries Of wbish We eaiapl,in.
ed against aeal Britain. That me..age.
ihetrlorc, and wiihobi II the vel knovn
eigecis ol The war, winch was a var pufc.
y ol defence, rendered il unnee. ssun
lint congress should pailiculafIfe. in the
act, lbe speeiiie ohieeI. for whieb il wa.
proclaimed The whole world knew ,b,t
II "asa war waged ior Free T,aIe and
ssilofs. X gh's.
Il na, be urged that the Prr.iden, and
senate possess tho Irealy.makin, power.
without an express lim'taiiun as to uso,.
'rcisr; lha, the natural ami ufdinar, lerni
iil'"n ui a war is by ura, # peace;
'Ad' lheiriofe, that ihr President and Sen.
.'e must phs'rss the power iodrcide what
'llpi a'iuns aud conditions shall en.er inin
'uch .Iraly. Bot II is moi more ir,a lbat
br President sud Senate pnssess he treaty.. d
making Po~et without limitation, than /
hat Congress possesses the war making |
iowef, without restriction. These two
'owers then ought 10 b. 50 INTERPRETED A.
. reconcile tho one with the oihrf; and
u etpound'ng the Constitution. we ought
u keep constantly in view tue nature and
lmciure OF our lrre government. nuI cs
'ecially the great Object OF the convention
taking the war making power out sf ,he
ands oi single man aud placIn, il Ia
be salrr custody ol The representatives nl
be whole nation. The desirable reranril.
''ioh brlween the lwo poWrrs j. ellrc,rd
al'rIhnling 10 Congress the u.lll 10 dr.
iare "ha, shaft be the objects 6f war.
nd 10 The President the dnl, ul endravor.
~ 10 obtain those objects by the di.
'clion ol the national force aud by dino
iacy.
| am broacbing no new and ,pcculali,s
leory. The statute book of The United
lates is lull OF examples Of prior declarn.
ms by Congress ol the objects 10 he at.
lined by negotiations with loreign pnw.
Is, aud The archives Of the Executive DE.
lrlmenl furnish abundant evidence ol The.
'complishment Of those objects, or the
tempt 10 accomplish them. by subsequent
'goliation. Pfior In The declaration Of ,
e last war against Great Britain, In all I
. restrictive mrasrfes which Congress
ioplcd, against the two great bri.igefent
wrrs Of Europe. clauses were inserted G
the several acts establishing them, ten. 4
ring 10 both or either Of the beIIiscrcni. e
g abolition oi those restrictions II they .
iud repeal their hostile Berlin aud Nj. e
. degrees md orders in council. opera Ii
y against our commerce and navigation. Il
idibesc nets Of Congress were invaria. Q
: communicated, through the E1ecu o
e. hy diplomatic notes, to France and il
cat Brilain, as the basis upon wbirh II it
is sproposcd 10 restore friendly intercourse ~
th them. So aher the termination Of u
: war. various acts oi Congress we're b.
,sed, from time To time, Offering 10 Tor. :,
N powers the principle OF reciprocity b,
the commerce and navigation oi the r.
Iii'd States with them. Ont Of these hi
: have sprung class, and large class. Of
treaties (iour OF live Of which were ncpo li
ted, whilst | WAS in the Department of al
tie, commonly called reciprucliy tfea. "a