Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-01-22

honesty freedom were the grand characteristics Of American
sovereignty and it rested with all the people Those who
the public servants whether executive ministerial,
representative had right close the book Of their public
transactions against their masters and this you shall not
read and yet they found really advocate from dog
cared books the doctrine that they should be concealed
That the character Of oil the precedents which had
been resorled but would be found that solitary pre-
ceden in question went TO establish the power in the Exocu
tive TO say, We will plunge this people into war we will
your treasure pour out the fountains oyour bood
aud will disclose the objects wish to accomplish.
And yet the gentleman found dog cared book in which he
anced he found preccdents TO sustain this Executive pfero
gative. PIeroga Of the highest attributes OF mo-
| narchy
He going now, in the absence Of all authority, because
he conceived the gentleman could not find dogeayel proce
dent hn subject in the Government OF the United States
all, TO refer to certain facts which had bearing
this snbecnot that he had any great respect for tho
hoity which he about TO resort to- But he would
and in opposition to the present position of the Executive
TO his action and opinions when he Mr. Representative
Polk, member Of this House. and would bring them up
against his action and opinions now that he Mr. Pres
dent Pol--not fhat they would have any just weight, but
they would show the inconsistency and nsncey OF
his opinions them Ho wanted TO invite the attention
of the committee the history OF tho Panama mission.
When Mr.. President Polk-hen Mr.. Representative Polk
on this floor, that proposition was brought up and the
discussion upon excited greater degree OF interest than any
discussion which has taken place since the organization
Of the Government The debate upon that proposition took
range assumed blancy and power, that had perhaps,
been unsurpassed by the debate other proposition that
had ever occupied the attention of Congress. In that bril-
ancy and powerno, not in that briuncy and power but
in the rage Of that deba,e-Mr Representative Polk parici
pae and he only quoted him authority for the purpose
Of testing his consistency Now, when the President submit
ted TO Congress that propositions resolution offered by
Mr. Hamil,on-he believed from South Carolna-which
would be found in House Journal lst Sess 10Th Cong
4 63, and read in these words
Resolved That the President of the United States be
quested transmit this House copies OF all documents
parts Of not ncompabe with the public in
ierest TO be communicate relating TO invitation which has
been extended the Government of this country by the Re-
pubes of Colombia OF Mexico, and Central America. to join
in the deliberations OF Congress be held at the lhnus OF
Panama. and which induced him signify that ministers
the part Of the United States would be commissioned to join in
those deliberations. -
This resolution was introduced ON the 10th December 1925
j Now, mark you, when this resolution first submitted,
Mr. Hamilton, the mover, inserted in it these words, in
brackets, no Incompatible with the public interest to be
communaiedp which clothed the President with discretion
Ii postponed and subsequently, the 3st day of Janu
airy, 1896, Mr. HamitoD still having the power over his
solution vote having ever been taken upon 1T modified
by striking these words incompatible with the pub
lie interest to be communicated" i" Whereupon Mr. Web
moved amend the said resolution BY restoring the words
stricken And the question shall the resolution
bo amended, passed in the affirmative This would be
found page 2l9 othe journal Then went for
few days moe until the Sd of February and the proceedings
upon then would be found page 2l7 Of the journal
thus recorded
sshe House resumed the consideration of the resolution
submitted BY Mr.. Hamilton the 10th December utmo,
calling the President of the United States for copies of the
and correspondence ang the invitation given
the United 10 ministers Congress Of Pana-
ma and the question recrred the motion made yesterday
by Mr. Inghan TO refer the resolution 10 select committee
with Instructions to strike out these words far his
q opinion the public interest may allow
The vote taken this proposition by yeas and nays
and among the yeas all the opponents Of Mr. Adamss
administrations He had heard remarked by since this
discussion sprung up that that venerable gentleman who,
turcd amid the of the Revolution, and breathing its
richest spirit of eedom had been pillar Of the constitution,
and eliminating star in political armament, had involved
himself in Inconsistency in assailng this while he
did not communicate every thing Congress when he acted
in The Executive capacity But hong up the journal from
which he had been eadng he said let the gentlemen the ad
vocatOs Of the President and his perogaVe range through
this and the Senae journal Of the session. and they
would find that, like true republican of the people,
Mr. Adams had always communicated, when called every
thing necessary for the representatives Of the people,
of the State soveregnes the people themselves to know
BV among those yeas what did they suppose stood
conspicuous Polk and Hcn--,he mover Of the rcsolu-
ton and the present Executive Now however, he being the
Executive and being asked for information touching the war,
and the treaty powerniurmaton interesting the peo
pe because affects only their treasure but their blood
he poses himself upon his Executive prerogave and with up
lifted hands and look of horror cries, Your call is uncons
tonal because it is unconditional and contravenes my pre-
rogativc. II looked good deal like Rchic, who had
made the proposition TO rob the Mexican churches pay
expenses in the Mexican war, which proposition fell with
dead stiffness upon the American car but presently awokc
general hiss which Mr. Polk percevng folded about him the
cloak of his Executive prerogave and shook his royal head
Ritche when the trucking instrument with trembling hands
extended toward heaven by the living God la general
laugh that he had never said any such thing
The motion Of Mr.. Ingham amend to make the
call Mr. Adams absolute and unconditional There is Mr.
Representative Polk among them, with the ayes, make
such to rob the then Executive Of all discretion in relation
make call Of the the sovereignty,
that could brook equyocaton evasion the part Of
their wonder be did cite that preceden, in
his message the other day. la laugh dogear for his adj
vocates this floor He found voting with Mr. Polk all the
Democrats Of that day-al those who the opponents Of
Mr. Adamss admnistraton-all those who at its
mencement that t should be pulled down, though
pure the angels in heaven-al Of them voted make this
absolute unconditional call The prevailed then But
when the resolution up its final passage, 25 voted
for it, and 40 against ii and among those forty whose
did they suppose there found Mr. Representative Folks
He couldn't poke in the other time and be thought he would
poke it out A laugh. And why did he vote in the
negative Because it unconditional absolute call
And be il known chat Hamilton the Of the resolution
when they could not stamp the unconditional character upon
II, also voted nay upon its passage Mr. t. would dogear
this for the benefit Of the advocates Of Executive perogave
this floor that they might um to this point and examine it
/ at their leisure.
But the next time the question came up proposition to
appropriate money The Senate having consented TO and
advised the appointment Of minister's the question before
the House upon appropriation which proposed
be made to the expenses Of the mission, and when this
under consideration this same Mr. Representative Polk
introduced series Of resolutions II the lh April
1876, and would be found page d2G Of the jour
nal. This the first Of the series
a. Resoiued, That is constitutional right and duty
Of the House of Representatives when called dcay
0f