The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-03-28

Judgment, in the chief Executive officer OF
this Government, if before .proceedlng-as
NAV say By stealth-to the conquest OF Aexl-
co. he had submitted the question to the Amer
lean Congress and the American people. SIR,
| if is not statesmanlike to make these protesta-
tons to the world that the purpose Of the war
ia not conquest. when at the same time every
proceeding on the part Of the Government
their whole poIicy-is leading to that very re-
suit. All this in my judgment, is utterly IN
consistent with that ingenious and straightfor-
ward course which ought ever to characterize
the Chief Executive Magistrate of this nation
Sir. IT IS unfortunate, extremely unfortunate,
that, when the attention Of the American peo-
pie is at last called to the subject, and they
seek to know the object for which the war is
prosecuted, they are met by the declaration
that in all human probability, conquest has be-
come inevitabe-that We have proceeded too
far TO retrace our steps. We have gone on
until we have acquired possession Of the coun-
try We have placed that people in eondI-
ton in which they have TO government WIN
which to negotiate We have placed them III
such a condition that VIC must take them I'M
der our.nwn protection, and all tins before tie
sense of Congress or the American people Is as
Icertaincd. Sir. it is not for me to say that con-
uucst was the original object. Common cour-
trsv forlids it. Were ii otherwise, IT would Ill
! hrco,ne me- on this floor and on this occasion,
to advance so grave Il charge in the face OF
the repcaicd protcstations of the Executive,
however strongly the force of circumstances
may Indicate It's truth. But do say that, if
such was the object it is little short OF treason
to the American people TO pursue it thus by
stealth. until the evil of throwing upon our
hands an empire, pcopled by a race OF diiler-
ent origin, different language, customs, and o.
pinions both political and 1t ligious, to be gov
crncd as dependent province, or admitted as
inroneruous material into our political union,
becomes inevitable : and thus TO place lis III Z
position where, however strongly We may dis
approve this policy and dcprccate such I'M
ion, we have no alternative but acquiescence.
Sir. the questions growing out Of this unfor-
tunafe war are too grave to be eft to Execu-
tive discrction-its results, involving rs theydo
the integrity of our Union aud the perpetmty
of our institutions, should not be entrusted to
the Judgment, the caprice. the policy, nor the
ambition of mere Executive officer. The
inroad upon the spirit of the Constitution in
this assumption Of power by the Executive, IN
entering upon his own responsibility, upon tins
career Of, conquest: would, but few years since.
have astounded the American People and the
world. The countenancc Row gwen 1t by thc
people indicates too GeciSiYcy tic cliangcwhich
la; taken place in tie spirit Of our institu-
tions. and afford; IN alarming prcsace of great
or changes hereafter This is a very serious
question v hat effect viii this spirit Of con-
quest have uron tie character and DISPOSE
ton o. the american people. aud upon the &C
MUS of their institutions? This passion for
military glory has been the Lane Of all repub
lies, tire disease which has undermined their
constitutions, and led to their destruction. |
did hope that our peculiar POSITIONS para'ed
as We are from The Old world and ITS wars by
the orcan-would save us from this lawlesS
spirit of domination, which, when it once comes
to debauch 4 People, renders them incapable Of
scifroyernmcnt
Sir, can any man define to me the relation
which the President holds to the Constitution?
On the one hand, he is the chief executive OF
limited government, with limited and dele
Gated powers, responsible to the people and,
On the other hand, he is a military coBqueror,
proceeding upon the tight of conquest and
standing upon tho right of power. Yes sir,
The chief executive officer Of our limited Con-
,.ituton stands at ills moment with one foot up
on the Constitution s the other upon the law of
conquest. lie is at this moment exercising the
power conferred upon him by the Constitu-
ton, and he is ut the same time welding an
absolute sovercigntv over an empire, Unre-
strained by any restriction or limitations what
ever. His is 4 most anomalous position
What are LIS POWERS, and how arc these limit
ed, and delegated, and qualified powers TO be
doyctacd into the Constitution in connection
with this unlimited aud irresponsible power ?
Sir, we have heard much heretofore, and with
great reason, of the encroachments of the Ex-
ecutive power. but undertake 20 say that the
President of the United Statcs,independcntly
of this right of conquest which is carried out in
Mexico, at this moment wiclds within the l.
nitcd States power which the trainers Of the
Constitution never contemplated.
The constant accumulation Of power in the
hands of the Executive bids fair 10 destroy the
balance of the Constitution 1t has been an
Jbicct of much alarm, of anxious solicitude TO
the statesmen of this country, and may well
excite the anxious solicitude of the country it.
self
| The immense amount of power vested in
! the Executive is cxtcl dcd alrcGdy e,ond
any previous expectation. 1t reaches every
nook and corner of this widespread republic.
1t is 4 patronage zll-pcrvading; a patronage,
increasing with a raPdity unexamplcd-as the
blue book, now pondcrous volume compared
with the buc-book of former years, will illus
trate. 1t expands itself with your growth, and
plants itself among the pioneers of civilization,
in every new establishment of civilized life.
Nay. it moves in advance of civilization, and
finds Il wide field for lis exercise in your In
dian dcpartment-in regions TO which the In
dian title is not vet extingui>hcd, where saw
age life and savage manners have not vet Civ
On place. and which the tide of civilization has
not yet reached. This immense and ail-per-
vading lower acts directly upon the very source
of political power-ihe people. In conncx-
ion with this is the veto power-a power en-
grated upon the Constitution to sustain and
preserve the Legitimate powers of the Exccu-
tive, but used Of late without scruplc, not for
the purpose of protecting the Executive frcm
| legislative encroachmcnts, hut, as | am con-
strained to believe and to say. for the purpose
CT controlling the legislative power-of hold
/ ing it in check. and of moulding its action TO