The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-06-19
The Pledge and the President.


81 have thought, that for many years past, the
KNOWN OPINIONS and WISHES Of the Executive
have exercised nndne and injurious influence
upon the Legislative department of the govern
ment -[ Extract from Gen. Taylor's Allison
Letter.
When Gen. Taylor, in the freshness of his
political career, came before the people for their
support, he told them that the known opinions
and wishes of the Executive had exercised an
undue influence upon Congress-; and further on
in the same letter he said, that the opinions of
the President ought not to have such weight.
Indeed, he went so far as to say, that the opin-
ion Of the President had nothing to do with the
legislative action of Congress, but in those
where he believed the Congress had acted un-
constitutionally %
No sooner, however, does an important ques-
ton come before the Congress than this same
individual, losing sight of his reiterated pledges
and promises, not only gives his opinion upon the
question at issue in public manner, but gives it
in the most authorize tive form which public
document can be forced to assume.
His opinions upon the great question which
has so long occupied the attention of Congress,
and SO long agitated the sectional jealousies of
the country, were sent into Congress with all
the pomp and circumstance with which Other
documents emanating from the Executive are
ushered into Congress.
Had he choosed to follow in the illustrous
footsteps of his predecessors, he would be spar.
ed the modification of being confronted by his
own solemn and public declarations, but being
anxious to secure that public confidence which
was essential to his immediate success, he left
the beaten path which had hitherto carried the
Executive into the Presidential chair with hon
or, and which had left that seat unstained by the
clean mantle of consistency.
1t is the duty of the President to lay before
Congress the state Of the Union, but il is Meth
er his right nor his duty to enter into an argu-
ment in favor of any measure which in his mere
opinion may or may not be conducive to the well
fare of the country. We say this is not his right,
for the moment he becomes the chief Magistrate,
there are certain rights which he no longer ought
to exercise, even if he should possess them in
the abstract. 1t would not be proper for the
chief Magistrate to enter the political arena like
an unofficial individual, and participate in the
storms and turmoil of political contests. And
when the President offers an opinion which he
knows must necessarily have more or less weight
with individual Congressman, he is guilty of a
greater improperly than if he took the talIest
stump in political campaign.
Fl It's well known that the vast patronage at the
disposal of the President, is sufficiently powerful
TO silence much opposition to his views, and to
attract considerable share Of talent to his sup
port. Opposition to his views will be made by
few Of those who expect favors at his hands, and
heads this article, hemust have known the force
q potency of Executive patronage. In giving
expression to his feelings at that time, he might
have been actuated by the purest and best mo-
tiyes; but he soon learnt that pnrity and good
ness were inconsistent with the rules and dis
cipline Of the Wing party,-he soon learnt that
to return the affections and support of that party,
ne should forfeit all that an honest man clings to
with the greatest tenacity- clings to longer and
frmer than to life itself All this he threw away
Is an unnecessary appendage to Executive sta
ton, and At the bidding Of his party, became the
prey Of inconsistency, and the bare blunt tool of
= + r.
The artfnl, designing, corrupt cabal by which he I
was surrounded Such is the position he now
occupies stared at by his own declarations, un.
der whose solemn assurance he mounted into
he chair Of State, and goaded on to reckless in
Inference BY the stings inflicted upon his moral
BY the mental torture Of remorse.
nsulted and Knocked by his party for having
e such professions Of fidelity to his anticipa-
"a position, and condemned by his politicalen-
mics for the baseness with which he deserted
hem snenyiable, nay, miserable must be his
osiGon. Insensible must he be to renlorse
.jJoiis must he Be 70 the modification Of seeing
i faiFest iapreIs md brightest glory furnished
! ~ dsmning rim ~ iasincerity. 4
NJ leaye him for the present, to the tender ii