The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-06-19

is 10 the principles Of our government 10 say the
ohoes oil The Executive good and he Intended It all
Iof Tue public interest Sir mean personal dlsrespect
or dsIaragemeni 10 the gentleman who fills The pres.
denal char al this lime but speak OF hes public acts
as public officer under the law. and not above The law,
when say that any man IN this community who was
afTalgned al the bar OF public Justice upon charge OF
taking money from anothers pocket without authority
OF law, and against the owners consent, might with
equal legal hight, and with the efficacy Tor acqutta
plead The Justification OF good NOTICES and the intention
10 promote the interest OF the owner, The law makes
every man OF sane mind The keeper oil his own money,
and secures 10 hun the right 10 dispense IL at his
VIII and very properly Furnishes, msdemeanor or
felony, the Infringement OF that right. SO the eonsiu
ton Tor the general reason-surey for none less
wise or important makes Congress, the represent
awe oil The people, The keeper OF the peoples money
ana MOI only guarantees this as right IN Congress,
gress alone, shall dispense it, And Tor any infringe
ment OF this right, obstruction OF this duty, The
law provides cond'gn punishment But ! may be told
thai such law does or can relate TO the Chief Execu
live, he is moi discussing officer This sir, is true
literally true. And yet all know that, 10 fact, il is
one OF those hclons oil The law" such as the King
can do no wrong which have often been subyersve
OF the ends Of justice as they dscredabe 10 legal
science and repngnant TO common sense.
Sir, the honorable senator from Mississippi, [Mr
ADAMs,l who sits on ny left, was manifesy conscious
OF this a few weeks ago, when he offered his penal
amendment 10 the bill making appropriation Tor extend
ing the Capitol. think he was right; and hope he
will not abandon his attempt 10 incorporate II in
of our laws This very bill which is OF passing
y an appropriate one Tor The purpose II cannot remedy
the past but infused in this for the future il will serve
IN some degree 10 mitigate the bitterness OF the black
dnugh now preparing for us TO swallow.
In saying so much about the Executive, | apprehend
have said nothing which the constitution itself does
suggest and warrant me in saying. find in that nstru
ment, in prescribing the duties of the President pro-
vides that she shall take care that the taws be a,y
executed" What laws Why, all the laws /; and none
more certainly than those relating to the expenditure OF
the public money by whom executed Why, by no
one more certainly or more faithfully than by himself ;
for If he the highest officer known 10 the law be un
a shall hp q And
10 the performance Of this duty he is bound by the solemn
sanctions OF an oath. But here law of Congress-
signed and approved by HIMSELF and in special response
10 his request for certain OF money for expenditures
which refused that request and said TO him in the most
deliberate and emphatic manner hus far shalt thou CO.
and further" And yet, in full view OF this provision
OF the consulion--resh from the Holy Evangelist upon
which he had sworn this oahn the very face of this
refusal OF Congress and in defiance OF this prohibition
expend this very monty which had been refused 10 him,
and which he had been forbid TO expend
shall not undertake TO characterize this high handed
act OF Executive power have given the facts in
nexion with il, and facts they Let Them have such
significance as they may be entitled 10, and such sgnif
cance as | am sure they will have with the people OF
his country when spread before them, they shall be-
| do not know, Mr. President, that ! should have
dWelt SO much upon these particular facts, important as
consider them but Tor another TACT oil some significance
which has occupied no little share OF public attention
which, indeed, has been forced upon public attention
with earnesiness and penacl,y from which there has
been escape, for twelve months past more
aude 10 the fact that this administration and especially
lis distinguished chief, has been eulogZed all over the
land, and auded the very skies, (as every man will
be who has hundred thousand offices his gift, and
millions Of patronage 10 give with them by certain per-
and presses,) the very exempar OF law abiding
and law enforcing Executive.
might claim the right oil argument and ask OF those who
affirm much oil the administration, its head 10 point
me 10 the instance IN which II has abided any law which
II could have avoided abiding, or IN which II aided IN
enforcing which otherwise would have been disre-
garded or violated But sir, | should ask in vain; for
the instance does not exist in either know very
well what some OF the special friends OF the Executive
might say, and what some of them have said; but they
are shadows, SIR" shadows all"-and vanish away,
like other unsnbstanal visions, when brought 10 the
test OF examination. We have just seen how the Law
has been observed in expanding the public money. /
might have something 10 say upon The boosted achieve
ments in other branches OF the law enforcing power,
such subjects relevant TO the bill under consdera
ton. shall reserve what might say until those sub
lects fairy before The Senate
IL must not be objected to my allegation that the Ex
ecuye has acted in defiance OF the prohibition OF Con-
gress, that no such positive prohibition | have
sumed was made IN terms. That Prohibition made
in The only way in which Congress could make it-by
refusing TO giant the supplesthe way provided IN the
constitution, and evidently intended, and always under
stood to be effective and controlling Indeed, If this be
moi So then there Is no way IN which The action oil Con-
gress operate check upon the Executive, unless
by the ultima ratio OF impeachment All that careful and
wel.adused arrangement OF the constitution, whereby
no money shall be expended without appropriation
by Congress, IS worse than nonsense; rs mocke.
~ OF constitutional government, deluslou, and
lie-the Executive above the law, and wholly ire.
sponsble, and The pubic treasury al the mercy OF ms
arbitrary, single, and sovereign WILL Sir, why does
the Executive send estimates here 10 us at all; and
why do we 20 through the solemn farce OF making
appropriations at all IL without authority, and even
10 defiance oil prohibition, he incur expenses for
this government, and expend the public money by mil.
lions, he has done, then have in operation here
very unnecessarily complex and expensive establishment
which might well he dispensed with; and my honorable
friend from Virginia, Mr.. HUsrER,l who has latiery
been winning much reputation our Chancellor oil
The Exchequer, may chang up his bruised arms Tor mon
umens," and excaim with the vaorous Moor, Othelos
occupations gomez II the Executive may disregard or
violate the laws in case, he may in another and IN
all and ii duty here is to consist 10 merely regis
tering his DEGREES Gjtsr he has made uen, think we
had well give up that rather poor Formally, and lei
him register well decree apprehend he IS as com.
pelent 10 the duty 10 the other while we shall
really be needed for neither And still further, II he may
without law, and in defiance OF law expend S3000,000
he may with equal proprely expend $4,000 oOo or even
the whole S50OO0OOO TO raise which the people are OPP
pressed with taxation and then to expend which they
are 10 be corrupted with Executive patronage!
fro coSTIsurD1
1uIE Annual Meeting OF the Stockholders OF :" The
Magnetic Telegraph will be held In The Of Pls
NJ