Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-09-18

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these grave abuses but change of the oUr
speak not simply Of the Administration Of Pres;an.
fiimore-l speak Of all Wing Administrations 4
as,sss n mot Who who the Executive is il he be Wing he
the same results" Great cheering
According to the Speech of Mr. DOUGLAS, the
President Of the United States makes his commn-
nications to Congress, and the Heads Of the De-
partments make their estimates of the necessary
expenditures they tell us they can administer
the government with SO much money, and not
without that sum, and, if we do not give them so
much money, the wheels of Government stop, and
the administration ceases to perform its functions
@c.-hls hearers and readers being thus given to
understand as though it were true fact instead Of
false Inference, that Congress ALWAYS grants the
appropriations which are recommended by the Pre-
sident, and that the estimates by the Heads of De-
partment are the result Of their judgments as
to the objects upon which the public money ought
to be expended. How low an estimate must not
the honorable Senator have placed upon the inteli-
gence of the Democracy of Washington and their
visiting friends, to whom he addressed this lucid
explanation Is it not known to every man of or
binary understanding in this District at least if NOT
to those of districts remote that this statement
OF the case, however creditable to the orators in
genulty, Is unfair, ungenerous, and unjust to his
own public reputation? We will endeayor to state
the case as zee understand it and our statement
shall be such that no honest man will undertake 10
controyert any part Of it.
The duties of Congress and of the President Of
the United States are plainly defined by the Con.
stltutlon 10 CONGRESS is given, in that great
Charter the power to lay and collect taxes duties,
&C. to pay the debts and provide for the common
defence and general welfare to regulate commerce
with Foreign Nations and among the several States:
to borrow money; to declare and make War; to
raise and support Armies; to provide and maintain
Navy; and to make all laws which shall be neces-
sary and proper to carry into effect these powers:
IN word, the whole Legislative power of this Gov
eminent. To the PRESIDENT the Constitution has
denied any share in this Legislative action beside the
formal approval Of Bills presented to him. except the
qualified power of the Veto The President cannot.
and much less can. his subordinates the Heads of
Departments, originate any law. He is as much as
any other citizen, subject to the Laws, and bound
to obey them: and his highest Junction. in regard
to the acts of Congress, is to take care that thew
!" be taid.fuUy erecuted."
The President Isl indeed required, by the Consti-
tuition, to communicate to Congress from time TO.
time the state of public affairs and to recommend
to their consideration such measures as he shall Judge
necessary and expedient J" and the correlative duty
OF Congress to pay certain respect to these recon-
mendations is too plain to be disputed Has that
due attention been paid by Congress to the recon-
mendations either of President TAYLOR or of his
successor President FILLMORE Is it not notorious.
on the contrary, that it has not. During the late
session Of Congress, even, which lasted full three
quarters Of gear, the Annual Message of the
President, made in pursuance of this Injunction of
the Constitution, suffered to lie, as little regard
ed as if it were so much waste paper, on the table
OF the House of Representatives, the body in which
the great money-power of the Government is lodged.
Nor was single recommendation contained in that
Message acted upon directly by Congress, though.
under the influence of salutary apprehension Of
popular indignation in the West, one measure was
passed concldng with sentiment expressed by the
President, being that for the improvement, to par
tial extent, of the Lake and Coast harbors and
Navigable rivers
For this gross abandonment of duty* it will
not be pretended that the Wings in Congress can be
held in any way responsible, when it is considered
that in the House of Representatives the Wings
numbered only lightweight members, and their
opponents one hundred and forty-fve. The Demo-
Gratis could, at any time during the session, have
majority Of fifty votes to do any
thing they chose. Neglect to act upon the Message.
therefore, wilful, and would seem to have been
persevered in to the end of the Session. in order to
upset the theory of Mr.. DOUGLAS, that, because
the President of the United States makes recon-
to Congress, the Democratic party
IN Congress is under responsibility for the prodi
gality in the public expenditures And vet. to
whatever extent it exist, it is all their own work.
IS without their cooperation no appropriation of
money could be made And when it is further cons-
Tered that no money be drawn from the Treasury
'y the President or any other Officer in the Govern
nent except under appropriation made 5y lar, what
'olor OF justification can be found for Mr.. DoUa-
LASS casting upon the Wing Administration the
gross imputaton of unjustfabe extravaganza"
which, if it attach any where attaches TO the BODY
IT which he is himself member, as well as to the
'ther House Of CongressY What apology can he
'ffer, what atonement make for this Wholesale
ibel upon the Whigs2
To this charge of "unjustifable extrayagance"
gainst the Wing Administration, thrown out by