The Yazoo Democrat., 1852-07-07
FOnr Letters from Gen. Scott.

aentaa1 Ier"a-Agency Of President in Legis
ldtion-Secret or Oath-5ound Socaetaes DC.
WAsHINGroE, Oct. 25, 1871.
Il dentiemen: have lately had the honor to re-
ceive many letters from as many different States
each propounding, on the part of the writer and
ms neiShbors, to which answers are required.
The scope OF the enquiries is a fiattering proof
( OF the interest that some of my countrymen take
| In the opinion that have formed on certain
great principles of abiding importance to the
success OF our systems of government; and as
have nothing to conceal, if nothing of value
to communicate, | shall, at once, without policy
or reserve, and in the form of a circular. comply
with their several requests.
PARTY YPoLITIcs.-Althouob from aarl, MOI,
hood. have, by the profession of arp,e : X.
arena of party politics, yet have never ceased
to be an attentive observer of public events, and
thus believe, there has scarcely been discus
sion of moment in Congress, within my time,
on which did not form, and modestly bat firmly
express passing opinion.
A mere youth, felt the liveliest Joy when the
alien and sedition laws expired in the triumph
of Mr.. Jefferson. From 1906, / was old enough
by speech and pen, to call for prompt and en-
ergetic redress of our wrongs suffered from Great
Britain under herorders in council, attack on the
Chesapeake frigate, and long continued impress
ment of our seamen and when the war of 1912
at length came, Twas the first and longest in the
presence of the Zoe. The insults received from
the French Directory, their depredations on om
commerce, renewed under Napoeon's decrees
Berlin and Miami which followed the British
orders in council, also shared in my indignant
reprobation.
The administrations of Mr.. Madison and Mr.
Monroe, like that of Mr.. Jefferson. had, in thei
respective periods, my humble, but hearty appro
baton, and l have since censured nothing il
either but the sale of part and the dismantlins
of the remainder of our navy, the gun-boat sys
tenn Of defence that followed, and the indefinat
embargo, which, crippling us for war, by destroy
ing our commerce and finances, and oppressin
agriculture, was long continued, without redres
sing one outrage from abroad.
give this little sketch of the growth of m
party feelings or opinions-unimportant, pei
haps, except to myself and few partial friends
to show that, if have never been faderalist, i
any sense of the term, SO never have been ];
Goblin, an impractcable, or abstractionist, in an
sense whatever, but always an old fashioned r.
: publican, devoted to the support of law and o
, der-a democratic whig, just as all my femi
have been wings, in the great struggle for natiol
: al freedom and independence.
t THE JUDICIARY .-Frotn and long continue
1 study of elementary law, my mind has ever bee
| imbued with a deep reverence for the benc
5 State and federal-ah independent departmel
t in our system of governrnent-and which hol
: ing neither the purse to corrupt nor the sword
power to terrify, addresses itself only with Il
: mild force of persuasive reason to the INTEL
: gence and virtue of the whole community.
f the federal constitution every possible safegua
is provided to shield its judiciary against feetir
. prejudice, political rancor, and party dependent
n to which legislators and the executive un
e voidabIy directed and constantly exposed. Hem
e to the zone Supreme Court" is wisely extendt
# (by appellate iurisdieton") call cases in la
e and equity arising under this constitution, t
Z, laws of the United States, and treaties made,
o which shall be made, under their authority,
6 Looking to this express provision have {
ways held that when doubtful question:
% sing under either the constitution ITSELF the S
/. prerne law of the land, under an act of Co
II gress, or treaty has once been solemnly adj
Il dicated by that court, the priuciple of the
:, cision ought to be taken by all as definitely s.
:, tled-unless indeed, it be upon rehearing
lElais apPeamsto me
: clear for disputation for the court is not 'sr
= declared to be supreme, and hence there can
= no bench beyond; but to Congress is only Civ
: the power to constitute sihferiof" tfibuna
;. By appeals to the Supreme Court, settleme
: was intended to be reachedy and anarchyS throu
os long distraction of the public mind; on gr
] questions of legislative and executive pow
: thus rendered impossible: Practically, thereto
for the people, and especially their functfonafi
= to deny, to disturb, or ifnpugh principles Il
! constitutially established, strikes me as of e
= example, if not of direct revolutionary tenden
except, indeed in the case of judicial decisl'
! enlarging power against liberty; and any dang
- Gus error of this SOFT can always be easily c
: rected land should be only correcteD by
: amendment of the constitution in one of
= modes prescribed by that instrument itself
: Eorganic law of the State and the people. M
constructions of law, other than the consti
= : ton, are yet more readily corrected by amen
: tory and declaratory acts of Congress.
- THE ExEctT1vE VEro.-This, by the sram
4 Eof the Constitution, could only have been
- Esigned-1. To enable the President to defend
Il own rightful powers against usurpations on
! on the part of Congress. 9. No enable him
0f