Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1854-05-05

burgesses to represent them in the Parlia
ment House. 1t is old English parliamen,
tary law, and is so recorded by Hatsell, and
all the writer's on that law. 1t is also
American law, as old as our Congress and
as such, recorded in Jeferson's Manual
1t is honest law and as such existent in
every honest heart Sir, the President Of
the United States can send us no opinions
except in written messages, and no one
can report his opinions to influence the
conduct of members upon a bill, without
becoming obnoxious to the censure which
the British House of Commons pronounced
upon the lord of the bed chamber, in the
case of the King and the Fox East India
bill.
Nor can the Presidents Secretaries-his
head clerks, as MIR. Randolph used to call
them-send us their opinions on any sub
ject Of legislation depending before US.
They can only report, and that in writing,
on the subjects referred to them by law or
by vote of the Houses Non-intcrven-
ton is their duty in relation to our lcgis-
lation; and if they attempt to intervene
in any Of our business, I must be allowed,
for one, to repulse the attempt, and to ex-
press for it no higher degree of respect
than that Mr.. Burke expressed for the
opinions of British Lord Chancellor, de-
livered to the House Of Commons, in a
case in which he had no concern. Sir,
suppose l can be allowed to repeat on this
floor any degree Of comparison, or figure
Of speech which Mr.. Burke could use on
the floor of the British House of Commons
He was classic speaker, and, besides that,
author of treatise on the Sublime and
Beautiful though l do not consider the
particular figure which I have to repeat,
although just and picturesque in itself, to
be perfect illustration of either branch
Of his admired treatise. 1t was in reference
to Lord Thurslow, who had interviewed in
some Legislative business contrary to the
orators sense of right and decency. Mr..
Burke repulsed the intrusive opinion, and
declared that he did not care three jumps
of Il louise for it. Sir, I say the same of
any opinion which may be reported here
from our Secretaries on any bill depenoing
before US, and that in any form in which
it may come from them-whether as unit
or as integers.
Still less do admit the right of inter
vention in our legislative duties in another
class of Intermediates, and who might not
be able to meddle at all with our business,
were it not for the ministration of our
bounty. l speak Of the public printers,
who get their daily bread (and that but
tered on both Sides by our daily printing;
and who require the democratic members
of this House, under the instant penalty
Of political damna,ion, to give in their ad-
hesion to every bill which they call admin
istra,ion and that in every change it may
undergo-although more changeable than
the moon. For that class Of Intermediates
l have no parliamentary law to administer,
nor any quotation from Burke to apply
nothing bu: little fable to read; the value
of which, as in all good fables, lies in its
moral. 1t is in French, and entitled,
" Lane e, son maitre = which, being done
into English, signifies, The ass and his
master ;" and runs thus:
"An ass took it into his head to scare
his master, and put on lions skin, and
went and stood in the path. And when
he saw his master coming he commenced
roaring, as he thought; but he only brayed,
and the master knew it was his ass so he
went up to him with q cudgel, and beat
him nearly to DEATH" .
That is the end of the fable, and the
moral of it is, I" a caution to all asses to
take care how they undertake to scare their
masters"
Mr.. Chairman, this House will have
fallen far below its constitutional mission,
if it suffers itself to be governed by au-
thority, or dragooned by its own hirelings.
I am man Of no bargains, but act openly
with any man that acts for the public good;
and in this spirit, / offer the right hand of
political friendship to every member Of this
body that will stand together to vindicate
its privileges, protect its responsibility, and
maintain it in the high place for which it
was intended-the master branch Of the
American Government.
The question before us is to get rid Of
the Missouri compromise line; and to a
lawyer that is an easy question. That
compromise is in the form of a statute
and one statute is repealable by another
That short view is enough for lawyer
To statesman it is something different ;
and refers tie question Of its repeal, not
to law books, but to reasons Of State poll
cy--to the circumstances under which it
was enacted, and the consequences which
are to flow from its abrosation. This CON-
promise of 1920 is not a mere statute, to
last for day ;; it was intended for perpetu-
ity. and 10 declared itself. It is an enact