Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-05-12


law. II Il also American law as
old aa our Congress, and. as such,
recorded In Jelivrson's Manual. II i
honest law. and as such existed IN every
honest heart. Sir, the President OF
the United States can send US no opln.
ions except in written Messages. and
no one can report his opinions to inilu-
ence the conduct OF members upon u
bill without becoming obnoxious to the
censure which the British House
Of Commons pronounced upon the
lord ofthe bed chamber. in the case
Of the King and the Fox East India
bill.
Nor can the Presidents Secretaries
his head clerks. as Mr.. Randolph
used to call them--send US their opin-
ions on any subject Of legislation
depending before US. They can only
report, and that in writing, on the
subjects referred 10 them by law or
by avote of the Houses. Nou-inter-
yention is their duty in relation to our
legisl alton. and if they attempt 10
intervene in any Of our business /
must be allowed. for one, to repulse
the attempt. and TO express for it
no higher degree Of respect than Mr..
Burke expressed for the opinions OF
a British Lord Chancellor, delivered
TO the House Of Commons. in case in
which he had no concern. Sir, l
suppose 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 clas-
sic speaker, and, besides that, author
of treatise ou the sublime and beau
tiful, though | do not consider the
particular figure which have to re-
peat. although just and picturesque in
itself. to be periec illustration OF eth
er branch ofh admired treatise. II
was in reference to Lord Thurlow, who
had intervened in some legislative
bu 'iness, contrary 10 the authors
sense Of right and decency. Mr..
Burke repulsed the intrusive opinion.
and declared that he did not care three
jumps ofa louse for it. Sir. | say the
same ofany opinion which may be
reported here. frem our Secretaries,
and on any bill depending before US,
and that. in any form in which it may
come from them. whether as unit or
integers.
PUBIC PRIyrE RS fNrEFEREvcE.
Still less dol admit the right oi
Intervention in our legislative duties in
another class to meddle at all with oul
business, were it not for the ministra.
ton OF our bounty. | speak Of the
public printers. who get their daily
bread, land that buttered on both
sides. BY our daily printing. and who
require the democratic members oI
this House. under the instant penalty
of political damnation. to give In their
adhesion to every bill which they call
administration, and that. in every
change it may undergo, although more
changeable than the moon. For that
class OF intermeddlers | have no par.
liamentary law to administer. nor any
quotation from Burke to apply--noth.
ing but little fable to read. the value
OF which. as in all good fables. lies in
its moral. It's in French, and enti-
tied Lane et son maitrs. which being
done into English, signifies, 1.-The ass
and his master"--and runs thus:
AN ass took it into head to scare
his master. and put on a lions skin,
and went and stood in the path. Ant
when he saw his master coming, ht
commenced roaring. he thought, but
he only brayed. and the master knew
it was his ass; so he wentup 10 hin
with cudgel. and beat him nearly tC
DEATH"
This is the end Of the fable, and the
moral of il is, "a caution to all asses tC
take care how they undertake to scare
their masters" Much laughter anc
applause.
Mr. Chairman, this House will have
fallen far below its Constitutional
mission, if it suffers itself to be govern
ed by authority, or dragooned by it
own hirelings. l am a man o. nc
bargains, but act openly with any mar
that acts for the public good, and il
this spirit | offer the right hand o
political friendship to every membe
of this body that will stand together t.
yindicate its privileges, protect it
responsibility, and maintain IT in tn
high place for which it was intended
the master branch Of American Gov
ernment.
MISSOURI COMPROMISE NOT MERELY +.
STATUTE.
The question before US is to get ri'
of the Missouri compromise line, ant
TO a lawyer that is an easy question
That compromise is in the form of 4
statute, and one statute is repealabl
by another. That short view !
enough for lawyer. To "a Statesman
it is something different, and refers tn
question of its repeal. not TO las
I books, but to reasons of state policy. Z
the circumstances under which it wa
enacted. and the consequences whic
! are to flow from its abrogation. Thi
! compromise Of 1920 is not a mer
; statute to last for day; it was intend
( ed for perpetuity, ,and so declared itsel
7 Ii is an enac tment to settle contro
versy, and did settle it, and cannot b
: brogaled without reviving that cor
n troversy.
. 1t has given the country peace fl
above thirty years. How many yeal
: Of disturbance will its abrogatio