Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-03-28
For the Enquirer.
"THE USURPATION OF TIE PRESIDENT,

This charge, as unfounded as illiberal has been
hurled at The President by those who under an oath
10 support the Constitution, stand ready, we fear, to
the "Union slide" rather than zee justice meted
out to the South Now. let us turn TO the Constitu-
ton and if by il the Prcsden. stands amenabe to
the charge and, if he does, we too will take sides
with h5 arcnsers.
The Constitution of the United States says that "he
shall, from time TO time, give 20 the Congress nfor
nation Of the state Of the Union, and, under tho
sanc'y Of oath, he is required faithfully to eyo-
cute the Office Of President, and to preserve protect,
and defend the Constitution Of the United States. -
Now, under the obligations imposed by the solcmn-
ty "f oa,h after waiting four weeks for the House
to organize and seeing No earthly prospect OF AN ear
ly organic izaton and believing that his official duty
would not admit Of longer delay, he sends i'll his
message. Now, an act, which his OATH his duty, his
honor all mperiOusly demanded, has been assaed ss
an act of usurpaton by those who, we think, rea
dy to strike down the golden pillars Of The govern
mcnt, which are now topping, and 20 tumble into
ruin. all that is dear to freedom. Now, the sending
III OF the message before Congress was organized,
though the state of the country would not admit Of
longer delay, and hs constitutional obligations urg.
ing il upon him. yet the act has been characterized
by his opponents las usurpation and public indie.
cency.' We think the charge more propery ,ies at
the door of his accusers; but such is poor fA human
nature, that while see the mote in our brother B
eye, we can't see the beam in our own.
We think it looks more like public indecency'
for the Representatives Of the people to meet in Con.
Gress and irtter away more than hundred thousand
dollars OF Cncle Sans money, without rendering any
service to the country for the same. This may be
all right in the eyes Of those who figure 80 conspcu.
ousy upon the political chess board, but the day of
reckoning will come. and the reereant members will
be held to fearful responsibility. That the Presl.
dent would have gladly followed a long established
precedent, hs long forbearauce evidently proves but
when his wishes were hwarted by factious members
Of the House. he had to trampe either upon prece-
dent, or the obligations OF all oath
Had the same contingency occurred during the ad-
mui.ration OF either Jefferson, Madison, or Jackson
believe the same line Of action would have mark
cd their course. We go farther, and give il as our
deliberate opinion, that if those wise sages, who
framed the Constitution, had to this day, they
would have embodied into it clause, throwing the
duty of organizing either the Senate or House, al
ter given number Of days, upon the President The
power ought TO be lodged somewhere 10 meet any
and every contingency. The Constitution has ap.
piled remedy in the election Of th. President, in case
the people fail 10 elect aud the country has been al
most convused for the want Of similar one to apply
to Congress in the recent contingency. After IN i'm
partial review OF the subject We find nothing to es.
tablsh the charge OF usurpnton and public ndecrn-
cy" against the President, bu: everything to show
that he has faithfully performed his Constitutional
obligations. ClVlS.