Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-12-31

thlZlng llllIbtiStcrS, ana Nefill denlaSD9ueS
whose united camors will easily drown the
voice of law and reason.
But the President it may be said, mediate
no permanent seizure of the war-making power
He only intends 10 exercise it during the recess
Of Congress. aud for the good Of the nation
so much. perhaps. the worse. Did he directly
aim ut permanent supremacy. from motives n
personal ambition. the people might be rousel
to proper spirit OF resistance; but the plea
OF the ,abi;c good is calculated to disarm their
resentment: nay, perhaps to insure their c0-ope
ration. II is ever the iavoritc resort and
surcSt dependence of successful us,lrpers. /!
WAS that which reconcilc,l the Roman people
to Cesar, yoke: and he would have perpetr,.
ated their slavery. had not the tlnggers of few
resolute patriot, cut short his career. The
bloody Richard
TO bear tie ,oiicn yc.r OF sovereignty"
doubtless, only because he was tcaktnci Ly his
good cousin buckingham TO his country
good" Cromwell. though it ''grieved him to
the very soul found "a necessity. in order To
the glory Of God and yo1d 81 tie natipn'' Ia
temper, as u great historian expresses it, TIE
Eherfy .f q Commonwealth ,cith tic o"'h"rtg
~ Il s;nyit p,fson. and gr;ciou>ly became the
PROTECTOR Of the people; ani the Greater and
Lesser Napoleon. doubtless. each assumed the
imperial power solely with view 10 the hap
pncsS and glory Of the Great Nation. Was
it not for the safety of the Republic that
Caesar and Sylla exercised ,lictatorial power,
and the mob-monarch, of Paris .orgcd the
guillotine with the best blood of France: Dn
mean to iikcn to any Of these the bland and
courteous gentleman who prcsdcs over the
Union: Assurcdly not. entertain towards
him M such unworthy sentiment. nor any TN.
friendly feeling personal oi political What
was sheer hypocrisy in them, doubt 10, is in
him unaffected zeal for his coIlnlryS welfare.
call in aid the facts Of history 10 show. that
professions Of such zeal from men in power.
who are grasping at more, are rs frequently
false as true; and TO prove that. whether lal>r
or true, they are equally dangcrous-morc dan
gcrous, indeed, when true than when false: be-
cause bad examples of bad mcn, are more dread.
I'd than those unwittinglv set by the well
meaning and the good Our own history YER
rifles the truth Of this Few believe that Gen
Jackson. or Mr. Polk. or any other President
who may have cycrtcd forbidden powers, had
any design to hold them permanently or to
use them for any other purpose than tn
general welfare Yet the example Of the
former may have m>lc'l the latter and
now comes doubly recommended Ia Mr..
Buchanan. who has gone q step beyond
either. in prorlaiminc beforehand this in.
tcrpolatior. adopted hy them only on the spur
uf the occasion. H. though il had become
incorporated into our fundamental law. And
would il not br better tl,r, it should hc 50. il
such be the will Of the nation: Or. at least.
10 give some color Of law To a lawless proceed
ing should not Congress provide that durin.
any recess the President shall have ht;r au-
thority To declare and make war upon Nicara-
qua. Mexico Cuba, or any other "Dnr.a"a'
territory and annex them 10 the United States -:
But if they will not consent 10 the assumption
by the President Of thi, high power, should
they not express their unqualified di>apnroha.
ton Of his determination TO seize it: VIII
thcv not see in that determination the market
and oft witnessed progress Of Republics to Ab-
SolutiSm. Will they not remember that arbi-
trary authority though il may be used harm
lcs>ly. bcneiiccntly. by unaspirinc patriots.
may. in the hands of Il bold military chief. Lc
welded to crush the liberties oi his country
.Ih.W ,ce M,t. repeat. hnec " Dic'o'or ?
\ Dictator not as in Rome. under the forms oi
law, but sclfinstallcd. whenever. in his opinion.
there may be sudden emergency. ap.
peal TO the American people if it i, not time
that We should rcclr to fundamental prlnci'
pie. and. err. i, bc 10" late bring this question
Ia thu test. ions RoHLRT>"N.
December ~. l.J>