Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-04-27
Senator Douglas on Executive Interference With
CoDoresS.

A<SNAS1SsS
Congress
Senator Douglas in his last speech on the
Lecompton iniquity administered caustic re-
buke to President Buchanan for his shameful at
tempt to dragon and corrupt Congress into
supporting that measure
Because Senators and Representatives, do not
yield their Judgment and their consciences, and
abJect obedience To the requirements of Adj
tulnlstration III regard to measure on which
the Administration are net required to act at all,
system OF prescription or persecution. Is 10 be
adopted against every man who maintains his
selfrespect, his own Judgment and his
science.
1 do not recognize the right Uf the President
or has Cabinet, no matter wat my respect may
be Tor them, to tell me my duty the Senate
Chamber lie President has his duties 10 per-
form under tie Constitution, sud he Is response
bic 10 his constituency a Senator has his
duties TO perform here under the Cons; tuition
and according TO his oath anL he is responsi BILE
10 the sovereign State which he represents as
his constituency. A member Of the House of
Representatives has his duties under the Com
stltution and his oath and he Is responsible to
the people that elected hIm. The President has
no more right TO prescribe tests Senators than
Senators have to the President the President
has no more right to prescribe tests to the Rep
resentitiNes than the Representatives, nave 10
1 the resident suppose We here SHOULD attempt
/ 10 prescribe a test OF faith to the President OF
/ the United States would he not rebuke our
/ lmpertInence and lnpudence as subyersiye OF
t the fundamental principle of The Constitution =?
W ouid he not tell Us that the Constitution and
his oath and his conscience were his guide that
we must perform our duties, and he would per
form his, and let each be pons ble to his ow n
constituency
Sir, whenever the time comes that the Presi-
/ dent OF the United States can change allcg lance
OF the Senators from tie State to himself, what
ait
the time COMES that i Senator Is TO account To
/ the Executive and not to his State, nom does
1 he represent? Ii the will OF my State Is one
way, and the Will OF the President is the other
am to be told that must obey the Executive
| and betray my State, else be branded as a
traitor 10 the party, and hunted down by ali The
| newspapers that Share The patronage OF The Gov
! ernmeut, and every man holds petty office
In any part Of my State to have the question
put To him. e are you Douglas enemy Z If not,
. your head comes OFT. Why because he
/ Is fecreant Senator because he chooses TO fol-
low his Judgment and his conscience, and repre-
sent his State INSTEAD of obeylng my Executive
behest.' 1 should like TO know what Is the use
OF Congresses, what the use of Senates and Hou-
ses OF Representatives, when their highest duty
Is 10 obey Tie Executive dis cgard oil HE
WISHES, rights, and honor OF their constituents
" nat despotIsIn on earth would be equal To this
If you establish the doctrine that the Executive
has fiS ht 10 command the votes, the conscience,
tHS iDtulS Ol and OI tie Rep
resentatIyes, instead OF their constituents In
old England, whose expressions thought IN
tolerabIe, an administration Is hurled from
power IN an hour when voted down by The Re
representatives. OF the people upon = Government
measure. If The rule OF old England was applied
here, this Cab net would have gone out OF office
when the Army bali was voted down, the other
day, IN the House Of represent tIyes. There,
III that nonarchIal country, where they have a
Queen by divine right, and lords by the grace
of God, and where RepubllcanIsm supposed
to have but slight toothold, the Representative
Of the people can check the Throne, restrain the
government, change the Ministry. and give a
new direction to the policy OF the Government,
without being accountable 10 the King or Queen.
There the Representatives OF tie people are re-
sponsIbIe 10 their constituents. Across :he
channel, under Louis Napoleon, 1t may be other
wise yet L doubt whellerIt would be SO bold
~ proclaimed there that traitor TOR
daring TO vote according 10 his sense of duty,
according to the viii OF his State according 10
the Interests OF his constituents.