American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1859-03-03

power because u WOulo De oao preoedent.
Much less am | willing to trust il to one
who. in the exercise OF the power lhal he
has already possessed. has shown thai he
WAS so htlls fitted to WELD it as the rres.
cut President ofths United States has, ia
my judgment. ! should not say this with
out reason. l say it simply because be
asks Of us that which no man ought to ask
except under special circumstances which
do act exist-which at any rate have moi
been communicated to Congress.
SENATOR DOT GLAs' REMARKS.
MI. .Douglss-I desire to say a word OF
two on this question. am rejoiced thai
the President. in his special message, has
called our attention directly to the question
involved in the relations we bear to Mex.
leo. Central America, the transit routes,
and those southern republics. think the
President ought TO have the power he askt
think we have such interests connected
with the Pacific, that we ought to have
and must have. the highway leading to
our Pacific possessions Kept constantly o
pen. In order to accomplish that re must
necessarily repose confidence in our Exec
utive. No matter who the President may
be, when he arhieves that high cfice he
must be inirusted with those powers which
The Constitution contemplated he should
exercise for the good OF the country; and
unless we can trust the Executive whom
the people have selected, we fail TO &C
complish those objects for which the Gov
ernment was established. would confer
upon the present Executive Just such pow,
ers as | am willing to give in advance to
all his successors, no matter what they
may be or what their politics may be-
| am not going to give vote oi special
confidence to the present Executive, or To
any other individual; but am willing
now to confer by law those rights and du-
ties upon tie President, which think the
Chief Magistrate Of the nation should al
ways possess. think sir, that the Presi
dent Of the United States ought to have
the power to redress sudden injuries upon
our citizens or outrages uIon our flag,
without waiting for the action OF Congress
The Executive Of every other nation on
tie earth has that authority under their
respective forms OfgoVernment.
The objection is that under our form of
government this power cannot be safely
granted to the Executive; that our ancos,
tors were jealous OF Executive authority;
and that we must not givs him that power
which necessarily involves the power to
make war, il be shall exercise in that
direction. Sir, your Executive can make
war at any time, with any nation. under
the powers that are conferred by the
Constitution, il he is disposed to seek the
quarrel. He may return such an answer
10 France, or to England. OF to any other
Power, as would force two nations iuto
collision. But we are hound to believe
that the Executive Of the United States is
not going wantonly to seek a quarrel with
a foreign Power.
All Executive power in.
side Of the United States IL in derogation
OF the rights Of the citizens. The Execu.
tive power exercised outside OF the United
StStes is yielded in support and defense of
the rights and interests and privileges OF
the American citizen. Hence | would
give liberal rule Of construction where it
is to be exercised outside of the limits of
the United States. in behalf Of he citizen,
while would insist upon rigid and strict
rule inside ofour limits, where II is in der
ogaiion ol the rights and Liberties Of the
citizen.
| go further. sir; l would intrust the
Executive with the authority, when an
outrage is perpetra,ed upon our ships or
commerce, to punish 1t instantly where he
thinks the interests aud houor of the ma.
Iion, requires prompt action. l would
confer authority upon the President, in
the case OF another Black Warrior affair
occurring as it did few years ago, to re.
dress the wrong promptly without going
to Madrid. and from Madrid to Havanns,
and from Haeanna back to Washington,
and exhsusting years 10 fruitless negotia.
tons.
] am glad that our attention is brought
directly TO this point. The Committee
on Foreign Relations have rpeorted bill
10 confer this power on the President ia
ertain casesin Mexico, Central America,
and some Of the South American States.-
| DO not think that bill goes far enough.
Ifthe principle be right, il il is safe to
trust that power TO the President with re-
gard TO Mexico and soma Of those other
States. would make the principle gener.
al in its application. am not willing to
say that we will confer this authority up.
on the President in regard to the weak And
feeble powers Il at have not the means aud
capacity Of Resistance, but that we will not
allow him 10 exercise II as to the other
powers. wouldnot limit the power 10
Mexico or to any other nation by name.
] would say that in al cases where
there are utrages upon our flag and citi.
gems and property, demanding instant re.
dress, not admitting Of delay, the Presl.
dent may use the Army and Navy to en-.
force suoh redress, and then report the
facts to Congress. | introduced bill OF
that kind last year during the last session
Of Congress in order to confer this author.
ily upon the President. not with reference
to any case then pending Tut as a general
rule. ] desire the President of the United
Siatps TO have as much authority to pro.
teot American citizens, American proper.
~. and The American flag abroad. as the
Executive OF every other civilized ration
on earth possesses. The American name
will never be respected abroad until you
intrust that power with the Executive. -
A sls Il. 4