The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-02-24


made quarterly.
Buchanan wants kingiy Power.
The lsraelites, those ancient people OF God,
in the course Of time became dissatisfied with
their form of government under the admins
tration Of the Judges of Israel, and desired
to have King arrayed In pomp and power
like the Kings OF the nations by whom they
were surrounded. In response to their fire.
quent and urgent solicitations against the
warnings of God, He finally, by the mouth
of bis prophet, promised to grant their re-
quest, and, at the same time, portrayed in
striking language the evils of Kingly govern
ment-its extravaganza, corruption, tyranny
and oppression-and denounced all these evils
against them as the result of gratifying their
desire. The history Of that people under
their Kings but too faithfully fulflls these
prophetic declarations.
Wea are not aware that any considerable
number Of the people of the United States
are dissatisfied with our present form Of
government, but many of them, especially
amongst our Legislators and public men, seem
only solicitous to retain the form, while they
seek continually to violate the spirit, by en-
downing the President with kingly power, and
by comforting upon him such an amount of
patronage and placing such sums of money
at his control as renders him absolutely in
dependent.
The trainers Of our Constitution intended
to constitute the Chief Magistrate simply the
executor of the laws passed by Congress,
without according him any power or inau-
ence in shaping that legislation by influencing
and controlling Congress. But now every
important measure which comes before the
Legislative body of the nation ELECTS the
most earnest, active and powerful efforts OF
the Executive either for or against its pas.
sage, and very frequently the exercise Of the
influence and patronage of the President car.
res measure through Congress or defeat,
it. The patronage of the President in tn,
disposition Of near a hundred millions Of
dollars per annum and the appointment o.
all the Judges of the courts of the United
States, the officers Of the law, of the customs
aud the navy is immense and rapidly increas
ing.
But with oil this and an extra constitu
tional allowance or eater in amount than tn
salary provided by the Constitution thu
giving him for his expenses and pay as Pres
ident more than twice the sum contemplate
by the trainers of the Constitution, MIR. Blu
chanan is not satisfied. And ii is perfect
natural, for the lust Of power ever "gro~
by that it feeds upon," and MIR. Buchanan
early training in the Federal party thorough
fixed his views and principles in favor of
strong Executive government. And now,
the President of sham Democracy, he
carrying out those principles to their mo
ultra consequences.
The Executive asks Congress to appropr
ate thirty millions Of dollars to be expend
at the discretion OF the President in negoti
ting for Cuba. Everybody knows that til
sum Of money is designed for purposes
corruption, to bride foreign ministers al
home politicians, and that the Executive VI
eiton which he shall make Of that immen
sum Of money. And should tina. bill pas
Congress will have virtually devolved t
treaty making power solely upon the Pres
dent and committed itself beyond remedy
abide by his discretion in the whole matt
of the purchase Of Cuba and the fixing t
character, conditions, power and privileg
Of the people Of that Island as an integ,
part of this Union.
And now, in recent special message, I
President goes still further and asks CO
gress to desolve the war-making power up
him also, thus making him, for the time
ing, absolute over the purse and the swe
and giving him, virtually and specifically,
treaty-making and the Legislative power
the nation. This Inter demand the Pre-
dent makes in view Of the unsettled con
ton Of the South American Republics; a
demands, al the hands Of Congress, that
shGl. h--e absolute rc-c- e he premises
the time being. lie asks in the two or til
bills that he il now pressing upon Congr
that that body SHALL substantially follow
practice Of the. Roman Senate, when the p
lie welfare was endangered, by creating
decree Of the Senate an absolute Dictator
limited period. And the argument VIII
he uses snd the presidents to which he
sorts are that thus it is with the rulers Of
monarchies Of Europe.
Here 10 the citation from his messages
ssThc Executive Government Of Or
Britain, France, and other countries poss,
ing the war making power, can promptly