The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1860-04-05

petltlOn was TelerTeu 10 the JUDICIARY
Committee. Such has ever been the
appropriate committee to make a SINH
/ lar Investigations. It is a standing
committee, supposed to be appointed
without reference to any special case,
and at all times is presumed to be com
posed Of the most eminent lawyers In
the House, from the different portions
of the Union, whose acquaintance with
| judicial proceedings and whose habits
of investigation qualify them particu-
larIy for the task. No tribunal, from
their position and character, could, in
the nature of things, be more impair
tial. In the case of Judge Peck, the
witnesses were selected by the COM
mittee itself. with view to ascertain
the truth of the charge. They were
cross-examined by him, and everything
was conducted in such a manner as to
afford him no reasonable cause for
complaint. In view of this precedent,
and, what is of far greater Importance,
in view of the Constitution and princi-
Piles of eternal justice, in what manner
has the President of the United States
been treated by the House of Repre-
sentatives? Mr.. John Covode, Rep
resentative from Pennsylvania, is an
accuscr of the President. Instead of
following the wise preccdents of for
mer times, and especially that in the
case OF Judge Peck, and referring the
accusation to the Committee on Judi
ciary, the House has made my accuser
one of my judges. To make the ac-
cuser the judge is a violation of the
principles of universal justice, and is
condemned by the practice of all civil
lied nations. Every freeman must re-
volt at such spectacle. / am to APP
pear before Mr.. Covode, either per-
sonally or by a substitute, to cross-ex-
anime the witnesses which he may
produce before himself to sustain his
own accusation against me, and per-
haps even this poor boon may be de-
MED to the President. And what is
the nature of the investigation which
his resolution proposes to institute? 1t
is as vague and general as the English
language affords words to make it.
The committee is to inquire, not into
any specific charges, but whether the
President has, by money, patronage,o or
other improper means, sought to inhu-
ence, not the action of any individual
member or members of Congress, but
the action of the entire body of Con-
gress itself, or any committee thereof.
The President might have some glim-
mering of the nature of the offence to
be investigated had his accuser point
ed to the act or acts Of Congress which
he sought to pass or defeat by the en-
ployment Of money, patronage, or other
improper means; but the accusation is
bounded by no such limits. 1t extends
to the whole circle of legislation-to
influence for or against the passage of
any law appertaining to the rights of
any State or Territory; and what law
does not appertain to the rights of some
State or Territory, and what law or
laws has the President failed to execute?
These might easily have been pointed
out had any such existed. Had Mr..
Lawless asked an inquiry to be made
by the House whether Judge Peck, in
general terms, had not violated his ju-
dicial duty, without specifying any
particular act, l do not believe there
would have been single vote in that
body in favor of that inquiry. Since
the time of the Star Chamber and of
general warrants, there has been no
such proceedings in England. The
House of Representatives, the high i'm
peaching power of the country, with
out consenting to hear word of ex-
PLANTATION, have endorsed this accusa-
ton against the President, and made it
their own. act. They even refuse to
permit a member to inquire of the
Presidents accuser what were the spe-
cific charges asainst n,-thus, in this
preliminary accusation of high crimes,
and misdemeanors against co-ordin-
ate branch of the government, under
the Impending power of the House,
refusing to hear single suggestion
even in regard to the correct mode of
proceeding,-but, without moments
delay, passed accusatory resolutions
under the pressure of the previous
question. In the institution of pros
ecution for the offense against the most
humble citizen-and / claim for myself
no greater rights than he enjoys-the
constitution of the United States and
of the several States require that he
shall be informed, in the very begin |
ming, of the nature and cause of the
accusation against him, in order to en-
able him to prepare for his defence.
There are other principles which /
might enumerate, not less sacred, pre-
senting an impenetrable shield to pro-
tect every citizen falsely charged with
a criminal offense. These have been
violated in the prosecution instituted
by the House of Representatives
against the executive branch of the
government. Shall the President alone
be deprived of those great principles
which prevail in every land where a |
ray of liberty penetrates the gloom of !
Shall the Executive alone
be deprived of the rights which all his
fellow citizens enjoy? The whole pro-
ceedings against him justify the fears
of those wise and great men who, be-
fore the Constitution was adopted by
the States, apprehended that the ten
dency Of the government was to the
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of the legislative at
the expense of the executive and Judi
cial departments. I again declare en-