The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1860-05-01
MI. Hickman,s Report on the Presidents
SDcciai McssoTe.

the Presidents recent protest:
On the 5th day Of March last, the Hon.
John Ceyode, n representative in Congress
from the Stats Of Pennsylvania, submitted,
and the House of Representatives adopted,
the following resolutions:
Resolved That's Committee of FIVE members
be appointed by the Speaker for the purpose cfin-
vestigating whether the President of the United
states, or any other officer Of the government.
has, by money patronage. other improper
means sought to influence the action OF Congress,
or any committee thereof for or against the pas
sage fahy law appertaining TO the rights OF any
State or Territory. also. to inquire into and inv
tgate whether any officer or Officers Of tho gov
ernment have. by combination OF otherwise. pre-
vented and defeated. or attempted to prevent or
de eat the execution Of any law or laws now upon
the statute books and whether the President has
failed or refused to compel the execution Of any
law thereof, that said committee shall investigate
and inquire into tho abuses at the Chicago and
other lostofiices, and at the Philadelphia and
other Navy Yards, and into any abuses in connec-
tlOn with the public buildings and other public
works OF the United States.
.'And resolved further, That as the President
IN his letter to the Pittsburg centenary celebra-
tion Of the 9th November, 1883, speaks Of the
employment of money to carry elections. said com
mitee shall inquire into and ascertain the amount
so used in Pennsy lvania, and any other State or
States; In what districts II was expended, and
from what source the money was derived, and to
report the names Of tho parties implicated: and
that for the purpose aforesaid, said committee
shall have power to send fut persons aad papers
and report at any time
The message comes as a protest against
this action Of the House. L he President
complains that he has been abused and
that the constitutional rights and immuni-
ties Of the Executive have been violated in
his person. The material positions assumed
in the communication arc substantially ep.
braced in the following propositions:
I. That the House Of ofReptesentntives Possesses
no power under the constitution. except as an i'm
peaching body, to accuse the President Of the
United States or any other officer Of the govern
ment.
2. That the first recited resolution is an occur.
alton of high crimes and misdemeanors against the
President, and that his has been co Lsttu.
ted one of his judges.
g. That the charge Is roo vhgue and general
4. That there is danger, under such prece-
dent, Of an aggrahdfzement of the legislative at
the expense OF the executive and judicial depart
msnts.
In consideration of the high source from
which the manifesto proceeds, the committee
prefer to coutiue themselves to an examin.
alton of the postulates Of the paper, howcv-
or obnoxious to criticism its general tone
may be on the score Of taste aud temper.
But they cannot restrain an expression Of
their deep regret that an officer who prides
himself upon the fact that the people
have thought proper to invest him with the
most honorable, responsible and dignified
Office in the world" aud who decllres he
feels "proudly conscious there is no public
act Of his (my) life which will not bear the
strictest scrutiny and that he defies all
investigation shoul forget, amid the sur
roundings Of place, and power, and aattery,
that he is but the servant Of that same
people, and that he should shrink back in
anger or terror from simple inquiry into
his stewardship. This is the first time up-
der the republic Chief Executive has left
a recorded admission that he has been
made oblivious Of the origin and ephemeral
character of his positi ion ty the ,evclrics Of
its enjoyment To distinguish such con.
duct by appreciation would be to sanction
kiuglv prerogative, and TO proclaim that
rightfu. rule came "by the grace Of God,
and not from the confidence Of men. The
nation, always charitable in tho interpreta
ton of acts and motives. is not prepared to
overlook sach delinquency.
The President of the United States, un
der the constitution, possesses neither pri
vilege nor immunity beyond the humbles'
citizeu, and is less favored in this respec,
than Senators and Representatives in Con
gress. Article |, sectio 8, reads: "They
(the Senators and Representatives, shall
in all cases, except treason, felony, and
breach of the peace. be privileged from ar.
rest during their attendance at the session
of their respective Houses, and in going tt
and returning from the same" No such
exem ption is made in behalf Of the Exccu
tive or any ether officer Of the government
Tho conduct Of the President is always sub
ject to the constitutional supervision ant
Judgment of Congress, while he, on The con
trary, has 10 such power over either brancl
of that body. He is left, under the law
without 81 iell or protection Of any kind
except such as is borne by all. He
amenable for all his acts after inauguration
as before. He can make no plea which
denied to any other citizen, and is subjec
to tho same scrutiny, trial and punishment
with the proceedings, hazards and penaltie
of impeachment superadd d. The Prcsi
dent and the citizen stand upon equalit
, Of rights. The dis tinclion between ther
arises fro an inequality of duties. Where
/, yer the conduct OF the latter is opcn to in
quiry and charge that of the former is no
the less so. The President afiirms, wit
!, seeming seriousness, in comparing himse
!. with the House cf Representatives, tina
"as q CO ordinate branch Of the governmen
he is thcir equal" This is denied in on
phaic terms. He is coordinate bu
not coequal. He is 4" co ordinate" for b
7 holds the same rank v; but he is not CO
n equal, for his mmubilies aud powers ar
n less. The members Of the House ma
+ claim privilege, whether right or wrong
s which lie cannot, and the executive or Ia
i executing power must always be inferior
). the legislative or law making power. Th
q latcr is omnipotsnt within tho limits {
!, the constitution; the former is subject nc
only to tho constitution, but to the detc
limitations Of tho latter also. To repeat tt
J. point; the President is not, in any respec
r su ,erior TO the citizen, merely because ]
n is bound to discharge more numerous d'
't ties; and he is not coequal with that branc
e of government which helps TO impose ar
y define those duties. The fact that he hol,
70 a limited veto over the legislation Of Co
4 All lhA n