The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1860-04-18

ri d defensive prudence. Aud in the case
OF an officer controlling millions Of patron
aye. ami an influence penetrating every
city, tnwn and hamlet of a vast country. H..
would be unsafe to assume inlUrmers aud
witnesses would volunteer against him. es-
pecially as la,ori,es and beneiiciares would
be the most likely to possess the knowledge
needed in the ascertalnment 81 the truth.
Far Congress 10 reach the rpnclusinn I"
which the President would lead them, would
be to practically settle iorever that impeach-
ments were obsolete. and that Executive ulli
GERS had the Immunity Of perfect irre.ponsl-
biity.
! Indistinctness and uncertainty must neces.
sarly prccete research. II iiwrre otherwise,
all insrsligation would be rendered ns,less.
! As far as bounds NAV be set Tor investiga tioE,
the resolution in question will compare tasor-
ably with that Introduced into the Senate by
Mr.. Mason, December 5, 1859. bearing npon
the Invasion of Harper's Ferry. This will
be readily admitted lrom comparison Of The
two. The following is the resolution last
referred TO. passed by the Senate December
! IA. 1859. unier which the mover was APP
pointed chairman of the committee con,
templated by it. and testimony is now being
takeBi
Resolved, That y committee he appointed to in
quire into the facts attending the late invasion aud
seizure Of the armoy and arsenal Of the United States
al Harper's Ferry, in Virginia, by band OF armed
men, and report
i !. Whether the same was attended by aimed resis-
tance the authorities aud public fce 81 the United
Slcs snd by the maer Of any Of the citizens Of Nr.
gna, OF Of any troops sent there to protect the public
property;
-. Whether such invasion and seizure was male Nm.
der color Of any organization intended 10 sahyeit the
government Of any Of the States Of the Upipn; what
was the character and extent Of such organization
and whether any cliirens of the United States not
prscnt were implicated therein, accessry thereto. by
contributions Of money, arms, munitions % other
wiss;
"what was the character and extent Of the military
equipment in the hauds onunder the control Of said
armed hand aud where and how. and whrn The came
was obtained and transported to the place invaded;
"fhii said committee report whether any and what
legisltiion may IN ihrr opinion. be necessary the
p OF the Unte States for the future preservation Of
the peace 81 The Country. for the safety Of The public
property. and thai SIT committee have power send
Tor persons and ptrefs"
! Gould there well be \ more limiiless field
for experiment; II covers every fuoi Of the
! country. if not the earth, and Laws open
every act anil motive Of every citizen Of
! the United States 10 ANALYSIS, camment, AMI
: exposure. II is MT deemed necessary 4,
, extend remark, n II is sufficient for The ar.
gument u PROFOUND the question: Where is
Ia be iound the du.;sine Of Jurisprudence. or
justice. or propristy which subjects the every
day life Of every merchant farmer. artisan.
and laborer to such test, and protects their
, servant. the President, from IL
! Article 2. srclinn !. Of tie Constitution
, declares I" the Executive power shall be vest.
. ed IN the President Ut the United States 81
, America" There is but one Executive head
or fountain. aud bur one Executive rrspnnsi
. bllny. as there Is but one legislative hp ID
! and one legislative responsibility. The
. President admits the pfupriety Of inquiry
by tae Senate or the House inlo the conduct
ct his suberd,natrs, but denies that his liza
/ bliiy il As great as theirs. The accepted
! tracnngs II the executive. Judicial. and
legislative branches Of the Government are
the opposite IL this.
& President Jackson, in his message Of
April ~. 1854. 10 the Senate. explanatory
oi his protest 81 the sih IL April Of the
same year says: Nor do I claim the right
~ any manner 70 supervise or interfere With
the persons intrasted with such property ur
treasure Che public mnney aud property 81
the United Sia.esl unless he be an officer
whose appointment j.. under the cansiitu.
ton asd laws, drsolyed upon the President
aionr. or IN eonjuctlon with the Senate. and
/ for Whos conduct he is coRsiiiuiiona,ly re.
spOnsibf."
4 President Polk. nf shpsr cabinet Mr.
! Buchanan Was . member, during the 1T
-essIpn q the 2gth Congress. a.ed III Ian.
guags: " II the House u Representative,
a. the grand inquest Of the nailon. should at
any time have rra.on IT, believe that there
bad been msltrrsa,iun 10 Office by an i'm
proper use or application 81 the public mo.
ney BY a public oDfctr. and shaald think
proper e institute ~ inquiry into the matter.
~ The archives and papers ~ the Erecntl,e
. Department, public aud private. would b.
subject 10 The inspection and control " a ea,a
m.nee y THAR bniy," &c. The rulings of
The supreme Court have been ~ tile same
, direction. In the cases Of Wilcox rs. Jack.
son, aud Williams ~. United States, IL Wa
decided that the law deyolsing particular
! duties upon the President, by name. uas
, fulfilled By the discharge II tiiose dntir. by
~ 's"''"t"aFss 1h I'VE gtnhhu that These
subordInates were instruments thrasgt sham
he acted aud spike. Il tan certainly mt be
necessary to tr4nsc,ibe what appears il,rough
out the journalsai Congress. thai each Ilousr
has continually claimed aud exercised the
necessary power Of inspecting. inquifins
into and supervising the different Excessive
Department. and operations u the Gnsern.
inent. u u be true that the close aud int.
mate connection insisted upon exist. between
the President and oihe-s sppaih,rd By him
and exercising Executive trds,s. The reason
y NOT manifest shy the management or the
que should not be made IS plain and patent
as The other. The mast rational and plao.i.
BILE conclusion at least woaid be that the
preien.ious iensis u the prJiesi have been
seriously weakened. 4 aot destroyed. by the