Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1860-04-06

sutciu W pfOtect every citizeH ialseiy
charged with criminal offense. These
have been violated in the prosecution in
stituted by the House of Representatives
against the executive branch of the gov
ernmont. Shall the President alone be
deprived of the protection Of these great
principles which prevail in every land
where ray Of liberty penetrates the
gloom of despotism Shall the execu-
tive alone he deprived of rights which
all his fellsw citizens enjoy 2 The whole
proceeding against him justifes the fears
of those wise aud great men who, before
the constitution was adopted by the
States, apprehended that the tendency of
the government was to the aggrandzc-
ment of the legislative at the expense Of
the executive and judicial departments.
/ again declare, emphatically, that |
make this protest for no reason personal
to myself and / do il with perfect re-
spect for the House of Representatives,
in which | had the honor of serving as
member for five successive terms.
have lived long in this goodly land, and
have enjoyed all the Offices and honors
which my country could bestow. Amid
all the political storms through which
/ have passed, the present is the first at
tempt which has ever been made, to my
knowledge, to assail my personal or Off
cial integrity; and this as the time il
approaching when shall voluntarily re-
tire from the service Of my country. ]
feel proudly conscious that there is nc
public act of my life which will not bear
the strictest scrutiny. l defy all invcs.
tigation. Nothing but the basest per
jury can sulIy my good name. ! do moi
fear even this because cherish an hum.
bic confidence that the gracious Being
who has hitherto defended and protected
me against the shafts of falsehood and
malice will not desert me now, when ]
have become sold and grey headed. >
| can declare before God and my country
that no human being with an exception
scarcely worthy Of notice. has at any pc.
Rod of my life dared to approach me
with corrupt or dishonorablc PROPOSE
ton; and, until recent developments, i
had never entered into my Imagination
that any person, even in the storm Of cx
asperated political excitement, woulc
charge me, in the most remote degree
with having made such proposition t.
any human being. I may now, however
exclaim, in the language Of complain
employed by my first and greatest prcde
cessor, that have been abused in sucl
exaggerated and indecent terms as coul'
scarcely be applied to Nero, to motto
| s;crs t!efaaiter or even TO d common
pickpecket."
do, therefore, for the reasons, and il
the name Of the people of tho severa
States, solemnly protest against these
proceedings of the House of Represent
atives; because they are in violation Of
the rights Of the coordinate executive
branch Of the government, and subyer-
sive Of its constitutional independence
because they are calculated to foster a
band Of interested parasites and inform
ers, ever ready, for their own advantage.
to swear before &c parte committees to
pretended private conversations between
the President and themselves, incapable,
from their nature. of being disproved ;
thus furnishing material for harassing him
degrading him in the eyes Of the country.
and eventually, should he be weak or
a timid man, rendering him subseryicnt
to improper influences, in order to avoid
such prosecutions and annoyances; be-
cause they tend to destroy that harmo-
Nous action for the common good, which
ought to be maintained, and which sin
cerely desire to cherish, between co-or-
dinate branches Of the government; and,
finally, because, il unresisted, they would
establish precedent dangerous and en-
barrassing to all my successors, to what
ever political party they might be attach
ed. JAMES BUCHANAN.
Washington, 2Sth March, 1860.