Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-04-10
Last Nights Report.
xxxYIIh cONGREss--FIRsT SESSION.
$500. WAsHNorOS, April 9.

w AnhANuAONg april .
HOUSE. sat.aa
John Cochrane introduced a bill for prevents
ing the vessels Of any government, inclusive Of
those subversiOns Of any such Government, car.
rying ought save bullion and specie. and neither
passengers, letters or freight, for hire, under
penalty Of seizure.
Mr.. Thayer introduced a bill constituting
Dacotah land district, and providing for the
admission TO the House Of delegate tbsrefrom.
Mr.. Scott introduced bill to authorize the
President, in conjunction with California, to
run and mark the boundary between the Terri
tories of the United States and California.
Mr.. Morse offered resolution, which, after
amendment was adopted, calling for all infor.
matiun concerning the slave trade, with in
structions TO naval officers, and the opinion Of
the Presidentl whether further legislation is
necessary. Hte
The House proceeded to tho consideration Of
the Report Of the CovOde Investigating Com
rrittse, asking for the arrest Of Augustus
Sehel', when Mr.. Winslow made a N nority
report, maintaining that there is no authority
to ing aire into the private contributions Of any
persons, unless it be frst determined that the
pusposes were corrupt. r., -r--f-.-,.
Mr. CoYode questioned the right Of Mr..
Winslow to bring in minority report.
Dir. WinslOw maintained that he did 80 as
question Of privilege.
MF OovOde wished to postpone the eonsid-
erstion CT the subject, in order 10 allow Mr..
Hickman TO report on the Presidents protest.
Mr. Hiekmon raised point of order that
Mr.. Wins 'OWs o-urse was irregular under the
parliamentary law.
Tho Speaker decided that Mr.. Covode was
emitted to the hcor, and an appeal By Mr.
WmsIow was tabled, l25 against SO.
bIr CoSods said be wanted the list in Mr.
Scheli's pOJsession, because it contained the
names of Government officers and not because
it was signsd by private individuals.
Mr. Hickman Intellectually sought to present
his report,
After call of the roll, during which there
vas much confusion, the report wss Secom~
mitted, on motion If Mr. Stevens, 105 ag glinst
so.
Mr.. Hickman, from the Committee on Judi
eiarY, made 3 report on the Presidents protest,
reiuting the positions Of the latter. They say
among other things. they cannot refrain from
an exPIession;of their deep regret that an o.
ficsr who Frides himself upon the fact that the
people have thought proper to invest him with
the most honorable, responsible aud dignihed
cfice in the world and who declares he feels
|
| life hieh will not bear the stretest scrutiny,
and'that he dehes all investigation, should for
get among the surroundings Of place and
power and flattsry that he Is the servant Of
/ that same people, and that be should shrink
back in anger and terror from a simple inqUir-
! ing into his stewardship.
/ THIS is the first time under the Republic that
4 Chief Magistrate has left a recorded admis-
Eion that be has been made oblEiou5 Of the
o.iein and emphemeral character of his posi-
ton by the reyelries of his enjoyment. 10
distinguish such conduct by appreciation would
be to sanction the kingly Prerogative and pro-
claim that Tiqhtful rule came BY the grace Of
| God and rot from the confidence Of man. The
nation always charitable in the Interpretation
of scts and motives is not prepared to overlook
such delinquency.
The Committee take the ground chat the
/ President under the Constitution possesses
neither privilege nor an immunity beyond a
puSlio citizen, and less favored in this respect
! than Senators and Representatives in Congress.
Unfortunately they say for the attempted
defense Of that Office there is no charge made
of any grade of offence calling for trial of any
| kind l. is a mere inquiry that is prOdpcsd-
| Mr.. COvOde's resolutions do not contemplate q
Judgment, and therefore t! ere can be no formal
Trisl under them. So numerous are The proofs
that the wise and great men Of our earlier
history entertained forbiddiDgs Of the very op~
posite character from those the President
ascribes TO them, that it is difficult 10 resist
disposition to sttibute insineerity to the Presi
dent to accomplish the purposes of his protest
The world is but great battlefield for pow
er, and if universal history teaches lesson il
is this: That power is always stealing from the
4 H. H. 4. 80
tions absorb popular rights, and that all Ieso
lutiOns are, on the part Of the people, to estab-
lish thrones, but to rpgain that which has been
wrung from them by the thrones. The citizens
Of the United States have reason to fear thai
which every othtr nation has suffered The
Committee entertaining the views therein ex'
pressed, recommend the adoPtioa Of the follow
ing resolution:
Rsso,psd, That the House disssntS from thu
doctrines in the Special Message Of the Presi
dent Of the United States Of March 2Slh, 1860
hat the extent Of power contemplated in thu
4 aloution Of the resolutions of inquiry of Marel
5th. 1850. is Necessary TO the proper dischsTgu
of the constitutional duties devolved upOr
Congress that Judicial determination The oPin
ions Of former Presidents and uniform usRg'
sanction its exercise, and that to abandon !
would leave tha Executive Department Of th'
Government without suppression or resPonsi
bhity, and would be likely lead to c0neentra
ton Of power in the hands OF the Presiden
dangerous to the rights Of free people.
M. Houston said that MT. Taylor ard him
self were the minority Judiciary Committee
but for want Of time they had not heen able t
: get together TO agree upon joint report. Each
Of them however had prepared separate re
bort. both agreeing on general principles an'
sustaining the Presidents special message
AIR. Houslou's views were read.
The trainers Of the Constitution sought {,
oonfine each department within proper limits
50 that one might not encrOach upon the othe
and thus disturb the equilibrium, therefore th
House Of RepEsSentatives should confne il
action to the limitations and requigemenls .
The Constitution It was sliks due to justie