Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-04-14
POLlT
Message from the President,

y few days since MIR. Covodo, member of
the House from Pennsylvania, offered rcSo-
lntlon, which was adopted, appointing COM
mlticc To investigate whether the President of
the United States has not used money. pa
tronage, and other improper means To cor
rupt mcmbcrS of Congress and control their
Official action. On Thursday last, President
buchanan sent the following message to the
House, protesting against such action:
10 THE House. OF REPRESENTATIVE :
Ater delay which has afforded mc ample
time Tor rrlcction and after much and careful
drIibcration, find myself constrained by am
lmpemouS sense of duty, as Il co ordinate
branch ot the Federal Government to protest
against the first two clauses Of the first rcsolu.
tion adopted b. the House of Representatives
an the 9th instant, and published in the Con,
grcSSiOnal Globe on the succeeding day.-
These clauses arc in the following words :
Resolved, that committee of five mcMJ
be"ppolnted by the Speaker, for the purpose
(hTt) OF investigating whether the President
OF the United States, or any other officer of
the Government, has, by money, patronage,
or other improper means, SOUGHT to influence
the action OF Congress, or any committee
thereof for or against the passage Of any law
appertanlng to the rights of any State or Ter
rItory (nmd Second) ''alSo. to inuuirc into
and Investigate whether any officer or officers
ot the Government have, by combination or
otherwise, prevented or defeated, or ATTEMPTED
to prevent or defeat, the execution of any
law or laws now upon tho statute bl,k, and
whether the President has failed or refused TO
compel the execution of amy law thereof
| coniinc myself exclusively to these two
branches OF the resolution because the nor
tons OF it which follow relate to alleged abu-
scsin post Offices, navy yards, public build.
ings, and other public works OF the Unilc.l
States. In such cases inquiries are highly
proper in themselves, and belong equally to
the Senate and House, is incident to their
Legislative duties, and being necessary to cna
bic them to discover and to provide the appro
pirate and legislative remedies for any abuses
which may be asGcrtaincd Although the
terms OF the latter portion of the resolution
arc extremely vague and general, vet my sole
purpose i'll advcrting to them at present is to
mark the broad line Of distinction between
the accusatory and the remedial clauses of this
resolution. The House of Representatives
possess no power under the Constitution over
the ilrSt or accusatory portion of the re-
solution, except rs an mpeuching body
whilst over the last, in common with tho Sen
ate. their authority legislative body is full.
ly aud chccrfully admitted.
1t is solely in reference to tho first or inn
peaching power that propose to make few
observations. Except in this single case, the
Constitution has invested the House of Rep.
rescntativcs with no power, no jurisdiction,
no supremacy whatever, over the President
In all other respects he is quite as indcpcnd.
ent of them as they are of him. As a co.or-
dinatc branch Of the government he is their
equal. Indeed, he is the only direct repre-
sentative on earth of the people of all and
each Of the sovereign States. TO them, and
to them alone, is he responsible whilst acting
within the sphere Of his constitutional duty
and not Ill any manner to the House of Rep
rcseutativcs. The people have thought pro-
per to invest him with the most honorable
responsible, and dignifcd Office in the world
and the individual, however unworthy, now
holding this exalted position, will take care,
so far as within him lies, that their rights and
prcrogativcs shall never be violated ia his per-
son, but shnll pass to his successors uumpair-
ed by tho cadoption Of dangerous precedent
lie will defend them to tho last'cxtremity a
gainSt any unconstitutional attempt, come from
what quarter it may, to abridgc the constitu-
tiona rights of tho Executive, and render
him subserviont to any human power, except
themselves
The people havo not confined the Presi-
dent to tho exercise of executive duties.
They have also conferred upon him large
measure of Legislative discretion. No bill
can become law without his approval as