Wabash express. [volume] (Terre-Haute, Vigo Co[unty], Ind.) 1841-186?, 1860-04-11
CoNGREssIoNAL.
xxxvI CoEGREss-FrEsr SESSION

$ Mr.. Thayer introduced bill coRstitu.
ting Dacotah land district. aud providing
for the admission TO the House Of dele
gate iherefrom.
Mr.. Scott introduced bill to authorize
the President in conjunction with Califor.
MIA to run and mark ths boundary between
= the territories Of the United States and
q California
a On motion of Mr. Stevens, los to so, Mr..
Hickman from the committee on Judiciary,
made report on the Presidents protest.
refuting the positions of the latter.
The rep'y among other things says, they
: cannot refrain from an expression of their
deep regret that an officer who prides him.
self upon the fact that lpe people have
, thought proper to invest him with the
most responsible and dignfied Office in the
world, and who declares he feels proudly
conscious there is 20 public act o, his life
which will not bear the strictest scrutiny,
and that he defes all Investigations, should
| forget among the surroundings Of place
, and power and flsttery. that he is the SER
want Of that same people, that he should
shrink back in anger aud terror from
simple inquiriug into has tewardship.
This is the first time under the Republic
that Chief Magistrate has left recorded
admission that he has been made oblivi
Gus of the origin and ephemeral character
character of hia position by the revclries of
his enjoyment.
The committee take the ground that the
President, under the Constitution. pos
sesses neither a privilege nor an immu
pity beyond 4 public citizen, and less "a
vored in this respect than Senators aud
Representatives.
Unfortunately. they say. for the attempt
ed defence Of that officer, there is no charge
made Of any offense calling for trial Of any
kind. II is a mere inquiry that is pro.
duccd. Mr.. Coyode's resolutions do not
contemplate a judgment, therefore there
can be no formal trial under them. So
numerous are the proofs that the wise and
great men OF our earlier history entertained
forbodings Of the very opposite character
from those the President ascribes TO them,
that il is difficult to resist disposition TO
attribute insincerity to the President, to
accomplish the purposes Of his protest.
/ The world is but great battle field for
power. and il universal history teaches
lesson, it is this, that power is always
stealing from the many to the benefit of
| the few; that executive heads OF nations
absorb peculiar rights, and that all resolu
lions are on the part Of the people, not to
establish thrones. but TO regain that which
has been wrung from them by the thrones
/ The citizens Of the United States have oc
casion to fesl that which every hatioa has
suffered.
The committee entertaining the views
I therein expressed. recommend The adop-
tion of the following resolutions
/ Resolved, That the House dissents from
the doctrines IN the special message of the
President Of the United States. Of March
26th, 1850; that the extent Of power con
tanned in the adoption Of resolutions of
enquiry, March 5, 1860, is necessary to the |
proper discharge Of the constitutional
laws devolved upsn Congress, that judicia!
decisions, the opinions OF former Presidents,
and uniform usage, sanction its exercise,
and that 10 abondon il would leave that |
executive department of the government
without suppression or responsibility. and
would be likely to lead to eonce ntration Of
power 10 the hands Of the President, dan
gerous to the rights OF free people.
Mr.. Houston said that Mr.. Taylor and /
himself were the minority judiciary com.
mIttee, but for want Of time thew had not
been able TO get together to agree upon a
joint resolution. Each of them. however
had prepared separate report, both agree.
ing on general principles, and sustaining |.
the Presidents special message.
/ Mr.. Houston's views we're read. The !
| trainers Of the Constitution confined each |
department within proper limits, so that
one might not encroach upon the other. /
and thus disturb the equilibrium, there
/ fore the House of Representatives should
/ confine its action 10 the limitations and re-
/ quirements of the Constitution II was
alike due to the justice and character Of
our government at homo and abroad, that
it should not be perverted for the oppres.
sion Of individuals. or mere party advan-
tage, by investigation into vague and
slanderous imputatiops, founded on the
street runor and newspaper articles. There
is possibility that these things may have
done much to lessen the confidence OF the
country in the legislative as we'll as the
other departments of the government.
while Congress should maintain its own
dignity, and should not make assaults on
individuals in public and private life.
The po wers and duties Of each branch
Of the government are plainly set forth in
the Constitution; the departments are in
dependent Of each other except when by
the Constitution they are declared other
wise: the President may be impeached; the
House has the sole power of impeachment
and the Senate the power to try it; there is
no other mode by which the House can in.
flict punishment except by impeachment.
To arraign high officer on vague and in
definite charges is a revolving outrage, and
will not be coutenanced even by vindic-
tive partissns.
II the resolutions do not look TO im.
parchment, what was their objeetY II they
contained specific charges instead OF in
situations. inquiry woul be proper, and
no objections would have been interposed
il, as has been charged. money was raised
for corrupt purposes in any State, the State
mast redress its own wrongs.
There could in this investigation be in
tended nothing but discreditable party
purposes.
The position taken by the President ia
right against the assault on the great
Dripciple established for the administers