, 1860-09-20
DOUGLAS Is 4 STATESMAN.
A SPECIMEN BRICK.


~ conservation OF souEd constitutional
r. ~ a"a ano tnefr sppil:ation most favorable
Lei % zee huw the greatsst Of liyinT ttstes.
mea btaaus the teat. shall conf{ne rn11elf
10 "a lew facts Of vital importance,
raJaa.i 1ne o. tue striking peeuliarites Of our
General Ga1arn,o.n,e 1s .e oiaeIens branches ofouc
uenee IN tho exercile ot The fuuctions respec.
u'e1y assigned 70 them. In order IN onard
axa!nst shedange1s and abuses which mizht
sa.se !lom TIA: independence, the no rers ueces-
Ia aI NE e1erc.e Of those fuue1ioas had to
1.slouY limited and strictly dt dtfined, Thus
asystem OF checks and balaaces was esixblished
WI ooa oast1snaon, which is calculated to rem.
~. ~ uauspaEoa impossible. It Is, indeed. said
saas toe Exssnflve brn1ch Of our Government
h;ltS ponsl2!e TO the people, bus that RESPONSE
p1..y CONSISTS only in its being liable 10 i'm
Peaetmen:. For the Secretaries Of The Presi.
preat 10 not, Ike the Minister'S Of the Crown Of
aus'a7u, s't upon the benches Of tha LeRisla-
.use: subject 10 the immediate control Of the
tsaaeentafy r.. majority. Oar Executive, unlike
tnat ot other constitutional governments, IL
stable Tor term Of tour years, removable only
~ e'ns1cuon OF treason, bribery, and ether
n1Rn crlmea and misdemeauors. Bot alreadF
1snesson told you thst imp .acbm.nt is 4 mere
sss1.eron. s.A,1s - tue Executive moves indepen-
aenuy within fhs circle Of it's own powers. I.
,t, therefore, Of sital iu,or.ance that this cir
ctn euon'a ne strictly drawn, and those powers
Q! me Leg1slatu1s which form necessary sup
P!ement TO tho Phwers Of the Executive, be
JealoQsly preserved.
II this syatem Of checks aud balances ia of
genera! necessity, il is d,u5ly indispensable in
az 4t:ef3 re.atl7g to The administration Of our
toseigo po!scF. 1t ia na:ur1iand proper that in
aHoipiomatlc transactions With forei9a Govern
neu.s. our Executive should BE- iutrusted with
PRESIDENT, no3 heing subj CT to our Legislature,
IN tee same manaer as the British Ministry il
10 faraauens, 1t is ESSENTIAL tha. IN the absence
o. luis i1ume31s:e control, another system Of
checks should be placed around the Executive
| power. Iols was doEe ia the Constitution by
making, net. Indeed, the diplomatic trausac.
tt9ns tkemse4Ses, but lh-ir ends and result 8. i'm
| neoaately dependent upon the direct ac,on Of
Congress. Tnus, no treaty can be made a.d
| e9nsan4 4ted wlihout the approval ct the Senate
~ sth atro.airas to1s. And Congre.a alone shall
var mak'rE poxer not fotrus.ed to The Execu
I'VE! !t1s hardly NECESSARY t, describe 10 you
the part which Was hare played in The hi.inrr
ot ne world|'he blood OF millions spoiled not
s.'fan se,a1 i9s patty causes; the h4ppine,s gen
I'ightsd for centuries; the RI hts Of men tred.
den under foo; tie progress of ciyiliz alton set
back tor ages! Is it woadeful tbs. The framers
OF our con.tatu!ion atouid no. hsve entrusted
ncs'e ctA:er with the formidable power OF |
bridging all shese calamites upon the Republic!
IN officer, tco, who, for certain tins. d, -.
not stand under the immediate control Of the
representatives Of the peo2le7 The w1r.nsk- |
Jog poTer-one most extensively involving the |
interests OF the naticn-is certai1i7 oae Of The
hRaest attributes Of sovereignty, and it vaa |
moss wisely reserved to that branch Of the Gov |
efnment IN which the sovereignty Of the reopie |
Il mott comprehenslveay represented, Tbe |
power to declare WEr being withheld frnno the
Executive, and expressly lodged in Congress-. it |
iollo"s that The Executive can hnve no sutAcr. |
~ 70 use "a5l'ke measures, unless specially au-
~
c'usiTe power to dsilIe war be worth to C,n,
greas II the power to uss he1iiserent measures
without special authority-:hst is, to brin,- on
OF OF make war-were vested in tte Execu,ive1
In1s = one Of the distinguishing features Of cur
s,tont c2rs.ailoaet s;s1en: i cansot bs changed
nas'oaa! security. No maa who uuderstands
tae 81 irit Ct American institutions will fail to
see this, aud be who does nut ,aaT ba sa;d not
to comprehend the tendency Of our fuadansn-
a laws; is1s not surprising tha: wc shouli
hEd such man in him who is he'd up to u, ss
.'ihe gFea:est Of lssing 1tateamxu7" fLanrh.
tet.J far humber Ct years, WHEREVER tlera
VAS dlt1lcu':y between tits aud !oreiru por
esnmenf, Nr. Douglas en9eavored again and
again to invest the President ui.h the poreror
asiag waEl'le measures 4: his own discze.;op.
without waiting for the action Of C6nbre,s'
Of May, 1856: ~ VIC -3'a
be IL faotttd IT,, That in Cases of o,oran.
violations OF the laws of nations by outrage
upon 'he nag, or soil, or cit!z.ns of The united
o'aes, or upon their property, under c4rcum.
;s4cses ~ fequlr,9z pro1pt reoEefs. and when,
incompatabe With the honor ana Ii:,aitr If the
lsepat1c' sne President is hereby authorised 10
employ such force as he znay deem nece,s3rr
TO Prevent the perpetraticn Of such outrases.
ana 70 eh:a'n just redress a-l sat,sfact,oa for
tus % saIe "hen pespetrated; aud it saal. be his
1ufT 10 l4T The fnrtA rF |
scns tor his action in the premises. .hrfora
Gongfest 81 the earliest practicable n1pent
direct'
This bill w4S Introduced at . time when ves.
ssts oe!orslrg 70 tie British nary, in tls GIlf
ol u: 9ico, undtr:ook to stop asd search Amer
ican EsFcaaatmen on the SUSPICION OF their ba. ,
Ing slarers. The bill did no: p.ss; ba; Tnen.
e7er loele "as an opportunity, be it in dis
eaaslon on appropriations tor the pary o. M |
tie occasion Ut some foreign d III i:alty, he .can
ana asaln has tried 10 bslng about ta:a. trans
1859, when he disclosed his views more fujly
aad emphatl;ali than ever before TIE rresi-
dent, IN special message, asked for SPECIAL
au1hor1ty to protect American citiz. ms On The
Tfan~,t route. Then Ar. Douglas expressed
- Thug the President ought to hare the ;
power to redress sudden Injuries upon our clti.
zsns. or euara2es upon our. atg, without wait.
Tag for the action oil Congress. The Executive
Of every other natIon on ear:h has that au,bor-
'I5. y uaaeF their respective form, Of govern
Eent- go further, s1r, Iwcu'i '
lntrnst the Executive With authority, when an =
outrage IS peFpesrated upon our chips mud coz r
neree. t. punish it Instantly, when he thinks
tho lnterts: aud the honor ot the nation require
prompt ao'ioo. | weu!d make this principle
lent Of The United States to have 4, much am. t
!horlty to protect American citizens and the il
American lag abroad, Qs the Executive of ererv n
.ther civilized nation on tho easlh possesses.
IN wiling to adopt the PRINCIPLE
ia: fnis authority shull be rested in tie Presi.
lent Of the United >tates rs r,ah,ful authority
1ud permanent rule ot action. applicable 81
'ver the world. whenever liz thinks Ameriean e
1eres's ana American hopt require it to he Il
'ker.ed- When it is known th.t :.
'af E1ecuhse has the same authority outside Of
7e United States that the Brit,sA F+tmir = and
be fTtneh Emperor or thu tesd Of any other +
'ation possesses, you will End there win be- \
ess number Of outrages," &c.
1t Mr. Dongas had hroug ght forward propcs:. .
ions ike this in the heat Of debate. aroused =
be plea that his temper ran avaT WITH h,s X
But the frequent, deliberate. Der. II
tstent restoration Of these views, must urxe
ne conviction upon rs tha: they hare become
Flsh him settled political doctrine. Did be
yer consider the extent aud copseoaences If =,
be change he 5emands! Does lie Know What i
means. that the President shalt have the ! .
'oxer, without waiting for the action Of Con.
'Iess, to use the army and uuvy when he-uot
'hen Congress, but when he thinks the inter
ats OF tue country require it? Suppose the 4
resident be man OF exc:table temper-of ~
more vaior than discresiou-or 4 man Of iuor-
Etnate ambluon--or C willy politician, uuscru.
'ulous uah to involve the country in war
. order to divert popular attention from bone
['ttien1tes. Suppose such President has The
'oHer to use the armed force Of the Uni.ed | 4
'ta'es wfea be tbiala fit Will not cur pcare
nd security ba entirely at the mercy Of hi, II
emper, bis ambition, or his uuscEupuloasress? Il
THIS IS not 50 dangerous ssys. A1. Douglas,
Of "aot every be'igerant act' Leads to war"
20. certainly not; but it there is anything in tho
Forid apt to !eaa TO wari< IL = b:lizerant net. +
|Anghtsri ltts true. eeeordin. to Ar, Doug
~ OIL, the ffeadent will have to reuors 10 =
congress "at the earliest practicable momert:" /
ut vii not the President be a,ls by iudscrete
Sc ofshe army or navy, 10 Involve The country
"ar, 10 array nation agaiabs nation, lcng be-
sfe that "esriiest practicable m3meat arrives. ~
Is true Congress will, alter bile, have pow. th'
10 stop ne war: bus are you not avare that 0
a1a Il Government which depends not nj.
: 'AJs On calm public opinion, but sometimes
lso On the passions Of the people. II once, by n
10 measures Of the President, va are involved
ac:'Te hostilities-if once the intoxicating r,
lnsic Of artillery has started the werlike en-
'oslasm OF tie pe,p'e-,f cnce tho fighting
punt Of The nssses is used by the sigh. Of ii
lood, will not then what was commenced
sa1ust the judgement Ct the people be pushed ,
oy their passlonef pt.