Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-03-31
MARCH 81


, ancient times 10 restore VlJhl neat Wnen the
current Of the blood adbccome sluggish from
age. King David's physicians prescribed
wisely in bis case, and a pleasant remedy, but
we have the authority Of holy writ that il
was Intellectual. Probably it would be equally
so in the case Of our venerable President,
even if such a prescription would not be
called irregular and unprofessional by the
niceties which modern schools have in
troduced into medical ethics. But the House
Of Representatives has just made an applica-
ton which has operated on the venerable
Buck as if a coal of fire had been placed on
his back. The resolution of Hon. John Co
vodc, which was adopted by the House, ap-
pointing a committee of FIVE to investigate
whether the patronage of the President has
been used to corrupt the legislative or other
departments, has quickened in the venerable
gentleman the vital heat of youth. He pro-
tests against It. Yet he does not deny the
authority Of the House to institute the in
quiry. But John Covode seems to be the
Mordacai in the Presidents gate, whom he
would much prefer to see hanged on gal
lows fifty cubits high, than to have over
hauling his administrative record. So he
complains to the House that they have made
his accuser-that is Mr.. Coyode-his judge.
This is the point of his protest Yet he only
protests against the custom in all legislative
Investigations; and it is rather a new con-
struction that the mover of legislative in
quiry is an "accuser," and that when he is
appointed one Of committee of FIVE to in
quire into facts and report to the House, he
becomes the Presidents 'Judge." We pity
the sorrows Of the poor old Bucolic, and we
have for some time thought that the business
of investigations had been inserted earth
ward, and was operating as ground wire to
carry off all the force of the present Congress,
butwe fear that his position is untenable.
If John Covode becomes the Presidents
accuser, by introducing an inquiry, and his
judge by being put on the committee ofinves-
tigation, is not Senator Mason also consti-
tuted the accuser of sovereign States, and of
their Senators who have been brought before
his Harper's Ferry Committee? And when
you carry a principle so far as to arraign the
Senators of sovereign States, on vague .sus-
picions of acts or intentions outside Of their
official duties, it requires no stretching at all
to carry it to the official administration of the
President Senators have been brought be-
fore the Harper's Ferry Committee to be ex-
amined on indefinite suspicious, and the
Senate assumed the power to compel them.
The same power would compel the President;
but this the House have not undertaken.
They have not summonedthe President before
them, but have resolved to inquire into his
administration. The President admits their
power to do this, but denies their power to
accuse, except by way of bringing him to
trial before the Senate for impeachment; yet
he calls their resolution to inquire, an accu-
sation; thus cavorting in a very circular
manner, as Bucks usually do when brought
to bay.
The venerable President hourishes his
horns in a very loose way on the independ-
ence and even superiority of the Executive
branch of the government, which he proposes
to defend ito the last extremity against any
unconstitutional attempt to abridge the con-
stitutional rights of the, Executive, and rem
der him subservient to any human power
except themselves" If this has any mean
ing at all, it is that the legislative inquiry
into his administration will be resisted.
The President certainly need not wait, for
he seems to be at the last extremity now.
The less of this Presidential literature that
we have in this Government, the better. 1t
carries us back few centuries and suggests
unpleasant comparisons with the contests
between King and Parliament for the perog- |
atives of the Crown, in England; and if the
President had head on his shoulders that
was worth taking of, he would know that
the spirit of popular institutions is incapable |
of fear of any encroachments of the popular
branch of the Government upon the other |
departments and that such thing would be |
emphatically the very last extremity to be
defended or thought of. But the old gentle
mans last extremity is nothing but an inqui-
ry into his administration, which, he admits,
the House have right to make; and when
simmered down, the extremity consists of |
John Covode. |
In his anxiety to fortify his last extremity |
against this inquiry, he is not satisfied with
assuming an equality with Congress, even in
the legislative department, reminding them
that "the people have not confined him to
executive duties, but have conferred on him
a large measure of legislative discretion"
and that 'no bill can become law without
his approval as representing the people of
the United States, unless it shall pass after
his veto by majority of two-thirds of both
Houses" and that he might also act in "his
legislative capacity" in ascertaining the mer-
its of bills, and that he has participation
in the performance of legislative duties" but
he exaltshis Office to superiority over them,
for he says;
"As a coordinate branch of the Govern
ment, he is their equal-indeed, he is the
only direct representative on earth of the
people Of all and each of the sovereign. States.
TO them, and to them alone, is he responsible
while acting in the sphere of his Constitu-
tional duty, and not in any manner to the
House of Representatives"
Upon what meat or Old Monongahela
drink, hath this Old Buck Swelled into this
greatness2 In what constitutional govern
ment on earth can we find Executive prerog-
atives set up with such arrogance and inso-
lence2 He, the only representative on earth