, 1860-03-30


bounded BY. no such limitx. 1t extends
TO the whole circle Of legislative intcrfer-
thce LOT or against tho passage Of any law op.
pertaining 10 tue rights Of any State os Terri
tory. And what law does NOT appestain to the
rights Of some State Or Territory aud VIA.
law or laws has tho President lai:ed 10 e1e;ulc5
Ihesc might easily hayc becn pointed out had
Had Ar. Lawless asked an inquiry to be made
~ the House whether Judge Peek in general
terms bad not violated his judicial duty, without
specifying sny particular aet, do not believe
iaefe =, would haye been single vote in that body
IN favor Of the inquiry.
sincs the time Of the Star Chamber anl Of
jail " arfants, there has been no such proceed
lngs in England. The House of Keo1escnta-
tlFes, tue high in1peaching power Of the coun-
", "Enout cousennn5 to hear a w6rl Of expla-
nation, hare endorsed this accusation against
The IT,; President, and made it their own act.
iney esen refuse to permits member 10 inquire
o. tho Presidents aceuser what were the spe-
cl1c charges against him, and thus. in this
preliminary accusation of high crimes and
Hise emeanors n.ainst co-ordinate branch
o1 tue Government, under tho inlpeacliipg
power OF the House, refused to hear q single
suggestion eTeu in regard to The correct mode
q proceeding. hut without moments delay,
PASSED accusation resolutions under the Irss-
sure o. the previous question. In the instltu-
t,oh OF prosecution for any offence against
Inc most humble citizen-and claim for mysclf
no creater rights than he .pjoys-the Constitu.
ton Of the United States ur,d Of the several
states require that be shall be informed, in the
very beginning, Of the nature and cause of the
accusation against him, in order to enable him
toprepare for his defense.
There are other principles which might emu
nlei ate nor legs sacred, presenting IN 1mpenc-
trabie shield to protec. errrs citizen fa:sely
caar.ed With u criminal offence. These have
been violated in the prosecution Instituted by
me house Of Representatives against the Exec
9ilse brunch OF the Govern1rent Shall the
resident alone be deprived Of the protection
Of these great principles which prevail in every
land where ray Of liberty penetrates the
gloom Of desrotism? Shall The Executive alone
De deprived of the rights which uIl his fellow
citizens enjoy? The whole proceedings against
him justities the fears Of those wise and great
men. wllo, before the Constitution was adopted
by tue States, appschcuded that the tendency Of
tae GoFernment was to the aggrandizement Of
. tue Leglslatirc at The expense Of the Executive
and Judicial Departments.
again declare empha4ically that make this
protest ior no reason personxf to myself, and /
DO 1t With perfect respect for the uouse of I,ep-
resentatlres, in which had the honor Of se1y-
ing for five successive terms. have Ilyed long
~ this goodly land, and have enjoyed ali the
Offices uld honors which my country could be-
STOW: Amid all the political storms through
which have pnsstd, the present is the first as-
tempt which has ever been made, to mv Erowl-
edge TO assail my persona! and official integrity,
anu this bus been done as the time approaches
when shall voluntarily retire from tie service
OF my country.
leet personally conscious That there is no
pubic act Of my life which will not bear the
strlstest scrutiny. 1. defy Ill insestis sation.
Aot1'ng but the basest perjury. cln sully my
cherish IN humble confidence that the era.
eious Being who hus hitherto defended AID
protected u,e against the shafts Of false
hood and malice, will rot desert nc noa
when l hare become old aud grey head
ed. l can declare before God aud u,y country
tina. ,, no human being, will exception scarcely
worthy Of notice, has at any period Of ny lite
dared to approach ME with i corrupt or dis.
honorable proposition, auiun,il receut develop
mcnts lthad never enteted into my imagination
that any person, even in y storm Ct exaspcrated
political excitement, would charge ne in most
remote degree will, having made such PROPOSE
ton to any being. may now however exclaIm,
in the language Of complaint employed by my
ifst aud greatest predecessor, that II have
been abused in such exaggerated and indecent
terms as cuuld scarcely be upp!ies to negro.
to q notorious defaui,tr, or eycu to common
pickpocket"
do, therefore. for the reasons stated. a7d in
tue name of the people Of the several States,
sn!etnnly protest against these proceedings OF
tue li0use Of Representatives, because tbrS are
in y1olation Of the rights OF Il coordinate cx-
eca'!se eFahcn oi tii: Goyer1ment, and sub
Ecssire Of its constitutional independence: be-
cause taey arc calculated to foster baud OF in
l.1estea lt pasaSltes anu lalrners ever ready for
tnelr own adsantaee to swear before fxparte
fSn,nm.ee5 70 pretended private conversations
eet"eea :thc fJesldrnt, themselves incapable
from their. nature OF being disappeared, thus
!;orn'Sn,ng material lor harasslns him, tegraa-
,mS ;,I n'm 10 .ae eyes OF tue country and crent-
"aay, sndula ne os weak ar ti''''d man,
aaoae ~ .r n'm s"nseis'ent 10 improper i.hn,
eHces III oroer1 10 asoia suca rersecutons mud
annoyance. Because they tend TO destroy that
.',ls narlnonlons acaon ior ,he common good which
1'S.. s,"n |. oe lua.ata1heu. aho Which sincerely
aeslte 10 earrlst' between the co-ordlhate
o'anc'eS ol lae government; aGa finally bc.
cn"-e: II 9oteslssea' they would establish a
pteeeuent oanserous and entarras sing t. a'l
ny Successors, 70 Whatever political party they
might W aaacaso'
w.xr,xl lGhSa} ~, s,J,,. - ,s,, ''aAEs BUCHANAN.
-, "As"sss'os' ~ Aa'eA - is'9'
Mr. sherman satd that the President had
n'ue tne nrst issue with the liouse OH most
h"l 9ot.aas o,n pnlni: iic assnea tuat 1ne House