Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-04-04
nIessage from the President.

Dlv IN the Ectious bitter unscrupulous, and unjust
charges preferred against him by the black Republic
cans OF that body. Comment on such document
! is unnecessary 1t speaks for itself 1t is worthy
Of the patriotic and gallant old man who has given
nearly all his days to his country, and who stands
now the great buwark against the onward progress
of treason and f,natcism. The people sustained
JACKSON, and the people will sustain BUCHANAN:
To H.. Horse o. Representatives.:
Alter DELAY which has afforded me ample time
for reflection and after much and careful dclihera-
ton. [ find myself constrained oy an lmpcrlouS
sense Of lIty, coordinate branch oil the Fed
cral Government, to protest against the first two
clauses Of the first resolution adopted by the House
of Representatives. on the 9th instant, aud publish
cd in tl,, Congressional Giobc on the succeeding
day. These clauses arc in the following words
"Rcsolvcd that committee of five members hc APP
pointed BY the Speaker, for the purpose (irSt) OF
| investigating whether the President Of the United
States any other officer Of the Government, has,
, by money. patronage, CT other improper means,
sought TO influence the action Of Congress- or any
committee thereof for against the passage OF any
law alpertanng to the rights Of any State ar Ter
ritory land 2Il also 10 inquire into and invcStl-
ratc whether any officer or officers Of the Govern
nrnt have. hv combination or otherwise, prevented
or defeated attempted TO prevent or defeat, the
execution cf any law or laws upon the statute
cd to compel the execution Of any law thereof
cnu!inc myself exclusively to these two branches
of the resolution; because the portions Of it which
follow relate to alleged abuses in post offices navy.
yards, public buildings, AMI other public works of
the United States. In such cases inquiries arc high
~ proper in themselves and belong equally to the
Senate ard the House. incident to their legiSa-
tive duties and being necessary to enable them to
discover and provide the appropriate Legislative rem
eCcS for anv abuses which may DC aSccrtaincd. NJ
Though the terms of the latter portion Of the rcSO-
luton are extremely vague and general, yet my sole
purpose in advertng to them 1T present is to mark
the broad line of distinction between the accuSat"ry
ard the remedial clauses of this resolution. The
House o! Representatives possesses no power under
the Constitution over the first accu&ory portion
of the resolution. except as an impcaching body
whilst over the last, III common with the Senate,
their authority Legislative body is fully AMI
checrfully admitted.
1t is solely IN reference to the first impcachng
power that | propose to make few observations.
EXCEPT in this single ease, the Constitution has in
vested the House of Representatives with power
/ M jurisdiction supremacy whatever over the
President I'm all Other respects ne is quite indie
pendent of them as they are of him. As a coordi-
nate branch of the Government, he is their equal
Indeed he is the only direct representative earth
Of the people of all and each Of the sovereign States
To them and them alone is he responsible whilst
acting within the sphere Of his constitutional duty
and not in any manner to the House of Representa-
! tivcs The people have thought proper TO invest
him with the most honorable, responsible, and dig
niiicd office in the world and the individual, how
ever unworthy. now holding this exalted position,
will take care far him lies, that their rights
and i,rcrogavcS shall be violated il his per
son: hut shall pass to his SUCCESSORS unmparcd by
the adoption OF dangerous precedent. lie will de-
fend them to the last extremity against any uucon
Stituonal attempt, come from what quarter it may,
to alrlge the constitutional rights of the Executive
and render him SubServient to any human power
. eX,ept themselves.
The people have rot confined the President to the
exercise OF Executive duties. They have also con
ferrcd upon him large measure of Legislative dis
! erection. No hill can become law without his ap-
! proval as representing the people Of the United
States unless it shall pass after his veto by ma
jority of twO-hiriS of both houses In his lcg>!a-
tive capacity, he might in common with the Senate
and the House, institute an inquiry to ascertain any
facts which ought to influence his Judgment in ap-
proving or vctoing any bill.
This participation in the performance of legSia-
tive duties between the coordinate branches of the
Government ought to inspire The conduct Of all of
them in their relations towards each other, with mu-
tua forbearancc and respect. At least each has a
right to demand justice from the other. The cause
of complaint is, that the constitutional rights and
immunitieS Of the Executive have been violated in
! the person of the President.
| The trial cf an impeachment of the President be-
fore the Senate charges preferred and prosecuted
against him by the House of Representatives would
DC imposing spectacle for the world. In the re-
suit rot only his removal from the Presidential Of
/ flee would bc involved, but, what is Of infinitely
greater Importance to himself, his character both in
! the eyes Of the present and future generations,
! might possibly be furnished The disgrace cast
upon him, would, in some degree, he reflected upon
the character of the American people who elected
sitwtion To Il fair trial On such a trial il
! declares that the Chief Justice shall preside"
This doubtless because the trainers of the Con-
stitution believed it to be possible that the Vice
President might he biased ny the fact shat "in case
of the removal Of the President from office" 1.-The
same shall devove on the Vice President"
The preliminary proceedings in the House. in the
case of charges which may involve impeachment,
nave been well and wisely settled by long practice
upon principles Of equal Justice both to the accused
and to the people. The precedent established in
the case Of Judge Peck of Missouri in 1871 after
careful review of all former presidents, will, |
venture to predict stand the test of time In that
case Luke Edward LawlesS the accuscr presented
petition to the House. in which he set forth mi
nutcly anu specifically his causes of complaint. lie
prayed that the conduct and proceedings in tn $
behalf of said Judge Peck NAV be inquired into by
your honorable body, aud such decision made there
OH as to your wisdom and justice shall seem pro
per-. This petition referred to the Judiciary
! Committee. Such has ever been deemed the appro
pirate committee TO make similar Investigations.
1t is standing committee supposed TO be appointed
without reference to any special case and at all
times is presumed to be composed of the most emf
nent lawyers in the House from different portions
of the Union, whose acquaintance with judicial pro-
cecdings and whose habits of investigation qualify
them peculiarly for the task. No tribunal, from
their position and character cOnld in the o.
things, be more impartial In the case of Judge
Peck the witnesses were selected 10y the committee
ITSELF with view to ascertain the truth of the
charge. They were crOss-examned by him, and
everything conducted in such manner as tc
afford him no reasonable cause of complaint
In view of this precedent, and, what is Of far grea
ter Importance, in view of the Constitution and thC
principles of eternal justice in what manner has The
President Of the CnIted Siaics hecn treated by tn.