New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-30

of following the wise pecedents of former times and
especially that n the of Judge Peck and referring
the accusation to the COMMITTEES on JndloaIy' 'n'
House have made my acsuser one OF my Judges A. .
To make the accuser the Judge, violst'ou on t
principles of universal ius;iCs and is condo oy
the practice Of all civilized nations hVery Lafss
mustrevolt stsuch.a spectacle; am " shsttute IN
Mr., Covode, either personally or Dy suVe." eS,ca
erose-eXanine the witnesses which ne may PoNsr t
before hiueef 10 GUSTAV his OVID aoousa,ou 80
me, and perbaPs even this poor strr Of she inye
,o,;on xrh;cb this resolu ion proposes 70 'nsVuW ~
yecna and general the English LANGUAGE ahords
words in which to make y. hs-e or cSoess b
az he President has, by money, patronage, or
VIA - ;mprocer means, sought TO influence, not the
ODD Of any Individual Member or Members OF Con-
acuou q the action Of the entire body Of Congress
ESsis =, any Committee thereof. The President
ns :h, hsve hsd some glimmsTing OF the nature OF
ogsnse 10 he investigated had his acauHer pointed
a. the act or acs.' Of Congress which he eought to
mass or to defeat byN ne employment Of money pstFon
AGE or other imprO, en- means" But the accusation
IL bounded by no such hrs; 1t extends to the whole
circle Of legislation to Interference "for against the
gssssge Of any law aps aipis 70 the rgnts OF any
tain 10 the rights Of State or Territory An
what law or laws has u President fried to execute
These might easily have been pointed out, had any
Rad Mr. Lawless asked an inquiry TO be made by the
House whether Judge Peck in general terms had not
violsied HE judicial duties without specification OF any
single vote in that body in favor of the inquiry.
Since the tine of the Star Chamber and of general
warrants, there has been no such proceeding IN En-
gland. The House Of Representatives, the high I'M
peachiup power of the country without eonsentng
hear word of explanation have indorsed this accu-
ration against the President and made it their own
act They even refuse TO permit member to INQUIRE
of the Presidents accuser what were the specific
charges against him. Thus in this preliminary accusa-
tiou of thigh crimes and msdemeanors" against CO.
ordinate branch of the Government underline impeach
inc fha uSGd n "a
ton in regard to the correct mode Of proceedings
but without moments delay, passed accusatory res
outons under the pressure OF the previous question:
In the institution of prosecution for any ofeuse,
against the most humble citizen, and ! claim for my
self no greater rights than he enjoys the Constitution
of the United States and Of the several States require
that be shall be informed in the very beginning of the
nature and csuse of the accusation against him, in
order to enable him TO prepare for his defense
There are other principles, which might enumerate,
not less sacred, presenting an lmpenetra0e shsla 10
protect every citizen falsely charged with criminal
ofense. These have been violated in the prosecution
instituted by the House of Representatives against the
Executive branch of the Government Shall the Pres-
dent alone b. deprived of the protection of these great
principles which prevail in every land where a ray of
liberty Penetrates the gloom of despotism Shall the
Executive alone be deprived OF the rights winch all his
fellow. citizens enjoy? The whole proceeding against
him ustifes the fears of those wise and great men,
who before the Constitution adopted by the States
unprecedented that the tendency Of the Government was
10 the aggrandzen eDt of the Legislative atthe expense
of the Executive and Judicial Departments.
again declare emphatically that make this protest
for no reason personal TO and do it with perfect
respect for the House OF Representatives IN which had
the honor of serving for i've successive terms. nave
lived long in this eoodly land and haze enjoyed all the
offices and honoTs which my country could bestow.
Amid all the political storms through which have
passed. the present is the first attempt which has ever
been made to my knowledge, to asail my personal or
official integrity and this has been done the time is
approaching when shall voluntarily retire from the
service of my country. feel proudly conscious that
is oct ofy "a vvhir vii
the strictest scrutiny. l defy all investigation.
Nothing but the basest perjury can gully my
good nans. L do not fear even this because
cherish an humble confidence that the
Gracious Being who has hitherto defended and
protected me against the shafts Of falsehood aud
malice viii not desert me now when l have become
"od and gray-beaded." l can declare before God
and nv country that no human being, with an excen-
ton scarcely worthy of notice, has, at any period OF
my life, dared to approach me with corrupt or as
honorable proposition and until recent developments,
it had never entered into my imagination that any
person. even in the storm of exasperated political ex
element, would charge me, III the most remote de-
gree, with having made snch a proposition to any
human being. i may now, however, eXcaim IN the
Language Of complaint employed by my first and
greatest predecessor, thai have been abused IN
90 such exaggerated and indecent terms as coulTs
+" scarcely be applied to Nero, TO notorious de
81" faulter, OF even 70 a common pickpoeket.'
do, therefore, for the reasons stated, and in the
name of the people Of the several States, soemnly
protest against these proceedings OF the House OF kep
resentaves because they in violation OF the rights
of coordinate Executive branch OF The Government,
and subversive Of its constitutional Independence be-
cause they are calculated foster baud OF interested
parasites and nfOrmers, ready TO swear before
ca D01fe Committees 10 pretended private converse
lions between the President and themselves Incapable,
from their nature of being disprOved-thus furnishing
material fer haIassng him, degrading him IN the eyes
of the country and eventually, should he be weak
or tmid la1, rendering him subservient to improper
influences in order TO avoid such persecutons and am
noyances because they tend to destroy that harmon-
Gus action for the common good which ought 10 be
maintained aud which sincerely desire 70 cherish
between the co6fdinate branches of the Governments
and fnsy, because if UnTessted, they wOuld estsb-
lsh precedent dangerous and embarrassing 70 all my
successors TO whatever political party they might be
attached. JAMES BUCHANAN
W'asaiaeton, March %, 1860.
Mr. SHERMAN Rep., O.l-The President Of the
United States has made for the first time in our poiti
cal history issue with this House as 10 It's Constu-
tionsl powers. willing 70 give that comInunic9-
ton al the consideration its importance demands.
am willing that this House shOnld resolve itself
into a Committee and proceed TO consider whether
or not IT has power to Investigate anything thai may
be done by any branch Of the Executive Of this Gov
erpment Because, if this high privilege set up by
the Presdent is the true one 1t viii extend 10 every
unfortunate under him. Mr.. Speaker, the Constltu-
fion of the United States declares that the President,
or any civil officer Of the United States, shall be re-
moved from Office after conviction by impeachment
for treason, other high crime or mlsdemeanor IL
also declares that this House has the sole power OF
jmpeachng. Under these Two clauses the Hcuse has
mower 70 Investigate anything Every man Is subject
To- this from the President down TO the pages OF
the Home. The President says we cannot exercise
this power, except by impeachment. How, then,
shall we found an Impeachment ?-how take the pre-
liminary proof how ascertain whether an oihcer
has violated his duty or not We can do so only
by examining and investigating There is no other
way. Ii is only by taking testimony, by examining,
nv uouiripp III at YOU ascertain whether or not
~ his GnycrnrnepT violated