Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1860-07-11

inquiry whether he had used corrupt or i'm
proper means 10 influence the action of Con-
gress, or any of It's committees. on Legislative
measures pending before them Nothing
more, nothing less. l have rot learned thro'
the newspapers, or In any other mode, that
the committee have touched the other accusa-
tory branch of the resolution, charging the
President with violation of duty IN failing
to execute some law or laws. This branch
of the resolution is, therefore, out of the ques
ton. BY what authority, then, have the
| committee undertaken 70 investigate the course
OF the President IN regard TO the Convention
! which fr1saed the LecOmpton Constitution
! BY what authority have they undertaken 70
pry into our foreign relations for the purpose
| OF aSSailing him on account Of the instructions
| given by the Secretary of State to our Minis
! ter in Mexico relative to the Tchuantepoc
route? By what authority have they enquir-
! ed into the causes of removal from Office, and
| this from the parties themselves removed,
/ with a view to prejudice his character, not
/ withstandiDg this power Of removal belongs
/ exclusively to the President under the Con
stitUiign, vas 50 desIied by the first Coz ercss
/ n tho year 1883, yzIG has accordingly ever
! since been oEeEaise,3 2 lere Is in this reso-
! luton 20 preteZt eE~ ltil0Fiiy for the commit
! tea 60 investigate the questions Of the printing
/ Of tho Post OHiee blanks; nor Is to be suPpos-
cd that the House, if asked, would have
| granted such II authority, because this cues
/ lion had been previously committed to two
! other COMMITTEES, one IN the Senate and the
! other in the House Notwithstanding tLis
! absolute w2nt Of power, the committee rushed
into this investigation II advance Of al other
subjects.
The committee proceeded for months, from
1E 2,
and without any notice to myself, into every
subject which could possibly affect my char
actor. Interested and vindictiyc witnesses
were summoned and examined before them;
aud the first and only information OF thoir
testimony which, in almost every instance,
received, was obtained from the publication
OF such portions of il as could iniuriousiy af-
foct myself, il the New York Journals 1t
EIaUtcrod not that these statements were, so
far as l have learned, disproved by the most
respectable witnesses who happened to be on
the spot The telegraph was silent respect
ing these contradictions. Is was a secret
committee in regard to all the testimony in
my defence which could By possibility reflect
on NJ chz-2o.c- the pcison was left 20 pro
duce its effect upon the public mind, whilst
the antijote was carefully withheld.
In their examinations the committee viola |
ted the most sacred and honorable confiden- |
ces existing among men. Private correspon- !
denco, which truly honorable man would |
never even entertain distant thought OF di- 1
Vulging, was dragged TO light Different |
persons IN official and confidential relations |
with myself and with whom it was supposed |
I might have held conversations, the reYela- 1
tions of which would DO me- injury, were ex-
amined Even members Of the Senate and |
members of nv own Cabinet, both my con-
stitutional advisers. were called upon to testi- !
fy, for the purpose OF discovering something /
If possible to my discrcdit.
The distribution of the patronage of the |
Government is by far tho mos! disagrccable |
duty of the President. Applicants are SO nu-
merous, and their applications are pressed |
with such oagerness by their friends both in |
and out of Congress, that the selection of one |
for any desirable Office gives offence to many. /
Disappointed applicants removed officers, |
and those who for any cause, real or imagin- |
airy, had become hostile to the Administration /
presented themselves, or were invited by a /
summons to appear before the Committee. |
These are the most dangerous witnesses.
Even with the best intentions, they are SO in
fuenccd by prejudice and disappointment that |
they almost inevitably discolor truth. They !
swear to their own version of private conver- |
bility of contradiction. His lips are sealed, |
aud he is left to their mercy. He cannot, as
a coordinate branch of the Government, ap- |
pear before Committee of Investigation to |
contradict the oaths of such witnesses. Every |
coward knows that he can employ insulting |
language against the President with impunity |
and every false or prejuiiced witness can at |
tempt to swear away his character before such 1
4 committee without the fear of contradiction. !
Thus for mouths, whilst doing my best at !
ore end OF the avenue to perform my high and !
responsible duties TO the country, has there /
been a Committee TO the House of Represen- |
tatives In session at the other end of the ave-
nue spreading drag met, without the shadow
OF authority from the House, over the whole
Union, 70 catch any disappointed man willing
to malign my character-and all this in Sc
eret conclaye. The Lions mouth at Venice,
into which secret denUnciatioBs were dropped,
is an apt illustration of the COyode Committee.
Tho Star Chamber, tyrannieal and odious as
It was, never proceeded IN such manner.
For centuries there has been nothing like it
iu any civilized country, except the revolu-
tionary tribunal Of France Ia the days of
Robespierre.
Now, undertake to state and 20 provo,
that should the proceedings Of the committee
be sanctioned by the House, and become
precedent for future times, the balance OF the
Constitution will be entirely upset, and there
viii no longer remain the three coordinate
and independent branches Of the Government
Legislative. Executive, and Judicial. The
worst fears of the patriots and statesmen VINO
framed the Constitution, in regard to the
usurpations of the Legislative on the Execu-
two and Judicial branches, viii then be real
ized IN tho language Of Mr. Madison,
speaking on this very subject, in the 18th
number Of the Fcdernlist: I'm q Rcpresen-