Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-04-02

l.. The Buehanan Protest. 10
The Tribune replies to the complaint Of the
President that the Legislative is encroaching pP.
on the Executive and Judicial branches of the
Government, that he overlOOks the Kansas
Nebraska bill and the Dred Scott decision The
fret exhibited the Executive cOrrupting and
bullying Congress 10 the second the Supreme
Court attempted to usurp powers belonging
exclusively to the Legislature Mr. Buchanan's
memory must be failing.
The Thbune's special Washington despatch
says:
The Presldents message, protesting against
Mr.. Oovode's investigation, created intense
excitement in the House. He has done nothing
so foolish since writing his Pittsburgh letter.
| The idea Of the President pleading Jurisdiction
like criminal at the bar, and seeking to avoid
inquiry by technical pIstsxts, is diScreditable
70 the Office. The whole tone of this document
Is conceded to be weak and puerile in spirit
Mr.. Sherman briefly, but effectively, vindicsted
the power of the House to puIsue the investi-
cation in every way, and cited the clauses Of
the Constitution bearing upon this power as
the basis Of impeaohments. When Mr.. Craige
of North Carolina inquired why the inquiry
[ loA AAoh bGcl AuA0c AlEDuH4 klb ouuAClGIy OullT
mittee, Mr.. Sherman promptly answered that
the House was the judge Of its own proPliety,
and desired no instruction from the President
Mr.. Bocock attempted 70 break the feeling
excited by the message, but without attempting
TO justify the extraordinary doctrines which it
asserted. Mr.. Covode informed the Democratic
side that the resolutions preferred no charges
against the President HIS Committee was
raised to investigate allegations made by the
President himself as to the use of money at
elections In answer TO the general character
of the resolutions, be cited the Democratic ex-
ample in the XXXIVth Congress, when two
members were expelled upon charges less
specific. The whole effort Of the Democratic
slde was to assertthe sanetity Of the President
above the House, and reaffirm the OdiOus idea
of desPotism that 'the King can do no wrong!"
Our friends are willing to join that issue before
the country. The Message has gone to thu
judiciary Committee, where it viii be thor
oughly Overhauled.
The Tribuns's dispatch of the sOth uIt., also
says:
Leading Democrats in and out of Congress
condemn the Presidents Message as weak and
unnecessary, beside being calculated to place
them in a false position before the country as
obstructing an investigation on the eve of
Presidential canvass They complain, too,
that while it was submitted to the Cabinet, no
consultation was held with members of the
House, upon whom its effect was most imme-
diately to fall. It is regarded as most unfor.
tunate in both party and personal sense.
An interesting debate followed ths reading
Of Mr.. Buchsnan's extraordinary message in
the House. -Weosppend portion Of it. Mr.
sHERMAN, of Ohio, said:
The President Of the United States has made
for tue first time in our political hiatory, On
issue with this House as to its Constitutional
powers. sm willing to give that communi>
cation all the consideration It's importance
demands. I am willing thstthis House should
now resolve itself into Committee, and pro.
eeed 70 consider whether or not it has power to
investigate anything that may be done by any
branch of the Executive of this Government
Because, if this high privilege sel up By the
President is the true one, it will extend to
every subordinate under him. Mr.. Speaker,
the Constitution of the United States declares
that the President, OF any civil officer of the
United States, shall be removed from office
after conviction by impeachment for treason,
OF other high crime or misdemeanor. Il
also declares that this House has the sole
power Of impeachiDg. Under these two
clanses the House has power to investigate
anything. Every man is subject to this, from
the President down TO the pages Of the House.
The President says We cannot exercise this
power, except by impeachment. How, then,
ST all we found an impeachment i-hoW take
the preliminary proofl-ho ascertain whether
an officer has violeted his duty or mott We
can do so only By examining and Investigating.
There Is no other way Il is only by taking
testimony, By examining, by inquiriug that
you can ascertain whether OF not any officer of
this Government has vioIsted his duty. How
else Would the President Of the United
States have rs found an impeachment upon
mere Tumorz, roaring through your streets and
in the newspapers! No The very necessity
Of the case implies that we have the power to
investigate these ourselves. When we see the
President implicated in grave and serious
Transactions, We have right in this House, to
inquire into the truth Of those thinqa; and If
we find them true, It is our duty to impsach
the President, and send the accusation to the
Senate, and not without. We examine into
the conduct Of our own members, and Sens-
tors and everybody else, and shall the PFesi-
dent escape 7 Why, Mr.. Speaker, at the last
session, and indeed almost every session, the
condlct OF some executive officer has benin
quired into. What distinction is there between
the President and any member of this Housei
Do not stand, Is TO my constitutisnalTieht a.
the representative Of one hundred thousand
people, as high as the President! I have the
same constitutional right, no mora and no less.
And so Of every officer of this Government. -
There is no exception made infa7or Of the
President Why, Sir, this doctrine set up bv
the President is the Hame doctrine under which
Europe has been governed for q thousand
years-the doctrine that ''the King can do no
wrong" That is the motto; the King cannot
be executed because the King can do no
wrong. CHARLES l. went to the block because
tbe people believed he was not above all laws,
nd so Louis XVI. was also executed. Why,
Mr.. Speaker, the doctrines set up by the Presi,
dent Of the United States in this message are
the very worst, in my Judgment, ever set up
since the foundation of the Government.
Mr.. CR1IsR, Dem. N @. )-It strikes me the
argument Of the gentleman is q most extraor~
dlDRfy one, The President does-uot deny the
power Of the House to inquire into bis conduc4,
aqd therefore the Argument falls'to the ground.
II 4 only sE 70 the mode, He 6jnits the
House has right 2 lmpeaeh, but be denies
the justice OF placing his aocusers on.the Com
mite to make the charges, or institute The pro-
cssdings. There is no issue, therefore, between
1hef resident aud the gentleman at al. -uTeenf
in bis imagination There is no charge s0sibtt
The President, and cannot sit hero ouietiy. snd
permit these allegations to 60 out unsontrsdict-
ed bv this side Of the House. sac -
M. SHERNAE-I must have misunderstood
the Message, if the President does not deny
the power Of the House 20 institute the inves.
tigation. - Z lhCILgl1,
Mr. CRAIsE-That is true, but he does not
deny the power Of the House to impeach. He
does nOt,deny that BE denies the right Of his
aceusef (MT ooyode) to be on the Committee
/ TO institute the proceedings.