Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1860-04-06
dflisteIIaneous.

! MlistelIaneous.
letter nrom the President.
The following letter was sent to the House
of Representatives on the Goth ult., by Pres
;dent Buchanan
To the House Of Representatives:
After delay which has afforded me am
pie time for reflection, and after much and
careful deiberation, find myself constrain-
ed by an imperious sense Of duty, as a CO.
ordinate branch Of the federal government,
10 protest against the first two clauses of the
first resolution adopted by the House of Rep
resentatives on tie 9th inst, and published
in the Congressional Globe on the succeed
Ing day. There oaiises arc in the following
words: Resolved that committee of FIVE
members be appointed by the Speaker, for
the purpose (frst) of investigating whether
the President Of tae United States. or any
other officer of the government, has, by mon
ey. patronage, or other improper means
! sought to influence the action of Congress,
passage of ally law appertaining to the rights
Of any State or Territory" (and I'd. ''also
70 inquire into and investigate whether any
officer or officers of the government have. by
combination or otherwise, prevented OR de-
featod, cir attempted to prevent or defeat, the
execution Of any law or laws now upon the
statute book, and whether the FfesiieBt has
failed o. refasea to compel tie execution Of
any Hereof
l confne myself exclusively to these two
branches of She resolution because the por-
tons Of it Which follow relate to alleged a
bu~es in post-ofices, navy yards, public
buildings and other public works in the u
nited States. I'd such cases inquiries are
highly proper in themselves. and belong e.
qually to the Senate and the House, as In
cident to their legislative duties, and being
necessary to enable them to discover and
provide the appropriate legislative remedies
for any abuses which may be ascertained.
Although the terms of the latter portion Of
the resolution are extremely vague and gen.
eral, yet my sole purpose in adverting to
them at present is to mark the broad line of
distinction between tie scclsatory and the
remedial clauses of this resolution. The
House Of Representatives possess no power
! under the constitution over the first or accu-
satcry portion Of the resolution, except as
an mpcaching body; whilst over the last,i
common with the Senate, their authority as
a legislative body is fully and cheerfully ad-
mitted
1t is solely in reference to the first or i'm
peaching power that | propose to make
few observations. Except III this single
case, the constitution has invested the House
of Representatives with no power, no juris-
diction, no supremacy whatever over the
President. In all other respects he is quite
as Independent of them as they are of him.
AS coordinate branch Of the government,
he is their equal Indeed, he is the only
direct representative on earth cf the people
Of all and each of the sovereign States To
| them, and to them alone, is he responsible
whilst acting within the sphere Ct his con-
stitutional duty and not in any manner to
the House of Representatives. The people
have thought proper to invest him with the
most honorable, responsible and dignifed
office in the world; ard the individual, how
ever unworthy, now holding this exalted
positicA, will take care SO far as in him lies
THAI their rights and prerogatives shall new
er be violated in his person but shall pass
to his successors uniupaired by the adoption
of dangerous precedent He will defend
them to the last extremity against any un-
constitutional attempt, come from what quar-
ter it may, to abridge the constitutional
rights of the Executive, and render him
subservieut to any human power exceptthein-
selves. !:
| The people have not confined the Presi
dent to the exercise of executive duties =
They have also conferred upon him 9 large
measure of legislative discretion. Nc bill
can become law without his approval as
representing the people Of the United States
unless it shall pass after his veto by ma
iority of two thirds of both houses. In his
legislative capacity, he might, in common
with the Senate and House, institute an in
aury to ascertain in any facts>which ought
to influence bis Judgement in approving or
vetcing any bill. =.
This participation in She performance Of
legislative duties between the coordinate
branches Of government ought to inspire the
conduct of all of them, in their relations to-
wards each other, with mutual forbcarance
and respect. AT least each has right to
demand Justice from the other. The cause
Of Compliant is that the constitutional rights
and ini!uiunities Of the Executive have been
violated ID tic person Of the President.
The trial of an Impeachment of the Pres
ident before the Senats on charges preferred
and prosecuted against bin by the House Of
Representatives, would be an imposing spec
tacle for the world In the result. not only
his removal from the presidential Office would
be involved, but what is Of infinitely great
er Importance to himself, his character both
ia the eyes Of the present aud Of future gem