The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-04-06
NEW SERIES-NO. 224.

for his defence There are other principles
which might enumerate, not less sacred,
presenting an impenetrable shield to protect
every citizen falsely charged with criminal
prosecution instituted by the House of Rep
resentatives against the executive branch of
the government. Shall the President alone
be deprived of the protection of those great
principles which prevail in every land where
ray of liberty penetrates the gloom of
despotism Shall the Executive alone be
deprived of the rights which all his fellow
citizens enjoy? The whole proceedings
against him justify the fears of those wise
and great men who, before the constitution
was adopted by the States, apprehended
that the tendency of the government was to
the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the legislative at the
expense of the executive and judicial de-
partments. l again declare emphatically
that make this protest for no reason per-
sonal to myself, and 1 do it with perfect
respect for the House of Representatives,
in which l had the honor of serving for five
successive terms. l have lived long in this
goodly land, and have enjoyed all the offices
and honors which my country could bestOw.
Amid all the political storms through which
l have passed, the present is the first at
tempt which has every been made, to my
knowledge, to assail my personal and official
integrity, and this has been done as the time
is approaching when shall voluntarily re-
tire from the service of my country. feel
act of my life which will not bear the strict
Iof, oil
Nothing but the basest perjury can sully
my good name. do not fear even this, be-
cause cherish an humble confidence that
the gracious Being who has hitherto de-
Tended and protected me against the shafts
Of falsehood and malice will not desert me
now, when l have become old and gray
headed. l can declare before God and
my country that no human being, vita
an exception scarcely worthy of notice,
has at any period of my life, dared to
approach me with corrupt or dishon-
orable proposition, and, until recent deyel>
opponents, it had never entered into, my
imagination that any person, even il e. storm
| of exasperated political excitement, would
charge me, in the most remote dsgree, with
having made such proposition to any hu-
man being. 1 may now, however, exclaim,
in the language of complaint employed by
my first and greatest predecessor, that 81
have been abused in such exaggerated and
indecent terms as could scarcely be applied
to Nero, to notorious defaulter, or even
to common pickpocket." do, therefore,
for the reasons stated, and in the name of
the people of the several States, solemnly
protest against these proceedings of the
House of Representatives, because they are
in violation of the rights of a coordinate
executive branch of the government, and
subversive of the constitutional independ-
ence because they are calculated to foster
band of interested parasites and informers,
ever ready, for their own advantage, to
swear, before er parte committees, to pre-
tended private conversations between the
President and themselves, incapable, from
their nature, of being disproved-thus furs
nishing material for harassing him, degrad-
ing him in the eyes of the country, and
eventually, should he be weak or timid
man, rendering him subservient to improper
influences liz order to avoid such prosecutions
and annoyances because they tend to de-
stroy that harmonious action for the COM
mon good which ought to be maintained,
and which sincerely desire to cherish, be-
tween the coordinate branches of the gov
eminent and, finally, because, if unresisted,
they. would establish precedent dangerous
and embarrassing to all my successors, to
whatever political party they might be at
tached.
(Signed) JAMES BUCHANAN.
WASHINGTON, March 20, 1860.
Upon the reception of the message, de-
bate took place, the Republican members
attacking the position assumed by the Exc
cutive, and the Democratic members de-
tending it. The resolution was finally re-
ferred to the Judiciary Committee, with