The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-04-06
Mc.a.1 from the President.
Washington, March 29-9 P. NJ.
To tie House of ReUreseatQtig

and careful deliberation, l find myself
constrained bT an inperious sense OF du
ty, as a c0~ordinate branch of the Federal
Government, to protest against the first
two clauses Of the resolution adopted in
the House Of Representatives on the 9th
inst, and published in the Congressional
! GiCbe on the following day. The clauses
are in the following words:
First, resolved that a Committee Of five
members be appointed by the Speaker,
! for the purnose Of investigating whether
the President Of tie United States, or any
officer Of the government has, by money,
/ patronage, OF Other improper means, sought
TO influence the passage OF any law anDar-
tanning to the rights o. a7v State or Terri
tory and second, also to inquire into and
investigate whether any officer or officers
j.. lie government las, bv combination or
otherwise, prevented or ATTEMPTED to pre-
vent or defeat the execution of anv law or
laws now upo1 the statute book. and
whether the President has failed or refused
to compel ll, execution Of any law there
Of. I toniue mxse,f exclusively to these
two branches Of tie resolution, Because the
portions Of it which follow relate to allen-
ell abuses Of the Post Office. NAVY l-a.ls.
Public BuiIdlu.s. aal otter ruJlic works
IF tho United States,
In such cases inauif;cs are Ligb1v oroD-
er IN Themselves. and Lelenr equaIiy t.
tie Senate and lie House Is Incident to
t..e;I legislative dgly. and ..i,.r necessary
to discover and rroyiga a,99aHriate Ieois-
latiye remedies for any abuses which may
be ascarJained. although the terms Of tue
ia-gr portion Of tie resolution aie eA-
tl@ely vague and general, Yet my sole
purpose in adverting to them At present is
to make lie broad line Of distinction be-
tween tie accuse. ory aul remedial clauses
ot this resolution. 4ua House of Hanye-
5eatat.ges possesses no power under The
Constitution over tLo first or accusa.ory
portion of the resolution, except as an ina
peach.n5 body, whilst over the last, ii
common with tue Senate, their au,nori-
ty as q Legislative body is fully and cheer
fully admitted.
1t is solely to the first or impeach,ng
power, that ! propose to make few OBJ
soyations. Except in this single case, the
Constitution has invested the House Of
Representatives "lth 10 power no juris,
el-ao", 10 supremacy over tue ITc.ideit.
In alt other RESPECTS ne IS 4m.e Is Inde-
pendent Of them aa they are q nm. As
a coordinate branch OF tie government
he IS their equal. Indeed, he IS tbs only
direct representative on earth OF people OF
all and each OF the sovereign States. 10
them and them alone Is he responsible
whilst acting within the sphere Of his con-
stjtutional duty, and not in any manner to
the House OF Representatives. The Deo-
pie have thought proper to invest linn
with the most honorable, responsible and
diSnitied office in the world, and that in
aIylduai, worthy or unworthy, now LoId-
ing this exalted position, viii take care,
so far as in him lies, that their rights and
p7erogatlves shall never be violated il his
person, but shall pass 10 his predecessors
unimpaiTeI by the adoption Of danger
GUS PTecedent:
lie Will defend them to the last eztrem-
~ agaln5. any unconstitutional attempt
come from what quarter It may, 70 ao'i45e
the constitutional rights Of the Executive
ana render him subservient to any human
power except themselves. The people