Red Wing sentinel. [volume] (Red Wing, M.T. [i.e. Minn.]) 1855-1861, 1860-04-11
thi:poer boon may bs denied 70 the Psesident.
! And what is the nature Of tSe ihn,yestipsstioh

to the rights Of any State Of Territory. Aud
what law or laws bus the President failed to
execute! These might easily have been
pointed out had any such existed.
Had Mr. LaNless asked an inquiry to be
made BY the House, whether Judge Peck in
general terms had not violated his judicial
duty, without specifying any particular act,
do notlbeliavc there would have been single
vote in that body in favor Of the inquiry.
Since the time of the Star Chamber and OF
Jail Warrants, there have been no such pro.
ceedings in England I've House of Repre-
sentatives, the high i,npeachiDx power Of the
country, without conscrtiog to hear 4 word q 81
explanation, have, cntorsed. this accusation
against the F resident, aud made it :heit. own
act. They even refuse to permit member to
inquire Of the Presidents accuscr what were
the specific charges against him, and sthoA n
this preliminary acc,'sationsof high crime and
misdemeanors against coordinate branch 81
the government. under the impea:hin powe,
Of tic House; refused to hear \ single !sugsvs
ton even in regard to the correct mode 81
proceeding, but without q moments delay
passed accusation resolutions under the pres,
sure OF the previous question. In the institu
ton OF prosecution for any offence ,aeains,
the most humble citizen - and Z claim 70,
myself no greater rights than be enjoys-,he
Constitution Of the. United States a5 O. O. INC
several States. require that he shall be informed
III the very beginning, of the nature and
cause of the accusation, against him, in orde,
to enable him to prepare Tor his defence.
There are other principals which l nigh,
cnumerate not less sacred. presentin4 an In
penetrable shield to project every citize,
falsely charged with criminal offence. These
have been violated in the prosecution ius,itu
ted by the House Of Representatives against
the Executive branch Of the Government
Shall the President alone be deprived, Of The
protection Of these great principles which pre-
vail in every land where . ray Of liberty peue.
tratcs the gloom OF despotism? Shall the
Executive alone be deprived Of the rights
which all his fellow-citizeus enjoy? The whole
proceeding against him justihcs the. fears Of
those wise and great men. who before the
Constitution was adopted BY the States, up.
pretended that the tendency Of the Govern.
n'cnt was to the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the LeRis.
lativc at the expenses of the Executive and
judicial Departments re 9a7 a1.2 IN
| again declare emphatically that make
this protest for no reason personal to myself.
and do it with perfect respect for the House
OF Representatives, in which had the honor
OF serving for five successive terms. have
lived long in this goodly land, anil have en-
joyed ali the Offices and honors which nv
country coald bestow. Amid all the political
storms through which have passed, the pres.
ent is the FIRST attempt which has ever been
made, to my knowledge, to assail my personal
and otf1cial integrity, and this has been done
Us tue time approaches when shall voluntari.
y retire from the services Of my. country. .
feel personally conscious that there is no
public act3ot my life which will not bear the
strictest scrutiny. I defy all investig.tion.-
y oi1'ng but the basest perjury can sully my
good name. do not fear even this, because
cherish an humble confidence that the Urn.
cious Being who has hitherto defended and
protected me against the shafts Of falsehood
and malice, will not desert me now when |
Gave become old and gray headed. / can de-
clare before God and my country that no
human being, with exception scarcely worthy
Of notice, has at any period Of my life dared
to approach me with q corrupt or dishonor-
able proposition, and until recent develop
ments 1t had never entered into my i,nagiua-
ton that any person, even in storm Of ex-
asperated political excitement, would charge
me in remote degree with having made such
q proposition to any being. may now how
ever exclain'; in the language Of complaint
employed by my first aud greatest predecessor.
that" l have been abused IN such exaggerated
and indecent terms as would scarcely be an.
Piled to y negro, to notorious defaulter. or
even to common pickpocket" ,'6 ti&1@
l do, therefore, for tho reasons stated. and
IL the name Of the people of the several
States, solemnly protest against these pro-
ceedings Of the House Of Representatives, be.
cause they are il, violation 81 the rights Of a
coordinate executive branch of the Govern.
ment, and subvcrsive Of its constitutional in
dependence; because they are calculated to
foster baud Of interested parasites and. infor-
mers ever ready for their own advantages ! to
swear before er Parte committees, to 2pre.
tended private conversations between the
President, themselves incapable from their
nature of being disapproved, thus furnishinc
material for harassing him, degrading him Il,
the eyes Of the country, aud eventually should
he be weak or timid man. rendered him sab
scrvient to improper influences in order to
avoid such prosecutions and annoyance; be.
cause they tend to, destroy that Harmonious
action for the common good which ought to
be maintained and which sincerely desire to
cherish, between the coordinate branches of
The Government; and finally because if unre-
sisted. they would establish precedent dan
gerous and embarrassing to all my SUCCESSORS.
to whatever political party they might be
IT
(signed) -lA1Ls JAxss Bvc,HAxAx.
WASHINGTON, March 20. 1860 .-. a
CRITICISM ---An Iowa Editor having