Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1860-07-11
VOL. 7---NO. 33.

! tracy is carefully limited both in the extent
and duration Of It's power, and where the
Legislative power Is exercised by an assembly
which is inspired by j supposed influence over
the people. with an intrepid confidence In its
OVID strength, which Is sufficiently numerous
to feel all the passions which actuate multi
tudc, yet not 50 numerous IS 10 be incapable
Of pursuing the objects of its passions by
means which reason prcscribes; is against
the entcrprising ambition Of this department
that the people ought to indulge all their jed
ousy and exhaust al their precautions" And
in the expressive and pointed language of M
Jefferson, when speaking OF the tendency of
the legislative branch OF Government 10 usu-P
the rights Of thc weaker branches The
concentrating these IN the same hards Is pre-
cisely the definition Of despotic government.
L viii be no alleYiaiiOn ikat these powers viii
be exercised by plurality of hands, and not
by single one. One hundred and seventy
three dcsPots would surely be rs oppressive
as one. Let those who doubt Ii turn their
eyes on tLc republic OF Venice. As little viii
it avail Us that they arc chosen by ourselves.
An elective despotism was moi the govern
ment ne fought for, but onc which should not
only ID founded on free principles. but IN
which tic powers o. government sl2Uld DC 50
divided and balanced among several bodies Of
masistTacy IS that no one could transcend
their legal limits without being ciFoctually
checked and controlled by the others"
Should the proceedings Of the Coyode Com
Iaittoc become = precedent, both aeletler and
spirit Of tAe Constitution viii be, violated
One Of the ihFec massive columns on
which the whole superstruetare rests will be
broken down. Instead Of tie Executive be
ing c0-ordinatc, it will be a subordinate
brauch Of tic Government. The PTesiden-
tial office VIII be dragged in the dust. The
House of Representatives viii then have ren-
de-ed the Executive almost necessarily sub
seryient to It's wishes instead of being indie
pendent. How is 1t possible that two powers
In the State can be coordinate and independ-
ent OF each other. if the enc claims and exer-
ciscs the power to reproye and censure all the
official acts. and ali the private conversations
Of the other, and this upon eU pa1te testimony
before secret inquisitorial committee; in
short, to assume general censorship over
the other? The idea Is rs absurd II public As
it would be in private life. Should the Pres
dent attempt TO assert and maintain bis own
future Covode Committees may
drag him into submission by collecting the
hosts OF disappointed Office hunters, removed
officers and those who desire TO live upon the
public treasury, which must follow in the
wake OF every administration, and they IN Sc
cret conclaYc will swear away Lis reputation.
Under such circumstances he must be a
very bold man should he not surrender at dis
crelion, and consent to exercise his authority
to the will of those invested with
this terrific power. The sovereign people of
the several States have elected him to tho
highest and most honorable office IN the world.
He Is their Only direct representative IN the
Government. BY their Constitution they
have made him c0mmander-in-chiefo Of their
army and navy. He represents them in their
intercourse with foreign nations. Clothed
with their dignity and authority he occupies
a proud position before all nations, civilized
and savage. With the consent of the Senate
be appoints all the important officers of the
Government. He exercises the veto power.
md to that extent controls the lngislation of
Congress. For the performance of these high
lutIes he is responsible TO the people OF the
several States, and not in any degree to the
House of Representatives.
Shall he surrender these high powers con-
ferred upon him as the representative of the
American people for their benefit to the House
% be exercised under their ogershadoWing in
lueuce and controlI Shall he alone of all the
citizens of the United States, be denied fair
rial? Shall he alone not be Informed of the
nature and cause of the accusation" against
lim? Shall he alone not ''be confronted with
he witnesses" against him? Shall the House
IF Representatives, usurping the powers of
he Senate. proceed to try the President,
through the agency of a secret committee of
.he body where it is impossible he can make
any defence, and then, without affording him
an opportunity of being heard, pronounce a
Judgment of censure against himi The very
same rule nigh: be applied for the very same
reason TO every Judge Of every Court of the
United States From what part of the Con-
siitution IS this terrible secret inquisito-ial
power derived? No such express power ex-
lists. From which of the enumerated powers
can it be inferred? 1t Is true, the House can
not pronounce the formal judgment against
him of removal from Office bat they can,
by their judgment of censure, asperse his rep
utation, and thus, to the extent of their in
fuence, render the efice contemptible. An
example is at hand of the reckless manner In
which this power cf censure can be employed
in high party times The House, on recent
occasion, have attempted to degrade the Pres
ident by adopting the resolution of Mr.. John
Sherman, declaring that he, in conjunction
with the Secretary Of the Navy, .by receiving
3fu considering tne party TeAationS OF oiOucrs
for contracts, aud the effect Of awarding con-
tracts upon pending elections, have set an ex-
ample dangerous 10 the public safety, and de-
serving the rcproof Of this House"
1t viii be scarcely credited that the sole
pretext for this vote of censurc was the sim
pie fact that in disPcsing Of the numerous let
ters of every imaginable character which [ dali
ly receive. had, in the usual course of busi-
ness, referred letter from Col Patterson. of
Philadeldhia.in in relation to q contract, TO the