Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-03-30
LATEST NEWS.
BY TELEGRAPH
TO THE WORCESTER DAILY SPY
THIRTY-sIxTH CONGRESS.

Mr.. GREENS Joint resolutiOntor the ADJOURN
ment of Congress from April 10Th to May lst,
was taken up when Mr. ANTHONY moved
an amendment, that the two houses ADJOURN
sine die to June Is.
Mr. CLlNGMAN moved to adjourn to June l,
and opposed the proposed adjournment, as ana
also Messrs. Gwn and Benjamin. The
amendments were withdrawn and the resolu-
ton voted down, yeas II, nays ~
The bill supplementary to the act to author
ize protection to citizens of the United States
who may discover deposits of guano, was Ia
ken up, amended, and passed.
MIR. GwIN gave notice that on this day week
he would call up the Pacific railroad bill. lie
had lost all hope of anything being done in the
other house.
The bill to prevent desertions and facilitate
enlistments in the army of the United States
was taken up and passed.
On motion of Mr.. GRIMES joint resolution
removing certain restrictions upon a grant of
| five sections OF land to Iowa was taken up and
passed.
The army appropriation bill was received
from the House, passed to a second reading,
and was referred to the committe on finance.
| The Senate then went into executive session.
HOUSE.
The House passed the army appropriation
BILL
The committee reported bill in favor of the
settlement of the claims of the soldiers of the
revolutionary army with their wives, children,
| &C.
Mr.. CLARK of Missouri, desired until Tues
| day to make minority report
| Mr.. VALLANDIGHAM and Mr.. DAVIS of In
diana, made speeches indicative that they
should vote for the admission OF Kansas
Mr.. GARRETT spoke to the opposite effect
Further proceedings were interrupted by
receipt of the following communication from
the president -
To the House of Representatives. After a de-
| lay which has afforded me ample time for re-
Election, and after much and careful delibera-
ton, find myself constrained by an imperious
sense Of duty as coordinate branch of the fed
! eral government, to protest against the trst
two clauses of the first resolution adopted by
house of representatives on the 9th inst, and
published in the Congressional Globe on the
succeeding day. These clauses are in the fol-
lowing words =
| "Resoved That committee of five members be ap-
pointed by the Speaker for the purposerst Of nves
any officer of the government has by money patronage
brother improper means, sought 9 influence he passage
ritorv and second also inquire into and investigate
whether officer, officers OF government have by
tempted to prevent defeat the execution OF any law or
laws the statute book and whether the presl-
law thereof"
confne myself exclusively to these two
branches of the resolution, because the pOr-
tons of it which follow relate to alleged abuses
in the post office, navy yards, public buildings,
and other public works of the United States.
In such cases inquiries are highly proper in
themselves, and belong equally to the Senate,
and House, as incident to their legislative du-
ties, and being necessary to enable them to
discover and nrnVi1n opprnnriatp legislative
remedies for any abuse which may be ascer-
tanned. Although the terms of the latter por
ton of the resolution are extremely vague and
general, yet my sole purpose in adverting to
them at present is, to make the broad line of
distinction between the accusatory and the re-
medal clauses of this resolution. The house
of representatives possess no power under the
constitution over the first, or accusatory pOr-
ton of the resolution, except as an impeachlng
body, whilst over the last i'll common with the
Senate their authority as legislative body is
fully and cheerfully admitted 1t is solely in
reference to the first or impeaching power
that l propose to make few observations.
Except in this single case the constitution
has invested the House of Representatives
with no power, no jurisdiction, no supremacy,
whatever over the president. In all other
respects he is quite as Independent of them as
they are of him. AS a coordinate branch of
the government he is their equal, indeed, he is
the only direct representative on earth, OF the
people of all, and each of the sovereign states,
70 them and to them alone is he responsible
whilst acting within the sphere of his consti-
tutiOnal 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 dignified Office in
the world, and the individual however I'M
worthy, now holding this exalted position will
take care so far as in him lies, that their rights
and prerogatives shall never be violated in his
person, but shall pass to his successors
unimpaired by the adoption of dangerous
precedent. He will defend them through the
last extremity against any unconstitutional
attempt, come from what quarter it may, to
abridge the constitutional rights of the execu-
tive, and render him subservient to any human
power except themselves. The people have
not confined the president to the exercise of
the executive duties. They have also con-
ferred upon him large measure Of legislative
discretion. No bill can become law without
his approval as representing the people OF the
United States, unless it shall pass after his We
to by majority of two-thirds of both houses.
In his legislative capacity, lie might, in COM
mon with the senate and the house. institute
inquiry to ascertain any facts which ought to
inAuence his judgment in approving, or re-
turning any bill. This participation in the
performance of legislative duties between CO.
ordinate branches OF government ought to in
spire the conduct of all of them in their rea-
tons towards each other with mutual forbear-
ance and respect. AT least each has a right to
demand justice of the other. The cause of
complaint is, that the constitutional rights and
immunities of the executive have been vioat-
ed in the person of the president. The trial
OF an impeachment of the president before the
senate, on charges preferred and prosecuted
against him by the house of representatives,
would be an imposing spectacle for the world.
In the result, not only his removal from the
presidents Office would be involved, but what
is OF infinitely greater Importance to himself,
his character, both in the eyes of the present
and OF future generations, might possibly be
furnished. The disgrace cast upon him, would,
IN some degree be reflected upon the character
OF the American people who elected him.
Hence the precautions adopted by the consti-
tuition to secure a fair trial. On such a trial
1t declares that the chief justice shall preside.
This was doubtless because the trainers OF the
constitution believed it to be possible that the
vice president might be biased by the fact that
IN case OF the removal of the president from Of
tce the same shall devolve upon the vice pres
ident The preliminary proceedings in the
House in case OF charges which may involve
impeachment have been well and wisely set
tied by long practice upon principles of equal
justice both to the accused and the people.
The precedent established in the case of Judge
Peck of Missouri in 1881, after careful re-
view of all the former precedents, will, | ven
ture to predict, stand the test OF time. In the
case of Luke Edward Lawless, the accuser pre-.
senting petition to the House, in which lie
set forth infinitely and specifically his cause Of
complaint. He prayed that "the conduct and
linz i.,t r. I,..l,x
Peck may be inquired into by your honorable
body, and such decision made thereon as to