Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-03-30

iir. John Covode, Representative from Pa.
is an accuser Of the President instead Of fol.
lowing the wise preoedonts Of former times
and especially that in the case Of Judge Peek
and referring the accusation to the Com. on
Judiciary the House has made my aceusei
one OF my judges. To make the accuser the
Judge Is violation of the principles Of univer
sal justice, and is condemned by the practice Of
al civilized nations Every freeman must re-
soiI ~ such spectacle. | am to appear be
lore MI Covode either personally, or a substi-
tute, 70 cross examine the witnesses which he
may produce before himself to sustain his own
accusations against me, and perhaps this t,oor
boon may Be denied to the President. And
what is The nature Of the investigation which
his resolution proposes TO instituted Il is as
vague and general e. the English language
Affords words with which 70 make it, The
COMMITTEES is to inquire not into any specific
charges, but whether the President has by
money, patronage, or other improper means
sought to influence not the action Of any indi.
Vidual member or members Of Congress. hut
the action Of the entire body Of Congress t.
SELF or any committee thereof
! The President might have had some glim.
mering Of the nature Of the offence TO be in
vestigated had his aocuser pointed the act or
acts OF Congress which he sought to pass or
defeat by the employment Of money, patron
age, or other improper means; but the accuse
tion is bounded by no such limits. Il extenda
TO the whole circle of legislation 10 interference
for or against the passage of any law apDer-
tanning TO the rights Of any State or Territory.
and what law does not appertain to the rights
OF some State or Territory, and what law or
laws has the President failed to executei
These might easily have been pointed out
had any such existed. Had Mr.. Lawless asked
an inquiry to be made by the House whether
Judge Peck, IN general terms, had not violated
his judicial duty, without specifying any par
ticular act, do not believe there wonld have
been a single vote in that body in favor Of the
inquiry. Since the time of the Star Chamber
and Of General Warrants, there has been no
such proceedings in England. The House of
Representatives, the high impeaching power
OF the country, without conseniing to hear
word of explanation, have endorsed this occu-
sation against the President and made it their
own act They even refuse to permit member
to enquire of the Presidents accussor what
were the specific charges against him thus, in |
the preliminary accusstitn of high crimes and !
mlsdemeanors against a coordinate branch of
the government, under the impeaching power Of
the House, refused 70 hear q single suggestion |
even, in regard 20 the correct mode Of preceding |
but, without moments delay, passed aecusa- |
tory resolutions under the pressure of the pre- !
Vious question. In the institution of a prosecu-
ton for any offence, against the most humble |
citizen, claim for my self no greater rights than
he enjoys The Constitution of the United |
States and Of the several States, require that
he shall be informed, in the very beginning, of |
the nature Of the accusation against him, in |
order to enable him to prepare for his defence. |
There are other principles which might enuS
merste not less sacred, presenting an impeni.
trable shield to protect every citizen falsely |
charged with criminal offence. These have /
been violated in the prosecution instituted 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 a ray Of liberty pene-
trates the gloom of despotismi Shall the E1-
ecutiye alone be deprived of the rights which
all his fellow citizens enjOy1
The whole proceedings against him justifes
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 agTandsemeut Of tne
Legislative, at the expense Of the Executive
and Judiciary departments. / again declare,
emphatically, that l make this protest for no
reason personal TO myself, and | do it with
perfect respect for the House of Representa-
lives in which l had honor of serving for five
terms. / have lived long in this
goOdly land, and have enjoyed all the offices
and honor which my country could bestOw.-
Amid all the political storms through which
have passed, the present is the first attempt
which has ever been made, to my knowledge,
to assail my personal and official integrity, and
this has 1een done as the time is approaching
when shall voluntarily retire ftom the service
Of my country. l feel personally conscious
that there is no public act of my life which
will not bear the strictest scrutiny. defy all
Nothing but the basest perjury :
,an sully my good name. / do not fear even (
his, because 1 cherish an humble confidence !
hat tho gracious Being, who has hitherto de- ,
ended and protected me against the shafts of |
alSehood and malice, will not desert me now !
when l have become old and gray-headed.
,an declare before my God and my country that =
40 human being, with an exception scarcely !
worthy Of notice, has at any period Of my life '
Jared 70 approach ms witk corrupt or a dis /
proposition, and until recent devel- !
,pments, It had never entered into my imagina-
ion that any person, even in a storm Of eIas-
leTated political excitement. would charge me
n mpqt remote degree, with having made
Iuch proposition to any human bein :. may !
low, however, exolaim in the language Of
complaint employcdby my first and greatest :
predecessor. That have been abu ed 10 such
exaggerated and indecent terms as could
scarcely be applied to a Nero to a notorious
lefaulter, or even to a common piek-poeket.
DO, therefore, for the reasons stated, in the
name Of these several states, solemply pTo- ,
est against these proceedings of the House Of
because they are in violation g
II the rights Of coordinate bra ch of the /
Government, and subsersiVe Of its constitution
i independence because they are calculated
o foster a band Of interested parasites and
ever ready, for their own advantage,
o swear before eT Parte committees to pretend
d private conversations between the President :
md themselves, incapable from their nature of :
,eing dispFoved, thus furnishing iuaterial for !
larEasslDg hiH, degrading him in the eyes Of
he country, and eventually, should he be a : :
weak or timid man, rendering him subservient
o improper influence in order to avoid such
and annoyance because they tend
o destroy that harmonious action for the cons
non goad which ought to be maintained, and !
which l sincerely desire to cherish between
he coordinate branches Of the Government, !
md finally, because il unresisted they would
stabllsh a precedent dangerous and embar- |
assing to all my succe sors, 10 whatever
'olitieaI party they might be attached.
(Signed)
JAMES BUCHANAN.
WASHINGTON, March %, 1860.
Mr.. Sherman said that the President had
made the first issue with the House on a most
important point ne argued that the House had
,oWer to make inquiry in any way they
hought proper. : The doctrine enunciated by
he President is the same as tha. which cost
Charles ]. his head, viz the King can do no
wrong II