The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1861-08-21
SPEECH OF
THE HON. JOHN C. BRECKENRIDGE,
Delivered in the Senate Of the United States,
July 10th, 1861.

pTcsscu W see tHt idlc bpccCH uSlFStSu ~
the United States Senate by Hon. John G.
Breckenridge, we give place to il in our col
umns. II will be found interesting as re-
view Of the long list Of usarpations OF the
Lincoln Administration:
The resolution approving and confirming
the acts Of the President being before the
Senate
Mr. Breckinridge proceeded to speak at
length in opposition to the resolution. He
said under ordinary circumstances he might /
content himself simply with vote. but now
he thought it required to give expression TO
his views. 1t was proposed by resolution to
declare 4, act, of the President appro-
we'd. The resolution on its face seems to
admit the acts Of the President were not
performed in accordance with the COnstltu.
tion and the laws. Ii that were the case.
then he would be glad to have some reason
assigned, showing the power OF Congress to
indemnify the President for breach oil the
Constitution. He denied shat one branch of
the Government can indemnify public officers
in another branch for violation of the Con-
stitutlon and laws. The powers conferred
on the Government by the people Of the
States, are the measure Of its authority.
ucsE pOWcIa CUUuhGu w INN
partments, and their boundaries are deter
mined. The President has rights and pow
ers conferred, and the Legislative Depart
ment its powers, and the Judicial DEPART
ment its powers, and he denied that either
can encIoach on the other, or indemnify The
other tor usurpations Of the powers conhded
lby the Constitution.
! Congress has no more right to make con-
stituti0nal the unconstitutional acts of the
President than the Presdenlto make valid the
act Of the Supreme Court, encroaehing on
the Executive power, or the Supreme Court
TO make valid an act Of the Executive, en-
: croaching on the Judicial power. The reso-
D luton substantially declares that Congress
may add TO the Constitution or take from Il
. in manner not provided by that instrument;
that her bare majority can by resolution
: make that constitutional which is unconsti-
,utional BY the same authority. So. in what
ever view. the power granted By this resolu.
: tion is utterly subyersive OF the Constitution.
II might be we'll to ask il the President had
assumed power not conferred. He should
: cOnfine himself TO the act. enumerated in the
resolution, acts which he declared TO be u
surpations on the part Of The Executive; aud
so lar from approving the acts, he thought
this high officer should be rebuked by both
houses Of Congress.
The President has just established block.
: !, ades. Where is the clause in the Constitu-
A ton which authorizes it! The last Con
gress refused to confer authority, and By
what authority did the President do Il alter
they refused: The Constitution declare.
: that Congress alone has power to declare
war; vet the President has made war. IL
the last session the Senator from lilinnl,
(Douglasl delivered speech, on he 18th q
March, which he would read. lie then reat
an extract Of MI. Douglass speech, deslarln.
lha. the President had no right to make ;
blockade AZ New Orleans OF Charleston, NOR,
than al Chicago. lie also rsad from speecl
~ Daniel Webster, delivered ii 1852, De
II claring that Gen. Jackson had no right i
= blockade Charleston. lie said lie approve.
the sentiments uttered BY these emlnen
statesmen, who were formerly regarded a
sound and thought the time had again COM
u when il would not be thought treason i
d. maintain them.
as The resolution proceeds to approve the &C
Of the President enlisiing men for three an
five years. BY what authority Of the Con
stitution and law has he done this: Tn
power is not 10 the Constitution, nor grauie
by law. Therefore, IL must be illegal an
Unconstitutional. Again. the President b
his own will has added immensely 10 the ar
nv; whereas the Constitution saws Congres
10 alone has power 10 raise armies. lie has al
's' y. so added TO the Navy, aginst the warrant {
4. the Constitution. These acts are not deien
Il l.s..l
nd he pronounced them usurpations. This res
olution goes an TO recite that the Presiden
:. has suspended the writ Of habeas corpus, an
proposes to ratily and make that valid.
We have great deal Of talk about right
the rights OF States. the rights of indisnl
We uals, aud some Of them have been said TO b
t' shadowy and imaginary but the right OF E,
:" cry citizen TO be arrested only by a warran
-. Of law, and his right to have his body broagl
before judicial authority IN order that th
grounds Of thatarrest may be determined on
J, Is a real right. There can be no dispute a
81 bout that. Il is the right Of rights Of all
10 high, low, rich or pnor. u Is especially th
ily right Of that class which his Excellcney III
President calls plain people. itisa righl
the respect Of which is measrre 0i prUgre.
- and civilization. Il is right that has bee
struggled Tor. fought for. guarded BY law
r. and backed up 10 constitutions.
10 have maintained II by arms. 70 has
suffered for II, then 10 have Il established .
'- foundations 80 immutablc that the autluri,
T. of The sovereign could not shake il. i III
l'o chief glory d the British people, from who's
her We derive Il. In England the legisati,
power alone can suspend Il. The monafc
Of England cannot suspend tha. right Bu
the Tians Atlantic iiecmen seem 10 be cage
TO approve aud ratiIy acts which Europra
lo' monarch dare not perform. Il needs no le
~ gal argument TO show that the President car
not suspend the writ Of haLeaS corpus.
content myself with referring TO the fact