Shreveport daily news., 1861-07-31
SPEECH or
John G. Breckinridge on the LIN

On the resolution pending in the
Senate of the United States, approx
ing of the acts Of President Lincoln,
Senator Breckenridge, of Kentucky,
on the 18th inst, addressed the Sen
ate:
He said under ordinary circum-
stances he might content himself
simply with a vote; but now he
thought it required to give express
sion to his views. 1t was proposed
by the resolution to declare the acts
Of the President approved. The res
olution, on its face, seems to admit
that the acts of the President We're
not performed in accordance with the
constitution and the laws. If that
We're the case then he would be glad
to have some reason assigned show
ing the power Of Congress to indem-
nifty the President for breach Of the
constitution. He denied that one
branch of the Government can in
dennify public officers in another
branch for violation OF the constitu-
ton and laws.
The powers conferred on the Govern
ment by the people of the States are
the measure OF its authority. These
powers are contided IN different de-
part,nents and their boundaries are
determined. The President has ri ghts
and powers conferred, and Legislative
Department its powers, and the Ju-
dicial Department its powers, and he
denied that either can encroach on
the other, or indemnity the ether, for
usxrpations of the power confided bv
the constitution. Congress has no
more right to make constitutional the
unconstitutional acts Of the President
than the President to make valid the
acts Of the Supreme Court encroach-
ing on the Executive power, or the
Supreme Court to make valid an act
Of the Exc :utive encroaching on the
Judicial power. The resolution SUBJ
stantially declares that Congress may
add to tke constitution or take from
it in manner not provided by that
instrument; that a bare majority can
bv resolution make that constitution
al which is unconstitutional bv the
same authority; so in whatever view
the power granted by this resolution
is utterly suhversive of the constitu-
ton. 1t might be well to ask if the
President had assumed power not
conferred. He should continc him
self to the acts enumerated in the
resolution, acts which he declared to
be usurpations on the part Of the Ex-
ecutive; and so far from approving
the acts, he thought this hi gh officer
should be rebuked by both houses of
Congress. The President has just
established blockades. Where is the
clause in the constitution which a,-
thorizes it! The last Congress re-
fused to confer authority, and by what
authority did the President do it
when they refused! The constitu-
ton declares that Congress alone has
power to declare war, vet the Presi-
dent has made war. In the last ses-
sion. the Senator from Illinois doug
las delivered Il speech on the 18th
March, Which he would read. He
then read an extract from Mr.. Doug
lass speech, declaring that the Pres
ident had no right to make 4 block
adc at New Orleans or Charleston
more than at Chicago.
He also read from speech of Dan
icl Webster, delivered in 1882, de-
claring that General Jackson had no
right to blockade Charleston. He
said he approved these sentiments ut
tered by these eminent statesmen,
who We're formerl y regarded as sound
and thought the time would again
come when it would not be thought
treason to maintain them. The reso-
luton proceeds to approve the act
H.