Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1862-05-31

j. uenJ chh uhder any circumstances be des-
/: pot
Then, sir, the controversy dwindles down
to this the power exists, but where is it
: lodged Where wouId our fathers, in es.
tabli'hiug the freesI Government on Gods
earth, be likely 10 lodge it 7 In the ire.
sponsble power of one man called Presi-
dent Was it not the labor of their lives
10 prevent any mans being armed with
absolute unlimited power? Do you believe
that those men who so sedulousy guarded
against irl esponsibIe power everywhere,
would, the moment war was declared, when
the eXIgen les OF the Government were such
that irresponsible power in a President
might eDdanger our institutions, arm him
with the power o trnmple all the Limitation
they had established for liberty under their
feet There is nothing 10 the constitution
that warrants you in saving this power is in
the President lie is the Commander.in.
Chief of your army and navy, aud holds
that exalted position by tie consent of the
people of the u s. He is their creature
and ugenl bur, according 10 the argument
OF some Senator'S he can assume TO 6e their
mas cr, and when heir institutions are i'm.
pc I'D their hands are tied and they CAP
do uothing The ahsurdily is in placing
the creature above the creator ; in placing
the man, who toy the Constitution is the
agent Of the people, aboYe the people and
above Congress. Away with 70 slayish
doctrine |
Mr.. G WAN Will the Senator all7w me
to n,k him question.
Mr. WADE Yes, sir as many as you
please.
Mr. CowAN l. not Congress, as much
the p esdcnr, the creature aud agent Of
the people Are there not 10 he COnstitu.
tion powers del, gated to the President hat
were not delegated to Cong eSs aud pow.
ers delegated TO the judiciary that were
not delegated to Congress Would it
the one were to u>urp the powers which are
expressly given to the other?
Mr.. WADE Suppose all that to lie so,
who stands nearest the people, the source
of all power We or this irresponsible chief
of yours Congress has power to declare
war, to provide armies to defend rhe coun.
try, or to aSsail other countries. Tint
pow or is lodged in Congress 10y the CouSLi
tuition. And yet you suppose, with these
vast and important powers in Congress.
that the President is, somewhere outside Of
the Constitution, invested with snpreme
power above thar o Congress unlimited,
uncon trLlcd aud uncomfortable. The idea
is absurd, unworthy an Auierican Senator
or an American Congress. The President
Is Commander iii Cnuf of your armies
When war is declared, or If war exists
without any declaration, rs it may, it de-.
i,
whrther that war shall continue, aud to
prescribe prccis ly upon "hat principles it
.haI nc conducted The President cannot
lay down aud fix the principles upon Which
war shall hp cnuGuc ed. He Is as power.
les, as 0Le Of IL or one of the people. Ii
is for CungrcS, t. lay doan the rules aud
rrgulntlonS by which rhc Executive shall !
be goverened in conducting war.
Senate drag IN rhc law of nations as a
stumbling block to our constitutional rights.
Why, sir, does not every man who is "A !
LAWYER know hat, although we ought to
be ubservanI of the law cf nations, II is in |
the power of Congress, if they please, To
cOnTavene these lawS-uOl that they ought |
to over,u ule it Why, then, interpoSe |
the law Of nations between Us 4 our rights? |
II may be very good advisory doc riue, |
bul when you put it as Limitation Of our |
power, 1t is nothing better than nonsense
1t is but a very few days since we deliher
atey aud | believe without any dissent,
laid down an article of war binding and !
tying the hands of the President as Com,
mander.in- Chief of the army, aud directing |
him Upon what principle he should, in II
certain particular cOnuuct The war. Was |
that Constitutional Could we, under |
the Constitution, provide an article of war? |
There may be q hundred articles of war /;
and if We can prescribe the rule 10 the PIesi. |
dent in one so we can in all
Mr.. CowAN Will the gentleman allow
me TO ak INN another question
Mr. WADE. Certainly.
Mr.. CowAN. He persists in utterly and |
totally misrepresen'ing the position of the
opposition of this bill What we say is,
that the power of the Executive of this na.
tion is absolutely despotc aud unrestraincd |
as against the rebels Now, the S uator
says, because Congress can make articles |
of war therefore that is not true. Upon
whom do the articles Of war Operaje? Up /
on rebels No but upon our own crti |
zenS in the ranks Of the army. Cong ess |
have right TO make rules aud regulations |
for he army inter Sc, tut those rules aud /
regulations do not affect rebels, those al
war with the Government. trust gentle
men, if they have good case, will meet
thi, question fairly, and not endeavOr to .
divert the atieu ion of The county from the .
real issue because l admit there is a real .
issue, aud have gieu' respect even for
those who entertain different opinion ON
myself-and put it upon something else.
The question is distinctly, aud | would he
glad 10 hear the learned, end | had almost .
SAID venerable Senator for Ono
Mr. WADE Do not say that, above all .
things Laughter
Mr.. CowAN. mean to say the Senator
from ONO has a g eat deal more OF expert I
euce, great deal more of learning aud .
knowledge upon this subject than have.
| say The real question is, III lime OF re-
belIion, when these people ae resisting the
municipal law. who shall, under The Con
Stuution. meet them aud apply TO them the |