The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-07-04
Spirited Debate in the Senate.

dsy. that the President in time of war wa
vested with supreme powers, aud nobody
has any control over him at all. He wal
not going to submit TO any such hideGu'
doctrine as that. Traitors might make wal
10 overthrow the Government, and Congress
had no power at all.
MIR. Browning said he stated that the
President was under all the restraints o
the Constitution, and Congress has no more
power to control the President IN the dis
charge of tho duties devolved upon him By
the Constitution, than the President has Ia
attempt to control Congress. Each is su.
preme in its sphere.
Mr. Wade said that proposition no one
would deny but where do you find tho doc.
trine that the President has powers under
no con,roli Tho Senator contendcd by the
hour that the President has no limit to
power, and so has the Senator from Con-
Eecticut.
Mr.. Dixon said the Senator from Ohio en-
tirely misunderstood him. Ilo never ex.
pressed any such opinion. He intended to
lay down proposition that we are now n!
war. and the President by the Constitution,
is Commander-iU Chios of the armios in
time of peace as we'll as war. He has q
right to go to Richmond and take command
of the army, and If he find it necessary, may
liborate every slave. and burn ovory house.
He (DIou) claimed that tho President could
exercise these powers in time OF war against
the public enemies, and did throw out the
Idea that the power of Congress to legislato
was not increased in time of war.
Mr. Wade said he was glad to hear the
Senator disclaim the doctrine, but he (Wade)
must take the speech as no undorstopd it,
h.1 -, al, h.,
tha. the President was entirely uncontrolled
Congress made all articles of war aud rulos
for tho Commancer.n.C Chief. Congross
could tako away the army from the Prcsi.
dent, and make peace. But, Sir, upon tho
idea on which this war is carried on now.
we never shall have peace, while men sodu.
iously guard tho property of Rebels with
one hand. and fight them in tho field with
the other. Tho Rebels treat such acts with
contumoly and scOrn. and look upon it as
cOwardice. There never was since the war
commenced. and | challenge any one to
show me single instance. whom rebel was
placated or brought to the support of tho
Dui0n because you treated his person or
property with lenitv. bavo an order here
written by Gen. Mcbowoii. which | will nsk
TO have read, just to show the principles
upon which this war at present is prosecuted.
The Clerk then read tho order. datod-
"HEADoRs OF THE RAPPAHANNocK,
May Goth, 1862.
"Col. Meredith, of the 56th PernsyIvania
Regiment, will furnish guard from his
regiment to guard the house and proporty
OF Mr.. Il. b. Hoffman. Col. Meredith will
see that no more corr is taken from Hoif
man, and no more fencing disturbed. The
guard is to be so placed as TO make this sure,
even ii you have to place a sentinel over
every panel OF fence.
GEN. MCDoweII.."
Nov, Sir, / am told that this Mr.. Hoffman.
whose every panel of fence is to DO guarded
by soldier, paid for with our money. is as
arrant a traitor as there is on tho face of
Gods earth. Cannot we reach such prop.
erty Cannot we forage on tho enemy :?
The Senator says no, we are restrained by
the Constitution, we cannot even take il ia
the Hold. If in the prosecution of this war.
the Constitution is SO weak and our arm ia
SO short, that we cannot take food onouph
for our starving soldiers, then we might as
we'll disband the army at once. We can
never bring the war to an end while these
parties are using the soldiers to guard the
pigs, chickens aud fences Of our enemies.
instead OF fighting them in the field.
A General who will thus place a guard
.aJ T"poy VI uu''ors' ana VINO so
ho ,ar,, nj, ~. .uI" p''Perty, WIN not
7, ia ;,j,o " "s'' ."a' 'oco' " ,no he'u'
,non go, ne .h anu against 'ho com
hoCora C., o ooun"y; nave sworn
ou W euPPo,t .ne cons'"u''on' ana
US rotoi 'no'o ia'tniuI W inc perform
st.nd y, h au"s D'i oon'olun.'ous uu'y 'han when
of hi, .o"to'u"s ;,u ~ 'or '"o prosecution
So 81 "i i 49, '"e =" u'''oo' N'SoT' 10 pros
-" a"u uostoy 'no Po"or OF tho enomy.
,ha ai ouuu ~ my 1".n 70 DO tue enemy o:
~ U ouon,oS anoi I' ,"o constitution. lho man
,oo,ion euS,nS sn .na. ms constitution pro-
:. e.on 'u 'or lreason Is moro ''ke'y to violate
. - '"an ',io nlan VINO stanus here as an ad-
tbis rehaI @ nrona",v e". ",im ,b purposes 20 uso
,nross;r X i,in, '"1 u'poso " sup
=! as ,n'. 'ooo'", ""'Iu 10 o''eWPung
hoar,o .;, S"o ;ouh"y, in my hoar' OF
M ,hio" e,ao !" ~ o"aSo ~" moro 'han
dafard | ~ S".,;,'.,;" % "I project ana
O,J Ria aOd T'; ~, '"o on'on, anu tno
sI.va NO. ae;.aJ a a % Wv ~ tnuuen every
cent of .i ,ba nro,' "u 10y ,ouo' .oses every
ill 80 AZ 10 osor nau OF over
,ho hJu,;,;s,; u u"i 'h'' sp",t ac'uatos
,ri,,,r n"o". rhn., ',,' uo no' nope !or
Add Son,hoso .o.UU" .sa;,os" " 'n.s controversy,
as Lao, ,bat r. ,han .a,o ~ "ay 10 "el' 'oarn hrst
ooraIs ,h,., 10y 'an"o' oopsch' 10 DO our