Smyrna times., 1863-03-19
The Despotic Power of President Lin.
nnln !.

~ 10 d iaFoIIte ARGUMENT WIN the enoml6
of the Government that the Administratio
and the party supporting it are fast doin
away with the Constitution and the puarant
1t gives of State Rights" and are central
lxing power in President Lincoln equal t,
a dictator. Even Mr. Bayard in his speecl
opposing the Conscription Bill, said, never
before in similar form of Government baG
any man been clothed with such oxtraordi
nary powers. But John Van Buren, in hi
late New York speech quotes from histor,
thst Democratic President, Martin Var
Buren) was clothed with the same power
and, what is more, every Wing in the Sen.
ate though bitter party opponents, patriotic
ally voted for the measure. We quote the
FLOWING historical paragraph:
As to the bill which gives the President
the enormous power over the sword and the
purse, L agree that it makes him almost q
dictator. L agree that it is very great
stretch of power.
argue that unless there may be neces-
slty for it, it should not be done. S.crv-
Dody Knows that prosecuting war under
a Republican Government, which consists
OF several States, the great apprehension is
that there may not be unity on the part of
the States sufficient to impart energy to the
exuective heads That was predicted os
one OF the grounds upon which our system
OF government would fail. / call the at
tentlon of my Democratic friends to this.
because there seems to be particular soli-
cltude about them now. Laughter The
PRESIDENT was given the power of the purse
and the sword in 1889, when Great Britain
had directed forcible possession to be taken
OF portion of the State of Maine, and Sir
John Harvey had moved troops of Great
Britain into that territory to hold it, The
Governor of the State of Maine met this
action by moving Maine troops on to the
same territory. The President of the Uni
ted States called the attention of Congress.
70 1t, and left it to their own wisdom what
ought to be done. Now hold in NV hand
copy OF the bill that they passed upon that
occasion, in 1889. l will state to Won the
substance OF the various sections. without
OBTAINING you at this late hour bv readino
the DILL The first section puts the whole
naval and military force of the United
states, and the militia, at the disposal of the
President. Applause. The second de-
clares that the militia, when called out.
shall be compelled to serve six months
fhe third give the President power to call
cut 10000 volunteers. In those days when
our aimy had never reached 5000 men, it
was Vseighty matter to call out SO. 600
men, and was regarded as an enormous
authority' Laughter. The fourth Sec
uon gives the President power to complete
and employ all the armed vessels Of the
United States-thus putting the whole army
ana navy OF the United States at his dispo-
sal CApplause.] The fifth section annro-
pirates Sl0,O00,00O to carry into effect the
provisions of this act. In those davs ton I
millions of dollars was great deal Of mo-
ney Laughter The sixth section an
ProPrate l0,OOO to send a special Minister
70 Great Britain. The seventh section an
thorizes him to expend million of dollars
IN hnlshlng the Notifications upon our sea-
coast, and building them. The eighth ser.
tion directs that the militia and volunteers
when called out, shall be portions of tho
array OF the United States. Now how 40
you suppose that bill passed? It put the
whole purse and sword into the absolute
'wer OF the President of the Unitod
states Clay, Webs Grand Calhoun-non
p p:rhaps inferior to the solons of onr dav
liaugh'cr were members of the Senate
fhe bill passed the Senate. and these tbroo
s'atesnt,'n-although all violently opposed
pc 'sonaly and politically to the then Presi-
dent OF the United States-voted for the
nill' and 1t passed the Senate unanimouslv
Applause 1t passed the House of Repre-
after full discussion. by n vote
pI Z0l to 8, and the leader ofthat sly {g.S
Henry a. Wise, misses the bold Br;god;ar
who distinguished himself so oreafl, a.
Nags Head, [laughter,1 while his brigade 10
was hghting and his son dying. TAppla1se 7
NOW let us see whether the Democracv
't our day was alarmed at this Union Of tba
purse and the sword, and, in the first nlaco
et us see how the political opponents oftbo
Administration treated it. Gov Seward
Vas ulen Governor of the State of New
iI!k' having been elected in 1888. and =
y Ioh.leal opponent of the President On {
."e 'tn OF March he communicated this act ;
~ S'ie Legislature, with a most praisewortbv
.inssee' n'T concluding thus: II respectfully
~" you attentlnn to this subject. with Tho l
expectation that an expression on onr % nart .',e
d o. concurrence in the policy of the Gepperai p
government will contribute tn ave.. a."
sala'nltles of war and cause a speedy and md
1907. olao'e adjustment of the difficulties bo-
Mr @Us W country and Great Britain. Z
M van barea then goes on to show n
'l''' hO' only the Wings endorsed this a
measure OF Democratic admipistr.t;on ion &
considering the honor and welfare os M 49, J
'oun'ry preferable to party but the Demo- D
'ra's d,d not then, as their copperhead fol- u
overs DO now, denouneeit as despotic, but Il
us'ained the measure, with increased ma. u
.s the elections which immediatelv Ii