The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1867-12-10

much. aud Tess extremely aNznuE -
rrleh s proper conclusion Nhsre en-
act ha. bean passed according 20 the
Terms u The Constitution b the sn-
prume legislative authority and j. reg
nlariy enrolled among the pubic stat
utss Oft country, executive resistance
20 il, especially IN tirncs ~ htgh party
axc3,emrnt would be likely . polnu
violent collision between the respective
adhetcn,s 81 tie two branches u the
Government This would be simply
civil var. and civil war must be resorlod
30 only ~ the last remedy faG the worst
81 evils Whatsoever might tend g. pro-
woke il should be most carefully avoid.
cd A faithful and conscientious mag
istrnte will concede very much 70 hon
eat error, and something 70 personal
malace. before he will endauger the pub
bic peace; and he viii not adopt forei-
bic measures or such as might lrad Is
force rs long rs those which are peace
able remain open 10 him or 10 his con
stituents II ia true that cases may oc-
cur in which the Executive would be
compelled 10 stand on has rights, 10
maintain them regardless Of all conse-
quences Ii Congress should pass an
act which is not only in palpable con
/ tlict with the Constitution, il viii GER
tainly il carried out produce immediate
irreparable injury to the organic struc-
/ turr of the Government aud II there bo
neither judicial remedy for tho wrongs
it nhtcts nor power in the people to
+ protect themselves without the official
aid Of their elected defender II, for
instance the Legislative department
should pass an act even through all the
+ forms Of law To abolish coordinate
/ department of the Government, in such
case the President must take the high
responsibilities Of his office and save
& the life Of the nation at all hazards.
The so-called Reconstruction acts
though as plainly unconstitutional as
any that can be imagined, were not be-
| lieyed within the class last mentioned
The people were not wholly disarmed
of the power of self-defence. In all the
Northern States they still held in their
hands the sacred right of the ballot,
and it was safe to believe that in due
time they would come TO the rescue
their own institutions. 1t gives N,
pleasure to add that the appeal to on.
common constituents was not taken il
vain, and that my confidence IN then
wisdom and virtue seems not to hay,
been misplaced.
FRAUDS on THE TREASURY.
II is well and publicly known tina
enormous frauds have been perpetratee
on the Treasury, and that colossal for
tunes have been made at the public ex
pense. This species Of corruption has
Increased, is increasing, and if not di
unfinished will soon bring us into tota
ruin and disgrace. The public credi
tors and the taxpayers are alike inter.
ested in an honest administration of th,
finances, and neither class will lonl
endure the large handed robberies OF
the recent past. For this discreditablt
state Of things Their are several causes.
Some of the taxes are 50 laid as to pre-
sent an irrepressible temptation IL
eyade payment The great sums which
officers may win by connivance at fraud,
create a pressure which is more thar
the virtue of many can withstand, ant
there can be podoubt that the open dn
regard Of constitutional obligations
ayowed by some of the highest anc
most influential men in the eounnrs
has greatly weakened the moral sens,
of those who serve in gubbordinat,
places.
sUBoRDEATEs
The expenses Of the United States
including interest on public debt, are
more than six times as much as they
were seven years ago. To collect ano
disburse this vast amount requires care
full supervision, as we'll us systematic
vigilance. Tie system, never perfected
was much disorganized by tie Tenure
of Office bill, which has almost des-
troyed official accountability. The
President may be thoroughly convinced
that an officer is Incapable, dishonest
or uniathful to the Constitution, but
under the law which / have named, the
utmost he can do is to complain to the
Senate and ask the privilege of supply
| ing his place with better man. II the
Senate be regarded rs personally or
politically hostile to the President it is
natural and not altogether unreason-
able for the officer to expect thati will
take his part, as far as possible, to res
tore him TO his place, and give him a
triumph over his executive superior
The officer has other chances OF impu-
nifty arising from accidental defect OF
evidence, the mode Of investigating il,
and the secrecy Of the hearing. 1t il
not wonderful that Official malfeasance
should become bold in proportion as
tho delinqnents learn to think them
selves safe. am entirely persuaded
that under such rule the Presiden;
cannot perform the great duty assigned
TO him Of seeing the laws faithfully CT.
ecuted, and that it Sisables him most
! especially from enforcing that rigid &C.
, countablhty which is necessary to the
due execution Of the revenue law The
Constitution invests the President with
r authority TO decide whether remoYa