The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-12-11
mo. 25

mcni, and if there be neither judicial
remedy !or the wrongs it inll,c,s, nor
power III the people TO protect theme
selves without tho Official AID Of their
elected defender; if for instance, the
Legislative Department should pass an
act even through all the lorms of law to
abolish coordinate department Of the
Govtmmcnt--ln such case the Pres-
dent must take the high responsibilities
OF ms othcc, and save The life of tho ma
ton at all hazards. The so-calt.,l rc-
construction acts though as plainly un-
const'tuil >nal as any that can bc imag-
nrd, were not believed to br within tho
class last mentioned. The people wcrc
not wholly dlSarmcd Of tho power Of
self defence. In all the Nor,hcn States
they S'I.l hold in their hands Tie sacred
! right o! the ballot and it was safe to be-
hc'r 'la! in dnc time they would como
! 70 the rescue OF their own institutions.
|, gives me p!crsurc TO add that tho
aprral TO our common constituents was
not taken IN vain, and that my conf
"cncc ~ their wisdom and virtue seems
not to have been misplaced.
rrnLc ConRCrTIoN.
1t IS we'll and publicly known. that
cnormoas frauds have been pcrpc,ralcI
on the Treasury, and that colossal Tor.
tunes have been made at the public
expense. This species OF corruption has
increased, is increasing, aud il not di.
mnIShc! will soon bring us into total
ruin AID disgrace The public creditors
and taxpayers are alike interested in an
honest administration of tho finances,
and neither class will long endure tho
large handed robbcrics Of the recon.
past. For this discrcdilablc state os
| things there ate several causes. Some
OF tho taxes arc SO laid as to present an
irresistible, temptation to cvadc pay
mcnt. ihe great sums which officers
may win by connivance at frauds create
pressure which is moro than tho virluo
OF many can withstand and there can
be no doubt that the open disregard of
the constitutional obligations uvowed
by some Of the highest and mos. inhu.
eh'iai men IN the country has greatly
weakened IA" moral sense Of those who
serve IN subordinate places. The ex-
pensos Of the United States, including
interest on tho public debt, are mora
than SIX times as much as they were
, aevcn years ago. 10 collect ond dis
| barse tins vast amount requires careful
supervision as well 40 systematic vigil,
ancc. Tie system, never perfected,
was mich dlsorganized by the "'lcnuro
OF Oilicc Bill, which has almost des-
s,royed official accountability. Tho
President may be thoroughly convinced
that an officer is incapable, dishonest, or
unlaithtal to the Constitution, but sundcr
the law which have named, tho Ut
most he can do Is to complain to tho
Senate, and ask the privilege OF supply.
ing his place with better man. II tho
Senate be regarded as personally or po-
lilically hostile TO tho President, it is
natural, and not altogether unreasona.
bic, for tho officer to expect that it will
take lis part rs far rs possible, restore
him to his place, and give him triumph
over his Executive superior. The off,
cor has other chances of impunity arts.
lEg from accidental! defects Of evidence,
the mode of investigating IT, and tho
secrecy Of the hearing. 1t is not won.
dcriul that Official mnlleaaancc should
,, become bold in proportion as the. dcln-
9uenls learn to think themselves safe
! am entirely persuaded that under such
a rule the President cannot perform the
great duty assigned to him OF seeing
tho laws faithfully executed, and that it
disablcs him most especially from Ell.
forcing that rigid accountability which is
necessary to the due execution Of tho
revenue laws.
Tho Constitution invests the Presi.
dent with authority to decide whether o
removal should DO made in any given
case the net Of Congress declares IN
substance, that he shall only accuse such
| as he supp ,ses TO be unworthy Of their
trust. The Constitutions makes him
sole j,4dge in tho premises; but tho stat.
ute takes away his jurisdiction, transfers
1t to the Senate. and leaves him moth.
ing but the odious and sometimes m-
practicable duty Of becoming prosecu.
tor. The prosecution is to bo conducted
before tribunal whose members are not,
like him, responsible to tho whole poo.
pie, but to separate constituent bodies.
and who may hear his accusation with
great disfayor The Senate is absolute.
iy without any known standard Of de.
cision applicable to such case. It's
Judgment cannot be anticipated. for it 10
not governed by any rule. The law
docs not define what shall be deemed
good cause for removal. It is impossl.
bio even to conjecture what may or may
not be so considered by tho Senate.
The nature OF tho subject iorbids clear
proof If The charge DO inoapacity,
What evidence will support it2 Fidsli.
ty to the Constitution NAY be under.
stood or misunderstood in thousand
different ways, and by violens party
mon, in violent party times. unfaithful-
ness TO tho Constitution may even como
to DO considered merilorions. If The
officcr be accnsed Of dishonesty, how.
shall it be made oiu2 VIII it DO in.or-,
red from acts ,inconnectcd with public