Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-12-13
ToLEME 10; no. 40.

) lis own rights and maintain them re-
: zsstAltsss OF all consequences. If Congress
I should pass an act which Il not only y
/. palpahle conflict with the Constitution
. but viii certainly. if carried out. pro.
duce immediate and iETeparable injury
: to the organic structure Of the Coy.
: eminent; and il there be neither Judi
cial remedy for the wrongs It infiiets.
nor power in the people to protect
themselves without the official aid OF
their elected defender; IT, for instance,
: the legislative department should pass
an act, even through all the forms Of
Law, to abolish a coordinate deDart-
ment Of the Government In such a
case the President must take the high
responsibility Of his offica and save the
life OF the nation at all hazards. The
so-called Reconstruction act. though as
plainly unconstitutional as aDy that
can be imagined, we're not believed to
De within the class last mentioned. -
me people were not wholly disarmed
Is sAa-- E--fva1sss l-sa4a.-a --sa4
Northern States they stiH held in their
hands the sacred right Of the ballot,
and II was safe to believe that in due
time they would come to the rescue Of
their own constitution II gives me
pleasure 70 add that the appeal to our
J common constituencies was not taken
Ia vain, and that my conhdeneein in their
/ wisdom and virtue seems not to have
been misplaced.
Rsrague Frauds-T Tssafe qf O6ies BM
It Is well and publicly known that enor-
NOUS frauds have been Ierpetrated on the
1 Treasury and that colossal fortunes have
| been made az the public expense This spe-
cies of corruption has increased, is increas-
l ing. and if not diminished, viii soon bring
/ Us into total rg and disgrace The public
creditors and taxpayers are alike interested
/ IN an honest administration Of the finances.
and neither c'ess win long endure the large
! handed r0bteries Of the recent past. For
this diseredltable state Of things there are
several causes. Some Of the taxes are so
laid as 70 present an irresistible temptation
20 eTade payment; the great sums which
officers may win bye0nniEance AZ fraud. ere
ate pressure which IS more than the viz
tue Of many can withstand. and there can
be no doubt that the open ii regard OF con
sutuuDBal obligations, assumed by some Of
I the highest aud most influential men in the
country. has greatly weakened the moral
( sense of those who serve IL Subordinate T.la-
( ces The expenses Of the United States,
I ,ueiutlBg interest on the public debt, are
/ more than six times as much as they we're
seven years ago. To collect and disburse
1 rhis vast amount requires careful s8pervis-
ion Is well a. systematic vigilance. The
system, never perfected, was much dis0r-
! gained BY the Tenure Of Offes bin. which
/ has almost destroyed official accountability.
/ TIE President may be thoroughly convinced
/ that an officer Is incapable, dishonest OF IN
faithful 70 the Constitution. bat UBder the
hrar= J p - i Il L
! do Is 70 complain 70 the Senate and ask the
pFiTllege Of supplying his place with better
man. If the Senate be REGARDED as person
ally OF politically hostile 70 She President Ii
is natural. and not altogether unreasonable,
for the oihceF to expect that i viii take his
--e.--- q r---AA- l.1rH --,- l11z
place, aud give hlm triumph over hls Tx
ecutive superior The officer has other
chances Of lmpuHIty, arising from accidental
defects Of evidence the mode Of investi-
eating T. and the secrecy Of the heariBg.-
Ii Is not wonderful that Official malfeasance
should become bold IN proportion as the
deliBquents isaTn 70 think themselves safe.
[ am entirelv persuaded that under such 3
rule the President cannot perform the great
| duty assigned 20 him Of seeing thslaws faith
| fully executed, and that i disables lin most
espscialig from enforcing that rigid ac5Ounta-
5iity which Is necessary to the due execu-
ti0u Of the revenue laws The Constitution
invests the President with authority 10 de-
eide whether q removal should be made In
any given case the act Of Congress declares
in substance that he shall only accuse such as
he supposes 10 be unworthy Of their trust
The Constitution makes him sole Judge 10
the premises. but the statute takes away
his Jurisdiction transfers il 10 the Senate
and leaves him nothing but the odious and
sometimes Impraeueable duty OF becoming
. prosecutor. The prosecution Is to be con
Quoted before a tribunal whose members are
not Ike him-resp sponslble 10 the whole peO-
PIE but TO separate constituent bodies, and
who mas hear his accusation with great dis
favor. The Senate IS absolutely without
any known standard Of decision applicable TO
snch 3 case. Its judgment cannot be an
tieigated, for II Is not governed by any rule.
The law docs not define what shall be
desmed good cause for removal. ana 1t is
impossible even 10 conjecture what may or
may not be so considered by the Senate
The nature Of the subject 40rbids clear proof.
II the charge be inca apaclEy, What VIII sup
port il (? Fidelity TO the Constitution may
be understood OK misunderstood in a fhoUs-
and different ways, and BY violent party
men ID violent party times, unfalthiulness
To the Constitution may even come TO be
considered meritorious. If the officer be
accused Of dishonesty, how shall II be made
out? Will il be inferred from acts uncon-
nected With pulic duty, from private history,
or from general reputation z OF must the
President await the commission Of an actU-
Al misdemea8or In Office Shall be in the
mean time risk the character and interest Of
the nation In the hands Of men 70 whom be
cannot give hiss sozEdsnss2 Ala=t he fer
bear his complaint until the mischiefis done
aud cznuot be prevented If his zeal in
the public service should lmpei him to an
I tieipate the overt act, must he move at the
Deril Of being tried himself for the offence
of slandering his subn dinates2 In the
present circumstances Of the country some
one uust be held responsible for Official de-
I linQuency Of every kind. IL Is extremely
difficult 70 say where that responsibility
should Be thrown, Il II be MT left where It
/ has been placed b. the Constitution. But
( ali iust men win admit that the President
ought 10 be entirely relieved from such re-
/ spousihiiity. if he cannot meet il. by reason
I of restrictions placed by law upon bis action.
/ The unrestricted power Of removal from Of
( fee is 2 very great one 10 be trusted, even
Z 20 a magistrate chosen by the general suf-
frars Of the whole people. and accountable
directly TO them for his acts; il is undoubt-
eds liable to abuse, and at some periods Of
our history perhaps has been abused. If it
be thought desirable and Constitutional that
il should be 50 limited as to make the Pres
/ ident merely common informer against
other public agents, he should al least be
permitted to act in that capacity before