The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1867-12-12

there be neither judicial remedy for wrongs
II iuiiicts, nor power III the people to protect
themselves without the official aid of their
elected defenders IF, for instance, the I.e-
2!Sa'ive Department should pass an act,
even through all forms of law, 10 abolish a
coordinate department Of the Government.
in such case the President must take the
high responsibility Of bis office aud save the
life of the nation at all hazards
ihe so-called reconstruction acts, though
as plainly unconstitutional IS any that can
Dc imagined, were not believed to be within
the class last meuticned. The people were
not wholly disarme of the power Of self
stefen C. In all the Northern States they
still had in their hands the sacred right of
the ballot, and it was safe 10 believe that in
due time they would come to the rescue of
Chtir own institutions 1t gives me pleasure
To add that the appeal tO our common cons
sttuents was not taken in vain. and that my
conf !ence in their wisdom and virtue seems
not to have been misplaced.
1t Is well and publicly known that enor-
nous frauds have been perpetrated on the
Treasury, aud that colossal fortunes have
been made at the public pense. This spe-
Cies of corruption has increased, is increasing.
and if not diminished, will soon bring us in
to total ruin and disgrace. Public creditors
TAX are dllKe Interested III an nom
est administration of finances, and neither
class will long endure largo handed robber-
les OF the recent past. For this discredtable
state of things there are several causes
Some of the taxes are So laid as to present
an irresistible temptation to evade payment.
Great sums which officers NAV hold, will, by
connIyance with fraud, create a pressure
which Is more than the virtue of many can
Withstand, AMI there can be 40 doubt that
open disregard Of Constitutional obligations,
ayUwed by some of the highest and most in
tluential men in the country, has greatly
weakened the moral sense Of those who serve
IN subordinate places.
The expenses OF the United States, includ-
ing the interest on the public debt, are more
than six times much they were seven
years ago. To collect and disburse this vast
amount requires careful supervision, as well
as systematic vigilance. The system. never
perfected. was much disorsauiZed by the
tenure of office bill. which has almost de-
stroyed official accountability.
The President may be thoroughly con-
vinced that an officer is incapable, dishonest
or unfaithful to the Constitution, but under
the law which | have named his utmost en-
deavors will be TO complain to the Senate, and
ask the privilege Of supplying his place
with a better man. If the Senate be regard
cd as personally or politically opposed to the
President, it is natural and not altogether
unreasonable for the officer to expect that it
will take his part as far as possible, and re-
store him to his place, and give him a tri-
umph over his executive superior. The Off
Ger has other chances Of impunity arising
from accidental defects of evidence. Under
the peculiar mode of investigating it, and
the secrecy of hearing it, it is not wonderful
hot ,fff fc;., N Ill
III proportion as deliqucnts learn to think
themselves safe. | am entirely persuaded
that under such an irresponsible rule the
President cannot perform the great duty as
signed 20 him Of seeing the laws faithfully
executed, and that it disables him most esr
pecIa!ly from enforcing that rigid accounta~
olllty which Is necessary to the due execu~
ton OF the revenue laws. The Constitution
Invests the President with authority to de-
eide whether removal shall be made in any
given case. The act of Congress declares in
substance that he shall only accuse such as
he supposCs to be unworthy Of their trust
The Constitution makes him sole Judge in
the premises, but the statute takes away his
jurisdiction and transfers it to the Senate,
and leaves him nothing but the odious and
sometimes impracticable duty of becoming
prosecutor. Prosecution is TO be conduct
u,
like him, responsible to the whole people,
but to separate constituent bodies, and who
may hear his accusation with great disfavor.
The Senate is absolutely without any
known standard of decision applicable 80
such a case. It's Judgment cannot be antici-
pated, for it is not governed by any rule
Law does not define what shall be deemed
good cause for removal. X is impossible
even TO conjecture what may or may not be
50 considered by the Senate-the nature Of
the subject forbids clear proof. If charge
he lncapaclty, what evidence would support
it? Fidelity to the Constitution may be
understood or misunderstood in a thousand
different ways by violent party men IN vio-
lent party times. Uutaithfulness to the
Constitution may even come to be consider
cd meritoriOus. Ii officers be accused of dis
honesty how shall it be made outE Viii 1t
be inferred from acts uncOnnected With pub
lie duty, from private history. or from gen
cral reputation Or must the PrcsiGlnt
await the commission Of an actual misGe-
neanor in office? Shall he III the meantime
risk the character and interests Of the nation
in the hands Of men TO whom he cannot give
h:S cuntidence2 Must he fJrEear his CONS
paint until mischief Is done ANA cannot be
prevented If lis zeal IN the public service
should impcl him To anticipate an overt Ict.
must he move ut peril of being tried himself
fDr the offence of Slau3cri; G his suboI Ginate2
Ia the present circumstances Of the country
some one must be held responsible for uili>
cisI deinquencies of every kind. 1t is cx :
trcmely difficult to say where that response
btIity should be thrown, if it is not left
where il has been placed by the Constitu-
tj1n bat all just now will admit that the
President ought to he entirely relieved from
such responsibility Ii be cannot meet it by
reason OF restrictions llaced by law upon
his actions. The unrestricted power Of re-