Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-05
IA ainser6lR ErIIsEE and l1eIie1f tI,at sIiob


civil war is likely to occur, again. ], cannot
doubt, b oWever, that, in whatever form and
on Whatever occasion seditiOn can raise an
effort to hinder, or defeatthe Legislative ac-
ton of this Government, whether by pre-
venting the collection of revenue, or dis
turbing the public peace, or separating the
i States, or betraying the country to for
eign enemy, the power of removal from
office by the Executive, as it has heretofore
i existed and been practieed, will be found
ndispensable.opE--. I9gGK .<oaZoI
| r. Under these circumstances as q deposi-
| tory of the executive authority of the ma
| tion, / do not feel at liberty to unite with
Congress in reversing it by giving my ap-
proyRl to the bill. axego aoa1u p ss9lIzie
At the early day when this question was
| settled. and indeed at the several periods
| when it has subsequently been agitated,
the success of the Constitution of the United
States as a new and precious system of free
representative government was held doubt
full in other countries. and was even sub
ject of patriotic apprehension among the
American people themselves. A trial of
nearly eighty years, through the vicissi-
tudes of foreign conflicts and of civil war,
is confidently regarded as having eXtin-
guished alESuch doubts aud apprehensions
for the future. During eighty years the
people of the United States have enjoyed a
measure of security. peace, prosperity and
happiness never. surpassed by any nation.
1t cannot be doubted thatthe triumphant
success Ofzthel Constitution Is due to the
wonderful wisdom with which the func-
tions OF the Government were distributed
between the three principal departments,
the Legislative, the Executive aud the Judi
cial. andltoIthe fidelity with which each has
confined itself orlbeen confined by the gem
erelvoicesof the nation, within its particu-
lar, and proper sphere 81 5zns a7rys 81
While just, proper and watchful ieal-
QXp0ntlUn cfo nfl lNy
prevails, as thought ever to prevail, yet, it
is equally true, that an. efficient Executive,
capable in the language of the oath pre-
scribed to the President of executing the
laws, and within the sphere of executive
action, of preserving, protecting and de-
tending the Constitution of the United
States, is an indispe pensable security for tran
guilty at home and peace, honor and safe
ty abroad. . - .-..-.-,.ft ~ .--.
!, Governments have been erected in many
countries .upOnl our model. If many of
them have thus far failed in fully securing
to their people the benefits which we have
derived from our system, it may be conf
IDENTIFY asserted, that their misfortune has
resulted from their unfortunate failure to
maintain the integrity of each of the three
great departments, while preserving har-
mony among Them. All having at an early
period accepted the Constitution in regard
TO the Executive office in the sense in which
it was interpreted, with the concurrence of
the founders, have found no sufficient
grounds in the arguments now opposed to
that construction, or in any assumed neces-
sity of the times, tor changing these opin-
ions. f.. - -
I return the bill to the Senate, in which
house it originated, for the further consid-
Grafton of Congr which the Constitution
prescribes. 1nsomuch as the special parts
of the bill which I have not considered, are
chiefly of details, and are based altogether
upon the theory Of the Constitution, from
which j. am obliged to dissent, i have not
it necessary to examine them with
a view to make them an occasion Of distinct
and special objections. ,,1II.nh f5 Ts,.-..r-l
Experience, think, has shown that it is |
the easiest, and it is also the most attractive |
of studies to frame Constitutions for the |
selt-government of free States and nations;
but think experience has equally shown |
that it is the most difficult of all poliEicalI
labors to preserve and maintain such ,freesl
Constitutions of selt-government when |
once established know no other way in |
which they can be preserved and main
tanned, except by a constant adherence to |
them through the various vicissitudes of |
national existence, with such adaptation as |
may become necess airy; always to be effect d, |
however, through the agencies and in the |
forms prescribed in the original Constitu-l
Cion themselves. Whenever the Admins |
tration fails. or seems to fail, in securing |
any of the great ends for which republican |
government is established, the proper
course seems to be to renew the original |
spirit and forms of the Constitution itself. |
." - " .a ANDREW. JOHNSON,
WASHINGTON, March 2, 1857.