Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1867-07-25

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laws are faithfully executed, He
holds that his version of the Con
stitution is the supreme law binding
on him and that he will set at def
mco these acts of the Conrgess oi
the United States, and set at def,
ance this bill, which now but awaits
the Constitutional sanction Of the
two Houses to make it the law OF
the land He, the President has no
right to euquire. He, the Presi-
dent, has no right to inquire. The
Constitution has made it his duty
to see that the law which Congress,
by its constitutional prerogatiYe,
declares to be law, is law to him as
well as to the humblest citizen Of
the Republic, until by the Supreme
Court it has been declared other
wise, lie has taken an oath to sup
port the Constitution of the United
States, a leading provision of which
is, that the president shall see that
the laws are faithfully executed. If
there be any meaning in the docu
ment just read, it is that he will not
execute this law although we pass it
by that constitutional two thirds ma
jority, which is the substitute for
Executive signature, with which it
is as much a law as though he had
willingly and freely given it his as
sent Now, then, say, once for
all, that man, who, by the eXer-
else of unconstitutional authority
u montes inaugrated war and ra-
pine and bloodsbed throughout ten
or eleven States of the Confedera-
cy; a man who has declared on the
public record that he will set at
naught your laws, which declares
that no man shall be appointed to
office until he takes the oath pre-
scribed by the statute Of 1862, who
has deliberately on forethought,
intentionally set aside that law, and
appointed men to office, and given
them compensation for their seryi-
ces, who did not take the oath, but
who, as he well knew when he ap-
pointed them, could not take that
oath without adding perjury to the
crime that then rested on their souls,
cannot be freely entrusted with
power. lido not go over the argu-
ments contained in the message
We are here sentinals on the watch
tower Of freedom. We see the prin-
ciple Of liberty assailed throughout
the land. Yainly he appeals to the
people to assist him in the struggle.
The people will stand by the con-
5tituted authorities Of the country.
But whether we stand or fall in this
contest, it is our duty to resist the
of the Executive. To
be sure, We could carry the country
through eighteen months longer,
possibly. The English people might
lave lived under James ii. The
American Colonies might have long
,r rested under George Ill, but for
themselves and posterity they de-
the Constitutional rights of
'rcemen, and those rights they Sc
cured. We see here in Executive
through period of "a
ronths, setting at defiance the laws,
md doing acts in violation Of the
authorities of the coun-
try, and all with impunity, and we
sit here questioning whether we will
levote few months time to the eX-
of the grave charges that
nave been made against this often
Ter, against liberty, law and Justice
md the Constitution and Union,-
While we debate here, popular pow
~ is arrested. While we consider
md delay, precedents are establish
I'd by which men, not worse than
his man, will find authority for in
vading popular sights in other years
md in other ages. Our duty, as we
history and ancestry our
lu;y, as we contemplate the de-
nand, which posterity will make on
IS, in my Judgment, is here to in
,estigate. fairly, faithfully and with
,ut delay, the charges that are made
against the Executive of the ooun-
ny, and if they be, in the Judgment
If the House, well founded, to ar
'aign him deliberately but prompt
y, prosecute trial according to the
orm of proceedings, and If, but by
me day, his Constitutional term
hortened by the Judgment of the
senate, liberty will be preserved and
he country saved. Coming ages,
nd mankind through centuries, will
less that people and the represent
atives of the people who had cour
ge, as they merged from a great
'ar, to demand justice, to presesve
he Constitution, to protect liberty, p
nd to transmit popular rights to
ther nations.