The Irish standard., 1904-04-23
that it is not limiting it's powers, that
it is not attacking the dignity of this

that it is not limiting it's powers that
it is not attacking the dignity of this
house.
"The house must declare whether it
will accept this attack upon it's author
ity as measure of it's powers, measure
of the respect that is due it, OF take
steps to vindicate the privileges which
the constitution has vested in it-privi-
leges not given us for our gloriication,
for our Importance, but for the secur-
ity of law, for the permanency of lib
erty, for the safety of this government,
itself.
81 believe that no feature of our
constitutional evolution has attracted
more widespread attention than the
steady decline and decay of the i'm
portance of the house of representa-
tives.
when the constitution declared that
congress alone could declare war it as
sumed that it gave the power Of war
and peace to the legislative department.
The president allows us the privilege
of declaring war if we want to do So
but he makes war when he chooses.
1--WE have an executive department
growing enormously and growing Iii
spite of all limitations, and judicial
department growing in a new field of
usefulness, with great advantage to the
country, and with beneficent results to
civilization.
eve have legislative department
steadily sinking. But one branch of it
has acquired Il new Importance I'M
dreamed of by the trainers of the con-
stitution, which makes it's power
even greater than any legislative
body has ever intended to exercise.
BY steadily exercising it's share in
the executive it has practically sue
ceeded in excluding this house from
even the restricted field of legislation
Which is left to it. 1t has practically
monopoiZed the whole power of the
legislative department and has an i'm
portance as Il dictator in the executive
departments. If this invasion be al
lowed to pass rnrebuked there will not
be enough left us to justify the usurper
to even take the trouble to dispense us.
us it possible that this house will
confess now that its last intrcnchmcnt
has been invaded by subordinate en-
ecutive officer; that the contempt which
has been extended to 1.-THE violation
of its rights-constitute the measure of
respect and attention and submission
which it deserves? That now is the
question set before the house. If our
actual condition be the condition that
the constitution intended for us, then,
Sir, our prospects are hopeless and this
discussion useless But 1 believe that
the constitution of the United States
never intended that this congress
should sink into Il mere formal assem-
bly,, ratifying, if it wishes, the DEGREES
Of other departments, but contemptu-
ously ignored if it undertakes to exer-
else any independent Judgment
''Why, sir, conceive for moment
how at every stage when this house
has come in contact with the senate,
1t has given away. What is the rem
edy? You, sir, expressed the hope that
public opinion would come to the res
cue Of this house and re-establish it's
authority.
Public opinion-where is it? Pub
lie opinion-where is it's voice-where
is it's sanctuary--where is its source?
Why, sir, the public opinion of the
United States is here! We are it's
agents; its voice; it's protest. We, sir,
should regard this as the sanctuary of
our constitutional temple. We are the
priests to whom it is entrusted. You,
sirs, are the high priests, responsible
for the method in which that trust
should be discharged by those upon
whom this duty is entailcd.
'"This last assault is the most griev-
GUS that has ever been perpetrated
upon us, but it is the legitimate con-
sequence of the concessions which we
have madc-of the impunity with
which the other branches of the gov
eminent have attacked us and their
success in compelling our submission
What, then, is the remedy? Turn to
history. Representative bodies have
grown or declined, according as they
asserted their powers or neglected
them.
while we have control of the purse,
if we exercise it us it has been eXer-
cised in another country, every privi-
lege that properly belongs to us will
come back to our hands. The constitu-
ton declares that every revenue bill
must originate in this house. 1t meant
to give us the power to originate every
tax levied upon any article and any
man in this country. That power Is
ours. Let us but assert it and we shall
have what is ours. And who is there
to cover us? I ask the house to appeal
from the aggression of the senate and
the dispute of conference room to the
judgment of the electors.
IF the judgment be adverse our petit
tiOn will he no worse than IF wa sacri