Year: 1860

words with which to make IT, The
Committee is to inquire, not into any
specific charges, but whether the Presi-
dent has by money, patronage or other
improper means sought to influence,
not the action Of any individual mem
ber or members Of Congress, but the
action Of the entire body Of Congress
itself, or any committee thereof


"The President might have had some
glimmering of the nature Of the offence
to be Investigated, had his accusor point
ed to the act or acts of Congress which
he sought to pass or defeat by the en-
ployment Of money, patronage or other
improper means; but the accusation is
bounded by no such limits It extends
to the whole circle of legislation, to in.
reference for or against the passage of
any law appertaining to the rights of
any State or Territory; and what law
does not appcrtain to the rights Of some
State or Territory? and what law or laws
has the President failed to exocuto2-
These might easily have been pointed
out had any such existed


chad Mr.. Lawless asked an inquiry
20 be made by the House whether
Judge Peck in general terms had not
violated his judicial duty, without spec
flying any particular, / do not believe
there would have been a single vote in
in that body in favor Of the inquiry
Since the time Of the Star Chamber
and Of general warrants, there has been
no such proceedings in England. The
House Of Representatives, the high i'm
Ipcaching power Of the country, without
IcOnsentng to hear a word Of oxplana-
/ tion, have endorsed this accusation
against the President, and made it their
own act. They even refuse to permit a
member to inquire Of the Presidents
accuser what were the specific charges
against him. Thus, in this preliminary
accusation Of high crimes and misde-
meanOrs against a coordinate branch
Of the Government under the impcach-
ing power, the House refused to hear
a single suggestion, even in regard to
the correct mode Of proceeding, but
without a moments delay, passed ac-
cusatory resolutions under the pressure
Of the previous question.


"In the institution Of a prosecution
for any offence against the most hum
bic citizen, (and ! claim for myself no
greater rights than he enjoys,) the Con-
stitution Of the United States and of
the several States require that he shall
be informed in the very beginning, Of
the nature and cause Of the accusation
against him, to prepare for his defence.
There are other principles which 1
might enumcratc, not less sacred, pre-
senting an impenetrable shield to pro-
tcct every citizen falsely charged with
criminal offence. These have been
/ violated in the prosecution instituted by
the House Of Representatives against
the Executive branch of the Govern
ment. Shall the President alone be de-
prived of the protection Of these great
/ principles which prevail in every land
/ whore a ray of liberty penotrates des-
potism2 Shall the Executive alone be
deprived of the rights which all his
follow-citizens enjoy?


"The whole proceeding against him
iustifcs the fears Of those wise and
great men who, before the Constitution
was adopted by States, apprehended that
the tendency Of the Government was to
the aggrondizcmcnt of the legislative at
the expense of the executive and iudic-
ial departments.


81 again declare, omphatically, that I
make this protest for no reason personal
to myself, and do it with perfect re-
spect for the House of Represen tatives,
in which l had the honor Of serving for
five successive terms.


81 have lived long in this goodly land,
and have enjoyed all the Offices Of hon
or which my country could bo5toW;
amid all the political storms through
which have passed, the present is tho
first attempt which was ever made to my
knowledge to assail my personal and Of
fetal integrity; and this has been done
as the time is approaching when l shall
voluntarily retire from the service Of
my country feel personally conscious
that there is no public act of my life
which will not bear the strictest scruH-
ny, I defy all investigation; nothing
but the basest perjury can sully my
good name. L do not fear even this;
bENANHg 4 Nutllou au hhtAbtA NbhhANuk
that the gracious Being who has hither-
to defended and protected me against
the shafts of falsehood and malice, will
not desert me now when have become
old and gray-hcaded.


IL can declare before God and my
country that no human being, with an
exception scarcely worthy Of notice,
. has at any period of my life dared TO
approach me with corrupt or dishonOr-
able propositions, and until recent de-
, velopments it had never entered into
my Imagination that any person, even
in a storm of exasperated political eE-
citement, would charge me in a most
remote degree with having made such
, a proposition to any human being.
~ may now, however, exclaim in the
, language Of complaint employed by my
, first aud greatest predecessor, that [
3 have been abused in such exaggerated
: and indecent terms as could scarcely be
applied to Nero, TO q notorious de.
D faulter, or even to a common. .pickpocket
! 81 do, therefore, for tho reasons sta
p ted, and in the name Of the people Of
y the several States, solemnly protes