'V’ho
; settle-
led fjur
i6m We
to the
ij’mcnts
.•able
’ colleo
ipcllcd
|ER»S.
1-F
;s custo-
he btill
S at hitj
h Mint
fie, ;ind
ompleiti
:e of the
lir.cdiate
1841.
CtlHtouj,
18 dwpo-
&c., to
II close
le c^nsu-
Jver, ho
be j.^I»id
tide ill
»a.
tntion to
cither
to corny
IkCKtly ro
lor his
;loHt‘d.
1-tc
^unrcs fo
IgeiMTal-
(e of Mr.
ot‘ May,
IrcU, upcii
;c..
Ivill nutkc
iirtrkrt, f>f
]S ot' tJui
Porter,
^ds,
0>stlT^
khcr urti-
|tin‘h Ttic
JoimTH »n
lie ariiclf,
M ptsrtioii
l~v
PT.AV-
J’EH, und
|n liiit of
LT to add
ladvaiita*
|(biitioii;d
n. xvhirh
bricfti u:’
blSTRR
11.
)iihlip.hej
*ach,
Iso, Pre-
Ill conxi.st-
litionci thr-
Ink noto^
llfuT\viri*,
libHcrilxT
(except
imiHt bt>
|bk ot’Ioss
ICCH
liicli ha VO
he liacJs
|c diricon-
jiuiiu* ha^
luanct* for
'nee ^vi^h
lill not be
li.shcr anti
liii HdOM iu;
land after
Iptioii v.ill
Idisrontin-
if tlnTron
iitor.
ifiilt-ration
• To i've-
'tbj ;uT(tr-
anl II..)
3e i.-;siir(i)
»r inntcaii,
ol‘ either
ite of (Jo-
lunibcr of
11^ t» mf-
50, and ill
ondifionB
vol. 7 or
new Hub-
[. and II.)
d.
1 all tbft
und who
the tore*
lia choicTj
)j to be is-
vc stated,
individual
po«ti)Hice
rery Kuch
It the like
advanta-
upon the
•loycd for
iber, poHt-
own ])ro-
»oin^ pre-
ublicatiou
rcfls
UFFIN.
mail pay-
ecie-pa yint(
be States in
e pultlishcr,
must sub-
iion-spe-
luc lM,twet>B
to thft pub-
I third pef^
(Signed)
b5.-' f
JOS. W. HAMPTON,
We will cl'ms to the pillars of the Constitvtio?i, and if it must fall, u'e^IIperish amidst the ruius.^^
Kclitor and Piiblishi*r#
VOLUME J,
I
CHARLOTTE, N. C., MARCH 16, 1841.
\ NUMBER 2.
T E R 31 S ;
The J\IccklcnbHr" Jcjfersonian " is published weekly, at
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Advertisements will be con.«picuously and correi'tly insert
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mad«' thos“ who advtrlise by the year. .Vdv. rtisenien^': sent
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JTj' Lt«ters to the Editor, unh ss containing money in sums
of I-'ire Potlars, or over, must eomt free of jmstaire, or the
umount paid at the oHice iu re will be chargrd to the writer,
in every instanet', and roll'CliHl as other aecouiits.
Iiiaiiifiiral Address
OF GENERAL WILLIAM H. HARRISON.
PllO^^PECTUS OF THE
jttrcitlrnlJiafl SfffrisoHta«
ri^IJE pre.cnt is tin* tirst eiibrt thrit has been madt'
JL to *stablish an oriran at the birth-plaee «»l’Aiin'-
riean Iinlepeiidenei*. tiiroiiirh which llie doctrines oJ‘
the Democratic Party could bt* fri'ely ])roinni»rated
and d'feii(h*d—in wiiieh the jrreat jirinciple.-^ of Lib
ert}- and b'quality I’or wiuch tlu‘ Ai.K.XANnr.Rs. tlie
PoLKrJ. and tlieir heroic compatriots p«‘rillt'd their all
on the 20th IVIay. 1775. couhl at all Innt's lind an
unshrinkiuir advoeatt'. Its siicerss rests chiefly with
the 1 i«‘p\ddiean party of MeckhMibxirir—and to then>,
and the ivepnblieaus of tin* surrounding country the
ap|>e:d is nou' made for support.
riie Jellersoiiian will as.-umr as itfi pnlitirnl rn*ed,
tlio.se landmarks of fli* ixrpublican Parl\. the doc
trines set t()rlb in the Kennicky and \'irL''inia Reso
lutions ol 17^*8—b«‘lie\ inir, as tlie und rsi jn* d (h'es.
that the authors ol these papi'rs, who l*or( a cfms'pieu-
ous j)art in tramiar our systrni («f Govi-nnncni, were
luvt ([ualilied to hanil down fo posterity a correct *x-
positioii of its True spirit—the Ix'st jutLres of what
powiTS \v«‘re deleijaled hv, ani what reserved to,
thr Stales.
It will oppos*'. daii’jerous to our iVee institutions.
t)ie spirit ol‘ wo/ioy)r>/y, \\ hi«’h has been stoaltiiily, hut
Kteaclily increasing' in the eotnifry t’roni the t'otnida-
tio)i of our Ciov«*rnnient. The n'lost ovlie»\is feature
in this ^ybtetn is, that it robs the many, imj>nrrrptihli/.
to enrich the fkw;—It clothes a ft*\v wealthy indi\ i-
duals with })ow.er not only to control the waires of
t)ie hdiorin^ man, but also at their pi-asnre to Intlale
i’.' -■-/. fhir -rrh'yL
couitlry—excitiiij a s|>irit ol‘ exiravaii.uicc, which it
terminates in pc.Mjuiiiiy riiin. and too ol’tci tlie mor-
til dcL'radatiof) ot' its victims. This system must b(*
t/inrimfshlij rejnniuii. before we can ho}«* to se»* set
tied prosperity smile alike upon all our eiti/.ens. To
aid in protlviciiiix rr/orm, will Vn*. one of tlie inatTi
objects of" the .Ii tfcrsoinan. It will w.ir airainst e.r-
chiiiicr priritf^L'r.-i. or partiitt lojsiMuthnK tmder Avhat-
ever yinse j’ranted by our Li'^islatnres ; and, tJn’re-
tbre, will oppose the charterinu^ of a I'iiiled 8tat(’s
Hank. Internal Improvement.^' by the Federal Gov’^-
ernmetit, a revival of the Taritl'System, and the new
federal scheme ol' the Geni'ral Govermnent assum-
inir to pay to Ibreij/n money ebanxers //ro hnndred
ynit/ion.'! of dotlars, borrowed by a ft w Statet; fir
local jiurjioses.
Ak a question of vital importance to the Soufh,
and one which, from various causes, is every tlay
asKunnnL^ a more momejitous and awl'ul aspeet, the
Ji'llersonian will not fail to k«‘ep its rt .iders refnilariv
and accurately advisetl ol the movemeiits ot the
IVorlhern Abolitionists. It must b(‘ evi'lent to ail
candid observers, that a portion oi' the pa.rty j)ress of
the Sotifh have hitherto been too silent on this sub
ject. "VyVshall, therefore, w’ifhout tin' fearof beimr de
nounced as an jtlarmist, lend our hundde aid to a>sist
in awakemn-r the People of fhe .Souih to due vigi
lance and a sense of' their real daiiijer. ~
iiile a portion ot tin* eolunms (d the Jelfersonian
will be devoted to pobtical discussion, the L^-eat inte
rests of A1or.m,s, LiTKHATi nr, Aoutci'i/rrRK. and
the Mkcua.mc Aht.s, shall not he utMjrhM-ted. AVith
the choicest selections on these .subjects, and u due
quantity of liLHit readinr, the Editor Jio))es to rend('r
his sheet agreeable and profitable to all classes in
bociety.
Ord’ers for Die paper, postnorn paid, addre.^jsed to
the ‘-Editor of the Jeffer>onia!i, (.'harlotte, N. C.,-’
will be promptly complied with. ' ’
PostmasterF. are requested to act a.> AL^ents f!)r
the paper, in receiyintr and fbrwanlinjr the names oi
subscribers aiid their subscriptions.
The. Terms of the paper will be fotmd above.
HAMPTON.
Cnarlotfe. .March 5, IS 11.
-IL’Q
HAMPTON’S School for the tuition of
1 ouni Ladies in Music, was opened on the
loth ultimo. She will give lessons at her resih'nce
nearly oppo.^ite and very convenietu to the Female
Aea(h-my. on the following terms;
Per S’;:s':on uf fire months, hr adrovre. ftlO
end of »SV.s*.«c. 20
Mrs. H. Iiopc.s, from her exju rience jn teachinu-,
nnd i>y ufireniittinfr attention to the improvemetn of
her impils!. to recei\ e a sliare ol' j)ublic patroiiao-e.
Charlotte, Marcli 5, 1811.
Cabinet of 3Iineral8 for Sale.
rilHE undersigned, as Administrator of the late
-t Doct. Austin, olTer.s for sale the vahia]»le CAP)-
INET ofMlNERAIiS btdonging to the Estate of
th(^ decea.‘-eL A considerable jmrtioti of the collec
tion was male by Doct. Austin himseltj with nnich
^'ire, and ])rineipaliy cont^ists of Gold, SfiIver, Coi>-
and Li:An Okes, in their various natural coml)i-
selected from the mineral regions of this
coinury. liesides a niunber obtained from Europe.—
cit ntdu* irentlemen, or literary institutions wishing
? the whole, or {iny part of the Cabinet,
c.m ha\e larther information, on application to the
undersiirned.
Salislmry, Dec. 4, ]841.
C. K. WHEELER, Adnir.
1—F
Apprentices Wanted.
BOYS, from 12 to 16 years
ceq to " ^ tfiken at this Office as A])prenti-
wonhJ business. Royf? from tlie country
f'lmilv ])oard in the Editors
on™ r«i.! 0
fheir moral
ipnn'oment.
Calletl from h retirement which I had snpposel
was to confintie for the reniaind('r of my life, to 111
the CMiicf ExectJtire Oflice of this great and free
Nation. ! appear before you, fellow-citizt^ns, to take
the oaths which the C’onstittjtion prescrilx's, ns a
necessary qualification for the performance of its
duties And in obi'nlienco to a custom coeval with
our Crovernment, and what I believe to be your e.x-
pectations, I proceed to present to you a stuniuary
of the principles which will gov'ni me iu the dis
charge of the duties which 1 shall be calhd upon
to pi'rTorni.
It was th(^ remarlc of a Roman Consul, in aii ear
ly pt'riod of that celebrated K public, that a most
striking contrast was ol)S(‘rvable in the conduct ol
candidates for otlices of power and trust, before and
after obtaining them—they seldom carrying out. in
the latter case, the jdedge.s and proiiiises mad' in
the former. Howt'vt r iimch the world may l;ave
improvt'd. in many respects, mthe la}>se of upwanls
of two thousand years since the reniailc was made
by the viituous and indignant Roman, I it ar that a
stiict examination of tlu aiuials of some of tiie
modern elective governm« r.:s, would develope simi
lar in.stances of violated confidence'.
Ahhough the liat (d t!ie People has gone forth.
Uiocl iimitig m(‘ the C’hief Alagi^tratc' t)f this glori
ous Union, noJhing iipon iIk ir part remaining to
be done, it may be thouglu that a motive tnay e.vist
to keep up the delusion imder wliieh they may he
supposeil to have acU'd in relation to mv ])rinciples
and opinions ; and perhaps there may be s;Mue in tlie
asst'udtly w ho liave come In re eitlur prepared to
condemn those 1 shall now deliver, or, aj)proving
them, to doubt the sinceritv with which they are nt-
tertd. l>ut the Lip:se of a few nionths will confirm
or dispel their fears. 'IMu' outline d' pi inciph s to
govern, and measmes to be adopted, by an .Vdniini.s-
tr.jtion not yet begun, will soon be exchanged Ibr
innntUahJe hii^tory. and 1 ,‘^iiaii stand, r exon-
erat* d by my comitryinen, or cla>.sed wilh the nla^■.
of those who promised that they might dec* ive. and
liatter* d with the intention to betray. 1 Io\v('Ver
strong 'nay be my present purj)ose to realize the
e.\pectaiions ol a m ignanimoiis aiul conlidino’ peo-
piu 1 loo Weil understand the dangf rotjs ti iiipta-
tions to \\'hicli I shall be t'.vpos;* •!, from the ntat^ni-
lude of the p0VV« \ wllicll it has hern the ple.iMire of
the Pt ople to connnit to my hands, not to plac- my
chi* f eoiiiidi uce upim the aid of that Ahnight v
ptnver whieli has hitherto prot* eted itie. aiul t naijh 1
me to itinig lo (avertable issues other nnju> t.uit hut
still g.-eat* 1 inferior trusts, heretcdbre confided to me
hy loy country.
'I’he hioad iI)tmdation upon which our Consti-
Having lii.nb-, as a breath can tmmake, ch:mge. or
inodiiy V—it can be as.>igtied to none of the ^leat
di\ isious ol (iov( riJ!nent. but to that of Democracy.
If Mich is its the(jry. those who ar^* c.albil upon to
adnuni.'tt r it nmst recoirni/e. as its leading })rmciple.
the tluty oi shaping thei,- measures so as to produce
the greatest good to the greatest numlx'r But.
with these bioad tiduiissions, if we could compare
th'* sovereignty aeknowlelged to exist in tlie mass
of our ople with the power claiim-d by oth* r
soven i!;nti^.s. even by those which have be n con-
sijen d must ])urely demociatic, we shall liiul a most
• ss( ntial diflen nee. All otheis lay claim t(» pow('i
limit* (I only by their own will. The majority of
our citizens, on the contiary. po.ssess a sovereignty
wiiii an aifK.unt of power precisi ly ecjual t(» that
v\hieh iias beeii granted to them by tlie paiti .s to ihe
national compact, and iK^thaiLT beyond. W'e admit
of no iJovern'uent by divine right Believing lhat.
so 1.1.' as pow er is coiict'fiu d, the B> neficent C'reator
has made no distinction smongst men. that all are
U|:Oii an equality, and that the only b'gitimate right
t(» g.'Vern is an *‘xpress grant of power Itoui ihe
g(u eined. The Constitulion of the Uniterl States Is
the instrument containing this grant of power to the
s; veral departments composing the (ioverimn nt.
Hu an e.xamination of that instrmnent it \\ ill be
h»imd to contain d« claiations of power granted mid
uf power withludd. The latter is also sii.sc* ]»tible
of division, into power which the majority had th(‘
right to grant, but w'hich they did not thnk proper
fo intrust to their ag( tits, and that which they could
not have granted, not being possessed by theins( Ives.
Ill other words, there arc certain rights possi ssed
by each individual American citizen, which, in his
comj)act with the others, he has never surrt nd-red.
Some of them, indeed, he is uiitdde to surrender,
being in the language of our system unali nalde.
The hoastefl pnVilege of a Roman citizen was to
him a sliicld only against a j)etty jirovincial ruh r,
Avhilst the proud Democrat of Athens could con.sole
himself under a sentence of death, for a suj)jiosed
violation of the n.itional faith, which no one under
stood, and which at tinn.s was the subject of the
mockery of all. or the banishment from his home,
his finnily and his coimtry. with or without an al
ledged cause : that it was the ;ict, not of a siiio-Ie ty
rant, or hatid arisfociacy, but of his assembled
coiinti^nu'n. bar diflt‘rnt js the power ol our
sovereignty. It can inteiferc with no one's fiith.
presc.ibe forms worship for no one’s obst rvance,
inllict no pimisiirnr nt but afb-r well ascrUiined guilt!
the r('suh of investigation under rules prt'scrib.ul by
the (. onstitution its( lf. 'I'hese piecious privileges,
and those scarcely less important, of giving expT*(‘s-
sion to his thoughts and opinions, cither by writin«r
or speaking, ttnrestrained but by the liability Ibr in
jury to others, and that of a full participation in rdl
the advantages which flow from the Governmi'iit
the acknow ledged property of all, the American
citizen derives from no chai ter grantt'd by his fellow-
man. He claims them because he is himself a
man. fishioned by the same Almighty hand us the
rest of his species, and entitled to a full share of the
blessings with which lie has endowetl them. Not
withstanding the limitf-d sovereignty possessed by
the People of the United States, and the restricted
grant of power to the Government which they have
adopted, enough has been given to accomplish all
the objf cts for which it was created. It h;is been
found powerful m war, and, hitherto,, justice luis
been admini.stered,. an intimate union efi'ected, do
mestic tranquility preserved, and personal liberty se
cured to the citizen. As was to be expected how-
ev'er, fiom the defect of language, and the necessa
rily sententious maimer in which the Constitution is
written, disputes have arisen as to the amount of
])ower which it has actually granted, or was intend-
eil fo grant.
This is more particularly the case in relation to
that part of the instrmnent which treats of the legis-
lativt^ branch. And not only as regards the exer
cise of powers claitned under a general clause, giv
ing that body the authority to pass all laws necessa
ry to carry into effect the specifial powers, but in
relation to the latter, also, it is, however, consola
tory to rt'flect, that most of the instances of a Hedged
denarture from the letter or sprit of the Con.stitution,
have uUimately receivj'd the sancfim of a majority
of th(; Peo])le. And the fact that many of our
statesmen, most distinguished for tah'nt and patrio
tism, have been, at one time or other of their polit
ical career, tm both sides of each of the most warm
ly disputed questions, forces upon us the inference
tliat the (‘rrors, if errors there were, are attrihuta-
blt to the intrinsic dilliculty, in many inst:uict s, of
a.'Jcertaining the intentions of the fram rs of the
Conststutioii, rather than the influence of any sinis
ter or mqiatriotic motiv?. But the great d;>nger lo
our Institutions (h>es not appear to me to be in a
usurpation by the government of power not grant
ed by the people, but by the accmnuliition in otie of
the de})aitments, of that which was assigned to oth-
 rs. Limited as are the powers to which have been
granted, still enouirh have been gratitcd to consti-
fute a despotism, if concentrated in one of the d*-
j)artm«-nts. 'Phis danger is greatly heightened, as
it h.is been always observable that men are h .ss jea
lous of« neroachnu nfs of one department upon :ino-
ther, than ujion their own reserv(*l rights. When
the ('on.^titution (d'the I'nited Stales first came from
the hands of the (\tnveiifion which formed if, many
of the sternest Republicans of the day wert; alarm
ed at the extent of the j)ow i-r which had bi'en grant
ed to the Federal (Tovermiu lit, and more particular
ly of that portion which had been assigned to tin
Executive branch. There were in it features which
appt'ared not to be in harmony w ith fheir ideas of a
simple r pre.^fiiiative Democracy, or liepublic
.Vnd know mg the tendency of jiower to increase it
Self, particulaily when exercised by a single indi
vidual, j»redictions were made- that, at no
acts of tlie Legislature for other cause than that of
want of conformity to the Constitution, whilst the
Judiciary can only declare void those which violate
that instrinru'nt. But the decision of the Judiciary
is final in such a case, whereas in every instance
wlu're the vTto of the Executive is applied it may
be overcfune by a vote of two-thirds of both Hou
ses of Congress. The negative upon the ac^s of the
Legislative, by the Executive authority, and that in
the hands of one individual, woukl seem to be an
incongruify hi our system. Like some others of a
similar cliaracter, liowever, it appears^to be highly
expedient, find if usfvl only Avith the; forbearance,
and in th«* spirit which was intended by its authors,
it may be productive of great good, and be found
oiie of the best safeguards to the Union. At the
period of the formation of the Constitulion, the prin-
ij)le does not seem to have enjoyed much favor in
r
in
very
mote peiKki, the govtMriiuent \\f>uld terminab
Virtual monareiiy. tt would not Iwrouie me to .say
that the fears of those patriots have bef>n already
realized. fjut, as I sincerely believe' tliat the ten
delicy of measures, and of men’s opinions, for som
years past, has bee n in that direction, it is. 1 con
eeive .strictly proper, that I sboukl take this occasion
tt) repeat the asMirances I. have hitherto iriven. of
my (btermination to arrest the progress of. that ten
di ncy, it it really exists, ap.d restore the (rovern
ment to its pri.stine health and vigor, as far as this
can l)e etl.vteil hy any legitiuuite exercise of the
power placed in my-hands
ciiii, iiiy opinion of tho sources of thf* evils wliicli
have been so extensively cfunplained of, and the
correctives which may be appli'Hl. S(»me of tin
fbrtner are imquestionably to b»* foimd hi the defects
(»f tht* (‘onstitution ; others, in niy judgment, are at
tributable to a misconstruction of some »d' its provi
sions. ()f the fornu'r, is the eligibility of the s;ime
individual to a cond term of the Presidency. Tht:
.sagacious mind of Mr. Jefl'erson early saw and la-
nu nted this error, and attempts have been made, hi
therto without succ ss, to apj)Iy the am» ndatory
j)ower (d'the States to its cornrtion. As. however
one uKxle of correction is in the power (d' every
Pr(sident. and consequently in mine, it would be
tisel. ss, and perhaps inviilious, to enumeratf* the
evils of w hich. in the opinion of many (d’ our fel-
lou'-citizens. this error of the sages who f'rained the
Coi.stltuficHi may have been the .source, and the bit
ter f'rsiits which W(‘ are still fo gather from it, if it
continues; fo disfigure our system. It may be ob-
servt d. however, as a general remark, that Repub
lics can commit ih) greater error than fo adopt or
continue any feattjre in their system of Government
w hieh may be cah'ulat(“d to create or increase the
l.)ve of jiow er. in the bosoms of those to whom ne-
c ssity (ddig. .s them to comtnit the management c>f
their afliiirs. And. surely, nothing is more likely to
prexluce such a ."^tate of mind than the long ceuitinu
anc(* of an office of high trust. NeUhing can b(‘
more corrupting. Nothing more destructive of all
tho.se nobb' feelings which belong to the character
of a devoted Republican patrio;. When this cor
rupting j>assi«*n once takes poss'Sslon of the hmnan
mind, like the love of gold, if b'comes insatiable.—
It is the never-dying worm in hi; l>asom, grows with
his growth, and strengthens witl the declining y«'ars
of its victim. If this is true, i is the part of wis
dom for a Republic to limit thf service d' that ofli-
cer, at least, to wlunn she has eitrusted the manage
ment of h r foreign relations, he exe^cution of her
laws, and the comtnand of hei armie's and navies,
to a jH-riod so short as to preveit his forgetting that
he is tlie accomitable agent, the principal, the
servant, jiot the master. Untilan amendment of the
Constitulion can be effected, pil)lic opinion may .se-
cuje the dt sired obj('ct. I giv my aid fo it, by re
newing the })ledge heretof’ore^,nven, that, unde'r no
circumstances, will I consent t^serve a second term.
But if there is d.inge'r to p|blic liberty f'nmi the
acknowledged defects of the lCorLStitutie»n, in the
want of )imit to the continu:Ace of the Executive
power in the same hands, the* is, I apprehend, not
much less from a misconstrucjon of that instrtiment,
as it regards the ])o\vers actiJlly given. I cannot
conceive lhat, by a fair consjuction, any or either
of its provisions would be fjtind to constitute the
Pre'sident a part of the Legi: itive pow*er. It can
not be claimed from the powc to recommend, since,
jihhough enjoin('d as a duty i ion him, it is a privi
lege which he holils in con ion with every other
citizi'ii. And although the: may be something
more of confidence in the pr )riety of the measures
recommended in the one ca ! than m the other, in
the obligations of ultimate diision there can be no
difierence. In the languagiof the Constitution,—
‘•all the legislative powders’|which it grants “are
vested in the Congress of tie LTnited States.” It
would be a solecism in larruage to say that any
portion of these is not indued in the whole.
It m;iy be said, indeed, t|it the Constitution has
given to the Executive the |)W''er to annul the acts
of the Legislative body, bj refusing to them his
asse*nt. So a similar pow'^er las necessarily resulted
from that instrument to theyudiciary, and yet the
.ludiciary forms no part of tie Legislature. There
is, it i.s true, this difl'erence jetween the.se grants of
power; tlie E.xecutivecan pjt his negafive upon rlie
the St.ite Goverumcnts. It existed Imt in tw’o, and
in one of the-se there* wms a })lural Ex('cutive. If
we would search for the motives winch operated
upon the ptirely patriotic and eiilighteu -d assembly
which framed the Constitution, for the aflojition of a
provision so apparently rejmgnant to the leading
democrat » pri(^iple, that fh * ni ijoi itv shoui 1 goveiii.
We must rej( cl the idea that t.ht y anticiput* d f;om it
any benefit to the ordiinry course of L‘:‘gisIation.—
'Piiey knew foo well the iiigli d‘ gre* of int liigence
wiiich exi.^ted anumg th(^ j)eople, and the eiiliglilMi-
ed character of the State Legisla-ures. not to liave
the full'St confidence that the two bodit .-s eh ctcil by
thi-m would be worthy representatives of such con-
stitiK iits, and, of coinse, that they woiiU r; rjtiirr' no
aifl in conceiv ing and maturing the measur« s which
th(} circumsf.uices jf the country miglit ropiire.—
.Vnd it is j)rep;).'H rous to suj)pose that a thought
could fora moment have be'ii enterfained. that the
Pu sidt iif. plu-('J at liie (lipitol. in the centre of the
ctumfry, could b( tter understand the wants and wish
es of the pe'ople than their own imnieiliate Repre-
.seiitatives. who spend a part of ev ry year with them,
living with them, often laboring wi:h them, atid
boun 1 to them by the trippl * tie of intt’rc st. duty,
and affectiiMi. 'I’o assist or contrcd (Jongtess tlien
in its ordinal y legislation, could not. I conc* ive, have
been the motive for conferriiig the V( to power on
th(» President. 'Phe argument acepiires additional
force from the fact of its never h.'ving been thus us
ed by the first si.x Presidents—.uid t\vo of them
were members of tlie Conv( rition. one pre siiling ovt'r
its eleiiberations, and the other be*aiing a l.irger
share in ceinsiunmating iIk; labors of lhat august
body than any other person. But if Bills were
never returnt'tl to Congress by either of the Presi
dents aliove referred lo u]>on the ground of their
being inexpedient, or not as well adapted as they
'jnigfit be to the wants of the peo[)ie. tlie veto w:ts
applied upon that of want of conformity to the Con-
stimtioa. or because errors hud bet n c*>mmitted from
a too hasty enactment.
'Piiere is another groimd i'or the adoption of the
ve-to priiii’iple, which had probiibly tnore influe'iKre
in recommending it to the C'onvention than any oth
er ; 1 ref«*r to the security which it gives to the just
and equitable aclion of the L'gislature upon all
parts of the Union. It could not but iiave occurn d
to the C*onvenfion that, in a country so extensive,
embracing so great a variety of soil and climate and
consi^quently of products, and which, from tiie same
causes, must ever exhibit a great diflere-nce in the
amount of population of its various sections, calling
for a gre.it diversity in the emjiloyuients of the Peo-
pl(*. that the* legislation eif the niajority might ne>f
always justly regard the rights and interests of the
minority. Anl that acts of tiiis eliaract(“r might be
passed, under an exjiress g;ant by the words ol fjie
C^onstitution, and, fhered'on'. not within tlie conijx-
tency of the Judiciaay to diclare void. That how
ever enlightf'ued and pafiiotic th: y might suppose,
from past experienct'. th(' members of Congress
nn'ght be, and however largely partaking, m the
general, of the liberal feelings of tiie people, it was
impossi})le to expect that bodies so constituted should
not sometimes be controh'd by le)cal interests and
s«'cfi(aial feedings. It was proper, theiefbrr*, to pio-
Vi(b> some umpire, from wheis‘ situation and modt
of f>ppoinfmeni more independt nee and freedom from
stich infliK^ices might be ('xpeefdl. Such an one
was alibrd(‘fi by the Exe'cutive Department, consti-
tuttnl by the Constitution. A jierson (dected to that
ligh oliice, having his constituen‘s in evei\'section.
State, and sub-division of' the Union, must consider
limself bound by the most solemn sanctions, to
guard, protect, and defend the lights of all, and of
very portion, gn-at or small, from the injustice and
oppression of the re-st. I consid«‘r th-‘ veto power,
fhe‘rel()re, given by the C^mstitution to the Execu
tive of the United Stato-, solely as a conservative
pow’er. To be used only, fiist, to ])rotecl the Con
stitution from violation; secondly, the people from
the efi«‘cts of hasty legislation wliere their will has
bf*en probably disregarded or not w(dl understood ;
and thirdly, to prevent the dll'cts of combiuutions
violative of the rights of minorities. In reference
to the second of the'se obje'cts. I may observe that 1
consiiler it the right and j>rivil' ge of the people to
decide dispute'el points of tiie Constitution, arising
from the general grant of power to Congress to car
ry into efi'ect the pow'ers expn ssly given. And 1
believe with Mr. Aladison, lhat “ repe\‘ited recogni
tions, under varied circumstances, in acts of the Le
gislative, Executive, and .Judicial Ibi'anches of the
Govermnent. accompaniid l>y indications, in difi'er-
ent inodes, of the conctuTence of the gdieral will
of the nation, as affbnling to the l*r( sldent suificient
authority for coiisidernig such disputed ])oints as press is the great buhvark of civil and rejiiri-
settled.’’ liberty,” i.s one ot the most precioi.i.s legacies
tabhshed, leaving to the States the shadow, only,
that md: pendent action for which they had so ze'aP
ously conten ied, and on the preservation of which
tin y reiied as the last hope of liberty. Without ebv
nymg that the result to v. hich they looked with so
much appreliension is in the way of behig realized,
it is obvious that they did not sec clearly the mode of
its accomplishment. The General Government has
seized upon none of the re^served rights of the States.
As far as any open warfiire may have gone, the
State authoritii s have amply maintained their rights
'Po a casual observ«'r, our system presents no aj)-
pearance of di.scord betwe ( n the difterent membe.’rs
which compose it. Even fhe addition of many new
on-s has produced no jarring. They move in tlieir
respective orbits in perfect harmony with the central
head, and with each otluic. But there is still an un
der current at work, by which, if not seasonably
chf'cked, the worst apprehensions of otjr anti-fede
ral patriots will be realized; and not only will tiie
State aiif horities be oveishadowed by the* great in-
creasf'of pow'er in the Executive De'partme'iit of the
General Government, but the character of that Cro-
vernm nt. if not its d signation, be e.ssentially and
radic;;lly change.I ’^i’his state of thinus has bee’ii
in part efb,-ct* d by causes iaherrent in the'Consfitu-
tion. ;md in pa. t by tlie never-taib’ng teiiJc ncy e»f po
litical power U) ine.ease its( If By making the Pre
sident the sele di-t:ibutor of all the pat’roriage of
(o)Vf-nmi« nt. fii- liauieis of the (.^3nstifutisn elo iiot
apt)'’ai to have antici[Mted at how .sliort a pc'viod it
W'oul 1 become a fbrmifl.ddc instrument to contrd the
fie(? operations of the St,de (Tovernmenfs. Gf tri-
flhig inipoitanci' at fir.st, it had, early in Mr. .Teflbr-
son's adniiiii.str;uion. become so powerful as lo cre
ate great alarm in tiie mind oftli.it patriot, frejm fjie
]»ot nl iiiiluence! it might exert m ce)HtroIling the
freedom ot ihe' ( lective franchise.
If stfch could have then be n fhe effJcfs of if'^
inrtueiice, how much gre-ater must b(* the danger at
tnis fiMK*. qtiadrupled ni amount, as it e’erlainly is,
and more conqili tejy under ihe control of the Exe
cutive Will th.iii th(* constiuction oi their powers
allowed, or the forbe-aiuig characteis of all tiie ear
ly President.^ p( rmiited them lo make. But it is not
by the exl.-nl of its pationage alone that the P^lxf cti-
live De])art*n» lit has become dang('rous, but by tin.-i
use which it appeai-s may be made of the appoint
ing power to bring tinde>r its control the whrde re
venues of th;; country The Constitution has de
clared it lo be the duty of the President to .5ee that
the laws are executd. and it mak(S him the Coin-
mander-in Chief of fhe Armi»s and Navy of fhe
United State s. If the opinion of the most apmoved
writf'rs upon that species of mixed CJoverjiment,
which in me)dern Europe, is termed Jlo/mrc^// hi
contradistinction to Dt'spoltsui^ is correct, then* was
wanthig no other addition to the poweis of our CliiVi
M.iu-i.siiate to ^iMui a MoniV'chial chijTacter tm our
Governmt^nt, but the control of the pmdicl^nanct /
And to me it appr-ars strange, in.leed. that any one
should doubt, that the en’ire control w'hich the Pr si-
dent poss- sses over the officers who have thecu.v'tody
of the public mom y, by tlie powder of removal
.vith or Avithout c;iuse, does, fbr ail mischi( vous
jiurposes ar least, virtually suhjt ct the* tre'nsure also
to his disposiil. The liist Roman Enqieror, in hi^
atem]>t to seize the sacred tre*asure, silenc. d the on^
}):)Sition of tlie officer to whose charge it had beeji
committed, by a significant allu&ioi/lo his sworii.
By a selecti(>n of jieiliiical instrumenfs for the can
id' the* public money, a re/;,rence to their cointm's-
sions by a Pn sidtnt. would be qm'te as efiectuai an
argument as tiiaf (d‘ Cirsar to th* Roman Kui^r-hi
I am not insensible t(. fhe great difiicuhy that e.xivts^
111 drawing a proper pi ui for the safe-ke( ping and
elisbti;s"t>,ie]it of the public revenues, and 1 knenv
the impoitance wliich li.is be^n attached bv' men of
great abilities and ])atiio:ism fo the divoice*^as it is
call.xl, of the Tn asury from tiie Banking Insti-
tuti^^ns. It is not the ilivorce which is conijd/nned oi;
Imt th.* unh-.llow'. d. mii.*n (d' the Trea.su'-y Avith tiio
Executive Depanuient, vvhich has creat. d such ex
tensive alarm. To this danger to euir Rqmbiicaii
mstiiutions, and that created by the iotiuenco given
totlu* Executive, through the instrmnenfah'ty oi'thr
fed.-ral oOic iS. I propose to apply all the renu di. s
which may be at my com.*«-md. 'if was ceitainly a
gieat eiior m tne frame:s id thf* C’on.st.ifufiiin, iiL-f
to have madi th* oiticer :it th;* head of the Treasury
D. pailment entire ly in lepend* nt of the E.\(cutive.
He should at b'ast iiave been reniovabb* only upou
th(* d-'inan i of riie popular branch of the iygi!vi;i-
lure. I have eh termined never to remove a sXcr -
tary of the Ih'easu.y, without conxnunicatino’ ail
the circumstance atteiuling such removal to botii
blouses of Congre ‘SS.
Th(' influence of the E.ve-cutive, in controllin*'-
the freedom of the eb’ctive franchise through the
me'dium of the j)ublic officers, can be efl'(*ctuaj]y
checke'd by rt*newing the prohibition published by
Air. .!(flerson. fe)rhidding fheir interference in elec
tions further than giving fheir own votes, and their
eiwn independence se(*ured bv' an assurance of pei'-
fect immunity, m exercising this sacred privilegj of
fn'euKMn under the dictates of the ir own unbias.sefi
jutlgments. Never, witli my consent, shall an e-p;.
cer of the people, compensa'ted ibr his servict s out
of their pockets, become fhe pliant instrument of
Executive will.
There is no part of Uie means placed in the liandw
of l!ie Exe'cutive which might be used with greater
eliect, f()r unhalloA\ed pur]K>.s('.s, than the control of
the ])ublic press. Tlie maxim winch our ancestorri
ihyived from the niotht'r coiuitry, that ‘Hhe freedom ■
Upwards of half a century has elapsed since the
adoption of the pre^sent form of Government. It
would be an object more higlily desirable than the
gratification of the curiosity of speculative stale's-
men, if its precise situation could be ascertained, a
fair exhibit made of the operations of each of its
De'partments, of the powers which they respective
ly claim and exercise, of the collisions which have
occurred between the*m, or betw'een the whole Go
vernment and those of the Stat's, or either of them.
We could then compare our actual condition, after
fitly 3’ears’ trial of our system, with \vhat it w^as in
the commerice'menl of its operations, and ascertain
whether the predictions of the patiiots who oppose*d
its adoption, or the confident hopes of its advocates
have been best re^alize^d. The great dre*ad of the
former seems to have been, that the rese rved pow
ers of the States would be absorbe'd by those of the
F»'leral f-Jovernment, and a consolidated power e*s-
which they have left us. W'e* have learnc'el, too, from
our own, as well as the experience ofother countrie.s,
liiiit golde*n shackles, by whomsoever or by what-
e\('r pretence imposed, are as fatal to it as the iron
bonds of despotism. The> presse's m the nece.‘-sarv
employment of the Government .should never be used
“to clear the guilty, or to varnisii crime*.” A de
cent anel manly examination of the acts of the Go
vernment should be not only tolerated but en
couraged.
Upon another occ.asion I have given niy opinion,
at some length, upon the impropriety of Executive
interference in the legislation of Congress. That
the article in the Constitution niaking it the duty of
the President to communicate infbrmafion, and au-
tliorizing him to rccommend nieasureg, was not in
tended to make him the source in leirislation, and, in; -r .
pr.rlicular, that he should never be looked to for "
schemes of finance. It w'ould b' v(*ry strangi', in
deed, that the^ Constilution should have strictlv’ fbr-
biddenone branch oi th^ leirislature from interfering
in the organizution of such bills, and tliat it shoviid