Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.

DEBATES OF CONGRESS. 215 DECEMBER, 1833.] Removal of the Deposits. [SENATE. exacted of him to see that the Secretary of the Treasury,] and desired them to send deputies to Treasury was allowed the exercise of his free, Pompey with an offer of honorable terms of peace, unbiased, and uncontrolled judgment in re- &c. As Metellus, the tribune, opposed his taking moving or not removing the deposits. That money out of the public treasury, and cited some as the faithful execution of the law. Con- laws against it —[such, sir, I suppose, as I have engress had not said that the Secretary of State, deavoed to cite on this occasion]-Cesar said, the Secretary of War, or the Secretary of the'Arms and laws do not flourish together. If you NAVY should remove themr but the Secretary of t are not pleased at what I am about, you have only Navy should remove them, 1ut the Secretary to withdraw. [Leave the office, Mr. Duane!] War, of the Treasury. The President had no right, indeed, will not tolerate much liberty of speech. either by the constitution or the law, to go to When I say this, I am renouncing my own right; the other Secretaries, and ask them how a ser- for you, and all those whom I have found exciting vice should be performed, which was confided a spirit of faction against me, are at my disposal.' exclusively to the judgment of the Secretary of Having said this, he approached the doors of the the Treasury. He might as well have asked treasury, and, as the keys were not produced, he the Secretary of the Treasury how a movement sent for workmen to break them open. Metellus of the army should be made by the Secretary again opposed him, and gained credit with some of War, as to have consulted this latter officer for his firmness; but Caesar, with an elevated voice, how a financial operation should be executed, threatened to put him to death if he gave him any not only not committed to him, but assigned further trouble.'And you know very well, young exclusively to another. It was not tothe Presi-'man,' said he,'that this is harder for me to say dent and all the Secretaries combined that the than to do.' Metellus, terrified by the menace, retired; and Caesar was afterwards easily and readily the power ws gsits.ven t change th were disposition of supplied with every thing necessary for the war." the public deposits. If the change were made, it was not their reasons for it which were to be Mr. President, said Mr. C., the people of the reported to Congress. It was to the Secretary United States are indebted to the President for of the Treasury alone, exclusive of every other the boldness of this movement; and, as one functionary of the Government, that. the duty among the humblest of them, I profess my obliwas specifically confined, and the measure was gations to him. lie has told the Senate, in his to be judged by Congress upon his, and not Message refusing an official copy of his cabinet their reasons. Can it be said, then, in the lan- paper, that it has been published for the inforguage of the constitution, that the President mation of the people. As a part of the people, " took care that the law was faithfully execu- the Senate, if not in their official character, have ted," when he took it altogether out of hands to a right to its use. In that extraordinary paper which the law had confided it, and substituted he has proclaimed that the measure is his own, another's will for the will of him who was ex- and that he has taken upon himself the responpressly charged with the execution of the law? sibility of it. In plain English, he has proWhat security have the people against the claimed an open, palpable, and daring usurpalawless conduct of any President? Where is tion! the boundary to the tremendous power which For more than fifteen years, Mr. President, I he has assumed? Sir, every barrier around have been struggling to avoid the present state the public treasury is broken down and annihi- of things. I thought I perceived, in some prolated. From the moment that the President ceedings during the conduct of the Seminole pronounced the words, " This measure is my war, a spirit of defiance to the constitution and own; I take upon myself the responsibility of to all law. With what sincerity and truth, it," every safeguard around the treasury was with what earnestness and devotion to civil prostrated, and henceforward it might as well liberty, I have struggled, the Searcher of all be at the Hermitage. The measure adopted human hearts best knows. With what fortune, by the President is without precedent. I beg the bleeding constitution of my country now pardon-there is one; but we must go down fatally attests. for it to the commencement of the Christian I have nevertheless, persevered; and, under era. It rwill be recollected, by those who are every discouragement, during the short time conversant with Roman history, that, after that I expect to remain in the public councils, Pompey was compelled to retire to Brundu- I willpersevere. Andif abountiful Providence sium, Caesar, who had been anxious to give would allow an unworthy sinner to approach him battle, returned to Rome, "having reduced the throne of grace, I would beseech Him, as Italy," says the venerable biographer, "in sixty the greatest favor He could grant to me here days-[the exact period between the day of the below, to spare me until I live to behold the removal of the deposits and that of the com- people rising in their majesty, with a peaceful mencement of the present session of Congress, and constitutional exercise of their power, to without the usual allowance of any days of expel the Goths from Rome; to rescue the grace]-in sixty days, without bloodshed." public treasury from pillage; to preserve the The biographer proceeds: Constitution of the United States; to uphold "Finding the city in a more settled condition the Union against the danger of the concentrathan he expected, and many Senators there, he ad- tion and consolidation of all power in the hands dressed them in a mild and gracious manner, [as of the Executive; and to sustain the liberties the President addressed his late Secretary of the of the people of this country against the

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Title: Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.
Author: United States. Congress.
Canvas: Page 215
Publication: New York, [etc.]: D. Appleton and company [etc.]; 1857-61.
Subject terms: United States -- Politics and government

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Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.

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