Daily Richmond Whig. [volume], December 12, 1861, Image 1

About Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
RICHMOND DAILY WHIG.
nn
mman in all mm «um aatdeae.- la ttfm on the J=p«eU if a
«■!• «• M Mawiuita-' »•«.
Ital (71 Usm) or lean. oil lm Altai. -- 71
■ae'. aiJMlwkllaaoni.o .. *
One raanth attli •a'.e'te'tfloa—.•* »
Urea do la .e..1*»
•a do do .»00
Twelre da *a ....as n
Alum, Three aoolbi.. “ *»
9,1 uOtti-i... ..'Ir Ud
Tael ra oiuoiha..h*1 *’
So .dyertlte-eeat to be root* dated by tta aiotrlh or year
lit>ota apecUrd on .to Maattacii,d, of jifeytooily a$re:d upon bo
Iveen tha partita.
in adrt.-tleasient not marked on the copy lof a ipadiad nta*
bar of -iter’Jane *:H be oontlnood entfl •rderad oot, and paycitnt
exi ted Acoordinylj.
Rjsolai Apj—riMwc.—To avoid *ay all in demanding
ts «ht port of ibc meal! A«!veliteIt It proper to itetiiliUincilt,
Ihi *l eir \ r vlleKeiosly exteethto t! elrlraacitVe bs«Jat*«. Re.j
%h x . L. *•»! and ill other Advert'.ii'aenlt teal by them U bo ic
fell utt! c targe. aid no wrlaJco.
Pt^* Roil lttt?o tnd Oen-.T\! AfiStl* .* 1etliMdxco'.e act lo b*
i-. Wd by the year, tat l> be cj u <td it the tuail raid, (object
• i joL dneoinU u thill te agreed upon.
RT* Bookic^er* n I yearly -ilvertteferroonlly, eormyiagott
tr i.on spoiree, e*.‘w> tht prlrUigt c*f change, a.iall uol» on their
y# uly ittne-.*, in any *oe week* iae*.t more taia tbt im«utl
ajprcd a pot rr »he funding rale r'n»riet, and ill exc9«,
tfu »nch imocrt lo be charged it ti o wtoil r
AiTrr ttfe mm*' laterf VM|IItI cfc*
per tqure of lO line* «r let* for toe flr«n iDSiwtlr*', and SO oenlt
(A Vf tiAlJ}o>
4. 8. “-e'< T- »*U.aM
KEKFOOT A UMLfXM,
ATTOiUTS AM COUJTSIUOtt AT UW,
PAUJL9, TEXAS.
((. k.—Proaii't . I. u to Collection and Land Olalren.
• -d- ' 'I 'jnrliuiil, tnt rU C. IL, Va; John
Wto-tpeon, Jr., Ai etC. !i , i a ; Oarlhud A CV'lUan, l.yotde
K-S, V*; Moe.ey A Speed, do.: Judy S. M. Unrf.rd, !>a!lu
*
MT1D Q. V lt» ».f-,
at at law.
P*
A inhere . K. ith I to any lew kmtlneM entruated tr
tal~i !d the adjacent *t ontley
ieT Audraoa, lye Alter Wnreheaaa F. 0„ Helton Co., Va
jfeil__
ptiiur
ATT(j vNEY at law.
EUtinuoiK! Cur. Via.
wvtuMV'..V a.: :. 0- ■ held nil) Citf ef Richmond,
IT aadthc oc' 1 ..of Caii-.i2..d,HtBrivo andP.whataa.
• >y ■ ■ . • . - of tdtli. r Pearl and Main itreeU. over the
ta'vctftfoah * aiia. 4 Oo. _ lloJO—1y
i. TKirMrsoi uHAvn,
ATTORNEY AT LAW.
SlOflMO.ND.VA,
\*TlLLpr»ctv* In tb do irta of tft# of Richmond »n»1 F©
flf irtv cf?, *!5t! ytij v'©f Ueorlco lad Chcottrfltkk
OiS^t Ui 1 ok, l-*.» near 8Ut© 0. U. an'il—lf
I JHISVAf B (ilHitflf,
! ATTORNEY at LAW.
amu ft tr. liitl .3 th* Coarie of Gllre, M'reee. Vearoa.
wy afonei . - ,e j ral..»l: and will collect aad reatlt pane
kl Ip Mr aul elate! placed In *»!a haute.
Pa»«°*ce. 6UeaC< m - - . >h- _ll‘e~
JOttil Wei UHEEV
ATTORNEY at LAW.
VTTlh'. PHApn?* ta the Coorie of the City of Richmond aa1
V* c -0»ty of Hr.irleo. Strict attention will be given ta ell ba
ling, .oloa. 1 a. Ua. fSF~ 0 JB ■«, for the preeeut, with hit fa
t.t!.lfa.9ma» • .1 mr Viaia andIthkie. JeBT—dip
R. C. & bT a BOULDIN,
,1TT«»1*E1* AT LAW,
CDA * lOTTt OOCBT HOC**, Tl»8I»Ii.
t’uurta. -Chari -ie, Prince Idward, Ippemattoa, Hecklan
. tud leaaeabaia. a___WP1*—'*
k i DOCtiLAP f. UBROOBT, Jm,
ApleWk airy Ka. 0.4 Okareh. Uaaeecr.
irtrf Ul.AS A VHCtiOKV
WIU,at:;n. . the C-mrie ' f Ring William and Maaoeet. t.
t , , -_\b ahlajo attend Ite Oaa.ni ef Blag B ®a*e»
, ___fa1*-1*
t kamaaaaa 1 ou«A AUa. A aoiaoM,
JOHNSON Ac QTTIOON
iTTORIfiVS AT LAW,
SlOHWOND, VA.
Praot.ee in all the roavto of the city of Richmond aad teaalp ef
Aiore... llr. Jotlieo wit. practice In Cheetetflaid.
. _it*
Br L. UKlKlkt haa returned the practice ef LAW la tha
L. dtf ef iCcluaoad.
JUce 1 u Beivlk’i new beEdUp. oa l*tt, fretting teak ttreeti
la»»—tl __
» 1: * vr IMlIVDEKfi.-J. w. liAB
^aij 1 .... .3, . iom*lae|ileblaM'
1, 13. u ry Ol 11.. kind In the
a Midi. a. 4 1.. . p.r.lto f;.a. hl»« entire Made on at reaaoa
22, tar..— a- > .V '• • • Powder Is a Vlr«
Mala prepare 1 . u- r-k..-<: . r ailv ; »twedit—Jfl.-Ae-toiarf ti'410,
Pu. . . wiMMeaU?_M-tl
S I a I «». n ■
P0U' I JI GS P'jR COOI.ING WA1 HR.
have r 3 hand a of the above Jure which we etc eelh
tncch.-ap and ai *• Utenolrc every famllr ehonld have them,
jfeKKXhtE 4 PkRRS Mtery.
jyP Corner of 14th and Cary rtreetc.
NO. HI (11M .—9# hble, fa • to prime qualile, for eale bp
_ . ^ytj. I. DITwloP, WONCURk A CO.
it i.v mu. iioi.
MILITARY AND OTHER GOODS.
alHO.^ Kn U. ntiOK * C'OshmJoUpaH
f. W Grcj Ckthe
U ry Cesd^crca
Blue Twefth
Blot l.meya
fU..j On* wen. for r.. ru, wdrtiflg, *hrInk, he., go,, tor Hl«a
A m, on bnjvl, n vv* f* xk
L-H* Linen Du:**,
TqweUu^r. Checke 1 Linen*
0«. ^ex bleached Cotton*
glea.hcdahecllng*, Lro. Drill*
Co’ -d Lawn* 1lareg**e and other Dre** Good*.
TheyOotead to eel. th.lr «l. thought before t>*-jrar, at about
•Id rates, bat a pen tuts *< ol. m they hate had to tuy recently,
Ihey (east pln*e aa advancers It jr hate to pa/ a heavy addition*
-jl5w'!' T. B.PR1CBAC0.
E%CKI ■"». 4 \ 1 * iu;i>vixai».
Wa s,..» lC to «.n» . « * niiou of Uietn dlera to our Oantp
ttcdi’cal vr • «hnk, !• aaverlor to anothing la the
market It ha* the nnqosdiled comtnenaaUon of thove officer*
W04> b at- wed !*. Com • and .m H, and yon will be taltafted o| U*
»,r(«t odn-t U-® t" I - •'■u.k Of la. M401rr.
v7i*V. iU i o. .. ■! *iul doily m .-.ul*. Irrlog Coup hocla
o-.Can.;. C-o**!- >if»» U>ll)rl«iuil|l(MK
CaU..W.>rai*'«o Wom^A.! t NRn
jy 11—AW llih »r.d Tr.aHln Ik.
WINDOW UMM
Mw N» l Tri-oe^ WlaJow Glut
Wt Jo in.rtc.n do . .
i» nl>H Poll >o*r., lo Itor. »nd fur Ml. kj
^ W. W. WQOLQIUPOie lSUntr.ci
Tl lBOOill.1i At,—l"l doo Buenrta »0J kMW/
X) :») <Ui momm _
r,>i .)„ U«d CrJi »od Uaro.In •‘or. and
. , W. W. WOOLDtaoOS
nr tan "7 laah Wrwl
I.VSLHr VOIR MFE AT IfO.UE!
TMS VIUGHI* UFK MSlTVttV fOMPAST,
(omcc co;iN*s <>7 viir and Bnvorrn htbcbt*.)
ISSUB* «MU pro 'M f-r Hf» s 1 r a writ) af yrua, and alata
for *>ne or more (no* • see* fin/ fbdO y**ar*
O'ants Aan" ti**e a**J Rotowmcut* "n the mo*t -ejoltabie lerrrm
The Yankee compact** having nade known thetr Intention k
rrpadlato the poltcx* of *‘ar f«..o«ctU*en* who may he killod U
dff. noeof th*lr hom .alter by taking up arm*, or by i/mpa
t^lainw wWt.or by lending aid and romtnrt to Booth era Kehel*
etory prude Ji man, 1 neared by thee*, omrM al once to eaooui hit
D-dlcy and Inear* at home
K go jg* ooir-niait*: the*ee*ary I-Jornantlon afe furnished at tht
life. Of J> - •.* / J. nABWBOM, PTMldoM.
J. .ru.ua PUUlfANTB, SrcrcUrj.
M.r. Btn.ro., *f D., M«Ue»l araTtlner.
1 B MoCtr, M. D., GonaattlB, PtgwldaA.
Hrx. A Kun, trfal AAvitwr. Hf
BlilTBIE-td <!dn (aunt L«at)i«r; Si tIJr. Bia l
IJ Uwurulttn; !«iH-. B!p !*»lna; 10 ilAw Pr, oak Oatf Rlu
BPMT A JAMBB
, ossptsa^SS&Sai5^
I SPRING TRADE. 1861.
■AW, GAPS AND STRAW GOODS.
Hour. L. DIC14 III NON,
Successor is
BINIVUBi DICAIMMI.1 * WBlBIfiBR,
UOUMOND, VA.
HAt span anil In store, a fill and complete stock af
RATI,
SAM,
sod BTIAW 800DS,
-t ths lalast and moat fashionable styles, which will be ao!4 at
•boi-eale and retail, on the moat favorable ter me.
Tb - attention of merchants Is moat respectfully solicited to call
tsd examine for Uirmaalvea.
MILITARY HATS AND CAPS
lade to order at the shortest notice.
CASH rrucUASEM will tad It to their Interest to call and ex
amine sty stock before purchasing. _
■ SPRING-!STYLES
or RATI AND CAPS.
tA T sasoruneat of HATS and OAFS lor ths Spring trade 1* bow
jT complete, embracing all the ter tlyks and tJ. n of SeA
■all nine. MolsaMn. Fit* and Oaselmcro Hale, and'a great vsr*e*y
if new style vf Capa, Leghorn and Straw Hat* In great variety.—
Also, a general easoilmcnt of gentlemen's tarnishing goods, L'm
srsl ss. Walking Csnes, Ac., Ao., all or any of which will be sold
>o as good terms as at any other sstabfishment In ths city. I most
-aspect fully invite aoali frem perches era
JOHN THOMPSON,
■Is® No. 1 Bullard Uuose.^
1861. 1861.
E’LLETT 4k WFhlGFK,
lA.llUlTl USES AMI WUOLESAIX BEAlKKS Ilf
Hats, Caps and Straw Goodsi
Vo. Ill Mrii Stxibt, (oppotiTi Exooajkii Bare,)
kL'Xmeiui, ra..
Have ready and etc now offering to th<* Merchant* of Virginia,
Jonh Carolina and Tennc**ce, Et price* to fall the time*, a com
plete flock of Spring and hammer Good*, which fer variety and
ityie cannot be excelled. Bayert will do wall tu give a* e ceII be
*6re parCbEftng el*ewhere.
a..**elljctt a wtwo kb.
wi UIOj^Ia.t«l> CAPITAL iTbVjdUV
THE PLAftTLiTs SAVLUS R15B,
or i ub on v of Richmond.
IluK PLANTtBh MAYINGS BANK, bevmg au acp.e dfiutv
, IieI and OharWred by tiie Legislator* of flrgtnia, will recclv;
Jcpoelint« ' Flwt* Dollar* and upward*, on wnicn lot *rea
wtl uo paid at the rale of Wx per centum #cr aoncm If reiuEloin|
;t* r.t'oU. j, or Ylvo per oenlaci per auaani If leti than *1* month*
AuU'cai payable vai!>Anu e«llf, <f dartre d.
DepAlt.-m received al (heir cUco. at toe »Ufc of llelirt. Dak* A
T*VjA *;ca, No.ddM v’n (“reel.
J. 1. WILSON, MfvRidtm.
A. A. u JfosMOfl. TraEM'er. nuili—11
JOHN C. SHAFER 4k CO„
DRAPERS AND TAILORS
IXCHMWE ktUIUsIBU,
ISIU ITHUI l, BICHWfND, TA.
Would rsapecthalf y sail attention to their new styles si
Fall and Wiuter Goods.
0 AON AN UK DEVICE* t
Jc*«14,lST.. f
A LL AaOKTHElKN'IV AN I) El! 1 IflEVTI
delivered to ih .* Ordoa&ce IK -treatof * Hate i Virginia
eiil, from and after this uale, be ->*4 tny * ■ ,rl'^ .oc V r*.
.» m, at Die sorrier of liDi and ta«jr »u. ot#
a MW.400E.
lft—if OoL cf Otdimct ot Firfcinta,
BOOTS AiND SHOKb.
WESTON ,& WILLIAMS.
14*. If I'etil Struct,
RICHMOND, U,
a AVI JAM received a tel! aad complete aeeortraent el
BOOTS and leltOEK
uapted to the preoent teauo'-i, and, In addlUcn to their large aad
•cU-nee-ned e'.ock ot Aa*l.rn good*, have the ucua au«aol (er
Lt estcuelve factory at Slacuiou, Va, which la lurntag cat
tylre and ipiAllliee ot work equal to any In the coaptrjb
J« entry hercsauU are tceeieu l 'e CA* at* ek jr.mdlei Mum
•alvee. WANTON A WILLIAM*,
mhtu—tt _No- IS P«a:l airaet.
IMfOKTAST TO OtTKaHN 4.M) hOUMAUh.
J. 8. ROBERTSON,
ooeaaa oorauoa kau eaaikua evanavs,
RICIIUOMD, VA.,
Kirn coaaMelly ea hand, a large and varied aacrtment ot
chaise
FAMILY a ROC BRIM* and .(•«« LIQUORS ami CIO ARM,
Imported caprcoaly tor tide market.
Aloe, tha hem Old llye WMUKY and Apple and leech I BAK
OV, dleillled in the mountain. cl thla elate.
All Llqaora and Uroceilee told li> nta are VArraated pare and
good, or no tale.
i P. Particular attention paid to pettier an and ehlpptng
goodi for oScen and toidlera tuUoaed At aad away from Etch
monk.
OuMWIMION BL'hINESB.—WVI make liberal advance# on To
-aoco. Wheat, Plowr, Dora and other miner product* cf the coun
try, tuch aa bacon, Lard, Poultry, r<t> lluiter, Dried fruit*.
Leather, Uldee, Poleioee, Beane, Pena, Ac., As
QUICK SALKS AND I'iD-'t/'T RK~UBN& JyU
POTA-11.—A ema^llal juet ruerired.
_ocSU_ *_DOVE A OCh_
A 40D L VSK i.IL, for tele ky
V7 oc-hi_DOVE A CO.
C'lHEKRY I'PPTObAI., holph. Ether, y dolne, llyd Potaeh, Ohio
I reform, obturate Potaeh and It rt .ver, hr tale by
oc'U DOVE A CO.
MAT JtiM. 200 grow Xa'cbea, and 20 groet Maeoa'e blacking
for »al« by POVf A CO,___oehtl
MADEIRA »TNE.-9h*!f-plpet very ch ,IC» and o d;purejalct
tweet Malaga Wine; imampagnv Wine, half |>lu a; hherry
Wine, eitra fin- qatlily, our own Impcr a'Jon—In alcrc and for
■ale by rKLDkN A Mu.i.EK, corner Pearl and Oary ttv 008
COM LM III (TU LI' 8 caetkoa hand, for »alv by
nc4 DOTE A 00,
1(1.1. AND WINTER CLOTHHC.
Ur K have on hand A Urg • - took of Fall xml W.r.tcr Clothing,
coo'ltllng of hue Cam. liusIneM Coals, floe Bav<*r Over
floAtj, Black Cloth frocks, of >U qmlll<!L AUo, > largs »toca of
tine and common Black tui. Fonts
VDAH walkirfco.
not Corner Main anti 11th streets.
RIwUMON \ NovT4.1*61. ~
SIB:—I ?ak? tMimrhod of returning in tny tha-uks 13 my name
rout cujtome • and MenJj, for their ve.-y liberal judronage
aud many put Uvura, »sd rsspectfu 1/ sollc.t a continuance of the
same. Hut, under existing circumstances, having to pay cash for
all goods l bay,) 1 • all in fature be compelled to collect all blits
al KrMt once per mm h. uxtll further notice.
Rope**Dullyi k A K AABNKYi
(irocer and Comralsilon Merchant,
..ij Corner Broad and Tt ats, Richmond, v%.
IaK<-na nob; ON BNdJL INUi Brown, Khlplcy • C> ’■
a acc-p*ancet. past due Also 60 day oUl on London, f r.alr
hyEDMlND. PAVaAPJ*!1 A 0 '■_
EX'-HANOI! AMO BANKING HOUSE, I
C. W. Feacau. * CO. I
TNI hleheet market price paid for Gold and rlleer. Mocks
Jnf* ‘Mo'"'maiM,oa- 0 W. pr ROIL I. A CO,
WAN till-lor local purpiaee, a company of a hundred
■en. who hre net capable of performing eerrlce In the field,
yet are able to perform doty In the city. None need apply who arc
caparle ef lelietrrke. and good references will be renalred ns to
eha-aeter. Apply nl the o®oe, oorner of Broed and »th itreete.
nod^-tf JNO. H. WIKLKR, brig. Qen.
" LIMI VOU BALE
r«!IC proprietor offrre for ealc, one thousand or twelve hon
I dredaeretof line Cane and Gum Land, a* well adapt.-1 lo
the production of Corn and Cotton, aa any land In the Ktate ol
Wts.lt Ippl this land U ('mated on the Brothers b uo-lary of
runhuwer County, no a beaalifnl Lab", three mllee from the k a
r.0 ■ direr Into winch It emptier, aBordlng a line steamboat narl
cation Into the rlrrr Upon thle land U deadnln* 8re yeaic old,
shleh Is enicepUble cf making a 8 te crop the Bret year
Terete one third eath; the balance In two Annual Inelalmenlr,
one-half of the tame will be taken In negro property If d-jtlred.
Address, * w- •A™***
(his landing) Yaaoo Hirer, rare of ll I’ew Drop,
oodO—tf Vkkebnre, Wise.
r^ta RAKli’N PKKMWM MIT
T«RS. ta%nu'»cl«rf I by Mr. * ***** of ihM dlf t for
th« lo't ftflren yctrv, anil to highly rocommeudvd bj proo meet
Khi*lclon» In Virginia hu golf.cd * ropuuUlnn In tho Confederal*
Army, f >rthe rare*r>f%irae aai fever, nnd geoerol debll.ty. We
can »mfe»v iij they in a valuable aedlcioe Ijc txpoied ooldl ra
—try them
To be had of all Itraggtila In this cl y, or of the Proprietor, en
Union Hill, Richmond, Va __jw>6
aJ ABtin KN -M) oases cai-linm, whole half and quarter l*i
9 es, juet reeelred and foe sale by BELDEN A KILLER,
ms 9 Corner lStb and Oarv at reuse:
Cte re ■'•'TV! «l —mi eases Clarut Wlae, just reeelred
andtorealeby ALVRT^LlPdCON^ noSD
a >BttllKNT NkPI TO PHVUriANN-B lire
Jit eprcimny requested that the Phyulo<enA of Richmond will n
p -rtat the * «cr, comer Broad end Moth sirens, such oftlren and
soldiers under thrlr chargr, ne are quartered In Trieste {am lies,
hotels and boar din* booses, stating their condition, where quar
tered and, se far M practicable, the rcgteiml and company to
which the* belong. Ihli InforraaUon will grenlly promete the, ab
BeAu7®Mf* and mddlare qnnrtcrr 11n private families, hotels and
boarding ll s ~. ets hare been sick bat are rot attended by any
physician, wW--* themselyrt ,s abure, stating their condition,
<*i^n‘>dMr: ~ JNO. H. WtHPRR, Brig Gen.
uilHa-ira *• hand,eoneUtird 'run New Orleans, a
wTtnfguwnru SJ.J a tew 1-8 ea K Prcn-h Brandy, lawilcrd at
SwreiUEa—«•. JOHN JON, ToCNORN A OThT.
rr7^ 1H Pearl street. •
resaaKS**—-*■-*—ar
PS.cn u.^,or? naJg.Sr^ "ST'
v&saxnmpQStr*
RICHMOND WHIG.
TiUC CASK OK MKsiKS MASON AND 8LIDALL.
No. 3.
(iiout cr siaatK.) on
7o the Editor of thi Whig:
It >h shown in our former number* that th* practice
of nation*—in the language of the Court of Admiralty«f
England—allowed to neutral nation* the privilege of rt
«riving ambassador* from the belligerent States and of
thereby having the benefit and convenience of immedi
ate negotiation with them at their own court*.
It fol.owed and was otherwise proved that the mlnle
tore of the belligerent might be lawfully cariiedon board
a ncatial vessel from eveh hi* own belligerent port to
the port of a neutral State and—it lollowst, it might
seem for even a stronger reason, that Messrs. Jfcuon and
, Elided might have been lawfully carried on the ueuln I
British packet from Havatne, a neutral Spanish port, to
1 any ueutral port of England—and yeti', was tuppteed by
the belligerent government at Washington and is con
tended by its advocate* that it had the hitigrrcnt right to
arrest this neutral vessel on the high sens and there with
force and arms invade her deck and make a anarch for
these ministers.
| Thi* fair statement of the proposition ought to be inf
doiect of itself tor its refutation. But it is contended
I that it i* founded on what is called the right of tearch,
; and wc promised to examine the matter and expose the
| fallacy.
! In order to understand this sITtir it will be oomeni
cnt.if not necessary,to state all about this right of search.
It is well known that, by the law of Great Britain the
allegiance of the natural born nutj ’ct Is perpelual,«g it is
called, or is dissolved only by his dnutb, and therefore, is
not released by his emigration to a foreign country and
naturalization there, and that the king may at any time
ijtue bis proclamation recalling all his subjects even those
naturalized and bound by the oath of allegiance to tbeir
adoptive government,and it was held that he wight have
: them searched for and seizod on hoard a vessel of any
other natiou on the high seas.
Mr. I’allimore thus states the law of nations and of
England, page 346, see. 818 :
*• Every State has a right of recalling ( jut avoraodi)
its citizjus from foreign c.rintrice, especially for the pur
pose cf performing military service* to their own coun
try. Great dilfieuhy, however, uccesranly *ri-es trow
the eulcrcrinctit ot this right. No foreigu nation is
bound to publish, murfh less enforce, ruch a d-cree of
revocation. No foreigu S ateran legaby be invaded for
the p irpose of forcibly taking away sutjacls coniruo
rant th. re. The high seas, howevej, are not sutj .cl to
the jurisdic'ion of uuy State; and n question therefore
arises whether the S ate, seeking its r. cal ed subjects,
nan search for them ill the Vessel i of Other nations met
with oa the high eear? This question, answered in the
affirmative hy Great Britain, and in tbe negative by the
United States of North Amerira, ha* led to very seriou-t
and much to he lamented quarrels between the two na
tions. "
It is not recollected that the British (Jovernm -nt ewer
did exercise this supposed right in any case of an or
dinary subject, but it was often done in the case of sail
ors. It was the settled law of tho Kingdom, that tbo
I Commander of any public armed vessel might at any
time aend out hi* press-gang and by them sell* any sea
man of the mere' ant vesuri* or*way vatwwtan co her .
great rivers and carry them aboard the public vessel
and there compel them to oerve the King.
In thej long war between Great Britain and France,
which waa terminated by the treaty of peace In 1315,
the Government haviug often pressing need of siilors
fer verstls of war, this supposed right was frequently
exorcised, bv entering upon American vesicle—not Inly
in British parts, but on the high seas, and even id the
waters of tbe United States—and them seising and car
rying off even our naftralii-td citixens. And these ag
gressions were ono of the most (sotting causes of the
war of 1812. And dors the Government of the United
States asHhrt and maintain this right of search, sad
abandon all their retard fer sailor’s rights and the honor
of the national Hig *
There is, however, a case still narrower, and which
m-ght ssem to have given to Great Bri.aiu a greater ap
parent right to move such searches of American vessels.
Tito Government had the right—by not only its own
peculiar laws, but, it is supposed, by those common to
every O'hor nation—-Quench and arrest any deserter
from b<r navy. Hut it is not supposed that the United
S-utc* or any other independent Government ever ad
mitted that Great Britain might arrest one of its ves
sels on the high seas, enter its deck and, by force of
arm-, se:aj and c&try off such deserter.
| We wiii now inquire into tbe foundation of there sup
posed tight*, ami ascertain what haa been the disposi
tion of the question upon them but ween tho two gov
I eminent* of Great Britain and the United States. We
know that tho two goveromt-uu mane an issue upon
them, and that a trial war being bad by battle. But
the ist-ue waa uot thereby formally decided.
The war was ended on the termination of hostilties be
between Krst.ce aud England and the other'great pow
ers of Europe. These wars had given occisiou for the
exertion of this supposed right of search and aeisure of
seamen, and lor llm exercise of tbo other several sup
posed belligerent rijpta ot Great Biitrin to the prejudice
of the United States ; aud the general peace of Europe
having removed the cause ot all these muses of ihe
war between Great Britain ami the United Stales, it was
no! deemed necessary to discuss any of tbase questions
in tbs negotiations for peace, and they were all passed
over in silence, and the "right of search" was not svod
mentioned in the treaty. A d ll' rrnt mode of obtaining
seitcen for the navy was shortly afterwards adopted by
England, and tbe practice of impressment, eveu in ber
own ports, was altogether abandoned ; and means bar.
it g been adopted to remove the causes 0/ desertion of
seamen, it was no longer leceesary to iusist on the right
to pursue deserters on board American vessels. And we
believe that the supposed right to make such searchos if
Armr can vessels was In fact abandoned.
There was ia fact no mtloa il ground for ary such
right, and when thqgh*at of battle was cvey and men
had thought cooly on the qnisiun, there could be, and
is now, but one opinion.
The argument to prove this is short: The right, it will
be'observed, if it exist ut ail, is exercisable as well in
time of peace as of war; it is, therefore, not what is
called a belligerent right. Ita foundation must be iu the
Jurisdiction or rightlul power which evefy government
has over all its citix-ms or subjects anywhere in the
world. Io the universality of tLii preposition, or rather
iu tbs use of tho olause ‘anywhere in the world," with
out tho necessary restriction, is found tho error of the
argument we combat. Every government lisa tho right
to the cxcloMVC jurisdiction and tbe cxerri >e of force over
all things and persons in its dominions, end therefore this
jurisdiction of the government over its citizsns or sub
ject* must bo limited and cannot be exercised within
tbe dominions of another Stale. Rut the high mm, it
is said, not being capable of exclusive occupancy, is a
theatre common to tho jurisdiction of all nations, and
therefore on them any State may sxeoreise power over
ita suijsols without limitation. In tbe use of this phrase
"without limitation,” 11 another limitation in tbe argu
ment.
Tbs area occupied by tbe skip Is iMltuiaaly occupied
by ber whilst en it, sad tbe ebip is sasoptsd sxclueivvly
by tbs MMter and pcopis so board,and sbs and they are
*U wiihia the pmMvp ismloton at tbs Ruts m Kalis#
to whioh abe belongs. Kvery vi ssel at sea is of aomo
State and may be laid to be a part the roof, and abe and
all on board, person* and things, are the subjects of the
government of such State and under its peculiar protec
tion. That government has the exclusive jurisdiction
of all (ITjQcea committed on board of ber whether by
aubj?o:s of the government to which ahe belongs or of
other nations whilst at aea: and it is provided by au en
actment of Congress that where en offence wai commit
ted on board an Amarloan vessel in the |*r. of a for
riegn State which doe* not take cogniiano* thereof, tb*
court* of the United State* ahull extreie* jurirdic
tioD over It It 1* therefor* said and with propriety
that the deck of the vessel is a por.ion of the territory
of the Bute to which ahe belongs.
The circumstance ih at the ship is contianslly change g
her position in respret to external objects and every hour
occupies e place en the tea whioh had just beiore been
common to ber and all oilier vessels, doee not at all
change her relation to ber Siate or government or affect
the exolueivemeas of its jurisdiction over her and her
people. Her relation to the State and her condition is
similar in some respects to a distant province ot land.
She bat e government oouttitutod of bur master and
other officers, but because she and they are generally out
of the physical power of tho officers of the State, it is pe
culiar iti its form and his a mode of proceeding suited
to the exigencies of hsr affairs ; but it is a government,
and a sort of territorial government subordinate to the
superior government of tho State.
Now the supposiuou that *Lch a vessel with such gov
ernment, constituting in law and facta part oi the state
and its territory, may be lawfully arrested ou the b:gh
seas by the discharge of a cannon acroes ber bow and
threats of her destruction,and thereupon her decks be iu
vaded with foroo of arms by an officer of another govern
ment for the purpose of recovering one of its subjects lor
the accomplishment of any object, is merely preposter
ous.
Krery person and thing on board such a vessel is oh
viously under the dominion of iu government. Tree.
Davis therefore correctly said iu his iait message that:
“Theft* gentlemen" Mess's Mason and Slidell “were
as much under the juriedictiction of the Briti-h govern
ment upon that ship"—tho British Steamer “end he.
nrath its Hsg ns if they had been on its roil; and acUitti^
on the part of the Uuited State* to seine them in the
street* of London would have bejn as well founded as
that to apprehend them where they were taken."
In fact this aggression which, if it occurred
just us in the case we have stated, and was by the order
cf the government of the United 8*..\tee, wat a mere act
ui war aguiuiu uro«k uriuuu, »uu, u-mn* mwuxu »w., ..
may be considered by Great Britain that war in lad ei
ista. It is therefore no; strange tha. Mr. Lincoln mani
fests the uneasiness he does in bis la'c mo-sige.
Now thecaiM we hava stated of this suppos'd right oi
search for persona and their recovery are the same
in principle with the case of Messrs. Meson and Slidell—
In a'l of them the puiprai was to arrest and carry back
a subject of tba Government of the officer performing
the act. 11 the ease if a deserter, the final purpoaa may
be either to compel him to perform lb# service far which
ua was bound or to try and execute him for the crime of
desertion: and in the present case, these gentlemen,
Mcaera. Mason and BlidnU, ■ stood «h*rgod with high
tfaatoe against (he United States, and were in fact com-*
mitted, and are now held in custody with hundreds of
Other eminent citiiwe of ths Confederacy for trisl on
this charge; and the only defaced President Lincoln esn
make for his outrage must be under this head.
But it cannot ovail. It has been maintained by some
jurists that every State hai a perfect right by the
necessary snd voluntary law of nations to recover the
c IV.-uder, who, after the commission within its dominons
of certain high crimvs agaiust ile laws has Med to a
foreign country and may deraaud him of the govern
ment thereof, but all these writers ex opt ths case of
uigh treason and all other political offences, and the
Government of the United States had rejected the whole
doctrine.
Tnere is a frosty between the United Sta'ea and Great
Britain for the surrender of fugitives from justice, but
it extends only to the cats of certain enumerated crimes
and doa* uot embrace any political offince, and,b sides,
the demand must Oe mide in a prescribed form and the
surrender thereby obtained by an act of the government
within whose dominion the accused is found.
Th» re was then no color for the arrast of these gentle
men in the mode it w»3 effected, and President Davis
correctly sdded to what he said in the ahovo quotation
that—“Had they been malcfactore and citixme even of
the United States, they could not have been arreeted on
a British ship or on Britiib soil,unless under the express
provisions of a treaty aud according to the forms then-'
in provided for the extradition of criminals.”
Tbo outrage was, therefore, without any color of right
under any law.
We haTo not omitted to recognise that in all tbe cases
abovo mentioned tbe supposed juitification of the arrrst
of tbe vea«el and search for and recovery of the person
was bassd upon supposed rules of lsw, tquslly in force
annlinahle in hath timet of peace and of war, and
not upon tbe law* of war only and what are called bel
ligerent rights. And we know that tbe defenders of the
tbe aggressors hare generally founded their argument#
on what are called belligerent rights.
But, Piesident Lincoln and his government are estop
ped from assuming any such position. By the Act of
Congress, pawed at ita last seneiou, the amount of a di
rect tax, dree ted thereby to be levied, wjj apportioned
betweeu all the State* in the Union, before the disrup
tion, and all the people of the Confederate States were
thereby subjected to tbe tsx, aud tho President signed
this bill. He has p srtioaciously refused to suffjr any
formal excbangi of prisoners of war, according to th»
practice of all civiiixed nations, in all wars, and insisted
that all tho hostilities that have occurred were but an in
surrection of the people, and on this principle has caused
to be prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to death the
crew of a regularly commissioned privateer, captured or
a cruise on tho high seas, and in Ills Ute message he
spraks of the Confederate States, or rather the people,
as mere insurgents and does not recognise that they
have any Mganixrd government with the capacity to ap
point and nod a minister to the conrt of a foreign State,
and supposes theee insurgents are few, and that the in
surrection will be shortly quelled and harmony restored.
Hedora, U Is tro«, inform uv that he has (lx hundred
tboueaud armed men in tbe field, and has the whole na
val power of the United States employed upon our coasts,
and does cot show that he has yet made iny progress In
thj supprefsion of this insurrection, and it is perhaps
undignified in ns to avail oar* I res of hie misersb'e
equivocation and sophistry ; hot he is tho representative
of the despotism which has been substituted for the late
government of tbe United States, and #e have tbn right
to consider his declarations, in order to ascertain the
ground and object of the aggression. Tbe case of Ih •
aef, liko all Others, is constituted of the fact and inten
tion, and in this mode iia legal predicament most be as
ee-'talned for its jauifioation or condemnation.
Tbeoase, however, is not placed on this ground, be
0 tone It wnv supposed the aggression had been or could
be s««tained by nny pianiible urgoment on tho law
of belligerent rights.
Wo have already shown that all (aid upon It ca
ter thin head was either founded «M* false awimpdou
or falaoieci deductions, and waa ovortarwnd bp Mi tla
The notion that a minister of a bell'gerent, with Lsi
letters of credence and instruction, on his past are to a
foreign court, is contraband of war, is a doable etrrr
The articles arc not, singly or collectively, within
the cla"a, and the transportation of nothing, even cclum
biad canrcn, to tbe port of a neutral power, Is no in
fraction of the law of contraband, or any other law o
war or peaoe.
LETTERS ON THE PBESIDENCT.
BT S a NICHOLAS 0V LOUISVILLE.
J'iretpuhliiheiin 1810; repu'jlithei in 185'J.
Nl'unsR T.
I shall now cal! yottr attention to an-thir of Mr. Clay's
political pic urea, t.ken frstn bis Hanover spe’ch. Af
ter statiog tbit in h'.a d -liberxta opinion, “the present
distress -s and dispacted state of the ronntry ruay b*
traced to the tlagl* cause of the action, tbe oucroach
m»nte, and the u-urpationa of the Executive branch of
the Government,*’ he reviews what he terms “;hie stu
pendous struotore of Executive machirerv and d'epo
tlem, wh'ch bae been reared in our young Repub! c," and
then proceed*, thus:
“ The snm of the whole is, that there is but one pow
er, one control, one will jn the State. All !• concen
trated in the President. Hu directs, orders, commands,
tha whole machinery of the State. He executes, accord
ft g to h s pleasure or caprice, the whole powers of the
Commonwealth, which have been absorbed and engto.-s
e-i by hitn. Oie sole will predominates in and commandt
thlt vast comaiuuity. If this be not practical despotism,
I am incaptble of conceiving or defining it. The exist
ence cr non-ciiuUt.ee of arbitrary government does not
depend upon the title or denomination bestowed on the
ciief of a State, bat on tbe quaatum of power die pos
sesses or wields.
** I hxve thus, fellow citizens, exhibited to you a tree
and faithful picture ot Executive power, as it has been
enlarged and expanded within tbe last few yeara, and it
has been proposed farther to extend it It overshadows
ev> r» other branch of the Government. The source or
legislative power is no longer to be found in the Capi
tol. but iu the palace of the Prc.-udeut. How is it pos
•ible tor public liberty to bo pteeervsd, end the Conr-ti
lutional distribution< of power among the departments
intint lined, unless tbe Executive career be checked and
restrained f"
Truly, tir, this is a gloomy picture. You yoarpelfhave
drawn siverai suwh ilurt-g the b.te canvass. Some al
lowance is no doubt to bu made for extra coloring, ou
account of (ho time and occasion. But it is
to be hoped aud b. li. ved that neither of you would be
cipable of so solemnly presenting it to the nation, un
less you believed it was substantially a true picture. For
my#lf, I adopt the whole of it, coloring and all. Iv
is not too highly colrr.id for my opinion. Rut what i
want to ask you and Mr. Clay, mid in behalf of the na
•.Ion to call for a response, is : Ifqw or whence did this
despotism come upon u»? You say it is not in the Con
stitution, nor to be traced to that as its source. Whence,
then, came it ? Mr. Olay's general ccclsmatiou, about
abaci piions and encroachment*, is weil enough tor the
want facta. Wo want you to poiut out distinctly wherein
and whin did General Jackson or Mr. Van Bureu ever
ransoeni the limits of the Constitution, or usurp a
power tint clearly and expressly assigned to the Execu
tive. To many of your pirty it will seem very pre
mmptuoua, hut to you it will wear no such aspect, that
I should, as I 'do, defy either of you to predict lha In
stance.
You will not cite the power of removal from office,
for that is a debatable queation, and, m you admit in
vour Rxhmond speech, they found it a settled practice
of ih ■ Government, astablithed with the assent of the
Ural Congress that rat under the Coastin' Ion, and with
■be full sanction of Mr. Madiscu, who aught to bay*
. known be'.lhr than any other man what tha Constitution
meant. You will uot cite tha removal of the deposi'*;
for, sift that sufjset es you may, even pet vert It with all
your Ingenuity, ntid the most you can mike of It ia a
gross abuse of an undoubted power. You will not c:t«
certain csrumptlons of Gen Jackson, never acted oo ;
for he and they have had their day, and us mere opin
ions they will have t.eithir w. lght nor aptkerity with any
one Keen hia -u.xesaor, his promise loAcruingabe ‘ fo-»
steps" to the contrary notwithstanding, never would hii
srd hia reputation as a Constitutional lawyer by adep ing
or avowing them. Mr rom.mhrance supplies no ioetanc
one whit more piansiblr in your faver than cither of these
So auch instance can be produced. Even all the d s
tiuctly tangible abuses of power, it will be fou and on
candid revision, arc ciicutrscribahle within thoss two
subjects, the removal of the deposits and lha removing
and appointing of officers.
We have then a'l this absorption of pow
er by the Executive, without a single usurps
tion or a tangible instance of even encroachment.
How, than, brs it come aboil ? That ia what we want
s response to Will you retort upon me the queation,
tow then do I admit tha truth ot Mr. Clay’s picture?—
Flow, if there has been no usurpation, nor even any
ibuse of powsr, but auch as may be circumscribed with
in auch uanow limits, how 'a it that the President po•
sesaea such ••a’upeudeus, overshadowing power?” ! 1
shall attempt no etcape from the question, by affirming
that Ihe dilemma is not miue, but yours and hia who did
the painting, for that is the very point to which I wi-h
to bring the inquiry. It presents the only true queation
for consideration in the invrs'igutiou of this great sub
ject. It is one to which neither you nor Mr. Clay nor
any other prominent man has ever yet responded. You
have all so unaccountably overlooked it aa to warram
the surmise that you bad purposely avoided it; but why
or wherefore I kioy not. My own response to th< I
que* ion will bo readily anticipated from the teuor of
previous rcuiaiks. it is believed to be susceptible of
none other even approaching to plauaibility. All
the excess of his powers, above those granted him by
the Constitution, are precisely those, and none other,
that n&turaliy and mxessaarily devolve on him, ns
the head of the grest political party that elevated him
to tha chair; the unavoidable icference being that there
lies the trnceouice of all the power complained of.
This is a power wholly extraneous from the Conatitu
tion. It is a power which its framers not only never
intended to giv.; but which, as they supposed, could
n.v„ liv accession or accretion: for. as the? b -
.ieveil, they had moat carefully and securely guarded
against i<; a power not even remotely incidental to the
-cheme of Government, as its projector- intended it
•hould work in practice. Let us, then, cease to wonder
now it is that an t aker under the Constitution, acting
within tbs pale if his assigned powers,bu acquired a pow
er above the Oonatitutioii that actually controls and nui i
tics it; that kicks abide its who] > frame work of ch-cks
and bilences; concentra'es all Legislative and Executive
power iu hie owu hands; sod rvducee the Government to
'hat s;mple machine, as you have termed it, an elective
despotism.
It is unnecessary to tell you, but it mar not be amias
'X> remind others, that this peculiar and extraordinary
power is not of modern growth. It lay in the hands o'
ill our party Presidents, and was more 01 lew exertiaei
by them all. It waa ouly more glaringly developed tud
displayed whilst ia tbe bauds ol General Jickson, be
came of the peculiar and uuusnal mods ol its <1 ircise
by him. Mr. J Anson acd Mr. Madison uoaud their
party and its iutcrosss ai a sort of family concern, to br
managed by mutual consultation between them and its
leaders, in and out of Congress. Tbe interests of the
■jouitry, it is to be hopsd, were always the first coneid
ra'ion; but the interest- of. the pirty were never over
looked,and werg oarefully attend id to is a thing in which
they all had a mutusl interest, t.d in the succ.eVol op
araUons ol which they all had «. stake, more or less, ol
peisonsl n pnlaiion. Mr. JeffeMOO, by the foicJ of hi
-real ulenu, great persoual popularity, and by bis
S'.ill greeter tact in the management of men, did jas
as be pleased, without seeming to do so, and
was mere truly the Government, and the whole Gov
eminent, than ever General Jackson was. Tbe differ
ence was in the mud? of rxsrcis.ug the power. Tin
one did it with the polished courtesy of a gentleman, and
with that nice addresa of tbe aecom|lished statesman,
which mode the parly leaders in Congress actually fancy
that it was they and not he who wero nereis ng tin
power. Tbe other did it with the *>c vo/o sic jukn of
the peremptory soldier. To the one, the pirty was t
foater-child of his own, and bo treated it with Dontirg
pirenial care, and though he was occasionally a most
revere taskmaster over it, yet they seemed to move in
concert and acted with apparent harmony. Too Otbei
never belonged to the party till lie wai placed at its
l.oad, resented its pretentions as iojarious to the Impa
led sufficiency of his own popularity, cored ootbiag
about it t xc »pt so far as it subserved his purp:ms, anil
was ready at any moment to kick It to psrdilion when
ever it ihonld cease to do so. Hence bis movement*
were never in eoocert or upea eooaalutioo with hm par
ty, hat always ia advaaee af U. Oaring
fm hie partT to earn wm mk\m of l«
iatmin, aad to tw» alwaya Mmtto appnarvM*
of dnrgslug the unsilling party at hia triumphant heel*.
: HI* lapgnago «a*. ko tow me, or we may all go to rein
top ether, for aught that I earn.- With tie® the party
' fret everything. T. e foii.ic*l exis'e-ce of each and all
o' them depended upon saving the party; to save the
party, they were compelled to follow and sustain hi® —
There vac no period daring the terms of Jefferson and
Maoism when the party would not be compelled to do
I <he fane thing if t>#y had ever thought proper to pur
! sue the fame course. Besides, ail Get,era! Jackson’s bob
I bies were popular with the great mast of the peoplo. He
' did not make them so ; they were so before 1m mounted
•hem. Wo have just witnessed whit the force of bis
popularity is, when, unaided by party tower, even in hie
; own 8's‘e. Whet would have been ih- result, if he bad
I happened to run athwart popular prejudice, is uncertain.
His party in Congress might it such case have van
I lured to take bran and grapple with him. But
t at is doubtful. It is diffi tuft to bring about the mjUM
1 a' oo: Bdoi ce among ooe hundred acd flf'y moo, necee
J sary to such an i ff >r\ Th * likelihood is rather that they
j would iu that, u they wifi in all other cases, follow on
I and risk the chances before the people.
| Get eral Jick-oo never dieplayed, in any thing ha tvsr
. did, near the same amount of power as waa mtnifaslod
by Hr. Jefferson iu the ii fl'otion of the embargo and
other anti-oommercia! measures upon an unwilling ta
' tiou. Ttrere could be no higher macifeetationa of the
1 <! spotiem o', party than the peaceable erduranoe of such
i a course of measures in s popular Government like ours.
With our present lights, calmly reviewing the folly sod
i'juriouj effects of many of his m atures, nothing
I can more rriklogly iliuitrate (he impropriety of trusting
1 absolute leguli'ive power to anyone man. YstJefftr
son w«s a great man, periiapa the greateet, save one,
i that I be nation has ever yet pioduced. His own pecu
liar hia* in'politics, that he gave to and impressed upon
our ins'.itutiuns, will, for good or for evil, be aa dnrable
as themselves But he tad, in au eminent degree, a
fault common lo most great men; that is, too much con
fidence iu his owu opinion. He was a bold, not to any
j recklee*, iheotiasr and experimenter. Such men are
j always dangerous, and t'-e las*, to be trusted with abeo
• lute sway. One of his theories was, that a nation like
i this, for a fancied ultimate benefit, could, by legislation,
i be driven or weened from its great commercial pursui'a.
His experiments upon that I lea cost tte natioc an in
I ftnituue of masebirf. They were carried through
I by the foroe of party dr 11 alone. A eome
: what airnlir oaperimrue under G-uoral Jackson,
based on a similar idea, has cost the nation nearly as
math. The great inexcusable error of both experiments
was iu the a; pi cation of srvere and costly remedies,
wi’hout knowing certainly before band tfast the patient
would submit to treatment, and take the whole prpscrip
ton. These twe similar mischiefs, proceeding from two
dissimilar men, should incubate the lesson, If ws
needed It, that neither the rises# of wisdom north#
want of it atford aoy security agaiuet the evila of ‘obaUr
nacy and opinionaiiveness, in mm holding absolute pow
er.
Mr. J' (Terson thoroughly understood the Ire# princi
ple* of the Government, aud it ww» hia pride, as be felt
it to be i ts duty also, to preserve them in their purity.
He therefore, never violated the Constitution either in
its letter or spirit. It was General Jackson's misfortune
that he did not understand those principle#. From his
education and pvttioui pursuit*,it would be urreaeooabM
u> c ipsct that he shoo! I have understood them. Under
tbs it fljencs of bis peculiar temperameut, he wss, therm
fore, habitually trampling over (he apiril of the coosUta
’ion,and treading opon the outermost verge of his powers.
Whether if hs had understood those principles, he would ^
have wOfaily disregarded them, must ever remain a mat
er of some doubt. No mao doubts his patriotism ; no
man doubts that ha was slways ready to lay dowa hie.
life for his oounlry. The doubt is, whether hf did aot;
ack that moral training which teaches other mao a pro-*
otr reveretjoe lor our political institutions, and makaa*
these WO* every violaUon of «M coostiUtWi as a
msraldwoBg. *
Hr. Jrferscn fir.-m the consciousness of bis oora powers
feared not te encounter other groat men, but eourted
their society and always kept them about him ■ Oeneral
Jackson from tbs same sort or consciousness, pursued a
tirt.ren* course When be bad b:en aom# time in the
hair, the nation was startled with the intelligence that
te never held any cabinet councils. He even threaten
’d to di-pense with tho aid of cabiuet ministers and
carry oti tha govenment with chief clerks. In
he absence of the uppropriate constitutional
idvisers, the world did him the injustice to believe that
e had submitted himself to the guidance of others of a
rery different description. The opinion* of the one,
though entitled to great we:g it with everybody, yet re
vived more consideration than they deserved, from the
additional respect attach* *1 to them on scoouat of the
t’tppoaed coocurrcLce of his very nble cabinet. Oeneral
fickson's opinions, though entitled to little authority
•ilb any one, eicep'. on military subjects, rec tired less
re-p?ct than they really merited, on account of the false
ly imputed ir.ll tence to which they were ascribed.
These various points of striking contrast between these
two most remarkable men serve fully to explain why the
ums mo*e txtecsive and more frequently used powers
turned a so much less obnoxious snaps, whilst in the
lands o' the one, tbau they afterwards assumed when
a the bands of the other. They explain why it was lelt
or (leuersl Jackson to expose in its nakedness the ss
ounding fact that our eystem gives ns a public masur,
•utead of a public servant, in every party President—
i fact that seems theretofore to have lurktd, compare
ively unobserved, in our system.
I say comparatively tiuobsjrveJ, for from the cele
brated report made to the Senate, in !8i*S, by Mr. Vao
turen, Mr. Benton, and n her distinguished members
if the present pirty in power, thoee gentlemen appear
•fore that to have haJ a distinct p-rceptioo of some
thing very I ke it, as will be h.du from tb* following ex
tract from that report:
“Patronage will penetrate this body, subdot its capa
city of resistance; chain it to the car of power, and en
able the President to rult es tatily and murk mart •»
curtly with than without tho no mnal ehirl of {As Hr
note.
“We must look forward to the time when the noml
tation by the Proddent can carry any min through the
lenate, acd hi* reooutmenl ition can carry any maa-ure
■broach the two houies of Congress; when the priccipie
if public souou will be open and avowed: the Pieti
dent wants iny vote and I want his patronage; I will
vote ae he wishes and he wilt give me the ollioe I with
far. What will this he but the government of one mao ?
aid whst is the government of one min but • mon
irehv ? Same* are nothing. The nature of a tbiug ie
in its mbstsr.ce, and the uame toon accommodates itself
to the substance.
“Thou ah > malt the Prtiidtnt mutt mpyort him —
Thtir politieal fate hteomea HrahfitJ, and they mast
I'aml or fall together. Right or arong, they matt lay
port him
K my recollection screes me, Mr. Ctlhoun, as chair
wan of a committee, a m jority of whom wero distin
guished members of your own party, in 18S5, made a
report to tbe Senate coitaiolog eery similsr sentiments.
Tb« limo hiving already arrived, when the President
virile* any nomination through the Senate, and any
netsnre be pleases through the two H uses of Congress,
re have now the expreeved opinions of the most prouil
pnr men of all parties, that somehow w* have wendt r
d from a ihecretlcat republic into apractictl deepotiair.;
ret, strange to eay, no man of yon all eeemj to h >ve
jpeit a senuua thought upon bow we got there, wo aa to
ioiit the way back again. Mi well worthy wf wonder
hat witbauih coocuniog opioioca front ao many ami
tent men, no on* baa yet seriou-ly set to work to pro-,
•ore such an amendment of tbe Constitution aa shall rid
is of this elective despotism.
We hive furthermore in this report of leM, from anch
n n as Mr. Van Burcu and Mr. Benton, woo have spent
.heir lives in thecxrrcise of party tecioa tnd tha pur
ait of political wit fire, men thoroughly versed in all
he phavs of human nature when under the itduenco
■f partyiim, the annunciation of the all-important fact,
hat they who make tbe Presdent mart and will sopport
bra rieht or wrong, beciuee their polities! fata* arw
dentitied and they mutt stand or fa'I together. Tet,
whilst denouncing the exoeas of Eiac live power and in *
•he anions pursuit of some remedy that will diminish
with th e important fact glaring mem foil in tha fsew,
key take bot little oo’e of it, make no comment upon
hat whish ao obviously uci'e* tb* political fatea of tha
President and m tubers of Ooogrte. and make no aog'
geatioo of tha uec.suty for doing something to disunite
ibtMe
Both tbe reports, as well aa all of tbs more molars
<peeahe>, are price-pdly mid* up of perpetual harpirg
ipon tb i client of the President's patronage, with tb* ,
now or a »d eorrupting indasne* it was supposed to give
him otjt Congress, >11 overlookad that greater and
Hrooga- ligament wbioh bind* the re presents! ire to tbe
Praaic* it—their ooiumuaity of Intaraal and identity of
poktinal fate, sad that still stranger oat, oarty spirit
Tbe feet eere, tb* pant anbsilnd* of the ryt aula
dvah ta pianaraa M nt la b** gaoaraly ia«jd
fbraogb l tevara and a**y It oM*