WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1326
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exercise its constitutional right of having subjects brought here which were under consideration by the other Departments. And for what purpose is it alleged that this should·be clone? To en- lighten the nation? Was it to bring all the information before the members of this House, to have it disclosed, and have it go abroad to the nation that the People might act on it? Was this the object? or was it to have presented to this House certain subjects under consideration by the other departments of the government-that information not complete, but garbled, and presenting different facts and different conclusions to this House, than it would have done if all the information had been sub- mitted. Misrepresentation would result from reasoning from false premises; the opinion would re-act; this House was the organ by which this misrepresentation would be cast to the world, and a re-action would be produced through the medium of the public prints; sides must be taken; the public mind would be operated on in this way, and that body was to be lashed into a determination ruinous to the nation. Were they to operate on their constituents, and they to operate on the other departments of Government, contrary to the welfare of the co~ntry? Were they to compel the deliberative body, or the Executive of the United States to come to a conclusion at war with the premises, and contrary to its judgment by fear of clamor? There was not a man between these walls who paid greater deference to an en- lightened expression of public opinion that he did. He respected it when it was fairly expressed; but it was impossible to have a fair expression of public opinion till the public is in possession of all the facts- till their understanding is enlightened, and their judgment corrected by that knowledge. Suppose, said Mr. H., the President recommended a measure to the Senate of the United States which was most ruinous in its tendency to our Government, involving general ruin of the coun- try, and the overthrow of its institutions; the Senate do not comply, because they see the evils with which the measure is fraught; suppose they deliberate on it, and they hesitate in giving an expression of an opinion, fearful that it may have an injurious effect on him who recommended it, or on those who adopted it. The Executive shall have his agents in this House, and it is neces- sary that the measure should pass either for his satisfaction, or aggrandizement. Information may be called for, important in its. character, but when presented in a garbled form to this House. it will present a very different aspect to what it would have done
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