WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1837
110
not be as great an assumption of power for the legislature to take from the Executive who is charged with the duty of execut- ing the laws a portion of the power vested in him by the Consti- tution, for that purpose, as it would be for the President to direct the Legislature what laws they should pass; and an assumption of the latter kind on the part of the Executive I am sure would deserve but little countenence from your honorable body. Then does it not clearly appear that the three branches of government are sovereign within their spheres, but that neither has the right to control any of the functions assigned to the other by the Constitution. It is a proper knowledge and observa- tion of these powers that has made the United States of America, so great, free, prosperous, and happy. To the want of that knowledge and a just regard of it Mexico owes her depression and has always been a prey to faction and internal commotions. Let us be careful not to follow those abuses in the commencement of our political course that impelled us to the hazardous but necessary step of separating ourselves from the government of our adoption. Should we do so, well might the world say, the gallant have bled in vain, and the victories of Goliad, Concepcion, San Antonio, and San Jacinto, would only serve to show that tho' we had the valor to conquer, we had not the wisdom and the virtue to enjoy national and civil liberty. The latter clause of the resolution takes from the Executive the power which is given him by the Constitution to command the army and Navy, in as much as he is instructed to vest the com- mandry of the said vessels with discretionary powers or "to take such a step to effect their object as in their opinion circumstances may justify" in the event of the refusal of the Mexican authori- ties to comply with their proposition, because it may be that the Executive who is responsible would not be willing to trust the commandants with discretionai·y powers that he might deem it proper as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, to give special instructions to guide the commanding officers in their actions in the event of a refusal from the Mexican authorities to treat for the release of the prisoners taken on board the Independence and the Julius Caesar. On the ground of policy and safety of our fellow citizens who are prisoners, I am opposed to sending a flag of truce on an armed vessel or vessels to the port of Brazos Santiago.
-
Powered by FlippingBook