THE Senator from Kentucky was speaking about the President of the U.S.: "In one hand he holds the purse, and in the other he brandishes the sword of the country. What more does he want?" The Senator from Massachusetts compared the President to Briareus, the 100-handed giant of Greek mythology: "He touches everything, moves everything, controls everything. I ask, sir, is this legal responsibility?"
The critics were Henry Clay and Daniel Webster; the President thus chastised was Andrew Jackson. Throughout U.S. history, the Senate and the Chief Executive have stood in a special relationship,...
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