And this respondent, further answering, says that he has from time
to time, under his constitutional right and duty as President of the
United States, communicated to Congress his views and opinions in
regard to such acts or resolutions thereof as, being submitted to him
as President of the United States in pursuance of the Constitution,
seemed to this respondent to require such communications; and he has
from time to time, in the exercise of that freedom of speech which
belongs to him as a citizen of the United States, and, in his political
relations as President of the United States to the people of the United
States, is upon fit occasions a duty of the highest obligation, expressed
to his fellow-citizens his views and opinions respecting the measures
and proceedings of Congress; and that in such addresses to his
fellow-citizens and in such his communications to Congress he has
expressed his views, opinions, and judgment of and concerning the actual
constitution of the two Houses of Congress, without representation
therein of certain States of the Union, and of the effect that in wisdom
and justice, in the opinion and judgment of this respondent, Congress
in its legislation and proceedings should give to this political
circumstance; and whatsoever he has thus communicated to Congress
or addressed to his fellow-citizens or any assemblage thereof this
respondent says was and is within and according to his right and
privilege as an American citizen and his right and duty as President
of the United States.
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