Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1804-10-18

20 THE PEOPLE.
TIE DEFENcE-No. u.

of great nationis fuch as not 10
admit of difcharge by one man.
They are 70 various and exteniive
thar the exertionso OF an individual, how
ever fplendid or mighty, are made
quate to the talk of fulfilling them.
Although, therefore, the theory of the
government velts in the Pre6dent the
whole executive power, qualified in
fome inlances by the advice and con.
fent of the Senate, yet it is no lefs
manifef, from the legal proyilions
eaablilhed, than from the reafon Of
the thing, that diyiiion of power was
contemplated amonglf fubordinate a
gents. Hence the ellabliihment of
four great departments, each poliehed
of a iupreme controul over circum-
icribed lphere of delegated powers
The government was no iooner put
into operation than laws paf1ed efab.
liihing the departments of the fate,
of the treaiury, and of war and as
foon as the public exigencies .equired
a navy, law was pafed eitabliihing
the navy department..
At the head Of each Of thefe de-
partments the Prefdent was required,
with the appreciation of the Senate,
to place an individual whole continu-
ance in Office ihould depend upon his
pleafure. Laws paRed from time to
time, defined the duties, as we'll of
,hefe officers, as thofe placed under
them. Ihefe laws were, in ieveral
cafes, 70 many limitations of the Exc
cuiive power of the Chief Magi0rate.
They devolved fpecifc duties upon
fubordinate agents, and left only to
him general luperintendance, divelt-
ed of all difcretion. Even the refpon-
fibility of appointing proper officers is
divided with the Senate, who are pof-
ieiled of the right of rejecting any can
didate offered by the Preiident; as
inltances may occur, and probably
have occurred, in which names have
been propoled by him, as much from
a knowledge thatsthcy would be ac-
ceptable TO that body, as from his own
eltimation of their qualifications.
ltis not the object of thele remarks
to derogate from the responsibility of
the Preiident. 1t cannot be denied
that his powers are vaa, and of con-
fequence, thar he ihould be held un-
der rigid refponGbility.-It is only
meant TO h,ew that this reiponfbility
is not abiolute and that all the meai-
ures of the Executive government, in
their various details, are not to be
confdered as his. Ii is true, howev-
er. although he does not pohefs an
abiolute controul over the acts of fub-
ordinate agents, yet he does poflefs
the Efficient power of removal, and
Of thus preventing continuance,
though he may not have been able to
prevent the firtt occurrence of milcon-
dud.
II Ii is spparent, from this feature
OF government, that much depends
upon the character of the men called
upon to fill Offices, and particularly
OF thofe on whom are devolved the
fuperintendance of the four great de-
partments. Tothe Secretary of State
is Immediately committed the conduct
OF foreign relations, on which the
peaceand commercial profperi,y of the
nation depend to the Secretary of
the tfeafuryis committed the manage
ment of the whole relourcss of the
q government and to the Secretaries
OF war and navy are committed all the
duties attached to. tho!e mighty en-
gines of national defence. Belides
. che diltina difoharge of thefe great
duties, theie high officers, in conjunc-
tion with the Attorney General, as
members of the Cabinet, are called