Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-08-06

riodically, through the medium Of popular e.
lections. An Executive branch oil the Gov
erpment being nece ssary, the Presidency was
organized, as it now stands, upon principles de-
rived from most mature consideration of The
advantages and defects Of all Governments, an.
cient and modern.
This branch of the Government appears TO
have been the only one from which, in the Gee
neral Convention, and danger TO the public hb-
critics was apprehended. Every precau,ion was
taken, therefore, 10 diyest it OF discretionary
powers.
The power Of declaring war, for example,
with all its incidents, and the power OF levying
and appropriating money, were given 10 Con-
gress alone. All the essential civil power Of
sovereignty, in short, was carefully withheld
from the President; and given 10 the Represen-
,atives ofthe People and Of The States; the for
mer being biennially elected, and responsible at
brief intervals 10 toe People.
In this distribution Of powers, the most ell
itctual method possible was taken 10 prevent
anarchy: for The sages of that day justly rea-
soned, that these Representatives, coming to.
gether from STATES in which they were born, ed
ucated, and had all their interests, would new
er leopard the existence, or encroach on the re-
cognized rights OF the State Governments. AS
statesmen, they knew that Constitution could
not provide for every thing, and that, do what
they would in The way Of amplifC alton, some
thing must still be LETT TO construction. ii the
Constitution should be Improperly construed,
the corrective was in the hands Of the People.
Expe rience has shewn us that that reliance 100,
was we'll founded. The ballot box presents 4
permanent antido,e or remedy for error Of con-
s,ruction, or wilful encroachment, in that di-
rection.
If there is a defect in the organization of the
Executive Department, il is in the provision
that the president shall be CoMmander-in-
Chief Of the army and Navy of the United
States, and of the Militia, when called into ac-
tual service. A victorious CT neral, even ofthe
most moderate pretentions, is regarded in the
DRY and in history as dangerous to a popular
Government The citizens pride themselves
in the national renown which such one has
been instrumental in acquiring they overflow
with eXultation and gratitude, s :hey welcome
the hero returning at the head Of his trium-
plant troops. Caesar and Napoleon thus sub
verted the great republics in whose service they
were successful Captains. WAsHINGToN had
his troops in mutiny, and might perhaps have
been monarch, had he not been spotless pa
triot When the Constitution was formed, the
ca eer of Napoleon had not displayed the ef-
fects Of the union OF powerand ambitions and in
the admiration IF the civic virtue of WASHING
TON, was lost the apprehension OF an union OF
civil Office with military authority, and militia
Try temper That great pattern for posteri'y
it viii be recollected, was president Of tie Con-
vention which franz d the Constitution, and
was personally known to all its members
They knew him to be equally great as Legis-,
lator and as warrior: he was then in the viz.
gor ofhis age, and might be again wanted in
both capacities, This part of The Constitution
was adapted to the character of Gen. Washing
ton, and TO the eXigency Of the times, which
fright require has services in military as well
as civil capacity. Could they at such crisis
propose that the powers Of the president and of
the Commander should be separated? Every
feeling of the heart, and perhaps every dictate
Of sound policy, forbade it. u any foresaw OBJ
iections to this union Of civil with military SUI
premacy, OF anticipated futsre danger from it,
they relied of course, upon subsequent amend
ment Of the Constitution, by which such dan
gers should be guarded against.
OF the 5eduCtivencss of military fame, in pop.
ular governments, if we mad ever doubted Of il,
the last Presidential election has given us in
structive Illustration. Mr.. ADAMS, Mr.. CRAw-
FORD, Mr.. CLAY, and Mr.. CALHOUN, all distn-
suished civilians, were famiiarly spoken of as
Candidates for the Presidency before General
JACKSON was seriously announced. The mo.
ment that he was brought forward, the soldiers
whom he had led TO battles rallied under his
s!ardard II was by them, in fact, that he was
Formally presented as q candidate. The military
fervor, created Jy the arrival and triumphal
progress of the good LAFAYETTE through the
land, aided The spread of this contaeion; and in
some populous district of the Interior, the Mill
tia, exalted into enthusiasm by the Militia VIC
tory al New Orleans, marched almost literally
in emba,led lecions to the polls. Had the
election taken place three months later, it is
quite possible that the experiment would have
made, which we have been taught by all histo.
ry TO dcprecate, OF a successful General arriv-
ing, by means solely of military achievement,
a, the highes, station OF the Republic.
Such an experiment "e depreca,e, not beoaus
VIC have any apprehension for the form of our
Government from any leader, Military or civil.
The Constitution Will be found strong enough
to check the bodies, and most daring attempt
at usurpalion, But we object 10 placing mil
,afy man in the chief authority, because, having