The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-09-02
EXECUTIVE POWER AGAIN.


EXECUTIVE POWER AGAIN.
There would be use of any Cabinet at all ifthe
Secretaries were but instruments of the Presidential
will II is their duty to advise him freely all sub
jects it Is his to hear their advice and follow or over
rule it as he shall think proper"
The above is portion of an article copied by
the National lnteligencer of yesterday morning,
from the New York Tribune, and pronounced
by the former to be "very just and sensible re-
marks" After the recent full and fair exposition
we have given OF the relations of the President
| and the Cabinet, we confess we are surprised at
the temperance of such doctrines in the Intelli-
| gencer. We defy any man to find any thing either
in the law or the Constitution to justify such
theory We can find no apology for them in
the "indiscreiions of young and ardent poll
tican much less in the inadvertences of men
OF age and experience. The Constitution says
the President may call upon the heads Of De-
partments for their opinions in writing and the
law declares that the heads Of Departments shall
obey his orders and Instructions. But thu idea
of council is no where recognised among the
i
a Secretary to advise the President freely on all
subjects except when called upon-nor is il his
duty to hear the advice however given. MI.
Madison compares the heads of Departments to
"eyes and hands" And are they not "instru-
ments" of the will Of their possessor2 Yet if
| Mr.. Madison's doctrine be true, there will be,
according to the Integencer, "no use for any
Cabinet"
The lntelligencer has occupied on this subject
an embarrassing position from the beginning
1t first denounced our doctrine of the unity, in
dependence, and responsibility of the Executive
as the most odious Of Jacksonisms. 1t subsequent
ly retreated from background and admitted the in
dependence of the Executive to the extent OF
DENYING any right in the Cabinet TO control the
President, but denied also that the President was
responsible for the acts of the heads of Depart
ments. 1t now avails itself Of the first appa-
rent coincidence of opinion in any press to ad-
vance backwards to occupy in part at least a
ground from which It was originally driven.
We intimated in former article that the ar
guments and authorities on this subject were BY
no means exhausted As our motives were mis-
construed, we had hoped thai the necessity of
bringing them forward, either in whole or in
part, would be avoided. We have, however,
received several letters, echoing the lntelligen-
GERS expressions of repugnance TO our views of
Executive unity, independence, and response
biity, which will furnish US sufficient apology
for showing that they had their origin long be-
fore Jacksonsm or Anti-Jacksonism was heard
of.
In the debates Of the Convention in 1889, Mr..
Madison said 'lt is evidently the intention of
the Constitution that the First Magistrate should
be responsible for the Executive Departments"
"The principle of UNITY and RESPONSIBILITY in
the Executive Departments is intended for the
security Of liberty and the public good"
| Mr.. Lawrence said In the Constitution,
the Heads Of Departments are considered as
the mere assistants Of The President in the
performance of Executive duties"
Mr.. Ames said: "The Executive powers are
delegated 10 the President with a view TO have
responsible officer 10 superintend, control, in
spect, and check the officers necessarily employ
ed in administering the law"
In letter addressed by Mr.. Jefferson TO M.
de Tracy, on the question of plural or single
Executive, he declared decided preference for
the latter; and, after appealing to the French
Directory to show the evils and disadvantages
of the former, he says: (" The failure of the
French Directory, and from the same cause,
seems to have authorized belief that the form
Of plurality, however promising in theory, is
mpractcable, with men constituted with the or
binary passions"
Aided by the counses of Cabinet of
Heads of ENTHUSIASTICALLY four, but
now fve-with whom the American President
consults, either singly all together, he has the
benefit of their wisdom and information, brings
their views TO one centre, and produces an UNITY
of action and direction in all the branches of the
Government"
In the circular addressed by Mr.. Jefferson to
the Heads of Departments in 1901, he reviews
the practice of General Washington of receiv-
ing communications from the Heads of Depart
ments in relation to the concerns of their respec.
tive offices, and says "by this imeans he was
always in accurate possession OF all facts and
proceedings in every part Of the Union, and TO
whatsoever Department they related ; he formed
a central point for the different branches pre-
served UNITY Of object and action among
them; exercised that participation in the gestlon
of affairs which his Office made incumbent upon
him and mel him self n dine resnOusibiIfU for