Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1841-03-18

appointment more independence and free
dom from such influences might be expect
ed. Such one was afforded by the Ex-
ecutive Department, constituted by the
Constitution.
A person elected to that high Office, hav-
ing his constituents in every section, State,
and subdivision of the Union, must consi-
der himself bound by the most solemn
sanction, tn guard, protect, and defend the
rights Of ALL and of every portion, great or
small, from the injustice and oppression of
the rest. consider the veto power, there
fore. given by the Constitution TO the Ex-
ecutive Of the United States, as conser-
vative power. To be used only, lst, to
project the Constitution from violation;
2dly, the People from the effects Of hasty
legislation, where their will has been pro-
badly disregarded or not well understood
and, 3dy, to prevent the effects OF combi-
nations violalive of the rights of minorities.
In reference to The secoud of these objects.
NAV observe that, consider il The right
aud privilege Of the People to decide dis
puted points Of the Constitution, arising
from the general grant of power to Con-
gress 10 carry into effect the powers ex-
pressly given. And believe, with Mr..
Madison, ,'that repeated recognitions under
varied circumstances, in acts Of the legis-
lative, executive, and judicial branches Of
The Government, accompanied by indca-
tions in different modes Of the concurrence
of The general will Of the nation, as afford
ing TO the President sufficient authority for
his considering such disputed points as
settled"
Upwards Of half century have elapsed
since the adoption of our present form of
government. 1t would be an object more
highly desirable than the qualification of
the curiosity of speculative statesmen, if
its precise situation could be ascertained,
a fair exhibit made Of the operations Of
each of its Departments, of The powers
whicl..,hey respectively claim aud exercise,
Of the collisions which have occurred be-
tween them or between the whole Govern
ment and those Of the States, or either of
them. We could then compare our actual
condition, after fifty years trial Of our sys-
tenn, with what. it was in the commence
menl Of its operations, and ascertain wheth
er the predictions oflhe patriots VI ho oppos-
sed its adoption, or the confident hopes Of
its advocates, have been best realized.
The;grea, dread of the formerjsccms to
have been that the reserved powers of the
States would be absorbed by those of the
Federal Government, and a,consoidaled
power established, leaving to the States
the shadow, only, Of that independent ac-
ton for which they had so zealously con-
tended, and on the preservation of which
they relied as the last hope OF liberty.
Without denying that the result TO which
they looked with so much apprehension is
in the way of being realized, it is obvious
tha, they did not clearly see the mode of
its accomplishment. The General CO.
vernment has seized upon none Of the re-
served rights Of the States. AS far as any
open warfare may have gone, the State
authorities have amply maintained their
rights. To casual observer, our system
presents no appearance of discord between
The different :men,hera which no,p POGO s..
| Even the addition Of many new ones has
produced no jarring. They move in their
respective orbits in perfect harmony with
the central head, and with each other. But
there is still an under current at work, by
which, if not seasonably checked, the worst
apprebensions of our anti-federal patriots
will be realized. And not only will our
State authorities be overshadowed by the
great increase of power in the Executive
Department Of the General Government,
but the character OF that Government, If
not its designation, be essentially and rad
ically changed. This state Of things has
been in part effected by causes inherent in
The Costi,u,ion, aud in par, by the never
failing tendency Of political power TO in
crease itself. BY making the President
.he sole distributor Of all the patronage Of
the Government, the trainers of the Con-
stitulon do not appear to have anticipated
at how short period it would become
formidable instrument to control the free
operations of The State governments. or
lrifing importance at first, it had, early in
Mr.. Jefierson's administration, become so
powerful as to create great alarm in the
mind OF that patriot, from the potent inhu
ence it might exert in controlling The free
dom of the elective franchise. Ifsuch could
then have been the effects Of its influence
how much greater must be The danger at
this time, quaIrupled in amount, as it GER
tainly is, and more completely under the
control Of the Executive will, than their
construction Of their powers allowed, or the
forbearing character of all the early Presi-
dents permitted them to make But it is
not by the extent Of its patronage alone
:hat the Executive Department has be-
come dangerous, but by the use which i,
appears may be made of the appointing
power, TO bring underils control the whole
revenues Of the country. The Conslitu-
ton has declard it to be the duty Of the
President to see that The laws are execut-
ed, and i, makes him Commander-in-Chief
of the Armies and Navy of the United
States. Ii the opinion of The most approx
ed writers upon that species of mixed Go
vernment, which in modern Europe, is
termed Monarchy, in conlradistinc,ion to
Despotism, is correct, there was wanting
no other addition 10 the powers of our
Chief Magistrate 10 stamp monarchical
character on our Government, butihe con-
troll of The public finances. And 10 me il